Friday Night SmackDown ventured out into the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia this week for another night of action from the stars of Team Blue.
Earlier this week, WWE’s YouTube channel posted an exclusive segment filmed before last week’s edition of the show, where Kiana James poked fun at B-Fab’s partners The Street Profits for not getting along. Being by the side of her client, Giulia, The Beautiful Madness warned The Fab Female that after she was done with Michin, she would let her “pick up the pieces”.
Fast forward to earlier in the day, B-Fab was on the phone backstage when James and Giulia walked up to her yet again. James asks Giulia to remind her what they did to Michin last week: they made an example out of her like they said they would, because that’s what happens to people that step to them. B-Fab says that while she’s been busy with the drama between The Street Profits, she’s not busy right now. James takes exception to her words, but Giulia says she can talk as long as she can back it up.
Their match took place following the segment. As B-Fab was about to enter the ring, James got in her face but would get struck in the face for her troubles. This led to Giulia attacking her before the bell even rang. James would join in on the assault, aiding Giulia in hitting the Arrivederci Knee. This brought out Michin, who ran out with a kendo stick and hit James in the stomach with it. Entering the ring and aiming the stick at Giulia, The Beautiful Madness would escape the ring, but not without forgetting her Women’s United States Championship. Michin would grab the belt as she helped B-Fab to her feet while Giulia and James walked away in a boastful mood.
Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton would square off for the WWE Women’s Championship to kick off the second hour of the show. The two began with some fast-paced offense, which included Cargill countering a cartwheel and Stratton reversing a suplex attempt. By the time the show returned from commercials, the Buff Barbie had taken control, going from an elbow to a snapmare and a dropkick onto The Storm. Getting up on the turnbuckles for a Swanton bomb, the move failed to put Cargill away. Determined to win the title, Cargill hit a superkick that sent Stratton out of the ring, but the Center of the Universe would swipe at Cargill’s leg for her to fall on the ring apron. Cargill exacted a measure of revenge by dropping Stratton on her face into the apron before throwing her back into the ring.
An attempt at a punt kick was reversed into a slam by Stratton that left Cargill in prime position for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but Cargill got up and pushed Stratton before she could execute the move, leaving her sitting on the top turnbuckle. Jade would then grab her and hit an impressive Blue Thunder Bomb, but Stratton kicked out at 2, frustrating her. Now trying to chokeslam Stratton, the champ would reverse it into a pinning combination that led to another near-fall. Stratton then hit the Alabama Slam on Cargill, setting her up for the PME and executing it, but being able to get on her feet quickly when Cargill rolled out of the way. Cargill hit a successful punt kick on Stratton this time, but the two women then fell to the mat.
Regaining their footing, Cargill and Stratton hit a series of punches on each other, which took them to the ring apron, where they traded punches for chops before Cargill kicked Stratton again. Aiming her speed at Stratton, the Buff Barbie ducked out of the way, resulting in Cargill hitting the ring post. Immediately falling back to the apron, Stratton hit a dropkick to send Cargill to the floor.
Cargill wouldn’t let up, running towards Stratton to spear her into the timekeeper’s barricade, with the two lying on the floor. Both women were so centered and focused on the match that they failed to realize that referee Daphanie LaShaunn had been keeping count while they were out of the ring. At last, the count had reached ten, and the match was over. Mark Nash then announced to the live crowd that as Stratton and Cargill were counted out, the match had been ruled a draw.
As he was about to say “therefore…”, out came Nia Jax, who gleefully attacked both women despite visible boos from the fans, laying out Cargill on the ground while throwing Stratton into the ring to hit the Annihilator. The Irresistible Force would then make the motion of a championship on her waist, this attack an attempt to further her ever so-persistent goal of once again becoming the WWE Women’s Champion.
Nick Aldis was leaving his office when Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre were waiting for him right outside the door. Green says that her Slaygents have been more than patient in waiting for their Women’s Tag Team Championship opportunity, believing Charlotte Flair’s injury can’t be legit. Aldis states that while he understands Green’s frustration, The Queen’s injury was very legitimate. Green and Fyre are still unconvinced, with the Canadian superstar telling him that if he doesn’t do what she wants, him and “all those nasty little misfits in the locker room” will find out exactly why she is called the Hot Mess.
As Fyre calms her down, Aldis tells Green that Charlotte and Alexa Bliss will be defending their titles against The Culling (Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley) this coming Tuesday at NXT’s special Homecoming episode, so as a compromise, Green and Fyre will face the winners of that match, exciting the two. While their conversation with him ends there, it’s not long before he’s stopped by The Miz, and once their talk finishes up, Green and Fyre pop in once again to bring up that Aldis “put his big boy pants on today”, which Miz agrees with by saying he “upgraded from diapers”.
Friday Night SmackDown will air next week from inside the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio, but no women’s content is currently advertised as of this writing.
As always, make sure to share your thoughts on this week’s edition of SmackDown in the comments below.