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Tag: Sol Ruca

  • Sol Ruca Names The Opponent She Wants For First IC Defense

    Sol Ruca Names The Opponent She Wants For First IC Defense

    Sol Ruca already has a name in mind for her first Women’s Intercontinental Championship defense, and it belongs to the woman who started the title’s lineage.

    Speaking with TMZ’s Inside The Ring, the new champion said she would welcome a defense against Lyra Valkyria, the inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion, calling it a test she wants to pass.

    “I am 100% down. I am a fighting champion,” Ruca said. “I would absolutely love to defend the title against Lyra. She’s the first person to ever hold this title. It would be a great matchup and it’ll definitely test myself against another former IC champion.”

    The pitch carries extra weight because the two are already on a collision course. Ruca opens her Queen of the Ring tournament run against Valkyria, with the bracket set for the June 1 episode of Raw, so the path to that title program may run straight through the tournament.

    Ruca won the championship by defeating Becky Lynch at Clash in Italy on Sunday, May 31, at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, ending Lynch’s third reign at 43 days. It was her first major title win since moving to the main roster.

    Now she’s framing the reign around volume. Ruca said she wants to defend the title as often as possible and floated using it as a platform to elevate the brand that developed her.

    “If it was up to me, I would absolutely love to bring some NXT girls to try and defend this title and put them up on the main roster and see what they got,” she said. “I want to do right by this title, and I want to make myself and all my followers proud.”

    Her stated benchmark is not a modest one. Ruca told the show she wants her run remembered as the best the title has seen.

    “I want them to think that I’ve had the best Intercontinental Championship run of all time,” she said. “That’s the goal.”

  • Sol Ruca Opens Up About Online Criticism After WWE Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca Opens Up About Online Criticism After WWE Clash In Italy

    The newly crowned WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Sol Ruca has opened up about how she handles online criticism following her match at WWE Clash in Italy.

    The former NXT Women’s North American Champion made it clear that the opinions of those in the building and backstage carry far more weight than social media noise.

    In a WWE Now post-show interview, Ruca addressed the hate that has followed her main roster work. She said that dealing with online criticism is something she has had to learn throughout her WWE career.

    Bigger Stage Brings More Attention

    She explained that even in NXT, there were fans closely watching and criticizing her, but moving to a bigger stage brings even more attention—both positive and negative.

    “100 percent, even in NXT, we get people that are, you know, watching every move and we get people that are, you know, leaving hate comments and all this negativity, and essentially being up on the main roster, you have more eyes, which means more hate, but also means more love.

    Ruca admitted she didn’t fully realize when she signed with WWE how much scrutiny and nitpicking would come with increased visibility.

    “So it is something that I’ve had to kind of navigate because I wasn’t really, it wasn’t something that I thought of when I got signed that it was going to be like, oh, this means that there’s going to be more eyes or more people, you know, trying to nitpick everything.”

    Sol Ruca Focuses On Positive Reactions

    Ruca said she doesn’t put too much weight on negative comments on social media because they represent only a small portion of WWE’s audience. She explained that what matters most to her is receiving positive reactions from live crowds and having the support of people backstage.

    “At the end of the day, especially with people on social media, that’s such a small percentage of our fan base, and as long as the crowd in person is happy and, you know, everyone backstage is happy with what I do, then that’s fine with me.”

    Sol Ruca recently dethroned Becky Lynch to capture the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship at the Clash In Italy Premium Live Event. Her performance drew scrutiny from some corners of the internet, but Ruca’s response suggests she is not letting it affect her mindset.

  • Sol Ruca Eyes Queen Of The Ring After IC Title Win At WWE Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca Eyes Queen Of The Ring After IC Title Win At WWE Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca became the new WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion, and she is already setting her sights on more gold.

    After dethroning Becky Lynch at WWE Clash In Italy, Ruca will now compete in the Queen of the Ring tournament beginning on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw.

    Ruca defeated Lynch to end her third reign with the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. The win came just weeks after Ruca’s surprise debut on Raw.

    Speaking on the WWE Clash In Italy post-show, Ruca was asked about the upcoming tournament and did not hesitate.

    “I glanced at it for a second. I’ve decided, I’m ready to go. I got one title under my waist, and I think victories are just starting,” she said.

