Becky Lynch: Top Match, Moment and More for WWE Superstar of the Week of Jan. 23

There’s no better time of year for a WWE wrestler to stand out than at the start of the Road to WrestleMania.

Most of the prominent spots on the card for the Showcase of the Immortals are earned before the Royal Rumble takes place—and in the case of this week’s Superstar of the Week, this week’s efforts could certainly pay off in the form of a more prominent position over the coming months.

WWE Superstar of the Week of January 23: Becky Lynch

Since Seth Rollins’ injury, WWE management has been doing everything in its power to arrange a compelling title chase for Roman Reigns. We’ve seen a title tournament, a Money in the Bank cash-in and now The Big Dog is effectively tasked with beating 29 men to continue his reign.

Meanwhile, the story behind Becky Lynch’s championship match at the Royal Rumble has perhaps done more to create a challenger the fans can get behind—and with about a 10th of the television time that’s been dedicated to Roman’s plight.

Credit: WWE.com

While much of the Divas Revolution has been undermined by a lack of focus, largely stemming from an eagerness to call up several of NXT’s top prospects at the same time, this program represents an attempt at a different strategy.

The current rivalry between champion and challenger seems to have been designed to accentuate Charlotte’s status as a convincing titleholder who’s not afraid to bend the rules. However, it’s also done a great deal to flesh out Lynch’s persona.

The Lass Kicker has amassed a following on social media thanks to her seemingly never-ending stream of puns. However, as of late, she’s been able to showcase her more serious side on television, making her every bit the legitimate contender to dethrone Charlotte Sunday night.

Becky Lynch’s Defining Moment for the Week of January 23: Post-match appeal to Ric Flair on Raw

It’s no small feat to stand toe-to-toe with Ric Flair throwing out verbal volleys, but Lynch did just that in a memorable segment from this week’s edition of Monday Night Raw.

Charlotte	402K
Sasha Banks	399K
Becky Lynch	327K
Bayley	310K

Having got the fans behind her with a convincing win over Tamina, Lynch demanded a microphone and sought to petition Charlotte to give her a shot at the Divas Championship at the Royal Rumble. However, the champion was steadfast in the fact that the Lass Kicker’s opportunity came and went.

Understandably, Lynch wasn’t satisfied with that response. Cannily, she decided to prey on the pride of the more senior Flair—a tactic that would pay off handsomely, as the Nature Boy was soon persuaded to agree to the match on behalf of his daughter.

This exchange saw Lynch put her comic abilities to good use with a twist on some of Flair’s preferred promo material. However, the focus here was largely on the Divas Championship.

Lynch feels that she can beat Charlotte, but the champion would rather evade her advances than meet her in the ring once again. We’ve seen this storyline build organically over the last several weeks, but all the relevant information was reiterated on Raw ahead of the title match Sunday night.

This may sound simplistic—and in truth, it is—but that’s the sort of no-frills booking that makes the women’s division of NXT so compelling, and it’s something that didn’t transfer when the likes of Lynch made their move to the main roster.

Social Response

Given her healthy social-media following, it should be of little surprise that Lynch is regularly a hot topic of discussion on Twitter.

This week saw her work on the microphone draw praise from fans and industry legends alike—the Lass Kicker has a noted reputation for her technical abilities, but the fact that her character work is improving demonstrates a real willingness to evolve, even having been active for well over a decade:

However, even Lynch can't escape online criticism. Continuing a tradition that's been in place since her debut on NXT, Corey Graves took the time out to poke fun at her fashion sense:

Meanwhile, it seems that the best Becky bout of the week, according to social media response, was Lynch's clash with Alicia Fox on SmackDown:

"

Becky/Alicia was very good. Love that this feud is Becky vs Ric. And Charlotte is a better heel than she ever was on NXT. Good stuff.

— ZSJ fan. (@TheFrayMovement) January 22, 2016"

While she's rarely been considered a top-tier competitor, Fox has more talent between the ropes than many would give her credit for. Paired with someone as capable as Lynch, it's unsurprising that the resulting match was very good—even if it was perhaps a little too brief to really get into gear.

Lynch herself is very active on social media, whether she's offering up puns or interacting with her fans. Late on Friday night, the No. 1 contender to Charlotte's Divas Championship posted a photograph of champion and challenger under friendlier circumstances.

Who's your pick for the best all-around WWE competitor of the last seven days? Let us know your answer in the comments section below.