Here’s Why WWE Officials Canceled Natalya’s Heel Turn

Before Summerslam, the WWE Universe was expecting a major heel turn for Natalya on Raw. For weeks, the company was building up Ronda Rousey’s friendship with Natalya to set up a rivalry for them heading into the biggest party of the summer. That appeared to be the case, but The Queen of Harts never made the turn and hasn’t even been on TV.

This was a surprise because WWE seemed to be setting up Natayla vs. Rousey for a huge PPV match, which could have been for the Raw Women’s Championship. On paper, the feud could still happen. However, there’s a legitimate reason why WWE officials pulled the plug on Natalya’s heel turn and why her rivalry with Ronda still hasn’t taken place.

Related: Backstage News on Natalya’s Future With WWE Amidst Rumors of Retirement

According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, WWE officials thought it wasn’t the best idea to turn Natalya heel after the passing of her father. Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart’s death was a tragic surprise and the WWE Universe rallied around Nattie and the entire Hart family. WWE officials believed it would be too hard to get the fans to boo Natalya.

Unfortunately, the powers that be decided to take the angle away from her and give the position to Nia Jax instead. It’s a bit backwards that WWE wanted Nattie to embrace the sympathy of the situation, but they took away her push. If the plan was to position her against Rousey, they could have accomplished that goal without turning Natalya heel.

Natalya opens up about her father's passing: WWE Exclusive, Aug. 25, 2018

At this point, what’s done is done. The WWE Universe would still like to see a new feud between the two performers, but it seems those plans are now kaput and Ronda is more than busy enough with Nia Jax and the entire Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair situation.

Do you believe WWE made the right call to cancel the heel turn?