10 Times WWE Tried (And Failed) To Make You Cheer For Former Heels
3. Nia Jax
WWE played their hand the day Nia Jax made her debut on NXT in 2015.
"She's not like most girls" went the theme, because within that 'Universe', she's absolutely not. The company can spin that it's about her strength or athleticism, or that she's an 'Irresistible Force', but the implication remains a dark throwback to the Divas division in the midst of a revolution.
Contrary to WWE's belief, most girls aren't the "athletic tens" Jim Ross and John Laurinaitis were tasked to scout throughout the 2000s. Females in the fanbase skew all sizes, shapes, ages and attitudes because that's how the actual world works. WWE pretend their selection of women on the roster today fit the same diverse profile, but Alexa Bliss and Carmella effectively played the same character whilst stewarding both brands as Champions in 2018.
Babyface Nia Jax was a billboard for the lie WWE tells itself about progressiveness. Stephanie McMahon is the company's Chief Brand Officer, and knew all too well the value of clunkily inserting Jax into a derivative WrestleMania title programme. Under similarly cynical auspices, Nia gained spots on pay-per-views, Raw and Total Divas, despite actually just needing some more time at the Performance Center. She remains a company-mandated fixture on red carpets despite staining Becky Lynch's face the same shade.
Heel Nia's mastered a fearless embrace of the heat. Matches against hero-to-millions Bayley and the way she's currently kissing her fist categorically prove it. Unfortunately for her, WWE will always consider her "not like most girls". Regardless of the audience she could actually represent, what she does on screen will never just be about what she can actually do, but what she looks like.