WWE has been on a spree of releasing talent within the last couple of years. Given the current world climate regarding the pandemic, in addition to the company reporting record profits, releasing a huge number of superstars seemed out of the question. Alas, WWE proceeded to let go of many members of the roster, some more surprising than others, from main event talent to performance centre recruits who hadn’t even made it to TV – no one was safe. One notable name that was released from NXT, in a complete surprise, was Franky Monet.
Franky Monet Had Everything To Be A Star In NXT
The former Taya Valkyrie, as she was better known before her move to WWE, made a name for herself in both AAA and Impact, winning the top Women’s titles in both companies respectively. There was a high amount of anticipation regarding her signing and eventual debut, with NXT airing vignettes to build up her arrival as Franky Monet.
Her gimmick involved wearing expensive clothing, furs, and carrying her little dog, Presley, to the ring. It is a variation of a gimmick many have seen from female wrestlers throughout wrestling history, although, in the current landscape of women’s wrestling, it stands out much more. Something that set Monet apart, was her aggressiveness in the ring, and clear depth, shown in just a short space of time. She was in the midst of establishing her character when her untimely release took place before it had even gotten a chance to take off. Despite that, she will likely pick up the pieces elsewhere, due to her history of success outside the company.
Monet Was On The Rise Before Her WWE Release
Monet hadn’t been in NXT for long, but she was clearly presented as a star. Her presentation, from attire to entrance, was striking, and she showcased good promo and in-ring work straight from the off. It was evident that she was to be a big part of plans moving forwards, as she was picking up wins. In NXT, there are two main journeys when debuting – either acting as an enhancement talent to put others over, eventually gaining fans and respect as time goes on, or winning straight away, making it clear that they’re a potential star. Monet was on the latter side of that spectrum, so it was a shock to see her go - something which Monet clearly felt too.
Although she’d only wrestled a handful of times on NXT, she had impressed early on, both in and outside the ring, carrying herself like a star, ready-made for a quick NXT run and main roster call-up. With her release, it feels like she was a name picked from a hat, because one look at her presence, charisma, and overall package, and it would be clear to see that she is an asset to any women’s division.
Monet’s Booking In NXT Was All Over The Place
It could be argued that her release was due to factors such as her perceived "old" age by WWE executives, or perhaps that she wasn’t what WWE were looking for, or even that people backstage might have thought that she was not good enough. If the latter was the case, then it was a result of NXT’s own doing, with poor booking. Monet, after just three singles victories and a tag team loss, was thrust into the title picture without warning.
Her direction was very haphazard, making her on-screen debut by facing off with the NXT Women’s Champion, Raquel Gonzalez, before moving away to beat Cora Jade, Elektra Lopez, and Jacy Jayne. In that time, she aligned with others, joined the Robert Stone Brand briefly, and then came back to challenge Gonzalez. It all happened quickly, without much sense or long-term booking in mind.
Gonzalez would defeat Monet on an early episode of NXT 2.0, after their rebranding, in a match which only served to build up Mandy Rose as the next challenger. When a new talent challenges for a title so early on, and loses, they can only go downhill from there. With new stars, it's important to have a steady climb upwards to establish themselves. It’s harder for heels to bounce back from these types of losses too. People can easily root for babyfaces who suffer from setbacks but heels just look weak when they suffer too many defeats, especially so early on into their run.
Franky Monet’s NXT Run Was A Complete Waste
Her loss in the title match, and lack of a plan afterward, may be a big reason as to why she was let go, which shows a complete lack of care or consideration from the creative team. It's not even as though she wouldn’t fit in with the new version of NXT, due to her over-the-top gimmick being perfect for the bright, colorful, characterful brand. Others from the old version of NXT have been left by the wayside to make way for newer stars who fit what the company wants, but Monet seemed to perfectly fit the mold for this new direction.
For someone who had heavy investment upon her debut, oozing in experience and charisma, it is a complete waste for WWE to let her go, and not even give her a realistic chance to work a proper storyline or feud during her time with the company. Its another case of a misused talent and unrealized potential.