    Queen Of The Ring First-Round Bracket

    Ruca opens her tournament run against Lyra Valkyria. The full first-round lineup for the Queen of the Ring tournament is as follows:

    • Sol Ruca vs. Lyra Valkyria
    • Chelsea Green vs. Alexa Bliss
    • Charlotte Flair vs. Jade Cargill
    • Roxanne Perez vs. IYO SKY
    • Giulia vs. Lash Legend
    • Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
    • Jacy Jayne vs. Kiana James
    • Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan vs. Becky Lynch
  • Sol Ruca Captures The WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title At Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca Captures The WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title At Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca defeated Becky Lynch to capture the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship at Clash in Italy on Sunday at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy.

    Lynch dominated the early going before Ruca mounted a comeback. Ruca hit an outside moonsault from the top rope and followed with a dropkick before Lynch avoided the Sol Snatcher and locked in an armbar. Ruca escaped. Lynch exchanged words with referee Jessika Carr throughout the match before pushing her into the ropes, causing Ruca to fall from the turnbuckle.

    Ruca recovered, hitting an outside dive onto Lynch. Lynch attempted the Sol Snatcher herself but Ruca reversed it and connected with a Rock Bottom for a near fall. Ruca then hit the Sol Snatcher to get the pinfall victory.

    The win gives Ruca her first championship on the main roster in her debut PLE appearance after a difficult six-week stretch that included losses to Liv Morgan and IYO SKY and an injury scare heading into the event.

  • Backstage Update On Sol Ruca’s WWE Clash In Italy Status

    Backstage Update On Sol Ruca’s WWE Clash In Italy Status

    Sol Ruca is traveling to Italy for WWE Clash in Italy on Sunday despite being banged up from her Saturday Night’s Main Event match against Becky Lynch, according to PWInsider Elite.

    Lynch had posted on social media claiming Ruca was not medically cleared to compete, raising questions about whether the Women’s Intercontinental Championship match would take place as scheduled.

    PWInsider Elite reported otherwise, citing WWE sources.”Ruca got banged up at the Saturday Night’s Main Event match. However, WWE sources indicated to PWInsiderElite.com this afternoon that Ruca is traveling to Italy for the Clash in Italy event today. So, Ruca will be there.”

    The injury occurred during Ruca’s disqualification win over Lynch at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cathy Kelley confirmed the injuries during a backstage interview segment on Monday’s Raw.

    Ruca has been on Raw for six weeks since her main roster call-up following WrestleMania 42. She has yet to win a match in that stretch, having previously fallen to Liv Morgan and IYO SKY. Her championship match against Lynch at Clash in Italy on May 31 in Turin would be her biggest career moment to date.

  • SNME Rematch Added To Clash In Italy

    SNME Rematch Added To Clash In Italy

    A new match for Clash In Italy.

    The May 23 Saturday Night’s Main Event featured the Women’s IC Champion Becky Lynch facing the newest main roster star Sol Ruca, in a non-title match. The action started before the bell rang as The Man threw the belt at her opponent to startle her and then attacked the rookie.

    The match finally started after Ruca delivered a clothesline to Becky. The two women exchanged some quick offense with each other. As the former NXT star went for the Sol Snatcher, the champ pulled referee Jessika Carr into the action. Carr declared Ruca the winner by DQ as a result, ending the match in less than 3 minutes.

    Becky Lynch then delivered a couple of Manhandle Slams to Sol before finally heading to the back. The WWE veteran ran into Nick Aldis backstage where the SmackDown GM informed her that she will be facing Sol Ruca again at the upcoming PPV, this time with the title on the line.

    WWE Clash In Italy Updated Match Card

    The latest WWE PPV will be taking place on May 31, from Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy. Below is the updated card for the show:

    • Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther
    • World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
    • WWE Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill
    • Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca

    Apart from this, a rematch between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi has been teased for the show but it has not been made official just yet.

  • Triple H Reached Out To Top WWE Star After Embarrassing Botch

    Triple H Reached Out To Top WWE Star After Embarrassing Botch

    Sol Ruca recently revealed that Triple H personally reached out to reassure her after she slipped on the ropes during a Sol Snatcher attempt in a segment with Becky Lynch on WWE Raw.

    The former NXT Women’s North American Champion opened up about the incident and the mental toll of social media criticism during an appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show.

