Aliyah had the biggest win of her career as she won her first match on this week’s SmackDown.
To open up the show this week, Aliyah was part of a huge tag team match alongside Sasha Banks and Naomi. They teamed up to face Shayna Baszler, Natalya, and Shotzi. Except for Naomi, the other five women are part of the Survivor Series elimination match one week from this Sunday. That is, up until Aliyah was removed from the upcoming match.
As Sonya Deville started the show introducing the team that will represent the blue brand, Naomi came out to the ring. Without a word, she started the fight and the six women were brawling which resulted in the subsequent match.
Naomi took the brunt of the attacks during this match but it was Aliyah who pulled out the win after an assist. The final sequence of the match had Natalya locking in the sharpshooter on Aliyah as she grabbed ahold of the rope for leverage. Naomi jumped up on the apron and hung up Nattie on the ropes leading Aliyah to counter and roll up the veteran for the pin.
After the match, Aliyah was celebrating backstage when she was approached by Deville. Deville congratulated her with the win but then stated that she was “advised” that Aliyah has been removed from the upcoming Survivor Series team. A replacement has not been named at this time.
Completely heartbroken, Aliyah was seen later in the night on the phone explaining to someone about being removed from the team. Mustafa Ali approached her about the situation and continued to the negative side of what took place saying her greatest moment of her career (with her debut win) has now been ruined. Luckily Ricochet was nearby and he told her to keep her head up and reflect on the positive. The two walked off leaving Ali behind.
In a Digital Exclusive, Naomi finds out that Aliyah is no longer part of the SmackDown team at Survivor Series and she is left speechless.
Elsewhere on this week’s SmackDown, the SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair took to the ring to heckle her opponent at Survivor Series, RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. The two will be facing off in the traditional Champion vs. Champion match-up.
After going through the gimmick names of Lynch, Flair asks who even is Lynch anymore and says there is nothing natural about her. Flair continues to pat herself on the back for the success of Lynch and also credits herself for the recent rise of Shotzi. After giving Becky the new nickname of “Becky Uh Oh” and saying she is a “Star Maker,” Flair says she can beat Lynch and any woman who steps through the ropes. This prompted Toni Storm to make her way out to the ring.
Storm says that Flair doesn’t do anything that she has just said and since she has become the champ of SmackDown, she hasn’t defended her title. Storm challenges Flair who gave her a resounding, “absolutely not.”
Another Xia Li promo was aired saying she is “coming soon.” Hopefully sometime this year.
Announced for next week, Sasha Banks will be going one-on-one with Shotzi.
After SmackDown on this week’s 205 Live, there was a match between Indi Hartwell and Valentina Feroz. Feroz has been picking up a few wins lately but it was Hartwell who took the W here.
Check back in with Diva Dirt for all of your news on the women of SmackDown.
