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What's the story?
WWE United States Champion Ricochet is gaining a tremendous amount of momentum on Raw, as he recently won his first main roster title when he defeated Samoa Joe in a high profile PPV match, and he appears to be heading into a feud with AJ Styles, one of WWE's top stars.
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, newly appointed WWE Raw Executive Director Paul Heyman is said to be very high on Ricochet, which is why the rookie main roster star is getting a solid push on WWE TV.
In case you didn't know...
Ricochet enjoyed much success on the WWE NXT brand, at one point carrying the brand's North American Title before he was called up to the main roster.
The high flyer appeals to a wide range of WWE fans, with his look and in-ring style catering to multiple demographics.
Part of Paul Heyman's initial goals for WWE Raw is to have the show feature new faces, which is why the decision was made to have The Street Profits appear on Raw this week, and is likely a contributing factor to Ricochet being pushed as a rising star on the red brand.
The heart of the matter
In addition to Paul Heyman being a big supporter of Ricochet, Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio, via NoDQ.com, that Ricochet "is a guy who can appeal to teenagers", and can help with that declining demographic.
As we reported earlier, WWE officials are aware that the company is out of touch with the younger generation, and feel that new, fresh faces, along with edgier content like we have been seeing on Raw and SmackDown this week, will help to retain the major 18-34 year old demographic, and might help attract teenagers, a demographic which has been slipping away from WWE in recent years.
What's next?
It remains to be seen where the feud with Ricochet and AJ Styles will go, but it appears all but certain that Styles will get a shot at the United States Title, and will likely have The Club at his side as he attempts to take the gold from Ricochet.
Most recently on WWE TV, AJ Styles scored a key victory against Ricochet which puts him into title contention on Raw, and it will be interesting to see how Ricochet counters the newly-reunited heel Club consisting of Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.
How do you feel about Ricochet's recent push on WWE TV? Should he retain the title against Styles or is it time for a heel Styles to become US Champion? Let us know in the comment section!
