We have arrived! The last episode of Smackdown Live! before the highly anticipated Money in the Bank PPV. As we all know by now, this will be the second MITB PPV that has given the women the right to participate in this type of match. This coming Sunday we will see 4 women from RAW, and 4 women from Smackdown throwdown with ladders in order to win the MITB briefcase and be able to cash it in, like Carmella did a couple months ago.
Smackdown kicked off with Paige conducting the summit she promised last week with the 4 women that will represent the blue brand in the MITB match. She proclaimed how important it is for one of them to win this match. She confirmed that she did not care which of the 4 won, as long as one of them does.
Lana (without her accent) says that she will be the one to win. The other women chuckle at the thought. Naomi then reminds her fellow competitors that she won the women’s battle royal at Wrestle Mania.
Charlotte Flair chimed in stating that the only reason Naomi won that match was because Flair herself was not in it. Flair went on to say how she has done everything there is to do, except win the MITB match. She has won the Divas, NXT, RAW and the Smackdown championship.
Becky Lynch interrupted her best friend to let her know she will do whatever it takes to once again become Smackdown champion. She reminds her competitors that she was the first woman drafted to Smackdown and the first ever woman to hold the Smackdown championship. She proclaimed that she will stop using the word ”was” and start saying the word ”am”.
#TheIIconics, @WWE_MandyRose & @SonyaDevilleWWE don't feel that the BEST four women are representing #SDLive in this Sunday's #MITB #LadderMatch… pic.twitter.com/tfqw2s0AHy
— WWE (@WWE) June 13, 2018
The scuffle ended between the 4 women when the IIconics music hits. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce come out to do what they do best, and that is to mock everyone else. They start with jokes on Lynch and Flair by making fun of their love of quinoa and tea time. They then made fun of Lana and Naomi’s dancing, mocking Naomi’s ”Amazing” entrance.
Mandy Rose’s music hits and her along with Sonya Deville come out and join the IIconics. They let the four in the ring know that the four outside the ring are far superior to the four in the ring. This was just enough for the four in the ring to launch their attack. Chaos ensues outside the ring and this allows Paige to make the main event for the evening. Naomi, Lana, Flair, and Lynch take on the IIconics, Rose and Deville in an 8 woman tag team match.
A #SDLive General Manager’s work is never done! @RealPaigeWWE adds @CarmellaWWE & @WWEAsuka to tonight’s main event + @mikethemiz will be the special guest referee for @RusevBUL vs. @SamoaJoe! pic.twitter.com/mJNO0LaCee
— WWE (@WWE) June 13, 2018
Backstage after Paige runs into the Miz who wanted to be the referee in the Samoa Joe/Rusev match, Asuka approaches the General Manager. She demands that she gets her hands on Carmella. Paige explains that she can not give her a one on one match, but will add both Carmella and Asuka to the 8 woman tag team match, making it a 10 woman tag team match.
Renee Young attempts to interview Carmella backstage. Carmella continues to say that she does not fear Asuka. Asuka was beaten by Flair who Carmella has beaten twice. She explains she is not fearing the empress of tomorrow.
The match itself had some hard-hitting action. The IIconics and Rose/Deville showcased that they work well as tag teams. Flair shined with her moonsaults and able to fight off double teams against her. Towards the end of the match, Asuka got a roundhouse kick in on Rose only to walk right into the Princess Kick by Carmella. Carmella had a 2 count on Asuka, but Lana broke up the fall. The match concluded with Asuka finally getting the champion in the Asuka lock and making her tap.
After the match, the winning team stands tall in the ring. The four women in the MITB match look at their opponents his Sunday as they stare up at the briefcase.
Thoughts: Well, I am at least happy that the IIconics graced us with their presence. I missed them. I don’t think they are getting the proper reaction and I am not sure why. Sure they are annoying, but that is what they are supposed to be. Them making fun of Naomi was hilarious. Mandy Rose is my everything. I love this girl. She impresses me a lot, and I am so glad she gets so much TV time lately. I also love her entrance, it is so much better than Sonya’s. I think they know it also since when they both come out, they come out to *whisper* MANNNNDDDDYYY.
As far as the match itself. It was decent. It had its moments. I got pretty excited when Lana broke up a pin. I was like, get it. I think they are trying to phase her “accent” out. She isn’t using it like she used to.
The build-up to the MITB match makes me mad. Besides RAW’s 4 competitors sitting on the ladders, they have not let the women touch a ladder. The men have climbed ladders, grabbed their briefcase, used the ladders as weapons, all to prove a point. The women? Nothing. Regardless I am looking forward to the match because at least they let the women have this match now.
I have a feeling Carmella will retain. I think somehow, maybe by DQ, or in general cheating, she will retain. Her heel work is awesome, so I hope she retains. I don’t know if I am ready for another undefeated streak from Asuka just yet.
Who do you think has the best odds to win the MITB match? Will Asuka beat Carmella, or will the Princess retain? Discuss all of this in the comments below!!!