    Ruca discussed how online reactions can heavily affect wrestlers mentally, even when most feedback is positive. She admitted that negative comments tend to stick with performers despite overwhelming support.

    “Social media is tough, especially with the trolls and people hating,” Ruca said. “I feel like a lot of us just want to know what people think. We want to know if people like our matches. We want to know if they’re invested and whatnot. But I feel like it doesn’t matter how many good comments we see, if we see one of those bad ones that strikes a nerve, we’re just like ‘Oh my God, I’m the worst. I did terribly.’”

    She acknowledged that handling criticism is an ongoing battle for wrestlers.

    “Yeah it’s just something you have to learn to work through, I think it’s going to be an ongoing thing. I don’t think any of us are ever going to completely get over that.”

    Triple H Reaches Out After Botched Spot

    Ruca reflected on the widely discussed moment where she tripped on the ropes while attempting her Sol Snatcher finisher during the Raw segment. Triple H contacted her afterward and immediately tried to calm any concerns she had.

    “I did have Triple H call me after my debut with Becky and the promo and stuff and he was like, ‘I just want you to know you did a great job.’ I was like ‘Yeah, I’m just gonna stay off social media, not 100% happy with how it turned out.’ But he was like ‘We think you did amazing, don’t worry about it, don’t go on social media.’”

    The support from WWE’s Chief Content Officer clearly meant a lot to Ruca, who said the conversation helped her tune out the negativity surrounding the moment.

    “He really just gave me that ok of like ‘You’re fine, don’t care what people say, we think you did amazing and just keep doing what you’re doing.’”

    WWE later edited the segment clips before posting them across social media platforms.

    Sol Ruca is set to face WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch at Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 23.

  • WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Match Is Now Listed As Title Bout

    WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Match Is Now Listed As Title Bout

    WWE has upgraded Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca to a Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 23, reversing the non-title stipulation announced on Monday’s Raw.

    WWE posted on Instagram confirming the change, writing that Lynch will put the Women’s Intercontinental Championship on the line against Ruca. The promotional poster also lists the bout as a title match.

    The bout was originally set up on Raw when Lynch offered Ruca a match at Saturday Night’s Main Event after Ruca called her out. When Ruca attempted to make it a title fight on the spot, Lynch declined. WWE has since changed course.

    The full Saturday Night’s Main Event lineup for May 23 is as follows:

    • Six-Woman Tag Team Match: Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss vs. Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab
    • WWE World Tag Team Championships: The Vision (Austin Theory and Logan Paul) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins)
    • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Ethan Page
    • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Scream Mode (Paige and Brie Bella) (c) vs. Irresistible Forces (Lash Legend and Nia Jax)
    • WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca
  • Backstage Reaction to Sol Ruca’s Crazy Table Bump on NXT

    Backstage Reaction to Sol Ruca’s Crazy Table Bump on NXT

    Kendal Grey has shared what it was like backstage when Sol Ruca took a scary fall through a table on this week’s NXT Revenge, saying the entire locker room went silent.

    Speaking with the Mark Hoke Show, Grey described the collective concern among the NXT roster watching the moment unfold.

    “Back there, we were all watching, like, speechless. We were just mouth wide open speechless. We didn’t know how to react in that moment,” Grey said.

    Grey added that the mood shifted when Ruca returned backstage in good spirits despite the bump.

    “She comes back, she has a towel on her head, and she’s like, ‘Heck yeah!’ She’s smiling. She’s awesome, but definitely a scary moment for all of us. Just concern for her. Obviously, that could be really, really bad. It was bad, but it could always be worse,” Grey said.

    “So knowing that she came back with a positive mind and smiling and stuff was a good reassuring moment, because all of us definitely were scared.”

    Sol Ruca’s Momentum Before the Injury

    The incident came at a pivotal time for Ruca, who had just made a surprise debut on Monday Night Raw days earlier, competing against Liv Morgan in what appeared to be the beginning of her main roster call-up. Ruca later revealed the Raw appearance was a last-minute decision she only learned about days into her Las Vegas trip.

    Despite the scary moment, Ruca provided an update confirming she received eight staples in her head but remained in positive spirits. Trish Stratus also recently named Ruca as her dream opponent for a potential return, further underlining the momentum behind the NXT standout heading into what could be a full main roster transition.

