As we edge ever closer to the Showcase of the Immortals, one of Raw’s most controversial angles in quite some time will meet its conclusion. Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax have had a feud predominantly based around body shaming and it’s made for uncomfortable viewing at times. Rather than being booked as an unstoppable monster, Nia’s been portrayed as emotionally vulnerable. It could be argued that this has brought more dimensions to her formerly one-note character, but it won’t be worth a damn thing without a decent pay-off.
Alexa Bliss is the champion who keeps her title by hook or by crook. Since winning the belt way back in August, she has had a grand total of four televised defences. Her character gets everything she wants and does very little in the way of effort to maintain it. She’s everybody’s least favourite type of person and it’s why she connects with the crowd so well as a heel.
Nia Jax is the opposite. She entered the WWE with the apparent promise of being a major title contender. However, she’s faltered every time there was something major on the line. She can’t win the belt, she couldn’t win the Rumble, and she wasn’t able to beat Asuka despite what felt like a thousand attempts. Her positioning on the card as a victim of bullying isn’t without its issues. She has garnered babyface sympathy along the way though, WWE can convert that into something worthwhile.
To do this, the title match between these two at WrestleMania can only go one way. We’re already guaranteed a drag out war between Charlotte and Asuka, so the Raw Women’s Title match must be a squash. And when I say a squash, I mean it in the purest sense. The bell rings, Alexa slaps Nia in a taunting manner, clothesline, Samoan drop, leg drop, match ends. That’s all you need. Alexa Bliss keeps on dodging a Nia-shaped bullet and she can’t run forever.
The idea of Bliss being able to match Nia as an in-ring presence makes no sense when you look at how these two have been portrayed. This is the George McFly knocking out Biff with one punch moment. This is the schoolyard bully being embarrassed in front of everyone by thinking they’re untouchable and getting their behind handed to them. For Nia Jax to come out of this looking good, her indominable will must be imposed on the woman who’s victimised and used her for months.
Knowing WWE’s booking, the match will likely be an even affair. Alexa will use her wily heel tactics to find a workaround before getting caught with a deadly shot. While Nia winning in general will be somewhat satisfying, Alexa being given a fighting chance justifies her in a way. Her trading blows with Jax gets her over as a fighting champion, something we all know she isn’t. Nia Jax should be the centrepiece of this story. It’s worrying that that might not be the case.