4 possible replacements for Shotzi on WWE SmackDown following serious injury
Shotzi is one of WWE's most underrated performers. The horror-loving superstar has been with the Stamford-based company since 2019, although she had appeared previously courtesy of Tough Enough. She joined the main roster in 2021 and has remained a part of the SmackDown brand ever since.
Despite being with the Stamford-based promotion for so long, Shotzi has yet to win a singles championship. She looked to change that, however, as she went down to NXT and challenged Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women's Championship in a match taped for next week's show.
Unfortunately, things went south. The match was stopped due to a serious knee injury, after which she needed help getting to the back. It was later reported that she had to undergo a further medical evaluation, but Shotzi was unable to put weight on her leg, and she was in serious pain.
As unfortunate as an injury is for Shotzi and all of her fans, it also changes the Stamford-based company's booking. She was scheduled to compete against Tiffany Stratton on SmackDown for a spot in the 2024 Women's Elimination Chamber Match. Now, someone will need to replace her in the bout. This article will look at a handful of stars who could potentially step up and take her spot.
Below are four possible replacements for Shotzi on WWE SmackDown following serious injury.
#4. Isla Dawn & #3. Alba Fyre, one member of The Unholy Union could step up
The Unholy Union are two extremely underutilized performers. The pair are currently signed to Friday Night SmackDown and were called up in the 2023 WWE Draft. Unfortunately, neither woman has been used to the best of their ability.
The duo is made up of Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre, two Scottish women who take on the role of witches. Isla and Alba held the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles together, but Fyre is also a former NXT UK Women's Champion. Needless to say, they were tremendously successful prior to joining the main roster.
Their booking on SmackDown needs to improve, and WWE has a chance to showcase them this Friday. Either Alba or Isla taking on Tiffany Stratton in a singles competition could be a way to showcase the tandem. One could defeat the newcomer, or the pair could attack her post-match. Regardless of what is done, any air time at this point would be a net positive for the mostly absent duo.
#2. Roxanne Perez from WWE NXT could step up
Roxanne Perez is one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in all of WWE. She trained with Booker T at Reality of Wrestling and even won the Ring of Honor Women's World Championship prior to joining the biggest wrestling company in the world. Since arriving, she has won both the NXT Women's Championship as well as the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship.
The talented Perez, however, is no stranger to dabbling on the main roster. She has competed on SmackDown once before. Beyond that, she has appeared in two Women's Royal Rumble Matches, including one just last month. WWE clearly has a lot of faith in the talented performer.
Many believe that Roxanne is ready for the main roster and has been for quite some time. While she is still involved in an angle with Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley, Perez could have a soft call-up that sees her dabble on SmackDown before moving up full-time. This could start in a match against former NXT Superstar Tiffany Stratton.
#1. Xia Li has mostly been absent from television
Xia Li is an incredibly impressive athlete who is currently performing on the Monday Night RAW brand. She first signed with WWE back in 2017 and participated in the Mae Young Classic. She later joined NXT full-time before moving up to SmackDown in 2021.
The powerful Li has had a mixed time lately. She received the biggest on-screen push of her career several months ago, battling the likes of Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, Becky Lynch, and Lyra Valkyria on TV.
Unfortunately, she ultimately lost to the latter two and has not been seen since except for an appearance in the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble Match. Naturally, she did not win the bout.
Some people believe that mysterious vignettes airing on WWE NXT each week could be in relation to Boa, Dante Chen, and a returning Xia Li. If that is not the case, the mostly absent star could step in Shotzi's place on SmackDown. She would pose a serious threat to Tiffany Stratton and anyone else in the 2024 Women's Elimination Chamber Match.
Who do you want to see replace Shotzi on the upcoming episode of SmackDown? Sound off in the comments section below!