  • Sol Ruca Injury Update After Scary Table Bump At NXT Revenge

    Sol Ruca Injury Update After Scary Table Bump At NXT Revenge

    Sol Ruca was recently involved in a horrific table spot during Tuesday’s NXT Revenge. An update has emerged on her injury.

    She has revealed that eight staples were required in the back of her head following the fall. The injury occurred during her Last Woman Standing match against Zaria.

    The match concluded with Zaria pushing Ruca off a platform, sending her crashing through one of two tables set up below. Ruca’s body missed the far table, causing her to strike the back of her head on it as she went through the near table.

    Ruca shared the aftermath on her Instagram, posting a photo showing the eight staples she received. It remains unknown if she will miss any ring time due to the injury.

    Recent Move to Raw

    The injury comes just days after Ruca was moved from NXT to Raw. She made her main roster debut on Monday, confronting WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan in the ring.

    The confrontation led to an impromptu match between the two, which Morgan won after interference from Zaria.

  • Another NXT Star Makes Raw After WrestleMania Appearance

    Another NXT Star Makes Raw After WrestleMania Appearance

    Another NXT callup.

    The Raw after WrestleMania 42 continued the tradition of surprises. The first one was former NXT Champion Ethan Page who showed up during a backstage segment with Penta.

    Later in the night, we saw Liv Morgan making her way to the ring with the rest of the Judgment Day. The new Women’s Champion talked about her WrestleMania victory over Stephanie Vaquer. She actually thanked the former champion for reminding her of a feeling she hasn’t felt for a long time.

    As Morgan looked to close her speech, however, she was interrupted by a debuting Sol Ruca. Adam Pearce showed up after tensions grew between the two female stars and booked Ruca’s in-ring debut for the brand against Liv.

    The former NXT North American Champion managed to hit the Sol Snatcher on the champ after a hard-fought match, but Liv used her experience and rolled out of the ring.

    Ruca took out the whole Judgment Day with a dive on the floor. Before she could take advantage, however, Zaria showed up outta nowhere and shoved her former tag team partner into the ring post.

    Zaria warned Ruca about their match on tomorrow’s NXT before walking off. Sol then got back into the ring where Morgan was ready for her and Liv picked up the victory with Oblivion.

  • NXT Revenge: Two Night Special Announced With Last Woman Standing And More

    NXT Revenge: Two Night Special Announced With Last Woman Standing And More

    NXT Revenge.

    Fans had been wondering how and when the company will use the latest trademark filed earlier this week, but they didn’t have to wait very long. General Manager Robert Stone announced on the latest episode of the development show that NXT Revenge will be a two-week special beginning on April 14.

    Several matches were then announced for the special, including a Last Woman Standing match between Sol Ruca and Zaria after the latter viciously attacked her former tag team partner on the April 7 show.

    Jacy Jayne was also announced to be getting a rematch for the Women’s Title after dropping the belt to Lola Vice at the Stand & Deliver special this past weekend. Below is the confirmed lineup for the upcoming show:

    NXT Revenge Night One: April 14

    • Men’s Speed Title Tournament Match: E.K. Prosper vs. Dorian Van Dux
    • Singles Match: Jaida Parker vs. Kelani Jordan
    • NXT Championship Match: Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Ethan Page
    • Joe Hendry concert
    • NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lola Vice (c) vs. Jacy Jayne (w/ Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid)

    NXT Revenge Night Two: April 21

    • Last Woman Standing Match: Sol Ruca vs. ZARIA
    • WWE Men’s Speed Title Tournament Final

  • Sol Ruca Opens Up About Fans Questioning Her Racial Identity

    Sol Ruca Opens Up About Fans Questioning Her Racial Identity

    WWE NXT Superstar Sol Ruca has addressed the online debate that resurfaces annually surrounding her mixed-race heritage, candidly discussing how some fans refuse to accept her background while others come to her defense.

    In a conversation with Stephanie McMahon on What’s Your Story?, Ruca, who is of mixed Black and white heritage, spoke about the recurring social media scrutiny she faces, particularly during Black History Month.

    “I feel like a lot of people don’t really accept that, or I guess some people accept it, some people don’t,” she said. “It always baffles my mind every time people start finding out again. I feel like it goes in waves of people.”

    Defending her identify

    Ruca noted that some fans even demand she provide photographic proof of her father, only to then question whether he is “Black enough” to validate her identity. She pushed back on the skepticism simply by asking: “Why would I lie?”

