4 Ups & 7 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Aug 7)

4. Another Placeholder Challenge For Bayley

Bayley's lauded SmackDown Women's Title reign has been let down by a string of nondescript place-holding challengers that never seemed likely to win. Carmella, Tamina, Lacey Evans and Naomi all got their brief time in the sun, and now somebody else will step into that breach in time for SummerSlam.

Stephanie McMahon has demanded it.

The tri-branded Battle Royal she announced for next week's SmackDown will establish Bayley's next pay-per-view opponent. The problem is that this, yet again, puts the reigning champ in a tough spot. She doesn't really have a top story to work with on one of the biggest shows of 2020.

That was the case at Royal Rumble in January, WrestleMania in April and has become a worrying trend for someone who is actually very entertaining. Bayley deserves better than this endless gauntlet of challengers nobody takes seriously.