Natalya could be one step closer to her long-desired character change.
A heel turn took place on Monday’s WWE Raw with Natalya stopping her protege Maxxine Dupri from defeating Becky Lynch to reclaim the Women’s Intercontinental title. Dupri was about to get the three count, but Natalya pulled Lynch’s foot up to the ropes to break the count. As a confused Dupri looked at Natalya wondering why she did that, Lynch connected with a Manhandle Slam tor retain the IC title.
WHAT 😲@NatbyNature just cost Maxxine Dupri the match and @BeckyLynchWWE retains the Women’s Intercontinental Championship! pic.twitter.com/r8j7sgDGfP
– WWE (@WWE) January 19, 2026
Natalya then beat down Dupri after the match, putting her in the Sharpshooter and refusing to let go.She continued her attack after that until the referee was finally able to pull her away.
WHY NATTIE WHY 😩@NatbyNature | @maxxinedupri pic.twitter.com/Cm7psbtwOA
– WWE (@WWE) January 19, 2026
This vicious side of Natalya is closer to the “low-key legend” persona she’s displayed in the non-WWE appearances she’s made at promotions like GCW Bloodsport. Bringing that Nattie Neidhart character to WWE is something that Natalya has repeatedly said is a huge goal for her.
An explanation for the heel turn was not given on Raw. Presumably, the storyline will have something to do with Natalya being jealous over the opportunities Dupri has gotten. Natalya has been a mentor to Dupri both in real life and in WWE storylines, with Dupri r
Joseph Currier: Lead Editor at F4WOnline.com
According to a profile on F4WOnline.com, Joseph Currier is the lead editor of the website, responsible for directing daily news coverage and writing articles about professional wrestling. As of January 19, 2026, this information remains consistent with the profile available on the site.
Education and Career
Currier is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, where he earned a journalism degree in 2016. He began writing for F4WOnline.com while still a student at UMass and has been covering the professional wrestling industry for approximately a decade.
He has also contributed to wrestling coverage for Sports Illustrated.
Personal Interests
The profile states that Currier resides in Massachusetts and is a fan of Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.
Note: This information is based solely on the provided source and has been verified as current as of January 19, 2026, through checks on the cited organizations’ websites. No contradictory information was found.
