Trinty Fatu’s blessing, turned into Naomi’s curse. On August 18, Naomi announced that she is stepping away to welcome her and Jimmy Uso’s first child into the world. That means she has to vacate the WWE Women’s World Championship. Someone will win the WWE Women’s World Championship in due time, but fans are wondering who that person should be. Eyes immediately turn to WWE’s favorite daughter, Rhea Ripley. However, this should be a time when WWE puts the title on a fresh, first-time champion.
At first glance, it would make sense for WWE to go back to someone like Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, or Iyo Sky. Those ladies are giants in the game today. Each has legions of fans and are some of the best workers on the roster. But there’s also concern that WWE continues to go back to the same individuals, failing to elevate new names. This is an opportunity to elevate a new name, and that should be done by putting the championship on someone who has never held it before.
Looking at the WWE roster, there are a lot of women who’ve not only never been champion, but do not seem like they are even in the orbit when it comes to holding a main roster championship. Right now, the titles seem meant for Ripley, Sky, Belair for dominant runs, while women like Bayley and Jax are typically mixed in for transitional runs. So, let’s take a step back and position a new face to capture the WWE Women’s World Championship now that Naomi is gone to begin her family.
Imagine someone like Chelsea Green worming her way into a title run. Would she be the type of performer who’d put on instant classics and get all the stars from Dave Meltzer? No. But you know what she would do? She’d entertain the viewers in ways that would keep them tuning back in. Those are the metrics that matter to WWE and she’d be able to fulfill those obligations. Green would be entertaining if given the chance to push this role to the fullest of her abilities.
Or what if WWE wanted to go in another direction to create a destructive force of a heel in the women’s division? Enter Piper Niven. WWE should book her like the reincarnation of Vader, but in the women’s division. She’s been looked at as a joke since her initial run on the main roster, but WWE is missing out on letting this woman run wild.
Another interesting first-time champion could be Roxanne Perez. Perez has stepped onto the main roster and proved she belongs. Perez is the type of performer who can have a division built around her for years to come. If WWE genuinely wanted to strap the rocket to her, take this as an opportunity to put the championship around her waist and ordain her as the future of the women’s division. Perez has the ability to stand in that role. The question is whether WWE will ever give her the chance to take that run.
Naomi’s absence has created a major gap on WWE Raw. WWE is going to need to fill it. Instead of going back to a staple on the roster, it is time to put that title on a first-time champion.