10 Ups & 1 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Sept 4)

Ups...

10. 'The Empress' Strikes Back

Asuka Peyton Royce
WWE.com

The latest IIconics vs. Naomi clash was fine. Lasting just 85 seconds in total, it saw the former SmackDown Women's Champion finally overcome her numerical disadvantage, hitting Peyton Royce with a Sunset Flip for the victory.

Though the bout itself wasn't too important, the post-match was. Royce and Billie Kay attacked Naomi after the bell. It looked as though they were about to get one over on her once again, but out came Asuka, who cleared the two Aussies from the ring then checked on the hurt Naomi.

Though there are some minor concerns here (Asuka has always worked best as a lone wolf, not a babyface sidekick), the angle actually got over. 'The Empress' got a solid pop as she charged out, decked The IIconics, and stood tall. Now, we can only hope for an effective follow-up. Asuka's rebuild is a gargantuan task, and she may never feel as dangerous or magnetic as she was down in NXT, but she's too talented to stay under forever.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.