SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The exhilaration of WrestleMania week has come and gone, and a new season of WWE programming has begun, complete with novel parings and storylines. Who is poised to take a greater role, and who is likely to fade into the undercard? Let’s dig in.
Rising Star of the Week: Bron Breakker
Bron Breakker was earmarked for greatness early on. His unrealistic name, stature, limited size and so-so mic skills are easily outweighed by his peerless athleticism, intense countenance, and wrestling pedigree.
Breakker’s character has been featured and protected by booking ever since his debut in September 2021 when he defeated LA Knight as the first match to launch the NXT 2.0 rebrand.
The Unpredictable Badass would go on to hold the NXT championship for over a year before coming up to Raw, where he quickly captured the Intercontinental championship. He has held the latter championship for the better part of the last year, defeating a number of upper-midcard challengers in the process.
WrestleMania would see his title reign finally come to an end. However, he was featured as the most dominant performer in the match, and the finish saw Finn Balor take the pin, protecting Breakker even in defeat.
His adoption into the Heyman-Rollins alliance puts him in a central role in Raw’s most important storyline, and his Monday beatdown of main eventers Roman Reigns and CM Punk is a clear indication that Breakker has risen above the upper midcard.
Welcome to the main event scene, Mr. Breakker! The ball is in your court.
1st Runner-up: Jacob Fatu
Fatu has been protected since his WWE debut in June, and with good reason. He possesses a rare blend of power, athleticism, and technical skill, and successfully projects an aura of a legitimately dangerous man.
The breakout star of Solo Sikoa’s New Bloodline, Fatu quickly outshined his leader and recently has been challenging Sikoa directly.
His nickname is a poor fit. “The Samoan Werewolf” implies some sort of transformation, and he frankly seems more silverback gorilla than wolf.
Fatu’s WrestleMania bout against LA Knight, an exciting, hard-hitting affair, was a sort of coming out party for the big man. The new United States Champion proved he can deliver in a big singles match and lost none of his crowd support despite his paradoxical alignment and positioning in opposition to the popular Knight.
The crowd can’t help but love him despite his New Bloodline affiliation, so an imminent babyface turn is in order. Moving onto heel opponents will galvanize audiences behind WWE’s newest Samoan success story.
2nd Runner-up: Stephanie Vaquer
Vaquer debuted on NXT in September, and quickly became a fan favorite. Her ethereal poise, striking look, proficient ring work, and unique moveset sets her apart from anyone else in her division.
Originally from Chile, the Dark Angel’s limited English keeps her from delivering top promos, but she was presented as a major star from the get go and accepted by the audience as thus.
At one point she seemed eclipsed by Guilia, who debuted at the same time but would go on to capture the NXT Women’s title first. Vaquer later became NXT Women’s North American Champion in February, then defeated Guilia to capture the NXT Women’s championship in April. Vaquer held onto the title in a fantastic fatal 4-way match at Stand & Deliver to cement her position atop NXT.
On Monday, Vaquer made her Raw debut in an excellent bout that saw her hold her own against the WWE Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky, dazzling an even-wider audience. Tuesday saw Vaquer wrestle another great match, with a solid win over Roxanne Perez, NXT’s most dominant champion of the past year. “The Dark Angel” has risen to every occasion of her stratospheric push and shows no signs of slowing down. Viva La Primera!
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Fading Star of the Week: Pat McAfee
McCafee is a legitimate celebrity in addition being a WWE announcer. For that reason, he’s reasonably held to a different standard than career announcers Michael Cole or Wade Barrett. His enthusiasm for the product is evident and often infectious.
However, the weaknesses in his announcing work were on full display WrestleMania week. McAfee often seems behind on currently storylines, his antics distract focus on from the action in the ring, is a poor influence on Cole (who becomes undisciplined and occasionally obnoxious in his presence), and can’t help but make unfunny, distasteful poop jokes.
McAfee’s color commentary significantly distracted from WrestleMania in particular. I for one hope that Gunther’s attack on McAfee was a device to write him off TV again for a time. The product, and its audience, could use a break.
1st Runner-up: The New Day
After a flat 5-month heel run, the New Day finally returned to their winning ways by defeating the War Raiders for the World Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania. The match was lackluster, arguably the flattest on the card, but seemed to promise a return to relevance for Woods and Kingston.
However, Monday’s follow-up undercut that notion. After cutting a mediocre promo, The New Day traded words with Alpha Academy’s Maxine, teasing a match with perennial jobbers the Alpha Academy before being scared off by a returning Rusev.
This sequence galvanized the notion that the New Day are not a priority for bookers, and all but extinguished hope that they can be intruiging heels in 2025.
Lately, New Day hasn’t rocked, and they don’t effectively suck either. New Day is just sort of there.
2nd Runner-up: Chelsea Green
A perennial undercard performer in her time on NXT, Green arrived on the main roster in January 2023 with little fanfare. Surprisingly, her portrayal of an entitled ‘Karen’ was a comedic delight, and she put on a number of memorable performances. Fans took notice.
After failing to capture the Money in the Bank briefcase last July, Green would capture her first singles title in WWE, becoming the inaugural Women’s United States Champion in December. Adopting the persona of an American head of state, she wasted no time dubbing longtime ally Piper Niven her “Secret Hervice.”
The act worked, providing plenty of opportunity for the duo to showcase their considerable comedic chops. The addition of Alba Fyre to Green’s Hervice only appeared to strengthen her position as leader of a growing stable.
Disappointingly, Green was entirely left off the WrestleMania card, losing to lower-card wrestler Zelina Vega on the SmackDown the night before. This week saw Vega defeat Green for the second straight week, taking Green’s in the process.
Green’s latest incarnation is somewhat hamstrung without the United States title which inspired it. For the first time in months, her role and status in WWE storylines is uncertain.
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