WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights, And Grades For January 8, 2019

Carmella vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair

The last time these three women faced off in Triple Threat action, Charlotte Flair won the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship off of Carmella at SummerSlam, only to be brutally attacked by Becky Lynch afterwards.

This time, the winner will get an opportunity at the SmackDown Women’s Title at the Royal Rumble Pay Per View against Asuka. Jacksonville is 100-percent behind Becky with thunderous chants for “The Man”, but Charlotte “Woo’s” in response to the crowd, absorbing a few cheers for herself.

The match begins at a predictably fast pace, with Becky briefly gaining an advantage, dumping both of her competitors outside the ring. Though Becky is clearly dominating, it was Carmella who went for the first cover of the match, and she looks poised to have a big say in this match.

Lynch threw Charlotte over her head from off the top rope onto Carmella and went for a cover on Mella for an early “W”, but Flair was right there to break up the pinfall despite absorbing an impressive move from Becky earlier. The two former best friends started trading strikes, with Charlotte chopping the heck out of Becky as Lynch sent heavy fists in her rival’s direction.

Flair unloaded with a Thesz Press before Carmella broke things up, flatlining Becky. She then countered Charlotte’s attempt at a Figure Four/Eight and a jackknife pin, trapping Charlotte in the Code of Silence. But Flair countered and teased a tombstone, as it took everything out of Carmella to counter that into a roll-up.

The huge moves came in at impressive pace, with Becky hitting a missile dropkick on Mella from the top rope before Charlotte sent Becky flying into a corner with a massive throw. Flair lined up Becky and Carmella next to each other, playing up to the crowd for far too long before climbing up to the top rope for a moonsault. Becky met her there with ease, but Charlotte was still able to shove her off and hit a moonsault. Both Mella and Becky had to fight to kick out, but they were able to stay alive in this heated matchup.

After the break, Carmella went for a reverse-frankensteiner on Charlotte, and despite Flair’s best efforts, she managed to hit it for a very close two-count. That has to be right there with the Code of Silence as Mella’s best move.

An upset Carmella looked more driven than ever to get the win, driving Becky outside the ring and hitting her with a SUICIDE DIVE. Charlotte went for a moonsault on the outside but crashed and burned after Mella moved out of the way. But Carmella couldn’t avoid Becky’s Bexploder on the outside! This match, though!

Charlotte sent Becky reeling outside the ring with a Big Boot but nearly lost via roll-up for her efforts. Both Becky and Charlotte teased submissions, and another crazy flurry of moves began soon afterwards. Charlotte hit a SICK Natural Selection to Becky on the top rope, but Carmella superkicked Charlotte soon after, very nearly stealing a victory by attempting to pin Becky before Flair broke things up at the last. Again…this match, though!

Incensed by the pin break-up, Carmella started screaming and slapping Charlotte around, but she paid for it. Flair lammed her down with a strike before putting Carmella in a Figure Eight. Becky broke things up, nearly winning with a leg drop before slapping in the Dis-Arm-Her. Carmella just barely broke that up to save the match, superkicking Lynch.

This is awesome chants rang out from the Jacksonville crowd! Carmella started cleaning house, but Becky got Carmella in the Dis-Arm-Her, and like so many times before, Mella had no choice but to tap out to one of WWE’s most devastating submissions.

Immediately after the match concluded, Asuka entered the ring to stare down Becky, who will be facing Asuka at the Rumble after all. The two scream at each other as Asuka holds the title in between them, and if that isn’t the best way to end this episode of WWE SmackDown, I don’t know what would be.

Grade: A+, Awesome match. The SmackDown Women’s Division is elite.