4 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Feb 3)

2. A Match That Was DOA

Meanwhile, this match had no chance of succeeding.

Sonya Deville challenging Charlotte Flair was shaky enough anyway, but then WWE had Rhea Ripley fire out a WrestleMania 39 demand to Flair on Raw. The hubbub surrounding that, and Rhea's Royal Rumble momentum, rendered Sonya's own challenge utterly pointless before it had even happened.

The bout ended up being a house show workout on TV, if that makes sense. It was very routine, totally uninspiring, and yours truly is desperately concerned for Charlotte vs. Rhea if creative carries on down this path. Someone stick a hand up during meetings and suggest that Flair turn heel again, for crying out loud.

She's agonising to watch as a "babyface", and Deville being such a tepid heel didn't counterbalance that to get fans on Charlotte's side. Most folks sat on their hands waiting for the usual spots. There was no threat here from Deville. None. Not. One. Bit.