At NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, Raquel Gonzalez dethroned Io Shirai for the NXT Women’s Championship. The win ended Shirai’s impressive 300+ day title reign while crowning a new and dominant champion.
On the most recent edition of NXT, Gonzalez celebrated her win with her partner Dakota Kai. But her celebrations were cut short when she was interrupted but NXT newcomer Franky Monet. Also, on the show, Mercedes Martinez made it very clear that Gonzalez and her title are in her sights.
A new champion always has a target on their back, and with NXT’s stacked women’s division, Gonzalez will have no shortage of contenders. Who will step up and challenge “Big Mami Cool” for the NXT women’s title? Let’s have a look.
Franky Monet
Franky Monet made her NXT debut and went straight after the champ. Gonzalez and Monet had an interesting interaction in which they insulted one another in Spanish before Monet stated that she will see “Big Mami Cool” every Tuesday.
The ominous statement implied that Monet will be watching and waiting for the right time to strike. Although Gonzalez is a big, mean and imposing figure, she would be wise to keep on guard at all times with Monet on her case.
Under her previous name, Taya Valkyrie, Monet has a long list of accomplishments and title reigns. She is the longest-tenured Knockouts Champion and three-time AAA Reina de Reinas Champion.
Hopefully, NXT plays the long game with this feud as it is far too early to have them face off for the title. But with that being said, fully expect them to clash over the championship down the road.
Mercedes Matinez
Mercedes Martinez also let it be known that she was coming for Gonzalez and the NXT Women’s Championship. Martinez would be a great first challenger for Gonzalez. She has a tonne of credit and legitimacy and the visual of the two badasses going one-on-one is very enticing.
It seems as though Martinez’s role in NXT is one of a role model, teacher and mentor to the current and up-and-coming wrestlers. She had a great mini-feud with Rhea Ripley, she bossed the Triple Threat match at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, and recently she has been working with Jessie Kamea and Aliyah.
A feud with Martinez would give Gonzalez a tough battle in which she could prove herself as a formidable champion and add kudos to her title run.
Zoey Stark
The NXT newcomer has shone brightly since her debut earlier this year. Stark burst onto the NXT scene during the first-ever women’s Dusty Classic. Since then, she has faced Io Shirai and Gonzalez in singles action.
More recently, she defeated Toni Storm on the NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver pre-show. On the most recent episode of NXT, she had an interesting confrontation with Mercedes Martinez. Stark should defeat Martinez, giving her the impetus to challenge Gonzalez for the title.
It could be a little early to have Stark go up against Gonzalez and lose, but she possesses bags of potential and talent to recover and challenge for the championship further down the line.
Dakota Kai
Raquel Gonzalez vs Dakota Kai would be an epic David and Goliath clash. The match would make Kai look like a tenacious and never-say-die heel challenger while solidifying Gonzalez as the unstoppable and undefeatable babyface champion.
Kai and Gonzalez make a great partnership and would make even better enemies. During Gonzalez’s speech on NXT, it seemed as though she was beginning to show face tendencies. The moment with Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair almost solidified it. To complete the switch from heel to face having Kai brutally attack her would do it. The storyline pretty much writes itself too. Gonzalez was brought in to NXT as Kai’s bodyguard, but after her dominant performances, she soon overshadowed Kai.
Kai has done turned on her partners before, and with the NXT Women’s Championship involved, it may be an opportunity far too big for her to ignore.
Sarray
Sarray makes her long-awaited NXT debut next week, and we will get to see what type of performer she will be in NXT. Judging by the promotional video shown on last week’s episode, she looks to be getting the Asuka, Io Shirai and Kairi Sane treatment.
As Sareee, she is a highly decorated wrestler in her native Japan and could easily replicate her success in NXT. No stranger to fighting wrestlers much bigger than her as she has faced Aja Kong many times.
Sarray is a tenacious and vicious Joshi wrestler, complete with stinging strikes, brutal suplexes and full-throttle offence. NXT’s latest newcomer would make a great opponent for Gonzalez both aesthetically because of the size difference and a fantastic display of power versus speed.
Who do you think is the first challenger for Raquel Gonzalez and her NXT Women’s Championship? Let us know in the comments below.
