11 Ups & 6 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Jul 2)

9. Nikki & Alexa

The Nikki Cross/Alexa Bliss relationship is quietly one of the best storylines in WWE at the moment. Last night's developments weren't as exciting as other recent offerings but still hit the right notes by pushing the dynamic forward, ensuring a great payoff later down the road.

It began backstage. Cross and Bliss were conversing, with Alexa claiming she was about to let Nikki host this week's Moment of Bliss. Overwhelmed, Cross said she'd never hosted a show before, but a little chat with 'The Goddess' got her fired up and ready to go.

The segment led to Cross losing to Bayley later in the evening, and WWE.com published the above video showing a frustrated Nikki looking for her buddy after the fall. This is the first time we've seen the Scot show any kind of exasperation towards the former champion. A significant step forward, and it'll be fun to see how Alexa reacts.

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Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.