6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (July 14)

1. Asuka Is Getting Overlooked

Bianca Belair Charlotte Flair
WWE.com

That minor gripe is no way near as annoying as the biggest problem in SmackDown's female ranks currently. Namely, the main focus during that fairly stilted opening promo segment was Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair...neither of whom is WWE Women's Champion. That'd be Asuka, for the record.

Not that creative cares about her.

Asuka was overlooked, and she continues to be so throughout this entire story. It's a baffling way to go about things, because it feels like WWE's writers are saying, 'Hey! She shouldn't be champion!'. Take the belt off her then. Christ, this is an awful way to present the champion and championship as important.

Problems bled into the main event too. Belair, Charlotte and even IYO SKY potentially cashing in MITB all came across as more important than Asuka holding the title. This isn't doing a whole lot to sell SummerSlam's impending three-way as marquee stuff, sadly.

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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.