DISCLAIMER: I am Welsh; therefore I will be ever-so slightly biased towards Tegan Nox. Have we got that clear?
Is there any woman who could be considered unluckier over the last two years?
Tegan Nox, the 24 year old from Bargoed, Wales, has twice been included in the Mae Young Classic. We all the know the story: the first year she was sidelined with a torn ACL. She returned the next year, but during the tournament’s quarter final, against Rhea Ripley, she suffered not one, but five different injuries: a torn Anterior cruciate ligament, Medial collateral ligament, Lateral collateral ligament, meniscus, and Patellar dislocation. She is finally back now – faster, stronger and shiner than ever and for that reason this is why I believe that Tegan Nox is the future of the WWE’s women’s division.
As a follower of the British scene (along with the majority of the other writers here) I know a lot of the former Nixon Newell’s body of work. She isn’t a former model, basketball player or gymnast that the WWE has picked up to mould in their own image. Nox has been wrestling since 2013, so she comes from the same class as Pete Dunne, Chris Brookes and Mark Andrews. She has shown fantastic in-ring ability time and again with a very explosive move-set. Crowds also warm to her instantly due to the natural charisma she exudes.
Let’s start off with that move-set. With her football (soccer) background we know that she packs power in those legs. All we need to do is look at how well caught Shax ever so sweetly on NXT UK recently. Her crossbody shows she’s not adverse to excitingly flying from the top turnbuckle with near perfection. Her Shiniest Wizard is a finisher that wouldn’t be out of place in an NXT: Takeover main event. You can also add that she has added a chokeslam to her repertoire since her recent return from injury. Bottom line is, her ability is up there with some of the top women in the wrestling world.
Her success wouldn’t just be limited to singles glory either. NXT’s touring house shows have shown that she has instant chemistry with Dakota Kai. Team Kick can shake up the women’s tag division, bringing the sometimes-forgotten titles down to NXT. Perfect timing for NXT’s move to the USA network. This would also instantly allow her access to wrestler on the wider stage of Raw and Smackdown. What women has been able to appear on WWE’s flagship shows while still being on the yellow brand.
If there’s one thing that her injury has allowed her is a storyline. WWE could easily build Nox up with the typical against the odds, underdog story. Has it been to death? Yes, but with the way she has been built up, from Michael Cole hailing her as ‘his favourite to win’ the MYC2, to her personal endorsement from Daddy Paul himself, it’s my honest opinion that she will be built up as the person to finally overcome Shayna Blazer within the next six-nine months (Wrestlemania Takeover, anyone?). I understand that fellow writer Adam Callier made the same claim about Kacy Catanzaro recently (find the article here) but with Nox’s far superior experience and skill, I can’t help but back my claim. If you aren’t into the tried and tested comeback angle though, her heel work is top notch as well. Her menace was on show during a run with Pete Dunne at Attack Pro Wrestling a couple of years ago during the former’s reign of terror over the promotion.
Once on the main roster, the possibilities are endless for potential match-ups. The Four Horsewomen, Natalya and Ember Moon are just a few of the names where classic matches are a real possibility. I would also look towards her being the perfect foil to a returning Ruby Riott on her call up. She would be able to give us years of entertaining encounters.
So there are my reasons for Tegan Nox being the future of the WWE Women’s division. A bit premature without a televised match on NXT? Maybe, but if there’s anything I know from her past work, that the sky is just the beginning of what the World’s Shiniest Wizard is capable of.
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You can find me on Twitter @TDWalton. Thanks for reading.