#FeelingTheGlow: Ranking Every Character of Naomi’s Career

After signing with WWE in 2010, Naomi‘s career has lasted over 12 years. Naomi has accomplished a great deal and is anticipating greater opportunities in WWE. Few wrestlers have remained on the WWE roster throughout her entire career, indicating that the company recognizes her overall value, even when she is not booked strongly, which ultimately led to her and Sasha Banks leaving the company. Naomi has had a variety of characters and presentations with varying degrees of success. Some of these characters demonstrated that she is a top talent with proven results that WWE should value. Other versions prevented her from reaching her full potential.

6. NXT Competitor

Naomi was a member of the first and only all-female cast to compete for a spot on the main roster in the original concept of NXT in 2010. Naomi participated in weekly competitions and matches alongside future stars AJ Lee, Kaitlyn, and Maxine, as well as Aksana. Kelly Kelly was Naomi’s coach and mentor throughout the entirety of the season. The show was primarily used for comedy, but Naomi was still able to advance to the final week. Naomi placed second in the contest, which was won by Kaitlyn. Naomi’s small displays of athleticism distinguished her from the otherwise pointless experience.

5. Funkadactyls Member

Naomi’s first consistent role on the WWE main roster incorporated her background in dance. Naomi and Cameron were assigned to Brodus Clay when he was transformed from a threatening monster heel to a dancing face character. WWE primarily desired Naomi and Cameron to participate in Clay’s pre-match dances. The face-dancing gimmick did not have as many legs as Rikishi or other similar gimmicks. Naomi at least had the opportunity to become acquainted with the main roster and compete in a few limited matches that would showcase her talents in the ring and give the WWE Universe a glimpse of what was to come for Naomi and Cameron.

4. Ravishing Glow

Naomi and Lana would form a tag team upon Naomi’s return to WWE following an injury. In addition to being close friends outside of the ring, both women were prominent figures in the Raw women’s division. It made sense for them to join forces to strengthen the women’s tag division.

WWE never utilized Lana and Naomi to the best of their abilities as a team, but they displayed chemistry and made the most of the opportunities they were given week after week. The coordinated attire and elaborate entrance enhanced the act and provided a rare female face tag in the main roster. Unfortunately, Lana’s release from WWE prevented them from reaching their full potential and winning the women’s tag team championships.

3. Uniting with The Usos

Throughout their careers, Jimmy Uso and Naomi’s real-life marriage has been used for storyline purposes on multiple occasions. Naomi began working directly with the Usos during their conflict with The Miz and Damien Sandow. Miz attempted to use his Hollywood connections to assist her in order to gain the confidence of the Usos.

Eventually, Naomi figured it out and assisted the Usos in combating Miz’s mind games and antics. Naomi, the Usos, and Natalya engaged in a feud against Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya, putting on a series of impressive tag team championship matches in the process.

2. TEAM B.A.D.

WWE’s decision to call up Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch simultaneously resulted in their joining factions for the first major storyline that would shake up the WWE Women’s Division and encourage fans to take women’s wrestling seriously. Team B.A.D. was formed by Banks, Naomi, and Tamina to engage in conflict with PCB and Team Bella.

Naomi’s rapport with Banks and Tamina made their team the most cohesive of the three. When WWE prioritized the new NXT names, Naomi frequently felt like a supporting character in the narrative. Even if she could have done more if the women’s tag titles had been introduced during her heel run, she still produced memorable matches and moments during her heel run.

1. Feel The Glow

The 2016 brand split allowed wrestlers to reconstruct their characters in preparation for new opportunities. Naomi was repackaged with her glow-in-the-dark entrance as her gimmick. Fans adored the lighting effect that accompanied her entrance as well as her vibrant attire. Naomi’s momentum enabled her to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship twice, including at WrestleMania 33 and Elimination Chamber 2017. She has continued to use this gimmick since the push ended, and it continues to elicit massive fan reactions. WWE should be criticized for not continuing to give her a larger role, given that her radiance has won over fans. During her reign as Smackdown Women’s Champion, WWE failed to capitalize on the title’s immense popularity.

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