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

1. Bayley Is Directionless

Bayley picking up where babyface Kevin Owens left off by becoming the smartest good guy on the roster wouldn't be a bad plan. This week, she peered straight through Candice LeRae's attempt to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, then turned things around by pinning the heel instead. You've gotta love it when wrestling babyfaces pay attention to the small details.

That's about the only glowing thing to say about Bayley vs. LeRae. Yeah, Bayley is struggling right now, and that sucks to see considering the highs she's lived in 2024. This is a Royal Rumble winner and popular champ coming out of WrestleMania we're talking about. That was January and April. In November, poor Bayley is ice cold, and that means some of her matches are too.

Even Michael Cole and Corey Graves talked about how out of sorts Bayley has seemed lately. The announcers openly discussed how far away from being champion again she is, and it's hard to argue with them. WWE are going for some sort of 'Bayley bounces back' story, which is rather risky. Y'know, unless she's going to be the first Women's United States Champion, or something.

Manifest it, people.

It's a bit crap to rag on this match so much, but it was short, uneventful and didn't do a thing for either woman involved. Put it this way: Candice sticking her nose into business between Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton was way more impactful this week than working with Bayley was. Eek! This veteran needs some inspiration soon.