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The on-screen relationship between Rusev and Lana is arguably one of the hottest angles heading to Payback. WWE’s interest in pushing Lana to the top is no secret among the WWE fans and from the looks of it; the upcoming pay-per-view will be the last nail in Lana’s current character.
The ‘I Quit’ match that Rusev will have against Cena on May 17 provides the ideal situation for WWE to split Lana from Rusev. This might result in burial of Rusev to a certain extent but as far as Lana is concerned, it is an entirely different scenario. WWE could repackage Lana in a handful of ways and here is a look at the best ones:
Sister Abigail
Lana is someone who possesses excellent microphone skills and acting skills. Even if she doesn’t get in between the ropes to wrestle, she could portray a powerful character in the WWE and the best option that is available now is Sister Abigail.
WWE has been teasing the reunion of Wyatt Family already and tagging Lana along with Bray Wyatt would make matters interesting.
Add in the likes of Bo Dallas, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper into the mix, and then Wyatt Family will be a force to reckon with. Some proper makeup and a credible backstory are the only things Lana needs to fit in with the pack. Giving her a break after the Rusev split up would be a great idea as she could learn some tricks in the ring as well.
Send her down to NXT
NXT is the place to be, irrespective of your wrestling ability. If you don’t know to wrestle, you are going to learn it in NXT and if you do know to wrestle, then you are going to learn more in NXT. Either way, it is a win –win situation for everyone and giving Lana the same would be a risk worth taking.
WWE is known for picking up models from everywhere and turning them into divas so why not Lana? She might not have proper training now but she does have the charisma and skills that most of the other divas in the roster don’t have.
With some good training in NXT, Lana could end up being a solid worker in the ring and go on to become a big name in the divas division.
Announcing Table
The way in which she pulls off her promos is probably the best thing about Lana. She has this talent of attracting heat with her words and it could be put to some good use in the announcing table. WWE hasn’t had a mainstream woman announcer in their history and Lana has the potential to end this streak.
Of course, Renee Young probably deserves the spot more than Lana but considering the reaction the Ravishing Russian gets, she could end up being more over as an announcer than Renee. If WWE cannot get Lana behind the announce table, they could always use her as a backstage interviewer who the fans would love to see.
Valet of another Superstar
Considering the success she had as a valet, don’t be surprised if WWE pairs Lana up with a new superstar. She will clearly need a big make-over for the same but if WWE can find the right superstar, Lana will stamp her place as ‘the’ most successful valet in the PG era.
The current possible names that could use Lana as their valet include Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton or even John Cena but then again, all these sounds awkward. So instead of letting her be with a main event name all of a sudden, WWE could let Lana accompany some NXT superstar who will be promoted into the roster.
A fresh NXT superstar-Lana pairing will not be met with prejudice from the fans, making it easier for WWE to use their creative freedom.
An Authority Figure
If WWE wants to put Lana on top of the food chain without making her look awkward, then the Authority is the place to be. Stephanie McMahon has excelled the role of the Authority figure through the past few years and we all know how successful Vickie Guerrero was.
The best scenario to include Lana into the power struggle is by bringing back Vince McMahon. Lana should be the spokesperson of Vince against Triple H and Stephanie which in turn will earn Lana a lot of baby face response.
A battle of words between Lana and Stephanie is a ratings booster on any day and with the right booking, WWE can even give Triple H and Stephanie a proper break while letting Lana take over as the company’s top Authority figure.
