6 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Sept 9)

1. So Much For That Division

Ronda Rousey Sonya Deville
WWE.com

It certainly doesn't help that the women's scene generally is a total mess.

Nobody should have a problem with WWE making Ronda Rousey number one contender for Liv Morgan's strap again. She's been on a tear since turning heel, and has way more confidence on the mic than she ever had before. However, did she need to burn through practically the entire division in less than five minutes?

Sonya Deville lasted the longest, but few fans around ringside actually believed she'd topple Rousey to get a title shot. Meanwhile, Xia Li, Natalya and Lacey Evans (what happened there?!) all came out looking like lowly jobbers who might've been better off without this week's TV time.

Maybe WWE reasoned that no-one would buy Rousey vs. any of the chasing pack one-on-one. Fair enough, but everything about this points towards Morgan playing the overwhelmed underdog then losing her belt without even getting properly started.

If Vince McMahon booked this, people would whinge. Just saying.

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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.