Why WWE Gave Tamina Her First Ever Title Win
Here's why Tamina and Natalya scored the Women's Tag Team Titles last week.
Tamina and Natalya becoming WWE Women's Tag Team Champions was influenced by the former's overwhelmingly positive crowd response at WrestleMania 37.
Dave Meltzer writes as much in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, stating that Tamina's out-of-the-blue audience reactions prompted WWE to capitalise and follow up, resulting in them strapping her and Natalya on last week's episode of SmackDown.
Tamina and Natalya defeated the previously champions, Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax, when Tamina pinned Jax with the Superfly Splash. The emotional duo were then given a full fireworks show following a short interview with Kayla Braxton after the bell.
This was Tamina's first-ever WWE championship, despite working for the company since 2010. Per Meltzer, she and Natalya were given a standing ovation upon returning backstage, with people said to be particularly happy for Tamina after scoring the belt.
A perceived failure to listen to its audience is one of the most common complaints thrown WWE's way - and for good reason. With Tamina and Natalya, however, the promotion legitimately listened to the loud chants and cheers Tamina commanded while wrestling Baszler and Jax at 'Mania and acted on them.