{"id":123742,"date":"2024-04-04T08:00:29","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T12:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=123742"},"modified":"2024-04-04T02:09:05","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T06:09:05","slug":"beyond-wrestlemania-40-wwe-utilize-jade-cargill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/04\/04\/beyond-wrestlemania-40-wwe-utilize-jade-cargill\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond WrestleMania 40: How Will WWE Utilize Jade Cargill?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A storm has arrived. The issue with storms however is that once they hit, they only last so long before the thunder, lightning, wind, and rain wear out. Storms come and pass. They cannot be maintained forever. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Eventually, you get desensitized to the threat. Even when it\u2019s a repeated occurrence. In real life, Florida is hit yearly by hurricanes and storms. Yet the residents who live there stay put. They learn to live with the storm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This extended metaphor is going long. To summarise my point, in wrestling, like in real life, you cannot maintain the same sense of awe, fear or excitement in a wrestler forever. When this comes to\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Jade Cargill<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, this is a lesson<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0AEW<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0already discovered. It is a lesson\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0has discovered with another high-profile women\u2019s wrestler I will discuss later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, to go back to real life and the extended metaphor, just because people get used to storms does not mean we become immune to their effects. The point is people get used to repetition. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Everything becomes normalised. As fans, we get bored of this easily once the pattern is noticeable. It\u2019s an issue I\u2019ve written about before with AEW\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2023\/11\/01\/re-goat-chris-jericho\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Chris Jericho<\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">,\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/01\/21\/aew-booking-hook\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hook<\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and even WWE\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/03\/28\/wwes-the-bloodline-storyline-displays-toxic-masculinity\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Roman Reigns<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Bloodline<\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0storyline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Nonetheless, surprises and changes can be added at any time to surprise us and change our expectations. In the long term, this is what WWE need to consider with their creative plans for Jade Cargill.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Jade Cargill Paradox\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fwDArfCKX84?si=xLcTz6DFI_M9gjAK\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Jade is a paradox in two senses of the word. First, as a wrestler, Jade has contradictory qualities. On the one hand, Jade\u2019s charisma, style, physique, and personality scream WWE superstar. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If WWE held a brainstorming session where they mapped out their ideal female wrestler, Jade would hit all the boxes for appearance and presentation. Cargill from her first appearance on\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Dynamite<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0looked a like WWE star. The issue is appearance can become a reality. Seeing makes you believe and expect more from Jade than she is capable of with just three years of experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As many fans saw in AEW, Jade is green. Charisma and protection only worked for so long. Pointed comments from\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Triple H<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0during the post-<\/span><strong><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Survivor Series<\/span><\/em><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0press conference:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI have no less belief in her now than I did when she signed with WWE. It&#8217;s interesting when she came in, we talked about her development and where she would land. But where the development was, I want to make sure that no matter what is thrown at Jade Cargill, she&#8217;s ready, and at no fault of her own, I think that she was limited in that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Triple H<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is some truth to this beneath the shot at AEW. The expectation that Jade\u2019s in-ring skills might develop at an enhanced rate to meet her incredible &#8220;it factor aura&#8221; is misguided. Before her debut, some fans were already suggesting WWE had no faith in Jade or that her in-ring skills were weaker than they appeared on AEW TV.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jaded<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This links to the second paradox. Jade Cargill as a prospect is simultaneously two opposites at once. Cargill is a powerful and eye-grabbing presence, capable of being WWE\u2019s next female headliner. At the same time, Cargill is vulnerable and at risk of being exposed and undermined by her ringwork, which will not be at the same level yet as other top WWE women\u2019s stars.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Comparisons between Cargill and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Goldberg<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, given her undefeated streak in AEW, only confirmed to some fans, as historians and humans are good at pattern spotting, their biases. Like Goldberg\u2019s WWE run, some fans are waiting for Cargill\u2019s aura to be neutralised by her inexperience or by creative mistakes. Some are waiting for Cargill to fall and then to see whether and how WWE will be able to rebuild her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In many ways, the focus on Cargill is as much on the creative than her wrestling ability.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In AEW, fans have been fine with the strings, the smoke and mirrors used for booking inexperienced wrestlers like Jade. At least until this became stagnant and character development stationary. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">AEW\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/01\/21\/aew-booking-hook\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hook<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0experienced a similar holding pattern of short squashes to Jade. But playing to strengths over time becomes repetitive. Significantly, unlike Jade, Hook was given more chances for character development and in-ring work progression with the perimeters gradually (glacially) widening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And in WWE, although trust in creativity is stronger, the WWE\u2019s women\u2019s division under Triple H has felt underdeveloped. Some prospective wrestlers fans were excited like\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cameron Grimes<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0barely featured on TV, let alone go to the moon. The stigma of WWE&#8217;s creative issues still exists. It is perhaps why more experienced\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/03\/30\/wwe-learn-aew-bidding-war-2024\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">top free agents have looked to AEW<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Mirroring Starts\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qj5_drEdiKw?si=TF7NLFykgOV9nYb_\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Despite what WWE might claim about AEW\u2019s faults, they have been happy to copy the homework of their rivals. Jade\u2019s official debut this past week on\u00a0<\/span><strong><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Smackdown\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">introduced her using presentation and music that seemed familiar. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Plagiarism jokes aside, WWE took elements of Jade\u2019s entrance and presentation that worked. The pedestal WWE are building upon was erected in AEW. That should not take away from the hard work and skills of Jade Cargill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rewatching her introduction, what was noticeably different was how explicit the commentary was in getting over how impressive Jade is. Compared to AEW commentary,\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Corey Graves<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Wade Barrett<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0allowed no room for inference<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. Jade is a star to watch<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0could have been projected in lights above her head.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Like AEW, WWE is making Cargill a spectacle, like how AEW debuted Jade as the representative and tag team partner of legendary basketball player and broadcaster,\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Shaquille O\u2019Neal<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. Differently, the spectacle of\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cody Rhodes\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Red Velvet<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0vs. Shaq and Jade Cargill had the prospect of a trainwreck. Instead, it over-delivered. Everything that could go right went right. That shouldn\u2019t take away from all four participants&#8217; work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now, WWE looks to feature Cargill in-ring at\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Wrestlemania 40<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, in lore and hype the biggest card of the year. Again, protected in a tag-team contest, yet with less risk given the five highly capable and strong wrestlers she is joined with. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Although there is still the risk given the talent around her, Cargill could still underdeliver. Unlike the period when Jade was in AEW, the WWE\u2019s women\u2019s division, specifically her opponents at Mania, have years so much more in-ring experience than Jade and are capable of things Jade has yet to master.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Compared to her AEW debut, fans have a clearer sense of who Cargill is and what she offers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>AEW Foundations\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Qk-nHhfXDFY?si=ur37zhhJXiemOQ0S\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">AEW benefitted from WWE\u2019s losing out on Jade Cargill in the first place. On\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Talk is Jericho<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, Cargill spoke about a big red flag that stopped her signing with WWE, before 2023, was WWE representatives questioning her motivations to become a wrestler and her ability to manage a WWE career and a child. AEW was a better-starting fit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201c<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It made me feel at ease about the decision I wanted to make. I didn&#8217;t have to relocate, I felt at home<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.&#8221; Jade Cargill, Talk is Jericho.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">From her debut in the Pandemic, Cargill became one of the biggest talking points in the company. Many pegged her as a future AEW women\u2019s champion. Creatively, AEW, like WWE emphasised the fact that Jade was already a star and that her only trajectory was up. A short storyline where Jade was pursued by various AEW managers emphasised this fact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The pairing of Jade and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cSmart\u201d Mark Sterling<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0was clever. While Jade did not need a manager or mouthpiece, the contrast initially gave Cargill someone to play off. To help showcase her character and someone for her opponents to get some revenge against or hurt Jade before matches without denting her aura.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The winning streak and prominent featuring at first worked as AEW found a way to make squash matches, at least for a time, fresh again. Building a long-running winning streak into the inaugural\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">TBS Women\u2019s Championship<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0tournament that Jade won, both added to Jade\u2019s prestige and in theory a chance to begin levelling up her by wrestling more experienced talent.