Since her main roster debut in 2022, Raquel Rodriguez has been on a notable journey of development, striving to meet the high expectations set during her dominant run as NXT Women’s Champion. She was often compared to peers like Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley, who have achieved significant main roster success.
Recently, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash offered constructive criticism, suggesting Rodriguez needed to “work bigger” to maximize her formidable presence. This advice appears to have been a catalyst for growth, as fellow superstar Big E observed during the SummerSlam pre-show.
“I want to talk a bit about the rise of Raquel Rodriguez,” Big E began. “I think people have been understandably critical… I remember back to NXT she was, in many ways, kind of put in the same class as Rhea and Bianca, but the bar is so high with those two, and I think people were waiting for her to earn that positioning.”
Big E specifically praised Rodriguez’s professional reaction to Nash’s comments. “What I loved was the way that Raquel received that. She didn’t complain, she didn’t whine, she didn’t run from it. She said, ‘If that’s what Kevin Nash believes, I’m going to take that to heart.’”
He noted an immediate and visible improvement in her in-ring work following the critique. “Immediately, I saw a real change in Raquel,” Big E stated, highlighting her championship match against Rhea Ripley as a key example of her enhanced confidence and sharpness. “Even in a loss, that was the best version I’d seen up until then… I’m telling you this version of Raquel is someone she should really be proud of.”
Although Rodriguez was unsuccessful in her SummerSlam debut, the match received a positive reaction. While a major singles title has so far eluded her on the main roster, she remains a highly decorated competitor, having won the women’s tag team championships more than any other superstar.
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