3 reasons WWE Superstar Nikki A.S.H. should return to her Nikki Cross character and 2 she shouldn't
Fans were treated to quite the surprise on the latest episode of WWE RAW. Former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion Candice LeRae returned and took on Nikki A.S.H. in singles competition. The Poison Pixie ultimately won the match in a relatively quick fashion.
Social media erupted in cheers over the return of Candice LeRae to WWE and celebrated her big victory. However, there was another notable moment that took place during the segment. Nikki A.S.H. began acting uncharacteristically.
The superhero sat in the corner in tears and upset over her loss. Perhaps most notably, Nikki removed her mask. While some may see it as her exposing her secret identity, others point to the mask removal as being symbolic of something else entirely. Could Nikki potentially change her character?
Prior to becoming Nikki A.S.H., the Scottish superstar competed as Nikki Cross. While the Cross character had a few variations, the persona was ultimately much different to her current superhero gimmick. Is she returning to her old character? Should she become Nikki Cross once again?
Below are three reasons why WWE Superstar Nikki A.S.H. should return to her Nikki Cross character and two reasons why she shouldn't.
#5. Should: Many fans haven't gravitated towards the superhero gimmick
Nikki Cross transitioned into Nikki A.S.H. a little over a year and a half ago. Before changing her character, the former RAW Women's Champion was lost in the shuffle. Her crazy Nikki Cross persona from NXT was toned down, and she was essentially just a little outlandish. Ultimately, she was light on character.
Despite being light on character, she was big on talent. The creative Cross channeled a new persona and became 'Almost A Super Hero. The character was perfect for kids, and with the rise of comic book movies, the persona should have been a smash hit.
Unfortunately, not all fans gravitated toward it. Many fans used her gimmick as an example of what was wrong with WWE and critiqued it. A look at any social media posts from World Wrestling Entertainment with her involved will tell the story. While many fans liked the gimmick, unfortunately, many others did not.
A mixed-at-best fan reception may be reason enough to change direction.
#4. Shouldn't: Nikki has had the most success with this gimmick
Despite fan criticism of the superhero gimmick, Nikki unquestionably found the most success she's ever had since adopting the gimmick. The Scottish star did find some championship success prior to the changeover, as she won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship twice with Alexa Bliss. Still, her accolades as Almost A Super Hero eclipsed her previous ones.
As Almost A Super Hero, Nikki won the 2021 Money in the Bank Ladder Match. She went on to cash in the briefcase to capture the WWE RAW Women's Championship. If that success wasn't enough, she replicated her prior tag team achievement by winning the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles alongside Rhea Ripley. She has even held the 24/7 Championship over half-a-dozen times.
While the talented star may be lost in the shuffle at times, her success since adopting the new gimmick clearly outweighs that of what she had prior. It may be wise to stay the course on what worked in the past.
#3: Should: Her current gimmick doesn't work as well when she's a heel
A superhero gimmick can be a lot of fun. The Hurricane was a blast in the early 2000s, as was Mighty Molly. Even Rosey's time as the Super Hero In Training was entertaining. With that said, wrestling supervillains don't seem to work quite as well.
The Hurricane and Molly were popular enough where they had to be babyfaces, but had they remained heels, they might not have resonated with the fans' expectations. For whatever reason, fans don't seem as interested in the supervillain as they are in the superhero.
Since Nikki has spent the better part of 2022 as a heel, it may make sense to change the persona for that very reason. While the supervillain who believes they're a hero has legs as a storyline, it is likely too little too late to properly do it now.
Plus, the character does clash with Doudrop's presentation. If the two stars are to remain a team, they will likely need to be more in sync.
#2. Shouldn't: Something brand new may be better
If one is willing to concede that the Nikki A.S.H. persona just isn't working anymore, change is needed. That doesn't necessarily mean rehashing a past idea is the way to go. The entire reason Nikki evolved her character, to begin with, is because she was lost in the shuffle with her prior gimmick.
The Tiny Titan may need to change her persona up entirely and do something brand new. While that may seem daunting to most, the former RAW Women's Champion is extraordinarily creative and can pull it off.
#1. Should: WWE may be moving in a different, more serious direction
One key reason for Nikki to revert back to the crazy Nikki Cross persona is the direction WWE appears to be taking under Triple H's leadership. While the changes are slow and gradual, some of the more comic elements seem to be phased out.
WWE is getting slightly edgier. The product is becoming more physical and violent, and the language used is becoming more extreme. Many believe that the WWE product will, in many ways, resemble NXT black & gold. The Seth Rollins-Matt Riddle rivalry may be a reflection of what's to come.
If WWE does move in that direction, wrestlers will need to evolve and adapt to the changes. Nikki Cross has already been successful in the black & gold era of NXT as part of SAnitY, so there's little doubt that it could work in 2022.
Do you want to see Nikki A.S.H. revert back to her previous persona of Nikki Cross? Give your thoughts in the comments section below.