    The 26-year-old also reflected on a double-edged dynamic she experienced in sports, where her athletic success was sometimes credited to her Black heritage rather than her own hard work — an attitude she found dismissive of her efforts.

    Importantly, Ruca drew a clear distinction in her comments, acknowledging that she does not claim the full lived experience of darker-skinned Black women while still asserting that her mixed identity is valid and deserving of acceptance.

    “I’ve never claimed that I’m a black woman. I know I’m mixed, but I still think it should be accepted,” she said. “A lot of mixed people have this identity crisis because it’s like, ‘Where do I fit?’ And people are gonna tell you that you’re not this, or you’re not that.”

    Ruca concluded on a grounded note, saying that despite the ongoing social media conflict, she remains secure in her sense of self. “I know who I am. I know who my dad is. I know who my mom is. And there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  • Another Former NXT Champion Expected On Main Roster

    Sol Ruca might be main roster-bound soon.

    The former NXT Women\’s North American Champion impressed people with her performance at the Royal Rumble PPV last month, reaching as far the final 3 before being eliminated by Tiffany Stratton.

    Now Fightful Select has provided an update on Sol\’s future within the company, saying that a number of her \’internal supporters\’ believe that her time in NXT has run its course.

    Joining WWE in 2022 without any prior wrestling experience, the former gymnast made her NXT debut in September that year. Her career took off in 2024 when Ruca formed a tag team with Zaria. She went on to win the Women\’s Speed title as well as the NA title after this.

    There is no word on when exactly the former champion is expected to be called up, but the site notes that she was tentatively planned to be in Chicago around the Elimination Chamber PPV on February 28. Sol Ruca is also poised for a character refresh in preparation of this jump, which could include her getting a new theme song.

    Though the development brand has also been teasing her breakup with Zaria for a long time. So it\’s possible that Ruca will continue working NXT dates after the call up to finish this story.

  • WWE 2K26 Takes Over WWE HQ, Sol Ruca Change, Bad Bunny Talks, New Trademarks

    Here\’s a roundup of the latest WWE news and rumors for Thursday, February 19, 2026:

    WWE 2K26 Creator Fest

    WWE hosted the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest today at company headquarters in Stamford, CT. The invite-only event brought together top content creators, influencers, YouTubers, and media personalities from around the world.

    CM Punk, Chelsea Green, Paul Heyman, Oba Femi, Trish Stratus, Mariah May, Ethan Page and more were on hand for meet and greets, interviews and hands-on gameplay sessions.

    Sol Ruca Getting Slight Character Refresh

    NXT star Sol Ruca is in line for a character enhancement, according to Wrestlevotes. As her star continues to rise, the standout performer will be getting new entrance theme music soon.

    New WWE Trademarks

    WWE has filed to trademark the names Tristan Angels and Dorian Van Dux, suggesting both names will be used for new characters in the coming months. NXT or Evolve are the most likely destination for these new personas.

    In addition to talent names, WWE has also filed trademarks for WWE Domination, WWE Generations, and WWE Eras Collide. It\’s unclear at this time whether these are intended for premium live events, special programming, or other purposes.

    Gable Steveson Fights Tonight

    Gable Steveson has his third professional MMA fight tonight in Monterrey, Mexico. The Olympic gold medalist and former WWE Superstar will headline Mexico Fight League 3 (MFL 3) against heavyweight veteran Hugo Lezama.

    The full show will stream live for free on YouTube, and you can watch at MMA News.

    Bad Bunny Match Discussions Ongoing, WrestleMania Singles Bout Unlikely

    WWE is actively discussing a match involving Bad Bunny, but per F4WOnline, a singles bout — particularly at WrestleMania — is probably off the table. The most likely scenario would be a tag team match, potentially involving Logan Paul.

    Separately, WrestleVotes says that WWE had already been in contact with Bad Bunny\’s representatives well before his Super Bowl performance, gauging his interest and availability for WrestleMania season.

    Night of Champions 2026 Targeted for Saudi Arabia

    Night of Champions 2026 is tentatively scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on June 27th, per Bodyslam. As always with Saudi events, the date remains subject to change until officially confirmed.

    That\’s all for now. Stay tuned to SEScoops.com for updates as these stories develop, and coverage of the latest WWE news and rumors.

