SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
It’s an exciting time to be a WWE fan. The mixed bag that was WrestleMania is firmly in the rear-view mirror. Recent call-ups have shaken up the status quo considerably, and the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments have been unpredictable, leading to a great deal of speculation on the ultimate winners and future direction of the world championships.
Who’s using this chaos as a ladder to success?
One choice is clear…
Rising Star of the Week: Oba Femi
I believe history will remember this season primarily for the rise of Oba Femi. His elevation from NXT debut to top babyface in the company has been lightning fast and nearly flawless in execution. His dismantling of Dominick Mysterio and JD McDonagh was another successful chapter.
The Ruler is the most exciting new star since the return of Cody Rhodes, and Femi’s youth, size, athleticism, and build make his upside even greater. Comparisons to Hulk Hogan may not be exaggerated.
He seems destined for a championship showdown with Roman Reigns, although whether that will be rushed for SummerSlam or saved for WrestleMania remains unclear.
Now, about that strut…
Runner-up: LA Knight
Since his return in May, Knight has been nothing short of fantastic on the mic. Knight has played the role of truth-teller, the lone voice warning the Bloodline would return to their bullying tactics and confronting Seth Rollins with the hard truth that he has no friends left in the locker room, having burned all his bridges.
Knight has come across as a true alpha, chastising Adam Pearce for kowtowing to Reigns’s demands, and even more so for standing up to the Bloodline all on his own shows. We can all see the Bloodline’s descent into corruption playing out on screen, but only Knight seems to have the courage to call them out.
Knight flubs more than his share of lines. However, his recovery from these mistakes is so immediate that it minimizes their impact. There’s no awkward pause, no look of panic; Knight just picks up where he left off and clarifies his point.
Right now, Knight is significantly outperforming his push. He’s a vital part of pushing the Bloodline story forward and is getting some of the biggest babyface responses in the company.
Is LA Knight due for a main event run?
Yeah!
Second Runner up: Zaria
Perennial bridesmaid Zaria is finally having her moment. A fierce powerhouse with a move-set to match, only her relatively average size belies her intimidating appearance.
Zaria has been entrusted with the vaunted spear and the F5 as the finishing moves, which says something about the company’s faith in her.
For a year and a half following her NXT debut, Zaria stalled on the undercard, cast as Sol Ruca’s underachieving sidekick and losing a majority of matches, likely a consequence of the division’s incredible depth at the time.
With a number of top NXT women being called up to the main roster in recent weeks, Zaria finally has the room to spread her wings.
Her statement win over Tatum Paxley last week sent a clear message:
Zaria has arrived.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Fading Star of the Week: Jade Cargill
Steve Austin once claimed he could wrestle with one arm tied behind his back. Jade tends to struggle even with both. Although Jade has shown significant improvement in recent months, last Friday’s Smackdown was a disaster. Her wig came loose during her clunky four-way Queen of the Ring Qualifier match against Charlotte Flair, Lyra Valkyria, and Sol Ruca.
The unfortunate Jade was faced with an impossible choice: save her vanity or competently finish the match. She chose the former. Jade proceeded to wrestle the final sequence including giving and receiving finishing maneuvers with one hand firmly planted on her head. The result looked just as awkward and inauthentic as you might imagine.
Coming off a couple of good matches against Rhea Ripley, Jade had finally seemed to shake her reputation as an incompetent worker.
This week was a significant setback in that regard.
First Runner-Up: Trick Williams
William’s push is losing steam — and fast.
A few short weeks ago he was as hot as Femi, but his underwhelming presentation has cooled his act considerably.
His recent confrontations with Carmelo Hayes and Ricky Saints have failed to inspire, even as they set the stage for what should be an excellent payoff match. Trick is disinterested in granting a United States Title match to either man, coming across as anything but the fighting champion that fans want him to be.
Trick would be better off paired against established stars to play off of. His act needs to pivot if he is to recapture fan excitement, which is fading fast.
Second Runner-Up: Shinsuke Nakamura
What happened to Shinsuke?
Since returning to SmackDown as a babyface in January, Nakamura has competed in seven matches and failed to win a single one. He hasn’t been seen since losing to Talla Tonga last month. Once the brand’s top star, it’s hard to imagine SmackDown creative has nothing meaningful planned for the King of Strong Style.
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