8 Ups & 1 Down From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (July 17)

Ups...

8. Back In Contention

Becky Lynch
WWE.com

Becky Lynch's weekly battles with a gravy train of lower-tier performers are becoming repetitive. Every Tuesday, 'The Lass Kicker' is made to face a Billie Kay or Mandy Rose (as was the case last night), who'll provide some resistance, before inevitably falling in under four minutes, extending Lynch's streak. It's great to see her winning, but the law of diminishing returns has come into play.

Fortunately, this should be the last of them. Becky forced 'God's Greatest Creation' to tap out in 3:30, grabbed the microphone, and announced she was coming for Carmella and the SmackDown Women's Championship. We then cut backstage, where Paige booked Lynch and her new target in a non-title bout next week, and if Becky wins, she's getting the shot.

Here's hoping this is a long-term re-elevation for Becky rather than a false dawn. She's too good and too popular to be languishing, and while her defeating 'Mella wouldn't make up for Asuka's decimation, it'd be a nice sweetener for this broken division.

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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.