  • Sol Ruca Wins Unique Tag Match For NXT Women\’s Title Shot

    Sol Ruca has earned herself a Women\’s title match.

    This week\’s episode of NXT featured a tag team match between Sol Ruca & Zaria and Wren Sinclair & EVOLVE Women’s Champion Kendal Grey. The bout had a unique stipulation where the talent who secured the victory for their team would get a shot at the NXT Women\’s Championship.

    The ending of the match was a chaotic one as Zaria tagged herself in when Ruca went to the top rope in their corner for a move. Zaria, however, was then knocked into Ruca in the corner after a superkick from Grey. The referee counted it as another tag, making Sol the legal participant once again.

    Both Zaria and Ruca then took out one contender from the opposite team and went for the pin. It was Ruca who was awarded the victory because of the accidental tag earlier.

    The former Women\’s North American Champion will now challenge Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women\’s Title on the February 24 episode of the show from Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia. This will be Sol\’s first singles opportunity at the brand\’s top title.

    WWE has been teasing the breakup of Zaria and Sol Ruca for a while now. It\’s possible that the feud will finally begin with the upcoming title match.

  • 5 Female Superstars WWE Should Push In 2026

    With a new year right around the corner it’s time to put on our prognosticating caps. There are certain safe bets for 2026, like that Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill will remain heavily featured, world champions or in the championship orbit for at least part of the year. But who are the stars that stand to level up, winning their first world titles in WWE or otherwise advancing to a new echelon of stardom? This article presents five picks.

    Sol Ruca

    On paper, Sol Ruca was an unusual pick for WWE to position against Bayley at the Saturday Night’s Main Event featuring John Cena’s last match. Jacy Jayne is the NXT Women’s Champion and Blake Monroe holds the Women’s North American Championship. When push comes to shove, Jordynne Grace is probably the NXT woman with the next highest level of name recognition for main roster fans.

    WWE designed a coming out party for Ruca, though. She was the only NXT talent placed in a position to straight-up win her match in clean fashion given Bayley isn’t a reigning champion or integral to the top of her division’s card right now. Bayley’s also one of the veteran talents best equipped to all but guarantee a younger talent a stellar match.

    So, the match was a showcase for Ruca in not only winning but putting her unique athleticism and innovative offense on display. In her winning the North American Championship over WrestleMania weekend and being entrusted with the Speed Championship to engage WWE fans on short spurts in social media, WWE has increasingly shown its faith in her as a star of the future and there’s every chance 2026 is the year she starts to realize her main roster potential in earnest.

    Maxxine Dupree

    Maxxine Dupree’s ride through the WWE main roster has been nothing if not tumultuous, ranging from a lackluster valet stint with the failed Maxim Male Models faction to her time with Alpha Academy. In an unlikely turn, she was the woman to unseat Becky Lynch for the Intercontinental Championship this fall, and she had the fans 100% behind her.

    Indeed, Dupree has demonstrated remarkable effort and improvement. The jury’s still out on whether she can break through at an even higher level. Based on her progress so far, though, and ability to connect with fans, there’s reason to believe she could be a dark horse favorite to take Money in the Bank in 2026 or otherwise rise to at least challenging for a world title.

    Blake Monroe

    For the AEW and NXT faithful, it may seem a bit out of place to posit Blake Monroe as a rising star. After all, her epic feud with Toni Storm already saw her win a world title in AEW, and she has been a star from the onset in WWE’s developmental. To WWE main-roster-only fans, though, she may remain a relative unknown.

    Look for that to change in 2026. An awkward reality of the NXT Women’s Division has been that since Stephanie Vaquer dropped the NXT Championship, the North American Championship has enjoyed quite arguably equal, if not greater footing in terms of how much buzz it has behind it. Monroe may well move up to take the brand’s top women’s title in 2026. In fact, if she doesn’t, the most likely reason why she would not be an early call-up to the main roster before she has the chance.

    Lash Legend

    Lash Legend made an immediate impact on her call up to the main roster. Paired with Nia Jax, the two offer an imposing monster heel team. Moreover, Legend’s recent one-on-one victory over Alexa Bliss planted the seeds that WWE has very big plans for the former WNBA player.

