6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (4 Sept - Results & Review)
Ups...
6. Usually Hate Champs Losing, But…
...Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley beating Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid in a non-title bout before the 6-woman tag vs. Jade Cargill, Michin and B-FAB at SNME was perfectly fine on this occasion. Story took priority here, as it should. Alexa Bliss bowed out so Tatum could team with Charlotte and they could build some chemistry, and it worked.
Some sort of combo between Bliss, Flair and Paxley challenging for the Women’s Tag belts whilst the one remaining challenges Jacy Jayne for the Women’s United States Title sounds like a solid bit of booking, and that’s incoming. Plus, this match was energetic and fun. It ended with Paxley hitting Cemetery Drive on Reid for the win. Nice and simple work all round, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Personally, this fan isn't super into the continuation of Flair, Bliss and Paxley warring with Jade Cargill, Michin and B-FAB (because the Influence idea is much more compelling), but Triple H will always find ways to keep Jade's group involved. Unfortunately for them, they're coming across as less-than compared to Jayne, Henley and Reid right now, and that isn't really going to change.
Solid tag match though, that's the upside. Another is that everything feels busy, and the writers have moved a tad away from presenting Tatum as some cupboard-dwelling oddball who could potentially be a serial killer. Downplaying that side of her gimmick is a good plan, because there's no need to go there.
She's likeable, will only keep getting better the more she tags with Charlotte or Alexa, and there are title ramifications to all of this.