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alking. The latest creation in WWE actually has a ton of potential if handled correctly, and there's a slew of WWE Superstars who are perfect for it.WWE's roster, from RAW to SmackDown to NXT and NXT UK, is filled with brawlers, strikers, amateur wrestlers, and grapplers that would do well in this environment. So far, it doesn't look like RAW Underground is actually limited to the RAW roster, as NXT Superstars have appeared a handful of times.
Knowing that, surely some Superstars from every roster looking to make a name for themselves would want to step inside of RAW Underground's ring, right? That's why we'll be looking at five Superstars who could earn a major push from RAW Underground.
A good showing on these segments, just one, might be enough to get Vince McMahon interested in some of the Superstars that haven't had a lot of time on the main roster, or those that may have fallen to the bottom of the card as of late. We'll kick things off with a certain former NXT Champion that has seen better days.
#5 Aleister Black rebuilds himself around RAW Underground
Aleister Black is one of the best strikers in the entire WWE. From his days as Tommy End to his rebirth on the Black & Gold Brand as Aleister Black, the Striking Man from Amsterdam has proven his worth inside the squared circle. While he was a dominant competitor in NXT, his time on RAW has not worked out as well.
Lately, Black has been on the losing end of a feud with Seth Rollins and Murphy. While the Monday Night Messiah has taken RAW over, minus Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship, Aleister Black was a casualty of war in Rollins' fight against Rey Mysterio and Dominik.
Black's main roster run, in general, hasn't been great. His SmackDown run saw him begging for someone to challenge him to a fight. It's not exactly been smooth sailing for someone that many considered to be a future world champion and top guy in the company.
It's okay, though. Many Superstars stumble before hitting their stride, and this is where Aleister Black pulls that off. The former NXT Champion could light up all kinds of contenders on RAW Underground before transitioning back to the ring for a title reign. The Black Mass is perfect for something like this, and could even allow him to take out big guys like Dabba Kato.
#4 Arturo Ruas puts his name on the map on RAW Underground
This is kind of cheating, I guess. On the latest episode of Monday Night RAW, Arturo Ruas debuted on RAW Underground in dominant fashion. However, this isn't the first time the WWE faithful have seen the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu star.
Those that watched the EVOLVE 10th Anniversary Show last year on the WWE Network saw Ruas and Anthony Henry steal the show, and Ruas rolled on into NXT with a lot of momentum from that event. And though he had some great bouts with Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle, he was never able to get a good win streak going.
His BJJ style and incredible 17-year long undefeated streak in freestyle wrestling in Brazil is impressive. RAW Underground should be based around using WWE Superstars who have an exceptional background in amateur wrestling, professional fighting and the like.
While Ruas is relatively unknown to casual viewers, he's got a brutal style that could hook fans if given the right opportunity, and RAW Underground is that opportunity. Hopefully we see more from Ruas in the coming months on these segments.
#3 Xia Li knocks out the competition on RAW
While she might not be ready for a move to WWE RAW permanently, NXT's resident martial artist Xia Li would make a huge impact on RAW Underground. Li has already made a name for herself with her vicious strikes.
In fact, Li had a long-standing feud with The Robert Stone Brand's Aliyah throughout 2019, ending with a windmill kick breaking Aliyah's nose.
She even had a strong showing against then NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, who also debuted on RAW Underground this week. RAW Underground is about a quick knockout or submission, and Xia Li is someone that can deliver that first one in droves, week in and week out.
Not only that, but it'll give the casual fans an opportunity to see what she's made of without having to take her off of NXT completely. It's a win-win. In fact, if Shayna Baszler runs roughshod on RAW Underground for a little while, why not bring Xia Li in for a nice callback for the NXT faithful?
#2 Sonya Deville dominates SmackDown and RAW
Sonya Deville isn't exactly in dire straits, but how can you have something like RAW Underground and not feature one of WWE's former MMA fighters? Not to mention someone that's been on fire throughout all of 2020.
Sonya Deville has been one of the best parts of SmackDown for quite a long time, and part of that has to do with playing an incredible foil for Otis and Mandy Rose. Deville has always managed to catch the eyes of the WWE Universe, and now that WWE is giving her the time to shine, why not take this all the way?
Sonya Deville's issues with Mandy Rose stem from not getting the opportunities that Mandy gets. Well, RAW Underground seems like the kind of opportunity that Deville would love to get.
One aspect of her character is her jealousy towards blondes, and as we saw with Shayna Baszler this week, there are a few of those around RAW Underground. Let's see Sonya Deville dominate on two brands.
#1 Dominik Dijakovic wrecks RAW Underground
We haven't seen Dominik Dijakovic for a few weeks now. After a brutal beatdown by the vicious Karrion Kross, Dijakovic has been away recovering. However, many assumed that he'd been written off NXT so he could move onto RAW, a rumor that had been circulating since late spring.
Dominik Dijakovic is a freak of nature, and that's meant as a compliment. With his size, strength, and ability, he's the ideal monster that someone like Vince McMahon would love to put on screen. With something like RAW Underground, Dijakovic has the chance to wash away that last loss and pick up some easy one-sided beatdowns, eventually going after some of the other Superstars that have made their home there.
Dabba Kato, Arturo Ruas, even The Hurt Business, would all fall to Dijakovic, who's hoping that the WWE Universe will Feast Their Eyes on him and everything he has to offer.
RAW Underground is definitely not for everyone, and there are some kinks that need to be worked out. But, there's a lot of potential in this new endeavor by WWE, and we could see a lot of good coming out of it. What do you want to see happen with RAW Underground? Let us know in the comments below.
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