    The women’s roster is loaded right now, but Legend and Jax are totally believable Women’s Tag Team Champions. Moreover, Legend can’t be counted as a contender for either a world, United States, or Intercontinental Championship contention sooner than later.

    Jordynne Grace

    Some fans have been surprised with Jordynne Grace’s limited success since signing with WWE. She had a lot of momentum coming out of TNA and a lot of tools that looked to set her up for success in WWE. Yet, she has come up short in her championship pursuits thus far and has looked at risk of getting lost in the shuffle more than once in 2025.

    Maybe all that doesn’t bode very well for Grace’s WWE prospects. On the other hand, maybe she is just waiting for her moment. Grace slots easily as an NXT Championship contender, besides every possibility of her reigniting her already major feud with Blake Monroe. Given Grace’s status as both an in-ring veteran and powerhouse, she could also fit nicely on the main roster whenever WWE needs her. Look for 2026 to be the year Grace and WWE put their pieces together and big things start to happen.

  • NXT Stars From John Cena Retirement Show Heading to Main Roster

    WWE is preparing to graduate multiple NXT stars to the main roster following their appearances at John Cena’s retirement show, according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson.

    “Basically, you can expect all the NXT talents that were spotlighted at the John Cena retirement show to be main roster bound sooner than later,” Johnson reported.

    The comment comes after WWE announced Je’Von Evans as a “soon to be free agent” during the December 22 episode of Raw. Michael Cole made the announcement as the 21-year-old entered the arena, with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce expressing interest in signing him. Evans defeated Rayo Americano and is expected to join the main roster in 2026.

    Trick Williams has already begun his transition, appearing on the December 19 SmackDown as a free agent seeking to sign with a brand. Despite debuting on SmackDown, Williams is not yet officially assigned internally to either brand.

    Other NXT stars featured prominently at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 include Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Joe Hendry, and TNA’s Leon Slater. WWE officials were reportedly “very impressed” with their performances, viewing Femi, Ruca, and Evans as potential future superstars.

    The “free agent” strategy allows WWE to showcase these talents on both Raw and SmackDown before making final roster assignments, creating a bidding war storyline between the brands heading into 2026.

  • Sol Ruca Reflects on Breakthrough Year, Learning from Bayley

    Sol Ruca is reflecting on a transformative year as she prepares for one of the biggest opportunities of her career.

    The NXT star will face Bayley at this weekend\’s Saturday Night\’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.—the same card that will feature John Cena\’s final WWE match against Gunther.

    In an interview with Fox News, Ruca opened up about the significance of the moment and how far she\’s come in just one year.

    \”I\’m honored and I\’m really proud of myself for this past year and just putting myself out there even just to be in this world of professional wrestling,\” Ruca said. \”I am a pretty reserved and shy person. So, I feel like I\’ve pushed myself a lot this past year and I\’m really proud of myself to be in this position and really honored to be a part of it.\”

    Making History

    Ruca highlighted the common thread running through her 2025—being part of historic moments. She became a double champion, holding both the NXT Women\’s North American Championship and the NXT Women\’s Speed Championship.

    She also pursued the tag team titles with her partner and earned a spot in the Women\’s Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline after being personally selected by John Cena.

    \”I\’m going to be a part of making history,\” Ruca said. \”I feel like this past year has had that common thread, you know, being a double champion and being a speed champion and North American champion and then going for the tag titles with my tag partner and then now being on John Cena\’s last show and also him picking me to be a part of Deadline. It\’s been a really cool year for me.\”

    Learning From Bayley

    Facing Bayley represents a significant opportunity for Ruca to test herself against a four-time WWE Women\’s Champion who was instrumental in WWE\’s women\’s revolution.

    \”I\’m so excited, especially being so new to the industry and going up against someone like Bayley who has been doing this so much longer than me,\” Ruca said. \”I\’m just really excited to learn. I\’m really excited to be in that type of environment. I\’m really excited to just put it all out there and just have fun to be honest.\”

    Ruca noted that Bayley has been a supportive presence at the WWE Performance Center, helping younger talent develop their skills.

    \”I think when I was really, really new to it, she hopped into a class with us and we got to wrestle around with her and I\’ve seen her in the locker room a few times like being up on Raw and SmackDown recently. She\’s really nice and she\’s really open to letting us learn and just being a good role model.\”

    Saturday Night\’s Main Event airs this Saturday at 8 PM ET on Peacock.