Opinion

Rob: Naomi Does Deserve Better

Rob Bonnette is back with a look at the WWE use of Naomi. Is she the most misused talent on the roster for the past decade?

Published

5 years ago

July 19, 2020

Rob Bonnette

Rob Bonnette is back with a look at the WWE use of Naomi. Is she the most misused talent on the roster for the past decade?

It may seem like it was 10 years ago now, but you remember the 2020 Royal Rumble don’t you? I sure do, and I remember that the most talked about moment of the Women’s Royal Rumble was when Naomi came back after a five month absence and set the place on fire, hitting the ring and going toe to toe for a few minutes with eventual winner Charlotte Flair. The sequence, where Naomi showed off her athletic skills to a T, went viral and got a ton of views across all kinds of platforms. Minutes later she avoided elimination in spectacular fashion by leaping to the barricade and using the announce table cover as a bridge to get back in the ring. Her long suffering fans were hopeful that maybe now she would get the push she’d earned and hadn’t seen since 2017 when she won the Smackdown Women’s Title at WrestleMania. Then the following Friday she confronted Bayley on Smackdown to set up an eventual Women’s Title match at the upcoming Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia. That match, which was a good one that Bayley won by cheating, came and went followed by that sinking feeling that that was it. And it was.

WrestleMania saw her get eliminated second in the 5 way elimination match for that same title, but after that……nothing. She lost a Money in the Bank qualifying match, and since then has lost two matches to Dana Brooke and this past Friday to Lacey Evans. Which led to the hashtag #Naomideservesbetter that is trending around 14 as I’m typing this out. My Twitter timeline is ablaze with people rightfully pissed off that such a great return in January has turned into this debacle in July. With Bayley set to take on (and I’m guessing beat) Nikki Cross at Extreme Rules, Bayley is going to need another challenger between then and when the inevitable post-split confrontation with Sasha Banks goes down. And yet the best possible option on that roster is out here losing to the likes of Brooke and Evans. And that’s disgusting. Brooke to her credit has gotten much better than she was when she first came to the main roster but she is who she is, good for tag or multi-woman matches but that’s it. Evans is marginally better than she was a year ago but at this point any objective observer would tell you that she’s plateaued in the ring at a level that’s passable but not very good.

YUP!#NaomiDeservesBetter https://t.co/cFnnUZZAY3

— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) July 18, 2020

This strikes a really raw nerve in her very devoted fanbase, and that nerve is one of race. For the past two years she’s been used to job to white women like Brooke, Evans, and Mandy Rose and to spice up matches like the Money in the Bank in 2018 and 2019 and the 2020 Rumble. But she goes in those matches with zero chance of winning and in between them her TV time is sporadic, much less than someone of her ability and personality should be getting. And when she was champion in 2017 she got to defend the title one time over three pay per views, against Lana of all people, before inexplicably losing it to Natalya at SummerSlam that year. As questionable as that was at least Nattie is actually good in the ring and not some a load to be carried by her opponent. Which is what Naomi has gotten stuck with too many times. She is better than that and should not constantly be stuck in these places.

If you want the black woman fan experience summed up in one match look no further than the 2018 Women’s Money in the Bank match. The match was great and a very large portion of what made it great was all the athletic highspots that were done by three black women – Naomi, Ember Moon, and Sasha Banks. Meanwhile, who wins that match but Alexa Bliss who did literally less than five things the entire match. Now in the grand scheme of the existing storylines and her character yes it made sense for her to win the match but man that was not a good look at all for three black woman to do that much to electrify a match that was won by a blonde haired white woman who did very little in it. And for dare I say most black women watching that felt like the BS they deal with at work every day. Now take and add two more years of a lot of the same not just for Naomi but Sasha, Ember and Bianca Belair over in NXT. Houston, we do have a problem here.

Now no matter how she feels about it personally, her fans are rightfully disgusted about all this. Her career in WWE has been way too reminiscent of what Black women have to deal with in their own lives and careers every day, where showing that you are extremely skilled and talented leads to years of putting over less talented white counterparts and being asked to add personality and yes, color to some otherwise bland situations. And when they dare to speak up about it, or someone speaks on their behalf, the response is to downgrade their abilities and call them ungrateful. There’s no reason Naomi shouldn’t be a perennial contender for one of the Women’s singles championships and a regular match winner on TV. Do you honestly think that the Lacey Evans or Dana Brooke are championship material in 2020? Did you think Mandy Rose was in 2019 (or is now for that matter?) Can you honestly tell me that you’ve wanted to see any of those three actually wrestle in an important match once the bell rang? I can’t think of one match that’s been made better by adding any of them to it, and I can’t think of a single time Naomi has been in the ring where I wish one of them was there instead.

“But everyone can’t be a champion Rob; don’t you say that all the time?”

Yeah I do. But the examples of men that I saw people throw around as guys who are supposedly in the same position as her were Cesaro, he of the seven month US title reign and six tag team title reigns and Sami Zayn, who for a year has gotten free reign on the mic every week and beaten both Braun Strowman and Daniel Bryan on pay per view in 2020. Zayn would still be Intercontinental Champion had he not gone home because of the pandemic. Meanwhile since 2017 Naomi has……won the Women’s Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34. So yeah, they aren’t the same. Why is she not in the mix for the Smackdown Women’s Title? Or if not that, why isn’t she teamed up with somebody (she mentioned Bianca Belair and Ember Moon as partners she’d like to work with) to go after the tag titles? Why is she being used to prop up opponents who are not likely to even sniff any titles in the near future? Why do I have to keep writing this story again and again? Is me or someone else gonna be writing this about Bianca Belair in a year or two (I could have written about her last year in NXT to be honest)?

Now look, anyone who knows me knows that I am not one to shout ‘bad booking!’ or ‘misused!’ but this is a case where even I am breaking my normal routine. Wake up, WWE. You have someone who is a great athlete, can go in the ring, has a devoted fanbase who will buy stuff with her name on it if you put out more of it, who looks good (yes that’s important), and lights up (both figuratively and literally) every match she’s in. If all you see her as is a good hand then you’re continuing to fumble the ball. And if you’re one of these ‘fans’ who insist on well actually-ing one of her fans who speaks up for her, you need to take a hard look in the mirror and be honest about why you feel the need to keep doing that. Not being a fan is fine, you don’t have to be a fan of anyone. But failing, or should I say choosing not to see what she brings to the table is a choice that looks real funny in the light to me.

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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About Chairshot Radio Network

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

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Classic POD is WAR

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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1