Jade Cargill is one of the main talking points coming out of the October 24 episode of WWE SmackDown. She “saved” Tiffany Stratton from Kiana James and Guilia, only to beat the champion down herself. It seems as if Cargill has gone full “heel” and shifted into a persona familiar to those who followed her in All Elite Wrestling. This is an overdue move and should be one that allows Cargill to spread her wings in a much-needed way in WWE.
There are some performers who play better roles that sit in either the “heel” or “shades of grey” areas of professional wrestling. Think of examples like William Regal, Triple H, Charlotte Flair, and several others across the history of wrestling. Many of them went through phases in their careers playing both roles, but it is clear that their villainous sides brought out the best of their abilities. Jade Cargill will fit perfectly into that list when her career is said and done. WWE fans are going to get to enjoy that revelation.
While in AEW, Jade Cargill’s character work was among some of the best of the roster. She displayed an ability to deliver one-liners, looks, and emotions through everything that she did, creating a level of believability that worked for what she and the promotion were attempting to pull off. With WWE’s production quality behind that same character, what worked so well in AEW can be elevated to a new level.
Now, that doesn’t eliminate the fact that the in-ring element also has to connect. The bell-to-bell action is where Cargill struggles the most. It’s not an unfair criticism to point out that she’s not great in the ring. But playing the heel character gives her room to cover that up by working a slower pace in her matches. She’ll have to continue working on those faster paced moments but allowing Cargill to work as a heel should help a lot with what we see from her in the ring.
Jade Cargill hasn’t turned, she’s just remembered who she is. Seeing her play the heel character should be a fun experience. And it will start with her taking the WWE Women’s Championship from Tiffany Stratton at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1.