7 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown: Happy New Year (Dec 30)

5. Can’t Deny The Chemistry

Ronda Rousey Raquel Rodriguez
WWE.com

Last week's 'Gauntlet' and Raquel Rodriguez making Shayna Baszler look like a clown wasn't exactly top build, but Raquel vs. Ronda II still delivered when it mattered. These two do have chemistry together, so this is a match WWE can revisit when they fancy putting a singles belt on Rodriguez in the future.

Look out for that one.

In fairness, Ronda and Raquel did everything they could to sell the latter's battered wing throughout. Also, and this is well-worth mentioning, Cole and Wade Barrett did a sterling job of hyping up the title bout as equal to anything else on the show (John Cena and all). That was superb commentary, for the record.

It's regrettable that Rousey was creatively neutered immediately after a strong title defence like this though, especially when it was one of the best matches she's worked all year. Oh well, at least Raquel is free of the unwanted Aliyah/Shotzi tandems that were holding her back.

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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.