The TV ratings increased on Monday night with a strong episode of Raw, and WWE SmackDown Live followed things up with an episode that was even more action-packed.
This week’s WWE SmackDown was always going to be must-see TV after a man inexplicably won the first-ever women’s Money in the Bank match. The company didn’t miss the opportunity to allow Carmella to absorb some of James Ellsworth’s heat, and the creative team also made sure to get another exciting women’s match that they can hype up for next week’s show.
Outside of the women’s division, which was obviously front-and-center this week, the fans were treated to several other quality matches, as well as a teased cash-in from Baron Corbin. Below are five takeaways from SmackDown Live, including some thoughts on Carmella and Becky Lynch, both of whom will be fighting for the MITB contract next week.
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5. The Era of Carmella to Continue?
Carmella has always been touted as one of the most underrated superstars on the mic, and her work in the ring has improved consistently throughout her time in the WWE. Her feud with Nikki Bella peaked at TLC, and while she came out on the losing side of that battle, that was the first evidence of her ability to make a name for himself.
The creative team didn’t give her anything to sink into after that, but she did her best to try and turn her partnership with James Ellsworth into passable television. Some of her skits with Ellsworth were solid, but it always seemed like she was doing far more to help Ellsworth than what was reciprocated by “The Man With Two Hands”.
Well, Ellsworth handed her the Money in the Bank briefcase, and while it would have been far better if she won it herself, she drew every degree of heat she could have possibly drawn out of the crowd last night. Her promo reminded me of the promos The Miz cut. She put over the superstars who have a gripe with her while making it clear that she dislikes them (calling Charlotte “athletic” and Tamina “strong”, for example), she berated the crowd, and she used historical examples to justify her heel-ish means of winning.
It was a clinic in promo work, but it isn’t a surprise to those of us who have followed Carmella’s work on the main roster closely. She is incredibly charismatic, and she knows how to get herself over. More importantly, as a heel, she knows how to get others over. When she does cash in her contract, her time as a champion will be long overdue. Carmella is an example of how the Money in the Bank briefcase can be the perfect opportunity for a superstar to take the next leap and make themselves a big deal.
She was forced to hand the briefcase back, and the match will be re-done next week on SmackDown Live. While it would be nice to see Becky Lynch, Natalya, or someone else winning, the briefcase deserves to be in Carmella’s hands. She needs it the most, and she can help make the honor feel important.
4. Dolph Ziggler and Shinsuke Nakamura Put on a Clinic
Dolph Ziggler and Shinsuke Nakamura put on a solid match in Nakamura’s main roster debut at Backlash, but some were underwhelmed by it. Nakamura didn’t get much offense in during that match, and Ziggler actually outshined “The King of Strong Style” by being a menacing heel. That said, it was smart for the company to book Dolph in a credible manner despite the loss, because it wouldn’t have been wise to squash an upper mid-carder. Secondly, Nakamura kicked out of all of Ziggler’s moves, which underscored his resiliency.
However, that match wasn’t the type of instant classic we expected from the two, and it wouldn’t be out of the realm of reason to suggest that their match on SmackDown Live last night topped their Pay Per View match.
As expected, Nakamura came away with the win, but the match was so much more than just the finish, which provided us with the Ziggler Kinsasha sell that we craved. Ziggler continues to shine playing a classic heel role, proving that he can be more than just a fast-paced worker. He did his taunting and eye rakes, and both Nakamura and Ziggler pulled off some excellent counter sequences, mostly prominently Nakamura’s usage of the “armbar” (he teased it earlier in the match, too).
Another win for Nakamura is a feather in the cap for a man who has been booked quite well during his time on the main roster. His entrance remains electrifying, and he’s beaten the United States Champion Kevin Owens on multiple occasions. Additionally, Nakamura was probably the MVP of the Money in the Bank ladder match, and you can credit the WWE for doing a solid job of making him a strong babyface the crowd can get behind. I foresee a WWE Championship by the time WrestleMania 34 rolls around, but maybe I’m being too optimistic. At the very least, he could capture Owens’s United States Championship, but with the way Owens is rolling, that may not happen for some time.
3. Becky Lynch Heel Turn Coming?
Becky Lynch is a great promo. Anyone who disputes this hasn’t seen her ability to work in silly puns while also showcasing the type of frustration that any passionate good guy must show. From seething in anger at the tandem of Alexa Bliss and Mickie James to her promo following Money in the Bank, Becky makes the audience feel the visceral emotions of being robbed and coming up short.
