Quick Takes on Killer Kross' WWE Potential, Becky Lynch the Heel, More

You know it's WrestleMania season when almost every week in WWE is newsworthy and the shows start to increase in quality. Aside from SmackDown still being in a bit of a rut, WWE seems to be doing all the right things heading into its biggest event of the year.

That includes scooping up some of the independent scene's hottest acts, as Killer Kross and Timothy Thatcher were recently announced as joining WWE. Both men have bright futures ahead of them in NXT and may very well make an impact sooner rather than later.

Raw was also more electric than usual on Monday night between Angel Garza's shocking debut, Rhea Ripley confronting Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch possibly planting the seeds for a heel turn. The flagship show has been a blast to follow lately and can hopefully keep it up in the coming months.

Finally, as previously noted, SmackDown still has a ways to go before it's on par with either Raw or NXT, but at least Friday's episode produced a few memorable moments and set up matches for Super ShowDown on Feb. 27. All in all, there is a lot to like in WWE, as well as a ton to talk about.

As this wild week in WWE comes to a close, let's look at the biggest trending topics from Raw, SmackDown and NXT and analyze what the endgame is for each of them in this installment of Quick Takes.

Killer Kross Is About to Take Off in WWE

Killer Kross' departure from Impact Wrestling late last year led to much speculation regarding where he would end up. As first reported by Ryan Satin on Tuesday's WWE Backstage, Kross has been signed by WWE and has already reported to the WWE Performance Center.

Anyone who followed his career in Impact, Lucha Underground and on the independent scene will realize how big of a get he is for WWE. He didn't capture any championships in the former two promotions, but his presence alone makes him stand out as a star.

The company has a tendency to take talent from other promotions simply because they can and proceeds to do nothing with them. However, if Triple H's meeting with Kross ahead of time occurred, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Kellie Haulotte of Wrestling Inc), then fans should have nothing to worry about.

NXT is loaded with notable names, but there's no reason he can't be introduced on NXT TV around or during WrestleMania weekend. Several top prospects in NXT (including Undisputed Era, for starters) could be main roster-bound before long, which would allow someone such as Kross to swoop in and take their spot atop the totem pole.

There is also the off chance he bypasses NXT and heads straight to either Raw or SmackDown, but Triple H will have a better idea of how to utilize him initially than CEO Vince McMahon. From Matt Riddle to Tommaso Ciampa to Finn Balor, the list of dream matches for him on the black-and-gold brand is endless.

Is Becky Lynch Slowly but Surely Turning Heel?

If you enjoyed Becky Lynch vs. Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship at the Royal Rumble as much as the masses did, you're in luck—they are set to clash once more with the gold up for grabs Monday night.

Asuka demanded another shot at the strap following her recent hard-fought victory over Natalya, but it wasn't her challenge to Lynch afterward that got fans talking. Rather, it was how Lynch carried herself, like she was the most confident champion in the world.

Remember, it was no more than a month ago that Lynch was down on herself for failing to beat Asuka at every turn. Now that she has put that demon to bed, she feels she not only has nothing to worry about but also that she has zero credible competition left.

If that sounds like something a heel would say, that's because it is. It's unclear whether WWE plans on turning The Man into a bad guy anytime soon, but it would be a refreshing chance of pace for her stagnant persona.

Then again, she remains extremely popular among the WWE Universe, so perhaps it wouldn't be so wise to pull the trigger on a Becky Lynch heel turn yet. Either way, the evolution of her character over the past year and a half has been fascinating to watch.

In short, expect Lynch to remain a babyface for a little while longer, at least until her rumored rivalry with Shayna Baszler runs its course.

Angel Garza Makes Immediate Impact Upon Raw Debut

At this time one year ago, Angel Garza wasn't even a part of WWE. He signed a developmental deal with the promotion in April 2019, debuted on NXT TV as part of the Breakout Tournament that summer and went on to win the NXT Cruiserweight Championship in December.

Mere weeks removed from his loss of the title to Jordan Devlin at Worlds Collide, Garza popped on Monday's Raw unannounced to target Rey Mysterio and his cousin Humberto Carrillo. It was clearly designed to be more than a one-off based on how he got the better of Carrillo and was made to look competitive against Mysterio in their match.

Garza left both men laying on Monday night, so his involvement in the angle isn't over. Regardless of how his newfound working relationship with Zelina Vega affects Andrade, this can only be seen as a major positive.

The former cruiserweight champ has always been main roster-ready but benefited big time from his NXT stint. He has the it factor and is tremendously talented in the ring, so he will have no problem finding his footing on Raw.

Better yet, he fits perfectly in the United States Championship mix. The matches he could have with Mysterio, Carrillo and Andrade have the potential to be amazing, and he may well wind up on the WrestleMania 36 card because of it.

Of all the top prospects in NXT who deserve to be pushed prominently upon making it to the main roster, Garza is up there, so it's great to see him being booked so well so quickly.

Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 36?

Charlotte Flair's Royal Rumble victory in January was met with criticism from the majority of the WWE Universe, and understandably so. She has received countless opportunities at the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships over the past five years, so the idea of another didn't excite many fans.

Thankfully, WWE went in a different direction on Raw by hinting that Rhea Ripley, the NXT Women's champion, will likely be her opponent for WrestleMania 36 instead. Flair didn't give a clear answer as to whether Ripley will be the champion she chooses to face, but the fact that the match is being discussed makes it seem all but set in stone for the Show of Shows.

As intriguing as Flair vs. Ripley is on paper, there's still time for Bianca Belair to work her way into the matchup as well. She stood out in a major way Wednesday night during the face-to-face encounter between Flair and Ripley and made it known that she has her sights set on that NXT Women's Championship.

Ripley and Belair will battle for the belt at NXT TakeOver: Portland on Sunday, and the outcome of that contest will give us a better idea of what WWE has in store for the NXT Women's Championship at WrestleMania. A non-finish might be best in order to ensure all three women are included in the title match April 5.

Triple Threat championship matches are rarely ideal for the spring spectacle, but it would make sense in this case considering the immense amount of talent involved. Ripley should retain her title at the event no matter what, but having Belair compete for the championship alongside Flair would make the matchup that much more unpredictable.

Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin and SmackDown's Never-Ending Rivalries

When will WWE learn that Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin simply isn't compelling television?

The two have been trading wins back and forth since early October, shortly following the 2019 WWE draft. Of the many matches they have had against each other in both singles and tag team action, only one or two of them (if that) have been remotely entertaining.

Unfortunately, with the announcement on Friday's SmackDown that they will be waging war yet again at Super ShowDown—this time inside of a steel cage—it appears we are no closer to them concluding their story than we were in January. What's worse is that neither man is benefiting from beating the other at this point.

The same can be said for Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Braun Strowman, which is still happening over the Intercontinental Championship. Strowman remains undefeated against Nakamura and his band of merry men, so there isn't much suspense regarding a rematch for the title.

Sheamus vs. Shorty G is no different in that Sheamus has gotten the better of the former Chad Gable every time they have faced off, including on Friday's SmackDown. There is no reason for their rivalry to continue, yet WWE is adamant about booking them together because they are seemingly devoid of ideas for both men.

SmackDown has sadly become the brand full of reruns in recent weeks, and it has hurt the overall vibe of the show. Any excitement over its move to Fox is long gone. And while there are some beacons of light in the tag team division and elsewhere on the card, the blue brand won't be destination viewing until it moves on from these feuds.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.