5 Female stars WWE should push while Becky Lynch is on hiatus: Recent draftees, Submission Magician & more
Becky Lynch officially became a free agent once her WWE contract expired on June 1. The Man didn't reach a new deal and fell to Liv Morgan in her final two matches.
Recent reports mention Lynch was on the books for a planned hiatus after WrestleMania 40. Rhea Ripley's injury slightly altered the plans. The Man won the vacant title in a Battle Royal on the April 22 episode of RAW but dropped it to Liv Morgan at King and Queen of the Ring in Saudi Arabia.
It would be strange to see Lynch sign with AEW or another company due to her consistent booking as one of the top stars in WWE. While she's away from the ring, the promotion should push any of the next five female performers.
#5. Kiana James has yet to make her in-ring debut
Kiana James was one of the three NXT women selected in the 2024 WWE Draft. Along with Lyra Valkyria, James was picked by RAW. Blair Davenport was drafted to SmackDown.
While Valkyria made it to the Queen of the Ring tournament finals, James has only appeared in backstage segments. She has tried to assist RAW General Manager Adam Pearce with all the recent chaos permeating the show. WWE could promote another star like Gigi Dolin but should focus on stars already on the red brand.
It's time for James to get a shot in the ring to see how the crowd will respond to her. If she plays the heel part well, her challenges will increase. Money in the Bank is next month and she may impress enough to be put in the match.
#4. Zoey Stark could see her WWE stock rise over the summer
After an exchange with Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark backstage on the last RAW, it seems The Unholy Union will finally get some air time. They'll be used as a team like Baszler and Stark but may have to wait for a serious push.
While Stark and The Queen of Spades make a good team, both stars should also be pushed in singles action. Stark challenged Rhea Ripley for the Women's World Championship at Survivor Series last year and also competed in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
A face turn could help her since she hasn't formed a huge connection with WWE fans yet. Her in-ring work could speak for itself, and fans would connect if heels blindsided her. That may lead to another good push for the former NXT Women's Tag Champ.
#3. Lyra Valkyria will likely take a top face spot on RAW
Since she was given a good push out of the gate, Lyra Valkyria will likely be used as one of the top faces on RAW.
Her alliance with Becky Lynch helped introduce her to casual fans and her performance in the Queen of the Ring tournament proved she belonged.
Now that RAW is down its top star, some others should be pushed to fill the void. They will obviously not match the impact The Man had on the industry. However, that still doesn't mean that someone like Valkyria can't continue to ascend in 2024.
#2. IYO SKY could be due for a character shift
The Genius of the Sky has had a rough time since WrestleMania 40. She first lost her title to Bayley and then lost an ally, Asuka, due to injury. To cap things off, IYO SKY fell to Valkyria in the RAW finals of the Queen of the Ring Tournament.
She's snapped a few times in recent segments, so she's headed for a character shift. It could be as a more ruthless heel, or she could turn face to offset the loss of Lynch. Dakota Kai and Kairi Sane certainly didn't know how to react when SKY flipped out last week.
She would have remained at the top of the division regardless of if Big Time Becks remained active. However, now would be the time for a change for the former WWE Women's Champion.
#1. Shayna Baszler is a record-setting former NXT Women's Champion
Stars like Nikki Cross, Carmella, and Liv Morgan have all won titles on the main roster. None of the three women had Championship success in NXT. Shayna Baszler, however, is a former two-time NXT Women's Champion who dominated the competition.
Baszler has yet to capture singles gold in nearly four years on the WWE main roster. Strangely, someone so dominant should have won a major singles title by now. Booking differs from brand to brand, but that still doesn't justify a lack of a title run for Baszler.
With Lynch off TV, it's time for some different stars to run with the ball. The Queen of Spades deserves a title run due to the selflessness in her career.