10 Big Mistakes WWE Can't Afford To Make At TLC 2016
9. Carmella Defeating Nikki Bella
The Nikki Bella vs. Carmella formula is well established at this point: Carmella makes Nikki’s life a misery on weekly television, but Nikki wins on pay-per-view. It started when Nikki wrecked Carmella in her SummerSlam comeback match, continued with her pinfall victory at No Mercy, and the cycle will likely repeat itself this weekend.
This week’s show saw the duo brawl in the ring before Carmella escaped to the floor, and it was one of the few weeks in which the Princess of Staten Island hasn’t gotten one over on her rival. This week aside, Carmella has been allowed to look like a real menace against one of the division’s most experienced competitors, and while still struggling to get over, her recent ruthless streak has been good for her character.
There’s a real need to present Nikki in a stronger light going forward, however. Becky Lynch aside, SmackDown’s women’s division is lacking in strong female babyfaces, and as one of the brand’s better female wrestlers, there’s no reason Nikki should be losing to a relative amateur like Carmella. The logical conclusion sees Nikki triumphing, Carmella’s agitation increasing, and both moving on to new things.