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Cracks\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The reality however became that Jade was placed on an island separate from the rest of the women\u2019s division. The AEW\u2019s women\u2019s division history of small spotlights is something I\u2019ve covered\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/03\/20\/the-aew-womens-division-a-history-of-revolutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">here<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For Jade, just as much as\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Britt Baker<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and subsequent women\u2019s champions, a lack of credible opponents, repetitive storylines and a lack of opportunity for more meaningful character development made the paradoxes I discussed earlier glaringly obvious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">By also restricting Jade to squash matches of less than five minutes, it also created the self-fulfilling prophecy and perception that Jade would struggle to work in longer, more back-and-forth matches. Restricting the opponents also to enhancement talent and challengers of the week who did not seem like they could feasibly beat Jade, built resentment in the online fan base.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some presentation elements were added with\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Baddies<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Stokely Hathaway<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. The former felt unnecessary and added no new layers to Jade\u2019s persona as \u201cthat b$tch\u201d. Hathaway in energy and humour did not fit as well as Sterling who later returned to Cargill. Neither addition addressed the primary issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In part, by trying to protect Cargill from exposure, it drew more attention to the possibility that she was not ready for more. Or the perception that Cargill, like many of the women in AEW at the time, were not allowed to achieve more. If she had been allowed to fail, the narrative with WWE would be very different right now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Instead, Jade\u2019s TBS championship run ended abruptly and her exit, which Jade has not commented on, is looked at by some as a what-if. By others as wasted potential and by others as a sign of AEW\u2019s turbulent 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And yet, didn\u2019t fans expect the jump to WWE from day one?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Ambitions, X Factor and Work Ethic\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Jade Cargill has refused to talk of AEW in a negative light. Instead, Cargill has talked of building her legacy. From her debut in AEW, Cargill seemed like a perfect fit for WWE. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The market leader has influence and its narrative of wrestling and its grandeur that AEW cannot amass in five short years. From the day Cargill debuted, it seemed inevitable she would get to WWE. Rightly, she took an opportunity that worked for her and her family. Jade became a star in AEW and on her terms moved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The focus for Jade is on legacy. She acknowledges that she took:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201c<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">An alternative route to get to where I needed to be to create those phenomenal moments and to create that household name\u2026 It\u2019s [WWE\u2019s] where dreams are made. It\u2019s the grand stage and I\u2019m ready to dance<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201d. Jade Cargill,\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/features\/editorial\/jade-cargill-wwe-aew-interview-1234837168\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Vibe.com<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">One thing cannot be understated about Cargill also. Something that likely has made some fans dislike her is perhaps a perception that everything appears easy for her character. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Long-time fans are used to \u201coutsiders\u201d, former sports athletes coming into wrestling and being pushed to the moon based on their looks and charisma. Jade is driven. Listen to her mentor,\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mark Henry<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bryan Danielson<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0who coached Jade during the latter stages of her AEW run.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201c<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Anybody who gets pushed like she does, initially\u2026 there is a certain pressure to being on national TV with less than five months\u2019 experience and going out there and having to do a 10-minute match. I can\u2019t even imagine. The first time I ever did a live TV match, I had been wrestling for over ten years. I was completely comfortable. It\u2019s a completely different ballgame and she\u2019s handled it very well<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.\u201d Bryan Danielson,\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fightful.com\/wrestling\/bryan-danielson-explains-why-he-jealous-jade-cargill\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Fightful<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Learn from Ronda Rousey<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Whether or not Cargill is at the level WWE expects her to be at right now is spectacle and guesswork. However, something they could consider in the short term (at least for one year) is a solution that could have made\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ronda Rousey\u2019s<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0transition to wrestling easier. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Ronda\u2019s second book,\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Our Fight<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, Rousey highlighted that she felt WWE removed the support given to her for her Wrestlemania debut too quickly. Ronda has suggested that not being given the same level of road-agenting and support throughout her run detrimentally impacted her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Becky Lynch<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0also suggested Ronda was \u201cmishandled\u201d. Officials felt her first match was a success. That Ronda had pro wrestling down without thinking deeply about the context. Ronda had three experienced WWE performers,\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Kurt Angle, Triple H<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Stephanie McMahon<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0supporting her. Jade will have even more support in having\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Naomi, Bianca Belair,<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Damage CTRL\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">around her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Post-Wrestlemania, Cargill may benefit, as she did in AEW, from having extensive coaching and road-agenting to support her matches. Cargill credited\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">QT Marshall<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Dustin Rhodes<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0on\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cAEW Unrestricted\u201d<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0with making her debut \u201cvery relaxing\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Also, she later had the support of Bryan Danielson. Extending this further and giving Jade support backstage as she works longer matches and different styles could reduce her chances of exposure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Yet no amount of coaching can protect Cargill from creative missteps and the eventuality that at some point, Cargill may slip up in the ring or will have to take a loss. Then again, shouldn\u2019t this be easy for WWE?