But whenever Becky loses, it’s because of circumstances completely out of her control. Whether it is being betrayed by her friends, interfered with in a match by a masked opponent, or having James Ellsworth hand a victory to a rival, “The Lass Kicker” is always thwarted.
Her promo with Daniel Bryan brought out these frustrations to another level. She stammered “I don’t know what to do” and asked Bryan “Is doing the right thing really that complicated?”.
This could all be leading to a heel turn, and for as amazing as Lynch is as a babyface, she could be a devastating heel. Personally, I’d rather see her stay face, because there isn’t a single person on either roster who is as naturally over with the crowd as a face than she is. I understand how popular Sasha Banks, Dean Ambrose, and Sami Zayn are, but Becky is on another level in this respect.
But if she does turn heel, it could be one of the most exciting angles in wrestling, and it could be one way for us to get that Charlotte vs. Becky match we’ve been looking forward to ever since Flair switched rosters. It would also be a perfect example of long-term storytelling, which the WWE has, sadly, shied away from in recent years.
2. In Case You Forgot How Good Chad Gable is
We’ve been wondering where American Alpha has been hiding over the past couple of months, because they haven’t done anything since losing their chance at the tag team titles to The Usos. The consensus was that Jason Jordan and Chad Gable were being re-packaged as heels after failing to connect with the audience as milquetoast babyfaces. They debuted as heels on NXT, so they would have been able to succeed as cocky villains who like to show off their prowess in the ring.
Instead, Gable and Jordan appear to be remaining on the babyface side, and it isn’t totally clear if American Alpha is still intact as a tag team. Gable answered Kevin Owens’s United States Championship “open challenge”, explaining that he has moved to Dayton, Ohio and was thus eligible to wrestle Owens.
Gable lost, as we fully expected, but he reminded us all just how great he is in the ring. Few wrestlers on this planet have quicker counters, and it gives Gable’s matches this realistic fluidity that takes them to the next level. The match was relatively quick, but Gable “got his stuff in” against Owens with a moonsault and a beautiful counter into a Northern Lights Suplex.
It will be interesting to see if Gable and Jordan do split, because both of them could crack it on their own as singles competitors. The comparisons to Kurt Angle are apt in Gable’s case, and it goes beyond just his Olympic pedigree; Gable can also excel as a goofball character, as he showed in NXT. Either way, it’s good to see American Alpha back, and I hope the creative team has a much better understanding of how to utilize two of the best wrestlers on the roster.
1. Women’s Money in the Bank Match Scheduled
So it initially seemed like Daniel Bryan would shirk from his responsibilities as GM upon his return, and I was worried that his character would be made to look weak. Instead, after hearing the likes of Becky plead their case, he decided to force Carmella to return the briefcase. While I can only hope that the charismatic “Princess of Staten Island” wins it back next week, I appreciate the promo and gesture from Bryan.
I was among those upset (well, “enraged” is more appropriate) that the WWE hyped up this first women’s Money in the Bank ladder match as being historic, yet they allowed a man to win it. The history books will forever have it etched that Ellsworth won the first women’s Money in the Bank match, and it’s hard to get past that.
However, they did allow Carmella to draw heat, which will help her character work in the future. It gives us more of a reason to keep an eye on her, and that’s the most important thing about advancing women’s wrestling. The accolades are nice, but it’s more about the stories being told. You know, because that’s at the core of wrestling. It’s also why SmackDown‘s women’s division is so much better than Raw’s; they actually use their women to tell compelling stories and treat them like superstars with individual characters that the crowd can understand. Now, we have a better understanding of Carmella’s character.
We also didn’t get completely robbed of watching these women go to work in a real match, and there could even be a cash-in next week with Naomi and Lana set to square off in a championship re-match from Money in the Bank.
I liked that Bryan was made to look strong as the GM, and it was great to see that he made the noble decision. His promo relayed some of the emotions that the fans have been feeling, so that was a positive.
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That said, the fact that a man unhooked the briefcase in the first ever women’s Money in the Bank ladder match cannot be undone from the history books, and that’s something we shouldn’t forget. I’m willing to avoid dwelling on it, though, because, again, it’s about the storylines that emanate from this incident going forward. I’m not completely sold nor satisfied, but at least there are possible silver linings. When it comes to the WWE, that’s all I can ask for, as sad as that is to admit.