5 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Feb 9 - Results & Review)

by Jamie Kennedy

1. Dakota Kai = Bayley’s Ally

Bayley Dakota Kai
WWE.com

Top spot for the week goes to the now-former Damage CTRL duo.

Firstly, the way Bayley put over that the rest of the faction turned on her (not the other way around) was ace. Then, Dakota Kai rushed out to make peace with her one-time leader and reason that IYO SKY changed once Asuka and Kairi Sane came on board. Throughout, Bayley and Kai acted like real human beings.

That isn't always the case with these carefully-scripted, dialogue-heavy pieces. Occasionally, workers get too bogged down in trying to memorise their lines that they forget to show emotion or present any facial expressions at all. Not so this pair - they were fabulous.

Kai leaving the ring when the rest of CTRL came out paved the way for a steel chair saviour moment that proved she has Bayley's back. Fans chanted for them to "hug it out", but WWE didn't go there...yet. Good. They've got time on their side to let each story beat breathe before 'Mania.

What did you think of this week's WWE SmackDown? For more wrestling, check out WWE 2K24 Early Reviews: 10 Major Details We Learned and 10 New Directions For WWE After WrestleMania 40's Press Conference!

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Contributor

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.