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>We Tell Stories, Pal<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-GY6L-34XFg?si=fN6U8olzB1hirZTV\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Since her\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Royal Rumble<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0debut, a feud was teased with\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bianca Belair<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. Some fans are already questioning whether Cargill turns on Belair and Naomi at Mania. But then what? If not, does Jade go into a tag team with Belair or Naomi to go for the Women\u2019s Tag Team Championship? Do they build to a<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0SummerSlam<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0singles match with Belair?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">AEW failed to take Jade beyond \u201cthat b$tch\u201d. WWE will at some point need to or risk the character becoming stale. Jade\u2019s charisma makes her a natural heel, yet allowing the fans to cheer her, trying her as a face at first might be an interesting experiment that makes further character development and a heel turn more effective. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There are possible stories and Jade has charisma, but just as it did in AEW, that will carry Jade so far until her character needs more layers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s an issue already known in WWE\u2019s women\u2019s division. It\u2019s been a repeated complaint linked to\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Charlotte Flair<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and even\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bianca Belair,<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0who some fans would like to turn heel. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As already stated, WWE has an issue with its women\u2019s division booking and character development, which is ironic for the storytelling company. Yet this hasn\u2019t stopped the company from making record profits or grabbing headlines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">At some point also, the bell will have to ring and in the ring, Jade may make a mistake. And if so, creative will need to adapt because despite how some might feel, it won\u2019t be the end of the world for Jade. She\u2019s still young and can learn, but will WWE?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>It Matters When She Loses<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When Jade loses, how her character reacts to this and is subsequently booked will define Cargill\u2019s career more than any win. Jade is not Goldberg or Asuka or any other wrestler who had an undefeated streak. Whether or not her legacy can move beyond that of a constant winner will only be determined when she takes a loss.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">On the way out of AEW, Cargill lost twice. The first in an impromptu match. The second was on an episode of\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rampage<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0in a rematch that had a short amount of build. Given she moved on to pastures elsewhere, those losses are not canon or tied to this WWE version of the character.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Asuka\u2019s winning streak had not defined her career in the way it defined Goldberg. For others like\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ryback<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, his streak became the pinnacle of his career. Then a bad booking happened. A momentum-crushing loss to Jade\u2019s mentor, Mark Henry at Wrestlemania signalled Ryback would likely not be the guy now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Jade is also not Ryback. Jade is Jade. And WWE needs to find ways to keep Jade developing in-ring, as an interesting character with dimensions who might experience ups and downs to help her form her legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If Jade\u2019s going to be a storm that changes the shape of WWE, the reality is she\u2019ll need to deal with peaks and dips, the cycles that all other wrestlers go through. If Jade remains placed on a pedestal, it\u2019s more likely going to limit her legacy. Remove her from it and this will give her the longevity she wants and is capable of.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<p><em>Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013\u00a0<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0for more on this 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 an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Network<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Peacock<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A storm has arrived. The issue with storms however is that once they hit, they only last so long before the thunder, lightning, wind, and rain wear out. Storms come and pass. They cannot be maintained forever. Eventually, you get desensitized to the threat. Even when it\u2019s a repeated occurrence. In real life, Florida is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4960,"featured_media":123752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2192,4,3,320],"tags":[163,1445,1634,403,8458,7442,1403,406,1284,8417],"class_list":["post-123742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wrestling","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","category-wwe-women","tag-becky-lynch","tag-bianca-belair","tag-bryan-danielson","tag-charlotte-flair","tag-damage-ctrl","tag-jade-cargill","tag-mark-henry","tag-naomi","tag-ronda-rousey","tag-wrestlemania-40"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4960"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123742"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123742\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}