6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (8 May - Results & Review)

3. Kiana James Shows Out Yet Again

The only tangible benefit to this Giulia and Kiana James alliance has been more spotlight for Kiana. She surely wasn’t supposed to be the focal point, but here we are. It's back to the drawing board for Giulia once they split, because things haven't worked out for her at all on the main roster. That's in spite of multiple title reigns, by the way.

Kiana’s challenge to Tiffany Stratton on Friday was well-worked and tidy. Giulia and James weren’t on the same page throughout, so that split is coming imminently. Hopefully, WWE don’t forget all about Kiana after it happens. She has a lot of promise. It might be flying slightly under the radar compared to others like Lash Legend or the even fresher Fatal Influence, but James could become a top player in the women's division for years to come if creative handle her correctly.

This was yet more evidence that she's improving all the time.

If anyone fancies nitpicking, then perhaps having a pop at Tiffany for selling her leg throughout much of the match then magically recovering to hit her usual stuff was annoying, but it wasn't a deal-breaker for the bout. Being Women's United States Champ is a reprieve for 'Tiffy Time' after a wretched slump as Women's Champ then disappearing act before Royal Rumble.

On the whole, she and James worked well together (surprising chemistry was a theme on this week's show). Kiana gets most of the praise in this article due to her relative inexperience in lofty spots, but Stratton is working her way back into form too.