4 female superstars who are being overlooked by WWE
The Women’s Revolution brought about one of the most significant changes of recent times in WWE. Vince McMahon and co. finally realized they needed to give the women in the company more opportunities by bringing the women's division to the fore.
As a result, female superstars are now in the spotlight. They have proven that their talent transcends their physical appearance. However, there are some female superstars who haven't been given the same opportunities as others. The company's negligence towards them has meant that their potential hasn't been maximized.
On this list, we will take a look at four women superstars who are being overlooked by WWE.
#4 Nikki A.S.H
Former Miss Money in the Bank, Nikki A.S.H had a well-constructed rise to the top. She teamed up with Alexa Bliss to win the Tag Team Championships in 2019. Two years later, she successfully cashed in her briefcase against Charlotte Flair.
Her tragic downfall began just 33 days after she became champion. Charlotte defeated A.S.H for the RAW Women's Championship at SummerSlam.
Feuding with Rhea Ripley, Nikki never looked too comfortable as a heel. The superhero-turned-supervillain neither fit her personality nor influenced the fans. WWE could have changed her to a face. However, the creative never quite prioritized it, and it significantly hampered Nikki's potential.
Nikki is now a mid-carder, struggling for feuds to reignite her career, even after spending four years on the main roster.
#3 Asuka
Asuka ranked as the “No.1 female wrestler” in 2017, according to Pro Wrestling Illustrated. She had an undefeated streak of 914 days till WrestleMania 34. Unfortunately, though, The Empress of Tomorrow is now a victim of the bar WWE has set for her.
A three-time Women's Champion, Asuka has had a great run on the main roster. But it could have been greater, given her excellent in-ring skills and believable striking ability. There have been times when the 2018 Royal Rumble winner went a bit cold, especially between title reigns. This can be attributed to WWE failing to book meaningful non-title storylines in the women’s division.
Things have changed for the better in recent months, though. Asuka returned from injury after nine months to initiate an entertaining feud with Becky Lynch. The two main-evented RAW multiple times, including last week in an epic No Holds Barred thriller.
However, now that her feud with Big Time Becks is over, it is still a question whether she will be booked well going forward. The next few months could be a big test for Asuka.
#2 Shayna Baszler
It is tragic to know that Shayna Baszler has never won a singles title in her two years on the main roster. A former MMA fighter, Shayna has proved her potential time and again. She sells moves, executes moves, and plays her character perfectly, but is still being overlooked. What went wrong?
Ex-Chairman Vince McMahon canceled her push. According to reports by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Shayna "didn't check his buttons" and was on the wrong side of him. Becky Lynch pitched the idea of Baszler as the new champion after her hiatus but WWE preferred Asuka.
The Queen of Spades did win the Women's Tag Team Championship twice alongside Nia Jax, but got no major push after they dropped the titles in May 2021. WWE added salt to her wounds by forcing her to turn on Jax, initiating a forgettable feud.
Baszler recently teamed up with the heel Natalya. Both women are finding it difficult to make a mark due to the preference for babyface women champions, such as Ronda Rousey and Liv Morgan.
#1 Naomi has been overlooked by WWE
Technically still in WWE, fans are disappointed by the treatment Naomi has received. She is a former SmackDown Women’s Champion, having held the title for 139 days in 2017. However, she received no significant push after her title loss and reverted to the mid-card before finally making a breakthrough in 2022.
Naomi had various storylines since 2018 but only found success in April this year by winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Sasha Banks at WrestleMania 38. A month later, there were rumors of a storyline that required her and Banks to temporarily disregard the championships. This resulted in the infamous walkout on May 16 this year.
It is unfortunate that the company seemingly decided to push Naomi to the main event scene while she was already busy with the Tag Team Titles. Her potential had been overlooked for years, despite fans consistently calling for a well-booked push. She got a well-deserved push but fell victim to an absurd storyline with no future.
Currently, there are rumors that she and Sasha Banks have been removed from the internal roster. While The Legit Boss did achieve a lot in WWE, including a WrestleMania main event, Naomi should have done more too. Hopefully, she can work things out with the company, return, and finally realize her potential as a top-tier superstar.