Less than a week removed from her huge title win at Payback, new Divas Champion AJ Lee is in action this week on Friday Night SmackDown facing off against the talented Natalya. Can AJ get into Nattie’s head like did to Kaitlyn, or will the third generation Diva pull out the win? Check out the match below:
Out first is the champion, accompanied by Big E Langston (who is wearing a skimpier outfit than she is. Just sayin’…). After a commercial break, Natalya is shown in the ring and we are treated to a video recap of the drama between AJ and Kaitlyn and AJ’s title win. After the video, the official signals for the bell and our match is underway.
AJ kicks off the match with some jaw-jacking, but Natalya isn’t having any of that. Natalya takes the champ off of her feet with a snapmare/dropkick combinatin and goes straight for the Sharpshooter. AJ sees it coming and fight it off, but Nattie seamlessly converts it into her Pin-Up Strong submission. Unfortunately for Natalya, AJ is close to the bottom rope and grabs it to force the break. Natalya breaks the hold, but jumps all over AJ, prompting the referee to intervene.
Natalya charging in once again, but AJ sidstepped and locks in a Dolph Ziggler-esque (#HonoraryDiva) sleeper hold, looking to wear down her opponent. In the meantime, Kaitlyn and Layla are shown watching the match on the monitor backstage and Kaitlyn does not look very pleased.
Back in the ring, Natalya has managed to escape the submission by ramming the champion into the turnbuckle, but AJ levels her with a kick to the back, keeping the advantage in her favor. She goes for a cover, but Natalya kicks out at two. AJ locks in a rear chokehold as we head into commercial break.
Back from the break, Natalya is in complete control, grounding AJ with a snap suplex. The champion tries to fight back with a well-placed kick, but Natalya turns her inside out with a discus clothesline for a nearfall.
Nattie pulls AJ off of the canvas, puts her over her shoulder and performs an airplane spin, but gets free (with some illegal biting) and locks in the Black Widow to pick up the win.
As AJ celebrates in the ring, we cut to Kaitlyn and Layla backstage. Aksana approaches the pair and asks if that’s the move AJ used to beat her, before calling her trash. Kaitlyn snaps and a brawl ensues until Layla, Naomi, Cameron and Alicia Fox break it up.
Thoughts: Funny how just a year ago, it was AJ who wouldn’t have had a snowball’s chance in hell of winning this match, isn’t it?
Nice little match between these two, even if it was a bit predictable. I predict AJ picking off Kaitlyn’s supporters one by one, as Kaitlyn works her way to a championship rematch.
Speaking of Kaitlyn, I love that she’s still broken up about AJ’s deception. I can totally see her emotional distress costing her once again when she finally clashes with AJ. Let’s just hope she can make it to her next title shot without getting fined again.
