Natalya’s feud with Becky Lynch took another turn this week when “The Man” attacked her from behind while she was training. Is the WWE Raw Women’s Champ going too far or is she lighting a fire under the challenger?

Since her big win at WrestleMania, Becky Lynch hasn’t been quite as fiery and unpredictable as she was in pursuit of the Raw Women’s Championship. There are a few reasons why it appeared that way, but thankfully, The Man seems to be back to the character who took the women’s division by storm last year.

It could be argued that she is becoming more of a heel in her current feud with Natalya, but she works best as a tweener. To tell the truth, Lynch may need to continue to blur the lines between heel and face to drag the Raw women’s division out of the rut it has been in lately.

When Becky was facing Lacey Evans, she could afford to play a straightforward protagonist because Evans was clearly the antagonist. However, Lynch and Natalya are both considered faces, so it presents a tricky situation to build their rivalry around.

Nattie will be the hometown favorite in Toronto next weekend, which makes her the competitor you would want the crowd to get behind. On the other hand, Lynch is no doubt the most popular female superstar in the company right now. Heading into the event, one would assume she will get a bigger reaction.

The best way to change that is to get the Canadian crowd to reject her. Despite some missteps, WWE and Becky Lynch are doing a good job so far. Lynch hasn’t been as congenial as she was in the week prior. Even more, she plastered a shamrock over the maple leaf on Canada’s flag and called herself Canada’s new hero on Twitter.

It’s safe to assume she will continue to play this angle up at SummerSlam to take some of the heat off Natalya.

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1155659937349033984?s=20

Dividing the crowd is a brilliant idea. It will make for a better match in the long run because it gives both competitors defined roles. More importantly, this will build support behind Natalya and present her as a worthy opponent.

As a matter of fact, WWE has already done more to make “The Queen of Harts” look like a credible threat than they have in months. Little touches like the training sequence, where Nattie was attempting to learn how to counter the Dis-Arm-her, set her apart from any of Lynch’s opponents as champion.

Tying in her friendship with Ronda Rousey is also a good touch. It continues to push the idea that Natalya has devised a way to beat Becky and it provides motivation for Lynch to hold a grudge against her. Now, this plot point hasn’t been executed perfectly but it works. At least, WWE is referencing their own continuity in a way that improves the product.

The drawback to Rousey’s reign as champion was that she didn’t elevate the women around her. She dominated them in the ring and her segments got most of the screen time. On the whole, she left the next champion with the difficult task of rebuilding the division.

Luckily, Becky Lynch has taken on the responsibility. The work she is doing with Natalya proves she understands part of her role as champion is to promote the Raw women’s division. Honestly, she deserves more credit for helping Lacey Evans find her feet as well. Their feud did wonders for her character.

All in all, the division is in good hands with Lynch at that helm. Sometimes the material she is given could use some work but it’s clear she knows how to use her character effectively. She knows when to generate heat and how to maintain her allure without completely overshadowing her opponents.

That’s the mark of a great champion and a true student of the business.