WWE SmackDown Smacks and Downs: Bray Wyatt created Braun Strowman

Smack: the simmering tension between the “ultimate role models”

Down: the lack of a serious build for Tamina

I LOVE the interactions between Bayley and Sasha Banks, and tonight may have been the best night for the bubbling eruption just waiting to happen.

First, Bayley calls herself the “ultimate role model” only to quickly correct herself as she looked at Banks to say that they’re both the “ultimate role models.” You can see Banks’ face start to have that “stank” look on it anytime Bayley started getting too big for her britches after that line.

Second, when Tamina interrupted, Banks told Bayley, “Hold me back,” which Bayley basically reacted like, “Oh yeah!” Banks then said, “You’re lucky she’s holding me back,” as she trash-talked Tamina.

Classic heel stuff, and I loved it.

Tamina acquitted herself well, though it was a bit rocky at first. When she said no one person beat her, initially I thought this was odd considering she was the first eliminated. She corrected my thought almost immediately when she added it took the four other wrestlers pinning her together. She then challenged Bayley to a one-on-one match for the Women’s Championship, which might be weird considering her elimination in the match.

To Tamina’s credit, she did have the most dominant moments of the 5-way match even as the first elimination.

Bayley accepted…kind of. This is where the Mt. St. Helens (Washington State, baybee!) that is Sasha Banks began to boil. Bayley said if Tamina could defeat, “The Standard, The Boss, The Blueprint, The Greatest of All Time, my best friend, Sasha Banks,” then Tamina would receive her title match. Bayley then proceeded to slap Banks’ shoulder while Banks glared at her.

That look had me chanting “JOE’S GONNA KILL YOU” in my head, only replace “JOE’S” with “SASHA’S.” It was awesome.

(Hopefully, Banks actually receives a lengthy, memorable, battle-filled title defense considering she’s had rather lackluster reigns, and less cumulative days as champion in her multiple reigns than the likes of Alexa Bliss, Carmella, and Natalya as my colleague Kevin Parvizi starkly discussed.)

However, this brings me to the “down” for the segment. As I’ll discuss later, what exactly has Tamina done to earn a title shot beyond demanding one? She suddenly returned from injury when she was announced by Paige as one of the women in the WrestleMania match, and while she did have a good showing in the match, there hasn’t been much more.

There hasn’t been a vignette, interview, or promo that highlights Tamina’s credentials and/or that gives us a better sense of who she is so we can have more of an investment in her character and subsequently, her feuds and matches.

I assume she defeats Banks next week and faces Bayley for the title at Money in the Bank (wherever it happens). I think Bayley will inadvertently cost Banks the match next week through some miscommunication, furthering their tension.

There are still some weeks to build Tamina and provide us viewers with more investment in her character. Will it happen?