Within the past year, it seemed like there were big plans for Liv Morgan. We saw The Riott Squad break up. There were some costume changes. Then Morgan just ended up re-partnered with Ruby Riott and now lies in limbo. Was her push the flash in the pan it appears to be? Possibly, but it’s probably more of an indication of the larger problem. Unfortunately, Liv Morgan may be yet another example of how WWE has too much talent to know what to do with.
We saw Liv come to WWE as part of the Riott Squad in 2017. They were a trio of bad ladies looking to start trouble up from NXT. To look at them, they came off as a bit of a hodgepodge. You have the edgy Ruby Riott alongside a kittenish Liv Morgan and an Amazonian Sarah Logan. It was another instance of “let’s see if it works”. The problem was, given the set-up, it’s hard to say it ever would. Who were their rivals? In their debut, they attacked Naomi and Becky Lynch backstage. WWE often uses acts of bullying to announce new heels yet, in this Digital Age, just being bullies doesn’t cut it. Did Naomi or Lynch say something? Was it on Twitter? Is there some beef circulating on YouTube? Were they singled out just to announce they’re the new bad bitches in town? One could hypothesize their debut was the beginning of the end since there was no forethought.
Yet, the Riott Squad break-up is not the cause of Liv Morgan’s current status. If anything, it indicated WWE was willing to take a chance on her in 2019. Break-ups are common in the WWE Universe. What WWE has to ensure is that the break serves a greater purpose. After the Superstar Shakeup, Morgan found herself alone on SmackDown. She had a new look, a new finisher and a new attitude. Regardless, fans weren’t exactly biting and then the pandemic hit.
What the pandemic exposed is the flawed operation of WWE. There was no long term plan for Liv Morgan. They had to see if she worked first. Yet, with no clear idea of how to sell her, how was she ever to be sold? She had to go out and be a star! With no story to follow, no clear rivals, no real motivation, how is anyone supposed to shine? Everyone on the roster has good matches in them, just no reason to have them. If Liv Morgan were to have a real honest shot at the success she needed, at the very least, an agenda and/or a rival. Is she here to take the title off someone? Is everyone on notice? Or does she just like rolling around for fun? Morgan had to pick a lane and pretty much stay in it until it got old. For the most part, Liv Morgan managed to be the “cute one” on the Riott Squad.
Given where Liv Morgan is now, on SmackDown with Ruby Riott, it’s safe to assume she didn’t know what lane to choose within the WWE Universe. What we know now is she needed to. WWE can always bring up someone else. Wrestlers have to view themselves as disposable until they prove otherwise. The cold reality is they may not be given the best opportunities to validate their worth. This could be one of the reasons Morgan debuted with the “Riott Squad” and not “Tribe 2 Liv”. Ruby Riott is a more realized persona. Morgan is still searching for herself. That’s akin to having an illness in WWE. If she wants to be taken seriously, she’s going to have to discover who “Liv Morgan” is. If a wrestler is to succeed, they will need the vision and more importantly, a game-plan for success. Liv Morgan’s main flaw may be trusting WWE to know how to best promote her. Look at all the “superstars” we have forgotten. If she wants to succeed, she has to focus on how to be remembered.