The fallout of the 2018 Superstar Shakeup

Raw Women's Division

Raw's women's division isn't quite the mess that its tag team division is, but it's not in the brightest of spots. Obviously, Nia Jax is the champion, which comes with a great many problems. Neither capable in the ring or on the mic, Nia Jax is over mostly because of three reasons, none of which have anything to do with her.

The first comes from instinctive comparisons to Braun Strowman, as it's natural people put her in that role for the women's division. Unfortunately, Nia Jax is no Braun Strowman, and that will be clearer and clearer the longer her reign goes on.

The second comes from her matches with Asuka this winter, where she looked great. But Asuka is now gone, and the only other woman who's shown the capability of making Nia Jax look good in the ring, Sasha Banks, is occupied with whatever it is she's doing with Bayley.

The third is because she's had Alexa Bliss as a heel to contrast with, but that feud can't last forever and certainly can't be carried in the ring.

Take those away and Raw's women's champion is lacking. Badly. It will only grow more obvious with time.

Elsewhere, Raw continues to tell a story with Sasha Banks and Bayley that, while still intriguing, is getting closer and closer to a wheel-spinning territory. We need some signs of a coming payoff or hook into the next major arc, and with the Riott Squad beating them both down, there's no immediate signal of that.

Ember Moon is undoubtedly a good addition, but her direction is unclear at the moment.

Obviously, Ronda Rousey is the name that looms largest. After the high of her fantastic WrestleMania performance, it's still clear she has a lot of rough edges, and that's why it was a smart idea to move her training partner, Natalya, over to Raw, which somewhat compensates for the loss of Asuka. With Natalya there to do something with Ronda Rousey, the ex-UFC champion will have a comfortable partner to work with as she tries to find her stride. At least for now, WWE seems to have learned the lesson from over-pushing Roman Reigns before he was ready, and they're taking a more cautious approach with Ronda Rousey, which is a good sign.

In the immediate term, though, the division doesn't look terribly exciting. To improve its prospects, Nia Jax will need to drop the championship as soon as possible, to hopefully make room for people like Ember Moon, Sasha Banks, and Bayley to hold down the fort until Ronda Rousey is ready for the starring role. It would be smart to separate Ruby Riott from her tag-alongs as well, as the division badly needs a good top heel worker, and Alexa Bliss hasn't fulfilled that role.

Grade after the Shakeup: C-