5 Biggest Winners & Losers From WWE SmackDown Live (9 Aug)
2. Winner: Eva Marie
WWE are playing Eva Marie’s role absolutely perfectly. They understand exactly why the WWE Universe loathe even the sight of her, and they’re doing an outstanding job of minimising her weaknesses, playing to her strengths, and establishing her as one of the most hated competitors in the company.
Eva struggles both on the microphone and in the ring. She’s not going to get over if she’s made to wrestle 10-15 minute matches on a weekly basis, so she’s not being made to. Instead, WWE’s bookers know that fans detest her mere presence, so they’ve given her a lengthy, pretentious ring introduction and a handful of convenient excuses not to wrestle Becky Lynch. Last week it was a feigned injury, and this week it was a wardrobe malfunction: we can only speculate as to what it’ll be next, but whatever happens, Eva’s going to be hated for it.
It’s a straightforward story: Eva Marie loves the glitz and glamour of being in the spotlight, but she doesn’t want to put in the graft to get there. WWE are playing-off the Universe’s real-life hatred of her, and it’s paying-off. There’s a strong chance Eva Marie will walk away with SmackDown’s Women’s Championship whenever it materialises, and if she does, the WWE Universe might just implode on itself.