Following a severe double knee surgery, WWE’s Irresistible Force, Nia Jax, has been out for several months. We’re hoping to see her back soon, perhaps for the Royal Rumble. The growth of the women’s division has left her options open when she does return.
Her championship reign was cut short by Ronda Rousey’s push, so we’d like to see her jump back into the title picture at some point. Though she was a good heel, Jax is so likeable we’re not sure whether she will take a face or heel role when she gets back. With that in mind, here are some phenomenal potential feuds that we hope to see in her future.
10 CARMELLA
Since they’ve been on the main roster, Carmella and Nia have never had a real feud. The pair have spent most of their time on separate shows, so their paths haven’t crossed that much. Her partnership with R-Truth has made Carmella a fan favorite, so if Jax is coming back as a heel, attacking her is a way to make Jax an instant villain.
In the few actual matches she’s had in the last few months, Carmella has looked good, so she could use the rivalry to remind everyone that she’s more than just Truth’s sidekick.
9 ASUKA
Though she and Kairi Sane recently won the women’s tag team championships, there’s no denying that The Empress of Tomorrow has definitely lost her intimidating aura. Remember how dominant Asuka was in NXT? We’d like to see that again.
A hard-hitting, tough fight, with each woman trying to prove she should be the No. 1 contender, is a feud we could get behind. Ideally, we’d like to see Jax in singles competition, but we’re also okay with Nia teaming up with Naomi or Tamina to take on Asuka and Kairi.
8 MANDY ROSE
Mandy Rose is the kind of arrogant heel that needs to be put in her place. If WWE wants the audience to root for Nia, she needs to jump right into a program with Mandy and Sonya. A two-on-one scenario is the best way to negate Jax’s obvious size advantage.
Make Mandy the real target, but set up a few matches with Sonya beforehand. This way, Deville gets to showcase her skills out of Rose’s shadow, and Jax gets to ease back in slowly.
7 RHEA RIPLEY
If there’s one thing we learned from her time in NXT UK, Rhea Ripley isn’t scared of anyone, no matter how big and powerful they are. During her feud with Piper Niven, she never gave an inch, often coming out on top.
It would be interesting to see Jax fight someone new. Ripley’s unique offense would provide Nia the opportunity to show different aspects of her technique. It’s a great way to introduce fans to Ripley, while also slowly integrating Nia back into the action.
6 SASHA BANKS
The Boss loves being the center of attention and ruining others’ big moments. To that end, she would shine interrupting Jax’s big return, and making it all about her. This obviously wouldn’t go over well with Nia, which leads to a great series of matches, each more vicious than the last.
Sasha Banks is one of the best wrestlers in WWE. Anyone who competes against her is forced to up their game. Working with Sasha will allow Jax to show a new side of herself when she comes back.
5 NIKKI CROSS
Nikki Cross is intensely loyal to Alexa Bliss. If Nia Jax came back and wanted to renew her rivalry with Alexa, we imagine Nikki would jump in to defend her friend. More importantly, Alexa would totally let her.
Jax is used to overpowering her opponents, but there’s no preparing for Nikki Cross’ unpredictability. While Nia may toss her around the ring, Nikki won’t stop fighting until she’s completely destroyed, which inspires Alexa. It’s two feuds in one.
4 SHAYNA BASZLER
No-one has been able to touch Shayna Baszler as NXT Champion. Her second reign has been extremely dominant, and at this point there’s really no one left to credibly challenge her. Imagine Shayna in the middle of the ring boasting about this, when suddenly Nia’s music hits and she appears at Full Sail.
There’ve been quite a few returns to NXT lately, and as good as the women’s division is, it definitely needs a big star. Jax coming back to finally take the title that eluded her is a great way to reintroduce her to fans.
3 BETH PHOENIX
From the moment they faced off in the inaugural women’s Royal Rumble match, fans have been not-so-patiently waiting for Nia Jax and Beth Phoenix to have a one-on-one match. We got close when they were part of the fatal four way for the women’s tag team championships at WrestleMania 35.
Phoenix is now working as a commentator for NXT, so it would be easy for their paths to cross. Though she’s retired, we know that doesn’t always mean much in WWE. They’re the only ones who can realistically match up with one another.
2 CHARLOTTE FLAIR
As The Queen, Charlotte Flair is a 10-time champion who has done it all in WWE. One of the things that makes her so formidable is her power. A rivalry with Nia Jax gives us the chance to see how she matches against someone just as strong as she is.
Yes, Charlotte has an unmatched athleticism and three finishers, but we feel like fighting Nia Jax would bring out a brutality we haven’t seen since WrestleMania. A battle between two equally powerful, confident women always makes for a good fight.
1 BECKY LYNCH
It’s no secret Nia Jax and Becky Lynch have unfinished business. After she accidentally hurt Lynch, leading to her iconic bloody nose photo, Jax began calling herself the Facebreaker. Lynch did eventually get a tiny measure of revenge with her own punch, but the story was never resolved.
Now that she’s had to sit around for half a year and watch Becky become The Man, we’d love to see Nia come back and start a real feud with her. She can threaten to break Becky again, while The Man plots all manner of vengeance. We need a resolution for the punch that changed everything.