(Source: WWE.com)
Paige's return on RAW was a pleasant surprise for many and opened up a myriad of new booking possibilities for the Red Brand’s women. The eyebrow raiser wasn't the introduction of a new stable, known as Absolution as of the November 27th RAW, rather who debuted with her. Mandy Rose and Sonya DeVille prove once again that if anyone makes a splash on the main roster from a season of Tough Enough, it isn’t the winner. Rose's look fits the WWE template and Deville, as smashmouth fighter, is a tenet of the company's continuing women's evolution. It wasn't a surprise either woman would make it to the main roster eventually, the timing was. There is much they can add to RAW, as well as challenges that go with a fast-tracked main roster callup.
MANDY ROSE
(Source: WWE.com)
Rose was signed after losing the Tough Enough women's contract to now-former talent Sara Lee. She was on the fifth season of Total Divas, but did not return to the show as she focused on her development at the performance center. She appeared on NXT several times, most notably in a losing effort against Ember Moon in 2016. After that, she worked mostly house shows. Despite limited television, she was readily embraced on social media and showed a drive in her matches to consistently hone her skills to match her prime-time looks.
(Pretty Tough – One of the most beautiful women in WWE is also among the most smashmouth. Source: WWE.com)
Her power has been showcased in Absolution's run-ins and WWE seems intent on developing her on RAW as a buff bombshell who has no problem going above and beyond to hurt her opponents. This is reassuring in light of her call-up from essentially out of nowhere. Ten years ago, a wrestler like Mandy would have been fast-tracked to a Diva's title run whether she was ready or not. Hopefully, Vince McMahon, et. all will continue to let Mandy hone her skills as a wrestler and entertainer in order for bigger and better things to come organically. If they do, Rose's future could be even brighter than her shiny gold tights.
SONYA DEVILLE
(Source: Sky Sports)
Deville first appeared on WWE television under her real name, Daria Beranato as a contestant on the most recent run of Tough Enough. Boasting an MMA background, there was little doubt when she was signed to an NXT contract that she was a viable talent. After debuting on NXT she eventually changed her name to her present moniker and adopted the catchphrase "put your hair up and square up." It summed her up perfectly.
(Deville lets her hard strikes do most of the talking on the 11/27 RAW as she levels Sasha Banks. Source: WWE.com)
Deville was introduced as a sadistic technician, as in NXT. She loves to fight and incorporates an arsenal of quick precise strikes and painful submission holds. No other homegrown Performance Center talent brings such a deep moveset to the main roster. Embracing her fighting skills within her persona shows WWE's desire to continue to target women and girls, with the implicit encouragement to embrace athletics.
Plus, as the company's first openly lesbian performer, her debut on the Red Brand sends a message of inclusiveness and acceptance.
Pairing Deville and Rose with a popular veteran like Paige not only gives them a positive rub, but also solid mentorship as they make the transition to the major spectacle that WWE strives to bring every day.
Meanwhile, on the Blue Brand, extensive independent experience is what anchors the debut of the Riott Squad call-ups.
(Left to Right: Indy vets Sarah Logan, Ruby Riott, and relative newcomer Liv Morgan. Source: WWE.com)
The recently dubbed Riott squad made their debut on Smackdown Live in similiar fashion to their RAW counterparts. They pretty much just showed up and beat the crap out of everyone. Unlike Absolution, however, Ruby Riott leads a power trio that has more combined professional wrestling experience and success prior to WWE than Mandy Rose or Sonya Deville.
RUBY RIOTT
(Riott dents the Queen's crown. Source: WWE.com)
Ruby Riott had great independent success wrestling as Heidi Lovelace including winning the Alpha-1 Wrestling Alpha Male championship, the Ohio Valley Wrestling women's title and as one half of the Shimmer tag team champions. In NXT, she won crowds over with her frenetic athletic style in high profile matches against Nikki Cross, Asuka and most recently her fellow call-up Sonya Deville.
Amidst the crowdpleasing ring work she demonstrated an organic and articulate presence in her promos. She didn't take any crap and she strived to be the very best doing it her way. This was a definite recipe to get over with not only smarks but also the tween and teenage crowd with her punk-rock look and rebellious nature.
Out of the three she was easily the most ready for a surprise call-up. Over the next year it would be no surprise to see Smackdown gold around her waist.
SARAH LOGAN
Ever since debuting in WWE's Mae Young Classic tournament her skills left little doubt she would eventually make it to one of the big shows. The surprise is that it came apparently out of nowhere, considering she was booked to put others over, losing in the first round of the tourney to Mia Yim and then putting over among others on her few appearances on NXT television. She's a backwoods brawler with a sadistic streak (google "Naomi backboard") with a certain charm and a definite ruthlessness underneath a warm smile.
(Logan made her bones as Crazy Mary, an even more violent version of herself now. Source: Absolutely Intense Wrestling Youtube)
Prior to WWE she made her bones as a top indy star as Crazy Mary Dobson, a violent sociopath with one white eye who lived to bring the pain. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre approach made people take notice and she became a staple in Ring of Honor and earned championship runs in Juggalo Pro Wrestling, APWA and Resistance Pro Wrestling.
With this resume, a fast track push isn't a shock, but the call-up with little build means she may not get the attention to character development she would have received in NXT. Once this stable disbands, she could end up lost in the shuffle with no direction. There is precedent, however, for her to acheive great things.
Becky Lynch was a great technical talent and likeable personality when she was rushed to the main roster as little more than a chick with goggles, but she earned gold and is a staple of Smackdown's women's division. There is no reason that Logan can't accomplish the same thing and possibly outshine all her peers all in time.
LIV MORGAN
(Source: WWE.com)
Morgan is another talent who would have been railroaded ready or not into a huge push among the then-Divas. She is strikingly beautiful with a background in competitive cheerleading and modelling for Hooters prior to her career in professional wrestling.
Unlike her veteran stablemates, she is a homegrown Performance Center discovery. She made NXT crowds remember her with her bubbly personality and straight-outta-Paramus ghetto chic. She never really had a great match and often put over more powerful talents like Ember Moon and Asuka, losing to the latter by submission in under two minutes.
Her persona has changed the most in her main roster debut. She's a heel for the first time to audiences and the bad girl sneer goes well with her athleticism and harder hitting moveset she is showing in recent weeks.
(Liv gets a piece of Natalya with her veteran cohorts. Source: WWE.com)
Her challenge is the inverse of Sarah Logan's. The camera awareness, the knack for entertainment are there, but her skills in the ring are still evolving. In NXT she looked very green at times even within the last six months when working with intermediate or new talents. Her call-up may be hasty, but she has room to continue growing with her fundamentally sound veteran peers, who have over a decade of combined experience.
A mass call-up for an apparently cramped women's division is a big gamble, but so far WWE is doing it right. Absolution and the Riott Squad have made a palpable impact, mowing over the top stars out of the gate.
Paige stared down Asuka with Rose and Deville and the pair will certainly have an impact on their leader's forthcoming match with Sasha Banks.
Team Blue's newcomers have decimated all the top women and have Charlotte Flair fighting for her very show in addition to her championship.
As always, time will tell and we'll dig beyond the clickbait here in Glitter and Slam to break down the hows whys as these stories unfold.
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