Tonight on SmackDown Live (January 2nd), Carmella, Natalya and Tamina took on the Riott Squad in a Six Woman Tag Team match.
"Before there was a #RiottSquad, there was a #WelcomingCommittee!" @NatByNature @CarmellaWWE and @TaminaSnuka are on the same page before their match. #SDLive @LanaWWE pic.twitter.com/DyUj2KDk58
— WWE (@WWE) January 3, 2018
Prior to the match, the newly reformed Welcoming Committee gloated on chasing away the Riott Squad last week. Natalya said the group felt good and wrapped things up by saying that they would remind the Riott Squad “that while imitation is most sincere form of flattery, there is no substitute for the real thing.”
During the tag match, Morgan and Natalya started things off with a tie-up that ended with Nataya taking Morgan down to the mat with a side headlock. Morgan reversed with a head scissors but Natalya jumped to her feet to escape.
The two Superstar traded reverses until Morgan was taken back down via discus clothesline for a two count. Natalya followed up by setting up for the Sharpshooter but Morgan kicked Natalya out of the way and scrambled out of the ring as we headed for a commercial break.
When we return, Logan has control over Carmella and keeps her grounded via submission. Carmella manages to escape by delivering a jaw breaker onto Logan. She tagged Tamina, who hits the ring by clearing out Logan with a Samoan Drop and an incoming Riott with a Super Kick.
Tamina began to climb the top turnbuckle but Morgan knocked her off while Riott distracted the referee. Logan takes advantage and hits a knee drop on Tamina to pick up the win for her team.
Post match, Riott took to the mic to call the WWE Universe “phony”. She said everyone is miserable and that they needed a strong dose of reality. Riott continued by saying that the Riott Squad and their destruction is real, which is why both Logan and Morgan will join her at the Royal Rumble.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair music hit and she came out to dismiss Riott’s message. Flair tells Riott that actions have consequences and introduces Noami and the returning Becky Lynch to teach the Riott Squad a lesson.
A mini-brawl broke out between the two teams, ending with the babyfaces cleaning out The Riott Squad in the ring and standing tall.
What did you think of this week’s episode of SmackDown? Are you excited to see Becky Lynch return? What do you think will happen next week? Let us know in the comments below!
