Ever since the brand split and draft, one of the principal concerns for WWE fans is the dilution of the women’s division. Each main roster brand – Monday Night Raw and Tuesdays’ Smackdown Live – gained about seven or so talent, but drafted from NXT to fill them both out. And while the main roster could still use a bit more help on the star power side, NXT’s women’s roster – which at one point over a year ago was perhaps the strongest women’s roster in the world – was reduced to a withered version of it’s former glory, especially when Bayley finally made the jump to Raw, following exits over the past year from Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Carmella, Dana Brooke, Emma and Eva Marie.
Of the dominant women’s division of a year ago, only current NXT Women’s Champion Asuka remains, joined by former enhancement talent Peyton Royce and Billie Kay (who have now moved up to stronger roles), Liv Morgan, and Aliyah as well as former Tough Enough contestant Daria Berenato. Former indie sensation Athena finally got her full repackage as Ember Moon and is being positioned as the new top face (likely with Asuka turning heel). Some newer faces like Nikki Cross of Sanity (formerly Nikki Storm on the indies) and the arrival of Crazy Mary Dobson (who recently debuted under her real name Sarah Bridges for an NXT dark match) will add some much needed punch.
But today the NXT (and WWE) women’s division received some added muscle with the apparent signings of one veteran player and several indie standouts, according to reports from PWInsider. Coming off a universally praised match-up versus Asuka at NXT Takeover: Toronto, former 5x WWE Women’s Champion, WWE Divas Champion and 3x TNA Knockouts Champion Mickie James will be heading to Smackdown Live in January, while five indie women’s wrestlers will be reporting to the WWE Performance Center at the beginning of January, where they’ll be working with NXT and most likely, the upcoming Women’s Wrestling Classic on the WWE Network. Here’s a rundown of the names reported to be coming in to bulk up the NXT women’s division and enhance the main roster.
MICKIE JAMES
Destination: Smackdown Live, January 2017
According to reports, the second most decorated woman in WWE history has signed a new 3-year deal with the company and will be headed to the Blue Brand at the start of the new year. James can work heel or face comfortably and there’s lots of room for her to work with anyone from Becky Lynch to Alexa Bliss. She proved at Takeover: Toronto she could still compete on the highest level. At 37 years old, she may not be a full time ring performer for the entire deal, but she will do well in enhancing some of the younger stars and would most likely transition into a training role at the Performance Center. The shape she’s in, another run as a WWE Women’s Champion isn’t out of the question.
Notable Accomplishments: WWE Women’s Champion (5), WWE Divas Champion, TNA Knockouts Champion (3)
HEIDI LOVELACE
Destination: NXT, January 2017
Heidi Lovelace is a regular in both CHIKARA (where she routinely competes against the men) and Shine, as well as various other independents around the world. A fierce striker with a ton of athleticism, she’ll bring a toughness to NXT we haven’t fully seen yet. Sure Asuka works as stiff as they come, but Lovelace has more of a mean streak in her aggression as opposed to Asuka’s calculated precision.
Notable Accomplishments: AIW Women’s Champion, CHIKARA Young Lions Cup, Shimmer Tag Team Champion (w/ Evie)
KIMBER LEE
Destination: NXT, January 2017
The Princess of Suplex Kingdom, Kimber Lee made the history books last year when she won CHIKARA’s Grand Championship (their World title), making her the first woman to hold the highest title of any of the major promotions. Much like her CHIKARA rival Heidi Lovelace, she competes regularly against the men and with impressive results. A product of CZW originally (and trained by recent WWE signing Drew Gulak), she knows how to pack a punch. Despite being best known for being the Princess in CHIKARA, she’s also a regular with both Shimmer and Shine (where she won Tag Team gold with Cherry Bomb, now known as Allie on TNA Impact).
Notable Accomplishments: CHIKARA Grand Championship, MCW Women’s Championship, Shimmer Tag Team Champion (w/ Cherry Bomb), Shine Tag Team Champion (w/ Cherry Bomb)
EVIE
Destination: NXT, January 2017
Evie has been taking the women’s wrestling scene by storm of late, with her runs in Shimmer, Shine and Japan’s World Wonder Ring Stardom, but this New Zealand talent has been wrestling on Australian and New Zealand independents since 2007. She’s found tag team success alongside Heidi Lovelace, Madison Eagles and Kellie Slater, but has also held various singles titles in such Australasian indies as New Zealand’s Impact Pro (where she’s a 3x Women’s Champion) and Pro Wrestling Women’s Alliance (PWWA) out of Australia.
Notable Accomplishments: IPW Women’s Champion (3), PWAA Champion, Shimmer Tag Team Champion (w/ Heidi Lovelace)
NIXON NEWELL
Destination: NXT, January 2017
WWE continues to go to the UK well, this time for 22-year old Welsh sensation, Nixon Newell. She’s definitely the baby of the new recruits, having been wrestling since late 2013, but she’s currently the reigning WCPW Women’s Champion and has stints and matches in Shimmer, CHIKARA and World Wonder Ring Stardom the past year as well. A definite star on the rise.
Notable Accomplishments: WCPW Women’s Champion (current)
JULIE REAL
Destination: NXT, January 2017
Most likely the biggest unknown to wrestling fans of the bunch (who actually announced her signing a few days ago), Julie Real is an MMA fighter, model and singer who formerly fought in the MMA world under her real name, Julie “WillKilla” Ho. A prospect with Black House MMA, she was 2-0 in her MMA career, with victories for Cage Fury Fighting Championships and OneWorld MMA.
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