6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (17 Jan - Results & Review)
4. Women’s Tag-Team Goodness
That's also true on the women's side of the fence.
Naomi and Bianca Belair beating Nia Jax and Candice LeRae was a zippy, fun match that included two rather interesting tidbits. Firstly, Nia accidentally planted a leg drop on Candice near the end, so there could be developing friction that brings an end to their creative marriage of convenience. Second, Belair was the one who did most of the work for her team, then Naomi swanned in to scoop the glory with the match-winning pin.
Wade Barrett calling Naomi “the nicest person in the locker room” had to be subtle setup for this Jade Cargill reveal too. It just has to be. Either that or WWE are deliberately laying it on thick with Naomi hoping nobody smells a rat with Bianca. She isn't out of the running as Cargill's aggressor just yet, but it's awesome this plot has so many possible branching paths. In the interim, Naomi and Belair work real well together as champs.
The match was really tidy overall. Again, Naomi is in the perfect spot as Belair’s sub partner. She's inarguably more experienced than Jade, so there are none of the awkward miscommunications Bianca occasionally had with Cargill. Those were understandable and worth putting up with, but they could play a part in the story's next chapter.
This is the sort of bout that might've been relegated to 3-4 minutes in the two hour days, so it's pleasing to see everyone get enough time to let important story beats sink in. Nia and Candice potentially splitting and/or Naomi/Belair being outed as Jade's attacker both deserve your eyeballs.