Six women battled in a Gauntlet Match for the right to challenge Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women's Championship, with Emma and Xia Li kicking things off. Nondescript action, though not lacking effort, concluded rather abruptly with Li scoring the pinfall on the Aussie. (Emma eliminated)
Tegan Nox entered the match next, taking the fight to Li in retaliation for the Chinese-born competitor costing her and Liv Morgan the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship a week ago.
The same fate awaited Nox as Li wiped her out with a kick to the back of the head to advance. (Nox eliminated)
The still-injured Raquel Rodriguez entered the match next as the commentary team repeatedly put over the elbow injury plaguing the former NXT Women's champion. Rodriguez overcame the targeted offense of her opponent to down her with the Chingona Bomb. (Li eliminated)
Former champion Liv Morgan entered next and took the fight directly to Rodriguez. The second-generation star powered out of the Rings of Saturn submission and continued to fight for a spot in next week's title match.
Spotty selling from Rodriguez of the elbow notwithstanding, the two had the best stretch of the match, ending with her scoring the pin. (Morgan eliminated)
A relentless, cerebral Sonya Deville attacked early and often, targeting the elbow. Rodriguez fought out, drove the former WWE official off the top rope and pinned her. (Deville eliminated)
Rousey appeared and revealed that there is one last opponent for Rodriguez before introducing Shayna Baszler. The Queen of Spades attacked the elbow but Rodriguez quickly rolled her up to win the match. (Baszler eliminated)
It may sound like a broken record, but all of this would have meant so much more if fans had any reason to care about half of the competitors in this one. The talent is there, but underwritten characters and lackluster storytelling has hurt the SmackDown division and this was a greater extension of it.
Nox just returned but was beaten. Ditto Emma. Li had a big moment last week but, despite an impressive early run, also suffered a loss. Rodriguez was pushed to the moon and, fine, that may help create a new star but the (lack of) reaction from the fans suggests they are not ready or willing to throw their support behind her.
Maybe that changes by next week.
Result
Rodriguez defeated Baszler, Deville, Morgan, Li, Nox and Emma
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- The Morgan-Rodriguez match showed some promise and begged the question: is Rodriguez in the wrong role as a generic babyface rather than working heel as an imposing badass?
