Kiana James was called up to the main roster during the 2024 WWE Draft. She competed in a few matches before injuring herself last June. It was over a year before she came back to the ring and appeared on television. She was reintroduced as Giulia’s representative on the July 25, 2025, episode of Friday Night SmackDown. Since then, she has been a valuable asset to Giulia’s Women’s United States title reign. Most notably, she was the distraction that cost Michin the championship last Friday.
Things are going well, but nothing lasts forever in wrestling. With her being the protégé in this situation, it seems a betrayal is likely at some point. However, sticking them together for the long run could prove beneficial for her career. Will it be better for her to go solo or form a proper partnership with Giulia?
Going Solo Could Make James a Breakout Star
The story of Kiana James and Giulia is one we’ve seen thousands of times. An exciting young wrestler pairs up with a wrestling veteran. Things go well for an extended period of time before the inevitable falling out between the two. More than likely, that’s what’s going to happen. But the beauty of wrestling is that this doesn’t have to happen for a long time.
Having James alongside Giulia for a while before the betrayal could boost her stock and make her a potential star.
Not rushing the inevitable could get James some fans as they watch her wrestle more and interact with Giulia. There’s no doubt WWE paired them together so she could get as much knowledge as she could from her partner. Pulling the trigger at the proper moment could get fans to display passion for James and invest in a primary roster singles career.
Many Great Partnerships Have Been Formed Randomly
A lot of tag teams form with pre-existing relationships in mind. But some wrestlers get paired together in hopes that they work out, and the pairings work tremendously well. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair are having a great time as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Piper Niven was Chelsea Green’s third tag team partner for a few months. Alongside Alba Fyre, the Secret Hervice has become super popular with fans. Staying together sometimes helps the tag teams way more than splitting apart.
Had they done a split angle, things would’ve been different for all of them. Staying with Giulia could potentially get James a championship sooner if they take the tag team route. It could also help her become more knowledgeable, as Giulia has been successful all around the world.
Splits aren’t always inevitable, and a solid partnership could get James into a solid position in SmackDown’s women’s division.
What is Best for Her Career in the Long Run?
People who have been watching WWE for years know what happens when someone new on the main roster pairs with an industry vet. James is in the new wrestler position, with Giulia acting as the vet in this situation. Going solo after accumulating a lot of knowledge from Giulia could kickstart a solo career from the jump.
But staying with the Women’s United States champion has the potential of tag team gold. WWE could decide to cross that bridge in a month or in a year.
When the time comes, though, whatever gets James more success should be the route they take. Both options have their advantages, but that will only be true if WWE truly cares about them as a team right now. Pairing her with Giulia has worked out well so far, but how WWE handles her booking is key to her successful main roster career.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – WWE – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on Kiana James, Giulia, and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
You can check out WWE programming on Netflix (Raw), USA Network (SmackDown), The CW (NXT), Tubi (WWE Evolve), A&E (WWE Superstar Sunday – Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments), and Peacock (WWE Main Event as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on YouTube, and catch fast-paced action on X (WWE Speed).
