Before we proceed, I hope one is not expecting unbiased journalism because I am not a journalist. I am very much team Zaria. Now that that has been established, most of us know that old baseball adage people use when someone burns through all the chances they’re given. What is it again? “Three strikes and you’re out,” right? Well, Zaria gave Sol several opportunities, far more than the game allows. Here is why Zaria was justified in ending the friendship last week on NXT.
The Price of Loyalty
While some on this site predicted this betrayal weeks ago, the interesting thing about patience is that it has its limits. And chances? Well, they run out. There’s only so much advantage you can take of someone before you cross their bottom line. Sol Ruca took advantage of Zaria’s kindness and loyalty over and over again. She repeatedly lied to, and gaslit, her “best friend.” Despite this, Zaria was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Maybe Sol didn’t mean to hide that she was a rumble entrant from Zaria. And, maybe she can’t help that John Cena selected her to be in the Women’s Iron Survivor. She even stepped aside and volunteered Zaria for the Knockouts Championship Open Challenge. Surely, it’s all a misunderstanding and she hasn’t been acting selfish and opportunistic? I wouldn’t blame you for thinking this is all a misunderstanding. But, kill that thought before it grows, because none of that is something a good friend, nay, a good person would do.
The Cracks in The Foundation
A good friend doesn’t trade in secrets. They don’t gaslight. They don’t make comments like, “It’s not my fault I was given the opportunity, and you weren’t,” to undermine their best friend’s feelings. A good friend doesn’t dismiss your value by treating your championship opportunity as an afterthought, only to abandon you when it is time to show up ringside for support. They also don’t brush off someone they claim to care about by saying, “I thought we already squashed this”.
Sol did all of that and more. Not only did she fail Zaria, but she also dismissed her feelings. She spent weeks subtly blaming Zaria for a lost championship. Even so, Zaria chose to overlook those transgressions and give her best friend the benefit of the doubt. Zaria cared about Sol—loved her, even. If anyone else had done even one of these things, Zaria would have dropped them instantly. Love clouded Zaria’s judgment because Sol wasn’t just anyone to her.
Some of you will argue that Zaria hasn’t been the perfect friend. Others would even go so far as to suggest that she was jealous of all the opportunities that Sol was getting. However, there isn’t a single instance that one can bring up to demonstrate the validity of these sentiments. Yes, Zaria got upset with Sol multiple times. But, being upset because she was constantly overlooked does not mean she was jealous of Sol. Zaria has always been upfront about her feelings. She has always shown up for Sol even while being upset at her. Because that is what a good friend does: they show up.
A Stolen Moment, A Broken Bond
We often look for the single “final straw” that breaks a friendship, but a hundred smaller betrayals built the crushing weight that ended ZaRuca. The well of Zaria’s patience finally ran dry during their tag match against WrenQCC on the February 10 episode of NXT. Zaria had the match won- the number one contender ship was in her hands. But in a move that broke the camel’s back, Sol selfishly tagged herself in last second and stole the pin and title match that Zaria had rightfully earned. While the signs of the impending fallout were clear to anyone watching the tension build over the past few months, seeing the betrayal happen in real-time was jarring.
But, Zaria didn’t let that weight bury her. This past Tuesday on NXT, the bell finally tolled on their friendship. Zaria was done being background noise and attacked Sol right before her title match could even begin. It was the moment the scoreboard finally went dark; the three strikes were long gone and Zaria proved that the one thing left to do was to end the friendship on her own terms. She didn’t just lose a partner; she dropped the weight of a “friend” that only ever played for herself.
If you would like even more NXT Coverage from Dina Amanuel, check out more of her articles right here on Let Them Wrestle.
