Lacey Evans vs. Mandy Rose: Which Rising Star Has a Brighter Future?

Women's wrestling has never been more important to WWE. With too few clear stars to manage the growing popularity of the division, new talent is constantly being tested to take the next step forward, and Lacey Evans and Mandy Rose are two women clearly on the rise.

The Lady of WWE recently was heavily featured at Money in the Bank, working as the top rival to the woman crowned at WrestleMania 35 as the top female star in the company, Becky Lynch. While she was defeated at MITB, she is still the top challenger to The Man and the Raw Women's Championship.

Mandy Rose may not be in contention for the SmackDown Women's Championship yet, but she is being built up to that spot. Her near-victory in the women's ladder match set her up reliably for a feud against the winner and new champion, Bayley.

Both are untested, came in green and have improved in a short time. However, they were rushed to the main roster and have been thrust into roles that neither seems fully ready for.

Their journeys have been similar, and both are clearly well liked by WWE bookers, but who has the brighter future?

Making the Case for Lacey Evans

Evans spent almost three years in NXT without much of an impact. Even working with Kairi Sane, Candice LeRae and Dakota Kai led nowhere. She was not helped by Shayna Baszler's dominance over the division, but more could have been done if she was seen as a true star.

When she came up to the main roster, she spent months doing nothing beyond interrupting matches, but her appearances kept her relevant long enough that an attack on Lynch following WrestleMania was not discredited by fans.

Her match with Lynch at Money in the Bank was fine, but Evans did show limitations as a performer, mostly pushing her athleticism and striking ability.

She will get another chance to prove herself soon, but she is mostly relying on her mic skills at this point. Evans has taken to her gimmick and been able to draw heat well even when she appears uncomfortable with her script.

Her position is make or break, though. Raw relies mostly on star power with Lynch, Alexa Bliss and, to a lesser extent, Natalya. Evans can establish herself quickly in that field but only by doing better with Lynch in their second match.

She cannot just be Raw's version of Charlotte Flair on SmackDown. She has to establish herself more clearly, but she has made an impact quickly.

Making the Case for Mandy Rose

God's Greatest Creation debuted on the main roster in November 20, 2017, as arguably the worst in-ring performer in the company. She almost entirely skipped NXT, appearing on Monday Night Raw alongside Sonya Deville and Paige as the stable Absolution.

Deville was equally unproven but far better suited for the sport from the start because of her background in mixed martial arts. When Paige was forced to retire, the two were left to fight for themselves and struggled.

However, both women made the most of their opportunity, improving particularly in the past six months. While The Jersey Devil still looks more natural in the ring than The Golden Goddess, the two have become one of the best women's tag teams on SmackDown.

Deville should get her own chance at the top in time, but Rose has been treated as the star of the duo. Her recent improvements have earned her a chance at the top, though her match with arguably the best female wrestler in the company, Asuka, at Fastlane 2019 was a disappointment.

Rose has likely benefited from her looks, but her quick improvement has kept her relevant. Her charisma and mic skills give her more staying power than other better in-ring performers.

In an earlier era in WWE, she would likely already have been treated as a top talent. She will never be Charlotte Flair or Bayley in the ring, but she could take the same role that Alexa Bliss has with potentially a higher ceiling in the ring.

SmackDown also is shallow on entertainers in the women's division. While Charlotte, Bayley, Asuka and Ember Moon are top-tier in-ring workers, they have had varying success on the mic.

Rose is in a perfect position to push past a few of them in the coming months with the right opportunity. It may come down to her chemistry with The Hugger.

Credit: WWE.com

Who Has Better Odds?

Both women are flawed as top stars, but they have clear star power. Rose is more proven, though Evans has done better in the spotlight. The Golden Goddess has been better as an entertainer, while The Lady of WWE has been more impressive in the ring.

While Evans has been more elevated in the past month, it feels like Rose has shined more clearly with the opportunity. She also benefits from Deville working by her side, allowing them to potentially succeed as a tag team and as individuals.

As Rose and Evans work separate brands, they will not overlap, instead working similar roles. It may simply come down to who has the better chance to succeed.

It feels like Raw is better suited for a fresh face to emerge, but SmackDown has had the better writing for the past year.

God's Greatest Creation seems a better bet to emerge as a top heel on SmackDown, but it would not be surprising for Evans to shine through thanks to a great match with The Man at WWE Stomping Ground on June 23.

Anything is possible, and the opportunities are there for both to seize the spotlight.