6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Sept 22 - Results & Review)

by Jamie Kennedy

1. What A Women’s Title Bout

Asuka IYO SKY
WWE.com

Asuka challenging IYO SKY was always going to be good, and these women didn't disappoint. This was one of the best matches you're likely to see on TV in 2023 (WWE or otherwise), which is really high praise considering quality is generally high across the board in-ring.

Somewhat surprisingly, Charlotte Flair and Bayley getting involved around ringside didn't poach too many eyeballs away from the scorching sequences Asuka and IYO worked. That's always a worry, because pro wrestling has a tendency to look at what's coming next rather than the here and now.

SKY delivered as champ here. She gave Asuka loads as challenger, then rallied to get the job done in the end before celebrating with her Damage CTRL stablemates. IYO will deliver more matches like this if WWE gets behind her. She's some worker in the heat of the moment.

Go out of your way to give this one a look.

What did you think of this week's WWE SmackDown? For more like this, check out 10 Dream Opponents For CM Punk In WWE and Predicting The Future Of Every Released WWE Wrestler!

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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.