"Totally taken for granted" - Vince Russo feels WWE should be ashamed for underutilizing 41-year-old former champion (Exclusive)
Former WWE head writer Vince Russo feels the company let Natalya down by not giving her better storylines and opponents to work with.
Natalya appeared on RAW this week in a backstage interview segment with Byron Saxton. The 41-year-old superstar was visibly emotional, stating she hadn't done much recently. She also teased a gimmick change during the interaction.
On the latest episode of Legion of RAW, Russo explained that The Queen of Harts was one of the most tenured members of the roster. However, the creative team wasn't bothered about producing a compelling storyline for her. The veteran mentioned it was shameful that WWE was not utilizing the former champion's lineage and family history more often.
"I think Natalya is one of those individuals, 16 years she's been there. Totally taken for granted." Russo continued, "Who would have more seniority than her in that company right now? Okay, [Dolph] Ziggler and [The] Miz. No female is even close. She basically gets treated like [an] opening act, which is a shame. It's not just the 16 years, bro, it's the lineage, it's the family name, it's the history. And you don't have the time to create a story for her? Shame on you." [13:04 - 14:08]
You can watch the full video here:
You can catch the full results of Monday Night RAW here.
Natalya lost to Rhea Ripley at WWE Night of Champions
In a singles match for the SmackDown Women's Championship, Natalya collided with current champion Rhea Ripley at Night of Champions 2023.
However, the match didn't go as expected for The Queen of Harts. Dominik Mysterio distracted her at ringside, and Ripley blindsided her, launching a brutal assault. After destroying her on the outside, The Eradicator got Natalya in the ring for a quick pinfall.
Rhea Ripley vs Natalya
FULL MATCH 😳
WWE Night of Champions #WWENOC https://t.co/yTiCn31woD
Since then, the Canadian star has desperately sought a new edge in her on-screen character.
Are you excited to see what's next for Natalya in WWE? Let us know in the comments section below.
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