6 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (9 Jan - Results & Review)

4. Giulia Fights Off Alexa Bliss

Giulia Kiana James Alexa Bliss
WWE.com

Does anyone else smell a heel turn incoming? Charlotte Flair wasn’t in the house, and Alexa Bliss revealed during a pre-match promo that her tag partner was back home sick. Sans Charlotte, Alexa challenged Giulia for the Women’s US Title. It proved to be a solid back and forth, and the whole segment legit felt like a rescue mission for Giulia going in.

It was more spirited than anything else she’s done on the main roster, thankfully. Sure, it took Kiana James interfering and Lash Legend pushing Bliss off the top rope, but things seemed much rosier for Giulia overall here and that was important. She still isn't getting much of a reaction from live crowds, which is a downer. WWE's writers will have to be patient with her and James as a double act if they want things to change.

Either that or they give up, stick the Women's US belt on somebody else and send Giulia back down to NXT. That's another option, but ripping it all up and starting again isn't essential just yet. WWE shouldn't get all panicky about it, not least after watching this match. It was Giulia's finest on SmackDown to date.

The quirky thing about the heel turn point with Bliss and Flair is that it's probably Alexa who's going to go rogue on her partner. They deserve a medal for turning Charlotte into a likeable babyface when that seemed so impossible this time last year. Some decent storytelling and a glowing performance from Giulia secured this match/segment an 'Up' with ease.

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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.