Some Hope for Naomi?

It’s been over a year since the last time I did this, but here we are back again with me making a plea for Naomi to get a bigger push than she has.  For my previous cases you can check here, here, or here.  Now in the last one I even asked why do I need to keep writing this story again and again?  So am I writing it a fourth time?  Well……I guess so.  As I write this we are in the midst of what’s been a pretty juicy storyline that has seen Naomi trying to get booked for a match on SmackDown only to get constantly rebuffed by Sonya Deville, which has recently led to Naomi finally getting matches but under impossible conditions – a handicap match against Deville and Shayna Baszler, and then a singles match against Baszler where Deville took over as the referee and fast counted her for a three count to end it.  The story has been provocative so far and things have gotten to a point where it’s time for Naomi to make a big move to turn things in her favor.

So were getting to the fun part, right?  Ummm………maybe.  In Naomi’s past feuds with Mandy Rose and Lacey Evans we got to that point and then things just kinda fizzled out.  And then there’s 2020 where Naomi’s Royal Rumble entrance blew up and even got outside of the wrestling bubble only to land her a single title shot in Saudi Arabia and a spot in a fatal five at WrestleMania but nothing else.  And then there’s her run as SmackDown Women’s champion which peaked when she won the title at WrestleMania 33 and led to a couple of matches with Charlotte on TV and one pay per view title defense against Lana of all people before she inexplicably lost the title to Natalya at SummerSlam.  So forgive me if like a lot of people I am cautiously optimistic at best here.

Now why should I be optimistic at all?  Well, for the time being the SmackDown women’s roster provides a unique opportunity.  To be frank the babyface ranks are pretty thin as far as people who are trusted to work by the people in charge.  Sasha Banks is working as a face against Charlotte but she goes back and forth so much that it’s almost guaranteed she’ll be working heel again after this feud is over.  Shotzi Blackheart at least appears to be moving in that kind of direction as well, which leaves Toni Storm who as far as we know hasn’t gotten that green light for more TV time yet.  This hasn’t been the case before as there have always been more important people in front of her but now she can be the de facto main babyface on SmackDown for a while.

What would that look like from where I’m sitting?  Get a conclusive ending to the feud with Sonya.  Get a title shot in before WrestleMania on TV, and work the house show loop against whoever is champion between Charlotte and Sasha.  And otherwise just be on TV regularly.  There is no reason Naomi shouldn’t own a women’s match slot on SmackDown right now, be it in the top angle one week or a secondary match instead.  In fact here mere presence should be enough to make sure we get two women’s matches on SmackDown regularly.  All of these things are feasible and should be put on the radar of whoever is booking the show.  I haven’t said she should win the title, I’m just saying she should be on TV more!!

I’ve said in the past that if she was booked similar to Natalya that would soothe at least some bad feelings.  Nattie got a tag team title match at WrestleMania this year and an almost five month title reign that she didn’t even have to split up when she injured her ankle.  Naomi fans would kill for that right now and there are plenty of people available who would make for great partners with her (my first pick given the makeup of the rosters would be a returning Asuka).  But let’s not settle for that!  Once the matter is settled at Mania then there’s no reason a third SmackDown title reign some time in the back half of 2022 couldn’t happen.

So that’s it.  Once again, she deserves more than she’s gotten and it could have been done without even upsetting the storylines that were going on around her at the time.  I think it can be done without playing the too easy card of joining the Bloodline but if that’s what it takes then whatever, let’s go.  We’re not going to stop pushing for this until she’s done because it’s more than past due in my opinion.   So hashtag or no hashtag let’s say it with me:

Naomi Deserves Better.