6 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Dec 15 - Results & Review)

2. No Continuation Of Bayley’s Strife?

Damage CTRL WWE
WWE.com

Apparently, Charlotte Flair was going to play a bigger part in the ongoing Damage CTRL split story than some might've imagined. Her injury and sudden absence is the only reasonable explanation for why CTRL were cast as a (re)united force on this week's episode. What happened to all the tension?!

Their promo was straightforward and had two distinct goals: Hammer home Bayley's quest to win the women's Rumble and challenge Rhea Ripley (to take fans off the scent of a match vs. IYO SKY) and the team of Asuka and Kairi Sane vying to win the Women's Tag-Team Titles.

It was jarring to see CTRL back on the same page after months of teasing in-fighting and tension. Bayley even helped Asuka and Sane win a tag bout later on in the show, so it looks like WWE fancies hitting pause on the split for now.

That's pretty difficult considering the past 2-3 months of TV. It's fine to hit pause, but you can't outright ignore the discord completely.

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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.