10 Worst WWE Gimmicks Of 2018
5. The Riott Squad: Scamps
Before WWE shamelessly exploited the death of Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart for cheap heat in Ruby Riott's awful feud with Natalya, the former Heidi Lovelace and her gang of miscreants were the worst schoolyard bullies WWE had seen in a long time.
Riott, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan would roam the backstage era, cheeky grins on their faces, creating all kinds of flimsy mischief. One week, they'd snip a hapless production worker's tie in half. The next, they'd spill a set designer's drink. What's that, Vince? Somebody's tipped over The New Day's Crunchy Nut Cornflakes!? Well, those are pretty expensive as I recall. Must've been those pesky little Riott Squad scamps.
Who was this for? What kind of heat were WWE trying to generate, exactly? Adults were compelled to snort derisively, not jeer the promising trio, undermining everything the writing team were trying to accomplish.
Riott's recent reinvention as Natalya's bully continues to draw the wrong kind of heat from the audience. Her gang are talented, but they're being led astray by the bookers, and their synergy as a trio and continued in-ring improvement warrants sharper presentation.