The first Friday Night SmackDown of the new year kicked off with the women as it very well should have. The scheduled Triple Threat tag team match was first with Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. Lacey Evans & Dana Brooke vs. Sasha Banks & SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. The match starts with Evans and Banks, but Banks wasn’t having it as she tagged in Cross.
The match was a great way to start off the year and was
Bayley would take out the team of Cross & Bliss off the ring apron to the ringside floor to eliminate them from the equation. Brooke would eventually get the tag to Evans. Evans would focus on Bayley and miss with her
After a Bayley to Belly (it is hard to believe she is still using this move) a near fall is broken up by Brooke, Cross, and Bliss. Once the match regroups, Banks is tagged in and after a double team from her and Bayley is countered by Evans, The Boss is hit with the Woman’s Right. Brooke would tag in and hit a huge senton on Banks to pick up the pin and the win.
This was the main focus of the women for the night. Fire & Desire did appear but it was only to further the storyline of Mandy Rose and Otis. Carmella after collecting a couple wins against both Sonya Deville and Rose was not present.
The Usos returned at the end of the show, so this could and mostly like means that Naomi will be on SmackDown upon her return. Naomi was out of action when the WWE Draft took place in October so her placement could be either brand. Hopefully, her return will be held off until maybe the Royal Rumble match so that she receives the best response possible.
WINNER: Dana Brooke
Dana Brooke is perhaps the biggest winner of the night. She not only excelled in the ring but she would pick up the win for her team. Many people may not like that out of anyone in the match she pinned Sasha Banks, but her recently booking recently is what she has needed for years.
She could very well have pinned Nikki Cross or Alexa Bliss and still made an impact without Banks taking another loss. However, the story is between Brooke & Lacey Evans against Banks and Bayley so the pin makes sense.
WINNER: Lacey Evans
Lacey Evans’ babyface turn is better than anyone expected. A gimmick that fits so well with being a heel has actually translated quite well as a babyface role. Her clip art graphics on her
Her in-ring skills continue to show improvement. Personally, I have always been a fan of hers but her improvement is still incredibly noticeable to where she was at 6 months ago.
LOSER: Sasha Banks
In the same ways that Dana Brooke is a winner is why Sasha Banks is on the losing end this week. Banks more or less just continues to take losses. It is a tough position for Banks to currently be in as she is still by the side of Bayley. If Bayley loses a match instead then her title may be in jeopardy.
Banks losing just continues to put people over without progressing herself. There is nothing wrong with putting people over, but at some point Banks needs her moment. Could she potentially get her moment by winning the Royal Rumble? As long as they stay together or as long as Bayley is still champion I feel it is always going to be a lose-lose
LOSER: Carmella
Carmella putting together two weeks worth of wins against Fire & Desire to just be missing in action is a little head-scratching. Of course, this is just one week where she is not present, but where are
With the pairing of Brooke and Evans as of late, the landscape of SmackDown is becoming just tag teams. Having more tag teams isn’t a bad thing as that division is badly needing to grow, but then that means there may be a need for a
For next week it has already been announced that Lacey Evans will go one-on-one with Sasha Banks.
What are your thoughts of this week’s SmackDown? Who were your Winners & Losers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!!