WWE SmackDown: 5 Predictions For September 12, 2017

4. Naomi Defeats Natalya

File this under the “bold predictions” column, but you can also file this under the “homer picks” column. I’ve made it no secret that Naomi grew on me during her second run as SmackDown Women’s Champion. At first, it was hard to get behind someone who only seemed like a good “hot tag” with a few sloppy spots and mediocre mic work, but it’s clear that Naomi made that title her own. I mean, she did so literally by making it glow in the dark, but she also did it figuratively with her “I’ll fight anyone and everyone!” attitude. She became an infectious persona on SmackDown television and had some very underrated, genuine promos on Talking Smack.

And that’s the thing about Naomi. She’s easy to root for because she’s so genuine, and the title feels like it means something around her waist. Even though she never received a legitimate feud during her championship run and took useless pinfalls in thrown-together tag team matches, she still managed to feel like a true champion. It takes skill to do that, and it’s clear that Naomi is “over” as a legit competitor and bad-ass who will take all comers.

Meanwhile, Natalya deserved her SummerSlam moment and is an excellent wrestler. Her paranoia as champion in promos with Naomi and Carmella has showcased some of the best character work of her career, and she’s grown into her heel role. I have no qualms with her remaining as champion, because it no longer looks like the WWE booked themselves into a corner with her as champion. However, the dynamic between Naomi and Carmella is more interesting, and Naomi is just the more entertaining character at this stage.