Examining Nia Jax's Direction, Upside and Long-Term Potential

Nia Jax is sure to make her mark on WWE. The only question is how deeply she will dig her claws.

The imposing and overpowering newcomer to Raw is still in the early stages of her development. It's hard to tell that at times, though. When Jax steamrolls an opponent, snarling like a hungry lion, it feels as if she was born for this business.

Jax joined the Raw roster as part of the July 19 draft.

She had previously been one of the toughest foes for members of the NXT women's division. Bayley survived Jax in a title match last December. Asuka barely got by her at TakeOver: The End.

And where she was once booked as unbeatable, Jax had then instead become a tough out.

It's time now to press the reset button on her tale. She started fresh on Raw, beginning 1-0 after beating down an enhancement talent.

That's the right direction to take her. WWE can show off her strengths by having her stomp on jobber after jobber. Building her up as a fearsome monster is a smart use of her presence and gimmick.

This will allow her to gain more experience as she works her way up the ladder. There's no need to rush her rise. It is an inevitability.

Strengths

In the circus-like world that is WWE, standing out among all the larger-than-life figures is difficult. Jax does exactly that, though.

She's the sole monster in the women's division. She towers over her competition. Her frame and predatory glare give her an aura of dominance. 

Her uniqueness alone will net her opportunities, but her physical gifts will make sure she maximizes them. She wields attention-grabbing power, hurling her foes around the ring with little effort. She moves well for her size and excels at high-impact moves.

It's remarkable that she's already this good. She only entered the WWE developmental system two years ago.

Former wrestler and current WWE trainer Adam Pearce praised her growth:

Her ability to learn and improve in a hurry points to her having great success moving forward. She is taking to the mat game, proving herself to be a natural. WWE can be confident that she'll continue to pick up wrestling's nuances.

Obstacles

Jax has been a star student, but she's still raw. WWE surprisingly yanked her out of the developmental brand before she had ample time to refine her skills there.

When Raw drafted Jax, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful was among those with doubts about her readiness:

That most shows up in her inconsistency. At times, she's a freight train barreling down the track, leaving one in awe. Sometimes, however, she's hesitant, and her intensity is underwhelming.

Jax can struggle with playing the role of beast. Judging by interviews she's done in the past and her appearances on Breaking Ground, that likely comes from being a nice, even-keeled person in real life. She has to work to slip on another skin in convincing fashion and fully embrace the ferocity that her character depends on.

In a tag team match in February, for example, she nailed Carmella with three consecutive leg drops. They didn't have near the impact that her best versions of the move have had:

One also has to wonder whether WWE will book her properly.

So many of the stories in the women's division have been about catty women harping at each other. WWE had a wrecking ball in Kharma and didn't capitalize on her skills. It called up a hard-hitting bruiser in Paige and softened her edges.

WWE has to treat Jax like the Brock Lesnar of the women's division. It has to break from recent patterns and find inventive ways to present this predator. Should WWE Creative struggle with that, Jax will suffer.

She's a sledgehammer and has to be utilized as such. 

Long-Term Potential

WWE may have hurried along her development, but Jax is among the safest bets of the recent NXT call-ups.

Her size and look alone will allow her to succeed. At the least, she will fit comfortably into the monster-heel niche. As she gains experience, though, she's bound to be one of WWE's top female talents.

Should Jax hone her storytelling skills, ramp up her intensity and face top-notch competition, she will craft quite the memorable career.

Count on her winning the Women's Championship a number of times. She's sure to have some excellent matches against foes like Sasha Banks, Charlotte and her recent rival from NXT, Asuka. Jax will hover around the top tier of the women's division as long as she remains signed with the company.

Her ceiling is to be the next Chyna, a game-changer and unforgettable presence.

Jax's cousin, The Rock, foresees greatness for her. He posted on Facebook last November, "You guys keep an eye out for my cousin...one day she'll do big things."

It's hard to argue with him. 

Be sure to check out previous editions of this ongoing series:

• Mojo Rawley
• Paige
• Dana Brooke
• Xavier Woods