This week on SmackDown, we get a second helping of Tamina vs Natalya in a return match from last week. We also are blessed with a triple shot of SmackDown’s resident pocket rocket, AJ. Let’s kick things off with our Divas match for this week.
Tamina was able to surprise us all, when she pulled out an upset over Natalya last week. Can the Polynesian Princess shock us all once more, or will the First Lady of the Hart Dungeon have her revenge? Check out the match below:
The Divas segment starts off with Natalya already in the the ring, looking pissed off, just like last week. Tamina is out next with a new entrance video and theme and new gear as well. The second generation Diva stops at the top of the ramp, to do her father’s iconic pose, before heading down to the ring. The referee signals for the bell and the match is underway.
Natalya wastes no time slapping Tamina across the face, before leveling her with a vertical suplex for a two count. Nattie tries to whip Tamina off of the ropes, but Tamina reverses it, leapfrogs over her and hits her signature Samoan Drop. With Natalya laid out, Tamina goes up to the top rope and hits the Superfly Splash to pick up the victory for the second week in a row.
Well, that was… quick…
It looks like Tamina is definitely a babyface now, but I still don’t know exactly why she’s feuding with Natalya. To be fair, there is a interview on WWE.com that explains Tamina’s newfound attitude, but I think there should be some sort of explanation on the show for those who won’t be bothered to look up the interview.
While I am happy that Tamina is seemingly finding her place in the Divas division, I can’t help but feel bad for Nattie, who has been really been racking up losses in the past few months. Nattie’s position in WWE feels a lot like Victoria‘s (TNA’s Tara) last year in WWE, being used to elevate newer talents. The difference however, is that Victoria got to have a few solid storylines, feuds and title reigns; opportunities that Natalya has never really gotten. Nattie is one of the most talented, well-rounded Divas on the roster and it’s a damn shame to see all her potential go to waste as a glorified enhancement talent. Hopefully, this won’t be her permanent role as a Diva.
Next up, we have a few backstage segments with NXT3 alumna, AJ. First up AJ proclaims her love for fellow NXT graduate and WWE Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan:
Next we see AJ appeal to the softer side of The Big Show, as she tries to save her boyfriend from imminent doom:
Last, but certainly not least, AJ takes one for the team (and by team, I mean Daniel Bryan), as she’s damn near killed by a stampeding rhino… erm… I mean, Big Show, when she accompanied Daniel Bryan to the ring for his main event title match:
They say love will make you do crazy things, and jumping in front of a charging 400 pounds of man has to be near the top of that list of crazy things. By the looks of things, it seems Daniel convinced AJ to jump in front of Show to help him keep the title and she did it to prove her love. It’s an interesting dynamic, this good girl/bad boy pairing, and I think it will get AJ over as a babyface and get Daniel some legit heat as a heel champion. Hopefully, we get some more AJ/DB interaction next week… If AJ isn’t in a coma after that bump, that is…
Hit or miss show for the Divas this week for the Divas this week, in my opinion. While the 30 second match was definitely a miss for me, AJ’s backstage segments and near death in the main event was a big hit. If we can get a decent match for the Divas next week AND a few segments backstage, we could have a good show next week. Fingers crossed, guys! Until next week!
