Heel turn takes place on WWE Raw
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 regularly attending training sessions at Natalya’s Dungeon. Those training sessions helped Dupri become one of 2025’s most improved wrestlers.
Dupri is a former Women’s Intercontinental Champion, having won the title from Lynch in November before losing it back on the first Raw of 2026.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.