10 Wrestlers Who Deserve Big Push After WWE Royal Rumble 2017

8. Nia Jax

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WWE.com

The landscape is changing in Raw’s women’s division. Not only did champion Charlotte Flair fend-off a fresh challenge from Bayley on Sunday night, but Nia Jax mopped the floor with former contender Sasha Banks. It was a huge statement to make against one of the most popular women in the company, and while the match wasn’t at all pretty, it didn’t need to be. The feud is all about positioning Nia as a major threat in the division, and it is doing a fine job of accomplishing it.

Jax isn’t quite there yet, and she’s some way away from perfecting her monster act, but there’s a clear niche for her to fill on Raw. Nobody can match her combination of size and power, and if WWE keep hiding her weaknesses in tag team matches and singles squashes, she’ll look like a serious threat going into WrestleMania 33, where her, Charlotte, Sasha, and Bayley are expected to fight for the Raw Women’s Championship.

WWE are going to hand Nia a major push sooner or later, and it’ll likely come on the Road to WrestleMania. There’s a clear need to build credible contenders outside of the usual “big three,” and with Paige sidelined and Emmalina nowhere to be found, Jax is the obvious candidate. Her act isn’t for everyone, but she has plenty of time to fine tune her character, and her future looks very bright indeed.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.