4 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (May 9)

Downs...

3. A Flat Finish Spoils Becky Vs. Nattie

Becky Lynch Natalya
WWE.com

On paper, Natalya vs. Becky Lynch should be one of the most exciting women's matches WWE can book at the moment. They're two of the division's best technical wrestlers, and are currently on opposite sides of the brand's sole women's feud, but last night's singles contest didn't ever break out of second gear and ended anticlimactically.

The match was just three minutes long, which is fine for an average TV bout, but meant that it never really got going prior to the conclusion which saw Tamina hop onto the apron, before Naomi pulled her away. This distracted Becky (who was sitting on the top turnbuckle at the time) and allowed Nattie to pull her down, then score a quick, easy pinfall over the former SmackDown Women's Champion.

It was a flat finish, particularly as Lynch was in control of the match at the time, and while it succeeded in giving The Welcoming Committee a shot of momentum, it resulted in an unfulfilling contest. Becky played mediator in a Charlotte/Naomi argument afterwards, setting-up the expected six-woman tag match for Backlash, and continuing the feud down its current path.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. 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.