The Riott Squad is one of the more creatively assembled stables in WWE. At first glance, these women appear to have little in common, but together they were an exciting collection of talent.
Since Ruby Riott went out with two shoulder injuries, neither Liv Morgan nor Sarah Logan has enjoyed much success in WWE. All 3 women are incredibly talented in their own way.
There is not a return date set for Riott yet; though there does appear to be hope for a return in early 2020 according to Fightful Select (h/t Sportskeeda). Riott’s injury did have a silver lining, she was not involved in any major feud in WWE. This allows her to return to TV, and be plugged into a storyline with any competitor.
Ruby Riott has the talent and the look to be a special player in WWE. She has not had an opportunity to reach her full potential yet. When she returns from injury, she can feud with anyone in the women’s division.
Here are 3 opponents for Ruby Riott to face when she returns from injury.
Sasha Banks
Before she took time off due to injuries, the character of Ruby Riott was not a defined villain or hero. She has the ability to be portrayed either way, but has lacked a rival to enhance her overall character. This is where a feud with Sasha Banks can be valuable for Riott.
Banks, like Randy Orton, is at her best when she portrays that villain role. Riott can flourish as an anti-hero who takes issue with how Banks is bullying other wrestlers. It is doubtful that Riott will ever be that “traditional fan favorite” wrestler, and that is a compliment to her style.
If Riott returns by early 2020, there is an opportunity to build towards a match between Sasha Banks and Ruby Riott at WrestleMania 36. The two could tell a story about how Riott has had to watch Banks be given multiple opportunities in WWE, and yet she still tries to bully less fortunate wrestlers. Banks, as the arrogant “boss” character, can paint the picture of how normally a wrestler like her doesn’t waste her time with a wrestler like Ruby Riott.
Having a feud against a credible opponent like Sasha Banks would do wonders for such a talented wrestler like Ruby Riott. Anytime a wrestler interacts with Banks, it is a big deal.
WrestleMania 36 should be a great opportunity for Riott to perform at the top stage in WWE.
Asuka
The Kabuki Warriors still have yet to be displayed in a consistent fashion on Raw. The chemistry between Asuka and Kari Sane hasn’t clicked yet. This is a tag team where it felt like WWE threw them both together, so that both wrestlers would have something to do on television. The hope seemed to be that the two would find their groove while working together. The jury is still out on if it will work, but so far, something seems to be missing for The Kabuki Warriors.
Sarah Logan from The Riott Squad has been floundering on Main Event for months now. There is value in a feud with Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott against The Kabuki Warriors. This could lead to a feud between Asuka and Riott over who is the more dominate athlete.
Asuka and Riott have not found as much singles success on the WWE main roster as they should have. It isn’t due to a lack of skill, more a lack of direction.
This feud doesn’t need to be for the Raw Women’s Championship right away. In the past, certain wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro, or Finn Balor have put on great in-ring wrestling matches with no stakes attached. Each great match would strengthen their credibility with the fans.
This can be a feud where both wrestlers establish a mid-card level of resume, and when the time comes for them to have a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship, they have more equity with the fans.
This feud should lead to a RAW Women’s Championship opportunity for Riott.
Dakota Kai
These two ladies have a history together on the independent scene. There would be nothing wrong with Ruby Riott returning to NXT to start a rivalry with former friend Dakota Kai.
This is a feud where multiple people in NXT can benefit. Kai can be looking for a teammate when she finds a returning Ruby Riott, and invites her to be her tag team partner. Both wrestlers are loved by the NXT audience, and that love will turn into disdain as Riott turns on her friend Kai in the middle of the match.
Riott can grab a microphone and cut a promo centered on how when she was injured, no one checked on her, all the fans who loved The Riott Squad disappeared, and now she is here to cause destruction to NXT.
Dakota Kai has a bright future as a fan favorite. and has a talent to garner sympathy in how she sells a beating from an opponent. This gives both women a platform to show fans their talent.
One new element to this feud is the idea of a “heater” style enforcer for Ruby Riott. The perfect henchwoman would be Reina Gonzalez. Gonzalez is an intimidating presence and would be the right enforcer for Riott. In order for Kai to face Riott, she would have to first defeat Gonzalez. This would eventually lead to fans becoming acclimated to Gonzalez as well.
Three characters who currently don’t have a defined role on NXT can come out of this feud more successful than before it started.