10 Things We Learned From WWE SmackDown (June 6)
9. The Big Dance
After months of promotion (and an worryingly abrupt halt last week), Lana landed on SmackDown Live! as a version of herself manifested by weeks of dance routine videos set to a swing soundtrack.
The reinvention appeared designed to make her a babyface following her on-screen separation from real life husband Rusev, and fans responded in kind with a huge pop and loud 'Lana' chants as the 'Ravishing Russian' prepared to express herself for the first time in months.
However, the segment tried turn her heel, attempting to present her as naive and inexperienced amongst the others in the ring, especially Women's Champion Naomi. The audience weren't having it. Naomi came across as bratty and irritating whilst Lana suddenly became the crowd's avatar in the segment.
Brushing off Shane McMahon's patronising attempt to shoo her out of the ring, Lana reiterated her Twitter request to be considered for inclusion in the women's Money In The Bank ladder match, but was respectfully rebuffed by the boss much to the crowd's chagrin.
Her Talking Smack appearance later in the show following the booking of her match against Naomi saw more confident posturing from the former valet, confidently predicting that she would be the 'face' of SmackDown Live! Based on this crowd, she already is.