Return to WWE
On January 27, 2024, Naomi will make her return to WWE at the Royal Rumble, returning with her GLOW gimmick. She was the second entrant for the women’s Royal Rumble and lasted one hour and two minutes before Jade Cargill, who debuted that night as well, eliminated her.
I was ecstatic to see her back and see her do so well in the rumble, though I wanted her to win it. Naomi had a few matches and bouts that were solid and showed the WWE fans why she was missed, but the major change will come in December. On an episode of Smackdown on December 20th, Naomi would have to replace Jade as Bianca Belair’s tag partner since Jade was attacked backstage. She would be recognized as the tag champion with Bianca, and their reign would last for 73 days before they lost the belts on Monday Night Raw to Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez.
The Heel Turn: A Character Shift:
March 1, 2025, at Elimination Chamber in Toronto, at the beginning of the match, Jade would return and attack Naomi. Confirming that Naomi was, in fact, the attacker. A week later on SmackDown, Naomi would confirm that she did attack Jade and she laid out her reasons for doing so, causing pain for Bianca, who truly seemed surprised that she turned heel. I suspected her briefly, but I also expected Bianca. Liv attacking Jade was too easy an answer.
Proceed with Caution
In what was a shocking twist for many WWE fans, Naomi had turned heel. The first heel turn since 2016. Naomi, who had always been charismatic and popular with many fans, changed her persona in the following week, where she stated that she was overlooked in the company, amongst several other things. A fact, I did agree with. This change started the slow burn of Naomi going from a beloved fan favorite as a face into a formidable antagonist, showing WWE and the fans that she was no longer playing games and that those in the women’s division needed to proceed with caution.
For many years, outside of holding the title of being the first Black woman to do certain things in the company, Naomi was known for her high-energy performances, dazzling ring entrances, and infectious positivity. She was also one who had some creative moments to keep herself in Rumble matches etc. Her colorful persona, complemented with her “GLOW” persona, evolved around her doing her best, but she never quite reached where she wanted to.
Once Naomi attacked Jade, it became clear that Naomi felt that she wasn’t getting the respect that she deserved. How she accomplished so much, and yet she was still overlooked. She went into an in depth promo, saying that the fans never truly appreciated her and that the company overlooked her time and time again. Naomi was tired of playing nice, and I for one, was here for it all. No longer showing the GLOW, Naomi was showing that she was always a force to be reckoned with, but now she was taking no nonsense.
Her first matchups were with Jade, the first of several, starting on Night One of WrestleMania. While I was a bit peeved that she wasn’t successful, I still loved what her new persona was bringing.
Naomi would then go on to have matches with Jade and Nia Jax, which she won, and on June 7, 2025, she would win the Money in the Bank match. During Evolution, Naomi lost to Jade in a No Holds Barred Match, a match where Bianca was the special guest referee. Later that night, Naomi would have a successful cash-in of her Money in the Bank contract and win the title for the third time by pinning Iyo Sky. At Night Two of Summer Slam. Naomi would have a triple threat match against Rhea and Iyo, a match she would also win and retain the title.
Things would change on an episode of Raw in August, Naomi would have to vacate the title as she was pregnant, and with that, her title reign ended at 36 days.
Mommy to Be!
In a moment that stunned many of us, Naomi stepped into the ring during an impromptu promo and dropped a bombshell that would change the trajectory of her career. Naomi was pregnant. During this announcement, Naomi was able to blend her real life news with her in-ring persona. I suspected as I too am a mother, and I was overjoyed for her news with Jimmy Uso. One of my favorites was going to be a mom.
Naomi's pregnancy was significant not only as a personal moment but also for its impact on the WWE Women's Division. The company has had other women in WWE, (Becky Lynch) returning to be a champion after vacating her tile when she was pregnant. Naomi’s announcement was done heartwarmingly, but also handled with care and showcased WWE’s ongoing efforts to showcase the personal lives and struggles of its talent, making the pregnancy a central part of her character’s development.
The Future of Naomi's WWE Career
With Naomi now out of the ring due to her pregnancy, the question remains: what will the future hold for her career in WWE? While there are countless directions WWE can take with her upon her return, I do think Naomi had a gold mine in her hands as she changed her gimmick with ease and seemingly effortlessly. As she didn’t lose the belt, I would love to see her return and challenge for her title back. The belt belongs on her. Sure, I’m a bit bias, but I always love a healthy dose of some Black Girl Magic. I would love to see a real look from a wrestler’s stand point as navigating professional challenges, but also how she decides to balance motherhood and her wrestling career.
The Next Chapter: See You Soon….
Naomi’s heel turn and pregnancy announcement was one of the most surprising and well-executed moments in WWE’s recent history. At least it was for me. It showcased her depth as a performer, blending real-life circumstances with her on-screen character to create a unique look into her personal life, especially at the height of her heel gimmick.
Whether she returns as a dominant heel or an empowered mother, Naomi's next chapter in WWE promises to be one of growth, resilience, and captivating storytelling. I, for one, can’t wait to see what Naomi does next, and most importantly, I am so happy that she also has a personal accomplishment, as she struggled to get pregnant previously.
Naomi took what was hers and did so in a way that many of us have grown to love. Whatever direction Naomi takes, I believe it will still be exciting, and I am eager to see how her story unfolds when she returns.
Naomi, the icon that you are, congratulations! We can’t wait to see what’s next.