Why Ruby Soho's AEW Heel Turn Is A Major Mistake
Elijah King
Published Mar 27, 2026
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At AEW's Revolution pay-per-view, the moment many fans sadly saw coming finally came to be. For weeks, the heel partnership of Saraya and Toni Storm had been trying to convince Ruby Soho to join them, while Soho seemed annoyed by the drama and wanted no part of it. At Revolution, Soho found herself in an AEW Women's Championship bout alongside Jamie Hayter and Saraya. While Hayter would prevail and hold on to her title, afterward, the most obvious moment came when Soho attacked Hayter and Britt Baker and aligned herself with Saraya and Toni Storm. While Soho has been booked horribly in AEW, a heel turn that puts her in a faction that doesn't work will not help her floundering career. It will only serve to hurt it further.
AEW Has Horribly Misused Ruby Soho
As Ruby Riott in WWE, Soho never achieved her full potential. The Riott Squad, consisting of Ruby, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan was fun, but they were never more than a midcard act, and Ruby never won any titles. With so many big names above her in the women's division, she simply got lost in the shuffle.
In AEW, it seemed Ruby, now renamed Ruby Soho, would finally fulfill her destiny to be a big star. She had the look, the cool new entrance music, and the talent to go far. Most importantly, fans loved her. As with most of Tony Khan's WWE acquisitions though, he quickly grew bored with his new toy and cast it aside for the new shiny one. In no time, Soho was relegated to Rampage, or even worse, Dark. There had been glimmers of hope, such as when she made it to the finals of both the TBS Championship and Owen Hart Cup tournament, only to lose both times. Then, to make matters worse, she suffered a badly broken nose, which required her to have reconstructive surgery, and kept her out of action for several months.
RELATED: Former WWE Star Ruby Riott Reveals Vince McMahon's Original Plans For The Riott Squad
Putting Ruby Soho With Saraya And Toni Storm Is Another Bad Idea
With Saraya and Toni Storm failing as babyfaces in AEW, it wasn't the worst idea ever for Tony Khan to put the two together as heels. The result, however, left fans bored, as the two outsiders would attack AEW originals and spray paint them as if they were trying to be some new generation nWo. It didn't work. Still, Khan persisted, creating a storyline that saw Saraya and Storm continuously try to get Ruby Soho to join them, since she was an outsider as well. Week after week, Soho rebuffed them and there was no payoff.
It was no shock when Soho finally turned heel at Revolution, turning the outsider pairing into a trio. While Ruby Soho was in desperate need of some sort of change, this wasn't it. Soho's booking has been embarrassing. Saraya and Storm together have been awkward. To take two things that aren't working and put them together seems like a recipe for disaster. Ruby Soho is a star. To put her in a faction only holds her back even more, especially when she was so over as a babyface. The trio will probably feud with the likes of Hayter, Baker, and others for a few weeks, but then it'll be back to matches on Rampage. AEW has missed their chance several times on using Soho the right away, and now they seemingly don't know what to do with her.
RELATED: How AEW Can Save Ruby Soho’s Booking
For Ruby Soho To Succeed As A Heel, She Needs To Be On Her Own
Ruby Soho works because she is so different from every other women's wrestler. Where so many women succeed by having a certain look, Soho stood out with her wildly colored hair and numerous tattoos. She's the cool chick, a rebel who walks alone. Now she sides with those who she tried to be so different from. An alliance between Soho, Saraya, and Storm makes no sense, no matter how they try to explain it. Ruby Soho's character didn't need anyone, and the last thing AEW needs is yet another faction.
That doesn't mean that the trio can't work. The Riott Squad in WWE was fun and fans wanted more. Their failures were Vince McMahon's fault. If Soho is positioned as the leader, it has a chance, especially if it leads to a feud over Hayter's title. But if the others get more mic time, or if Soho is treated like just another part of the group, then there's nowhere for her to go. Ruby Soho has more to give than that. She deserves to be a women's champion, or even the TBS Champion, one day. With this heel move, she won't be getting there anytime soon.
