4 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (12 July - Results & Review)

3. Hopefully Things Improve, But…

Blair Davenport Naomi
WWE.com

It'd be a lie to suggest Blair Davenport's start on the main roster has been easy.

There's no denying she's talented (anyone who watched her indy work could confirm), but this has been a rough opening chapter for the ex-Bea Priestley on SmackDown. It can take workers a bit of time to find their feet, but yeah - the match vs. Naomi on Friday wasn't great and never really got going.

Being brutally honest, Naomi has been involved in a few awkward in-ring moments since returning to WWE. Cast your minds back to some clunky sequences vs. Chelsea Green a month or so back, and now there's this scenario vs. Davenport. Is Naomi the common denominator, or is that harsh?

Look, here's the simple truth laid out: Naomi was brought back as a veteran figure with WWE tenure who's ideal for elevating fresh stars. However, she's finding it tough to do that, and her matches are a chore to watch. That defeats the purpose of her 2024 role in the first place.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.