Internal Reaction to Natalya’s Heel Turn on January 19 WWE RAW

Natalya’s surprise heel turn on the January 19 episode of Monday Night Raw wasn’t just a storyline swerve—it’s a shift that has reportedly earned her strong support backstage.

After working as a babyface since 2022, Natalya turned on the fans and her protégé Maxxine Dupri by interfering in Dupri’s match against Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Title. When Dupri had the match won, Natalya placed Lynch’s foot on the rope, allowing Lynch to stay alive and ultimately pick up the victory. Post-match, Natalya cemented her new direction by attacking Dupri in the ring.

PWInsider reports that many within WWE were very happy for Natalya following the segment. As one of the most respected veterans in the locker room, she’s viewed as someone who absolutely deserves the chance to take on a more aggressive and TV-worthy character. The belief is that this fresh direction could lead to a more prominent role for her on WWE programming.

Internally, several people have pointed to Natalya and her husband TJ Wilson’s ongoing work with younger talent at the Dungeon as a testament to her importance to the company—both on and off camera.

The heel turn wasn’t out of nowhere, either. Natalya had already tested out the “Nattie Neidhart” persona outside WWE, starting with WrestleMania 41 weekend at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. WWE even teased the new character in December 2025, when Natalya appeared in training segments with Dupri.

Natalya’s shift to the dark side may be exactly what was needed to reignite her WWE career and give the women’s division another credible threat.