6 Ups & 1 Down From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (June 27)

by Andy H Murray

1. Ellsworth Falls, But Carmella Repeats

James Ellsworth Becky Lynch Ladder
WWE.com

The women’s Money In The Bank rematch was the centrepiece of last night’s show, and with James Ellsworth thrown out of the building, it looked like a fair outcome was finally on the cards.

The match ran for close to 25 minutes, and felt like a big step forward from the pay-per-view. They didn’t take a bunch of unnecessary risks, but the bout still felt suitably chaotic, with Tamina looking dominant, and almost everybody taking at least one big bump off the ladder.

More importantly, Ellsworth wasn’t directly involved in the finish. He predictably found a way back into the arena, but Becky Lynch dumped him off the ladder as he attempted to recreate the PPV's shambles. Eventually, Carmella cracked Becky with a steel chair as she tried to claim the briefcase for herself. Lynch fell, and this gave ‘The Princess Of Staten Island,’ a clear path to victory.

This was everything the pay-per-view match should have been. Looking back, there was absolutely no benefit to booking the Ellsworth shambles, as this put Carmella over stronger than shenanigans ever could. She was portrayed as a survivor by enduring the match on her own, and gets good heel heat for destroying Becky, the division’s most sympathetic performer, with the chair.

WWE could have avoided a lot of hassle if they’d just booked this finish in the first place, but here we are. With the PPV’s damage hopefully undone, Carmella is Ms. Money In The Bank once more, and the division finally has a chance to move on.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.