Women’s MITB Ladder Match Participants
The women of Smackdown Live kicked off the night with a solid 30 minutes that combined in-ring promos with a six woman tag team match. It was not just about the competitors, Naomi came out and talked about being champion and always having her eyes on the opponents. Lana made her way out to the ring during the promo, debuting in a blue gown and saying she wants included in the match. All of the women laugh at her and then she walks away without her opportunity. As the match went on, it was the heels who were able to pick up the win over Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Naomi. I did like to see how they gave Tamina and Carmella some spotlight, two of the lower leveled women that I think are dark horses in winning the briefcase. I can easily see Carmella and James Ellsworth making this briefcase enjoyable for 3-5 months.
Also, how about Lana getting a championship match at WWE Money in the Bank? Out of nowhere, WWE thinks that she can perform at a championship level? I understand they have nobody else to fight Naomi, but there is a reason why she is in this match. I do not think it is just to lose quickly. It should be very interesting to see how they book this feud and I am excited that the fans cheered and chanted Lana. Hopefully, she does not disappoint in the ring because the fans can turn on her very quickly. I expect positive things from her, but I am not sure if she is completely ready. Tonight, however, built two women’s matches in a 30 minute span and made them feel important. We were treated to a decent tag match as well, so I was happy with the beginning of the night.
Naomi looks like a champion, but has not been booked like one. She felt like the 5th most important woman in the ring tonight behind Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya and Lana.
AJ Styles defeated Dolph Ziggler
For the second straight week, Styles and Ziggler do battle on Smackdown Live. This time, “The face that runs the place” picked up a win in a surprisingly shorter than usual match. Back and forth they went, Ziggler tried to suplex Styles off of the top rope, but ended up missing a Tornado DDT. An elbow knocked him to the ground and he tried to pick up a cheap win. Reversals and counters were the name of the game in this match, a match that ended in about 7 minutes from a Styles Clash.
I wanted it to be much longer and more dramatic. Last week, they put on a solid match where Ziggler picked up the win clean. This week, Styles wins quicker and cleaner. I am just wondering why WWE thinks trading wins back and forth is a great idea for these competitors. Yes, they want you to think anyone can win at anytime, but it takes the “super” star out of guys like AJ Styles and Kevin Owens. Who is the true star of the blue brand? It was a good match, but not memorable by any means.
