Major Women's World Championship rivalry, battle with injured star, and more - 4 feuds for Kiana James on WWE RAW
The 2024 WWE Draft kicked off last night on Friday Night SmackDown. It was an interesting night of picks, as for the most part, there wasn't much change. Of the 16 picks on the show, the majority saw RAW and SmackDown stars remain on the brand they were already part of.
There were two notable NXT call-ups, at least. Carmelo Hayes was drafted to Friday Night SmackDown, which wasn't a major surprise given his appearances on the show in the past six months or so. Additionally, Kiana James was drafted to RAW.
This one was more of a surprise to fans. Kiana James has been successful in NXT, but she is yet to win the NXT Women's Championship and hasn't really become a top star on the brand. Still, she's very talented and has a lot of potential.
Her move may be a surprise, but now, the question becomes what will she do on the red brand? This article will look at a handful of potential feuds Kiana could have on RAW now that she's moving up to the main roster.
Below are four feuds for Kiana James on WWE RAW.
#4. She could challenge for the Women's World Championship
Becky Lynch is one of the biggest female superstars in WWE history. Not only is she a multi-time world champion, former NXT Women's Champion, and Women's Tag Team Champion, but The Man has headlined WrestleMania.
Big Time Becks had a big night on Monday Night RAW. A Battle Royal was held on the show to crown a new Women's World Champion. The final two in the bout were Liv Morgan and The Man with Becky ultimately being the one to stand tall.
Now, Becky will need a challenger. If Triple H and the company truly want to push Kiana as a major name, she could immediately challenge Lynch for the Women's World Championship. This would be extremely fresh and interesting, which is always welcome on weekly television.
#3. Liv Morgan is positioned to be a top star on the brand
Liv Morgan is one of the top female performers on WWE Monday Night RAW and that doesn't look to be changing. The former SmackDown Women's Champion was actually drafted to the red brand on SmackDown and will thus remain on the show.
The Miracle Kid has been on what she calls the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour. The concept is simple: she wants revenge after Rhea Ripley injured her. Liv got some revenge, as she has injured Rhea and forced The Eradicator to give up the Women's World Champion.
While Kiana James is typically a heel, her segment at the Performance Center felt very much like a babyface promo. There's a chance she joins the main roster as a hero and will feud with the villainous Liv. Morgan needs something until Rhea returns to WWE programming after all.
#2. She could fight Shayna Baszler to earn credibility
Shayna Baszler is another very successful female performer, but she hasn't quite reached the heights of Liv or Becky. Baszler is a former NXT Women's Champion and Women's Tag Team Champion, but she is yet to win a world title on RAW or SmackDown.
The Queen of Spades has done a few notable things recently, however. She competed at GCW's Bloodsport event during WrestleMania weekend and has decided to help coach Lola Vice ahead of Vice's NXT Underground Match against Natalya at Spring Breakin'.
Still, Baszler hasn't done too much on-screen lately during Monday Night RAW. A feud with Kiana would be completely fresh, but it would also serve as a great learning opportunity for the incoming NXT performer. If Kiana can hang with Baszler, she'll gain credibility both backstage and in the eyes of fans.
#1. Kiana James could feud with Rhea Ripley when The Eradicator returns to WWE television
Rhea Ripley is most likely the top female star in WWE today. While Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair could make claims to the throne, the reaction The Eradicator gets from fans is too much to ignore. Despite spending the past two years as a heel, she is the biggest babyface in the company, at least in the women's division.
Unfortunately, Rhea has had some bad luck lately. After a year-long run as the Women's World Champion, Ripley suffered an injury on WWE RAW during a backstage fight with Liv Morgan. Rhea has since had to vacate her title and she will be away from television for the foreseeable future.
There is no real estimate as to when Rhea may return. Some thing it could be after a few months, while others think it might not be until 2025. Regardless, when she does come back, a feud with Kiana James is possible. Rhea could use a fresh opponent and James would provide that. Plus, it would allow for Ripley to be the babyface.