This episode of Smackdown saw WWE Women’s Champion Asuka defend her title against Bianca Belair in the main event as well as an opportunistic Zelina Vega seeking a win over the veteran Bayley.
CHARLOTTE FLAIR & BIANCA BELAIR AGREE TO MEET FOR A TITLE MATCH AT SUMMERSLAM
Prior to her championship match against Asuka later on in the main event, Bianca Belair opened this episode of Smackdown to give her thoughts on her upcoming bout. As The EST explains her plan to recapture championship gold, a familiar face in Charlotte Flair comes out to tell Bianca that she favors her to win the title later on. However, Charlotte reminds Bianca of who is next in line for a shot regardless of the winner of the night’s main event. Seeing as though both women have earned each other’s respect, the two come to a consensus and shake hands for a future championship match at Summerslam.
Writer’s Thoughts: From my point of view, a singles bout between Bianca and Charlotte was always WWE’s long-term plan for their next major women’s feud. The added element of mutual respect between the two similar competitors provides layers to this relatively new rivalry. While I do personally look forward to this match, I fear that the creative team may be diverting the WWE Universe’s attention to these two women too much, leaving the Women’s Champion Asuka quite uninvolved in the storyline outside of title bouts.
BAYLEY DEF. ZELINA VEGA
Bayley immediately goes for an ambush early on in the match, driving Zelina face first on the ringside announce table. Zelina, however, fights back with a newer offense busting out a Twist of Fate. As the LWO representative was looking to capitalize, Bayley rakes her eyes and delivers the Rose Plant for the win. After the match, an eerie Shotzi appears on the Titantron saying that cutting off a lock of her hair does not make her afraid of Damage CTRL before proceeding to shave her head.
Writer’s Thoughts: I’m not too enthusiastic about Zelina losing a match in under five minutes or so considering this could be a time for them to build up newer stars in the division. Regardless, I’m happy that they’re giving Damage CTRL some wins here and there. With Shotzi, it’s interesting to see her chaotic side in segments such as these since it’s arguable that the WWE Universe is yet to see her full potential as a performer. There were also reports that Shotzi voluntarily wanted her head shaved to support her sister’s ongoing battle with cancer, so she has my full respect for this!
ASUKA RETAINS WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST BELAIR VIA DISQUALIFICATION
As previously advertised, the main event saw a Wrestlemania and Night of Champions rematch with WWE Women’s Champion Asuka defending her title against a vengeful challenger in Bianca Belair. As the match goes on, Damage CTRL and Charlotte Flair emerge with front-row tickets to watch. Asuka and Bianca had quick back-and-forths early on before pulling out some spots that called back to their previous championship encounters. Both women showed ample preparation for this match countering nearly every move the other threw. As the action spilled to the ringside area, The EST delivers a devastating K.O.D. to Asuka on the announce table.
As the competitors attempt to catch a quick breath, Damage CTRL hops the barricade looking to secure a successful Money In The Bank cash-in for IYO. Charlotte follows shortly afterward to protect her Summerslam match that she and Bianca agreed upon earlier that night. As IYO was taunting Bianca with her briefcase, Charlotte attempts to deliver a spear to Ms. MITB only for her to miss and land the move on Bianca causing the disqualification. Seeing as though all women were down, IYO SKY saw the opportunity to cash in and called for Bayley to assist her.
As SKY was about to hit the moonsault, Asuka quickly rose to her feet and misted Bayley before narrowly escaping the cash-in.
Writer’s Thoughts: This was an exciting main-event matchup! Not only did it showcase Bianca and Asuka’s improved chemistry over time, but the other Women’s Championship challengers were involved as well. The miscommunication between Charlotte and Bianca at ringside added conflict to their previously made agreement, and the possibility of IYO cashing in her contract kept the WWE Universe on the edge of their seats post-match. As of now, there is plenty of speculation on who could be challenging Asuka for the Women’s Championship at Summerslam whether it be Bianca, Charlotte, Bayley, IYO, or all of the above in a Fatal Five Way. But despite this, it keeps the fans excited and curious to know what will happen next.
For further coverage on this episode of Smackdown, be sure to check out Women’s Wrestling Talk’s official Smackdown Post-Show Live Stream!
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