Backstage Update On WWE's Plans For Raquel Gonzalez
What next for Raquel Gonzalez after Dakota Kai's turn and feud?
If it wasn't already clear from her presentation on NXT television over the past few weeks, Raquel Gonzalez is to be booked as a babyface for the time being.
This is according to PWInsider's Mike Johnson, who also notes that Indi Hartwell has joined Gonzalez in jumping from heel to face, doing so as part of her romance storyline with onscreen fiancee Dexter Lumis.
Gonzalez had played a heel for the duration of her full-time NXT run, though this changed when long-time partner Dakota Kai turned on her prior to TakeOver 36 (22 August). Kai jumped the NXT Women's Champion, going heel in the process, before falling in Raquel's latest successful title defence, with the rivalry seemingly ending in the process.
Raquel has been NXT Women's Champion for 146 days at the time of writing. Defeating Io Shirai to take the strap at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver in April, she has since mounted defences against Mercedes Martines, Ember Moon, Xia Li, and Kai, though WWE is yet to confirm her next opponent.
2021 has been the most successful year of Gonzalez's career to date, with her and Kai also holding the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles for a matter of minutes after winning this year's Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.