Friday Night SmackDown rode into the new year, with tonight’s episode emanating from inside the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona for what was Team Blue’s first three-hour episode on USA Network.
Kicking off the women’s action for this week was Michin, coming out for her match against Piper Niven after last week’s celebratory interruption involving the two and Niven’s friend, Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green. From the outset, Piper attempted to use some power moves on Michin, but the “crazy one” threw her in for a loop with several hurricanranas. Niven did get some moments of offense, but couldn’t gain an upper hand for long, with Michin winning after executing an Eat Defeat on Niven. Michin also debuted a new move that according to Michael Cole she calls the “Longback Attack”, including a slow twerk that really got on the nerves of Corey Graves on commentary and Green, who was watching the match from ringside in support of Niven.
A vignette for Naomi aired. Starting off with some clips of her dancing against a backdrop of laser lights, the former 2-time SmackDown Women’s Champion states that her glow isn’t a look. It’s a reminder that in all of us, there’s a light. We’re beautiful, powerful, and change the world just by being in it. Footage of her, both recent and from years past, then played as she continued to narrate. Naomi wants to be a living reminder that we don’t have to experience life the way we were told, that we will not be pushed around by the fear in our minds, but led by the dreams in our hearts. She is the glow, and she is Naomi.
WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax is backstage with Candice LeRae, with The Irresistible Force wondering where Tiffany Stratton could possibly be as she is nowhere to be found. The Poison Pixie says that Stratton is probably upset about the things Nia said last week, but that she (LeRae) is here. LeRae feels that Stratton overcomplicates things, reminding Jax of what happened with the Women’s Tag Team Championships two weeks ago. Jax believes that they may get another title shot once she beats Naomi tonight. However, she wants Candice to make sure Bianca Belair stays out of her way during the match. LeRae responds by saying, “Anything you need”.
Women’s Tag Team Champion Naomi entered the ring for her big title match with Bianca Belair by her side. Women’s Champion Jax also made her presence felt with LeRae in tow. The match began with high stakes as both tried to outmaneuver each other. The show then went to commercial, returning with the champion keeping Naomi down, putting her in a headlock and ramming her into the ring post. Naomi would eventually rebound, stopping an Annihilator attempt and hitting a leg drop on Jax for a near fall. Not even a double ax handle, kick, and impressive Samoan drop one after the other could put the Queen of the Ring winner out, despite the fans clearly rooting for The Girl with the Glow.
Naomi continued to push through, using every unexpected pin under her sleeve, yet continually failing to get a definitive pinfall on Nia. Meanwhile on the outside, Candice and Bianca would get into a brawl when Candice attempted to distract the referee. At that time, the sound of “IT’S TIFFY TIME!” reverbed throughout the arena.
Tiffany Stratton would run out to the ring, seemingly wanting to cash in her Money in the Bank contract, but instead used it to strike Naomi while the referee was distracted, leaving Naomi laid out in the ring and leading to Jax hitting the Annihilator to put her away for good as she yet again retained the Women’s Championship.
Nia, Candice, and Tiffany seemingly stood tall as the three attacked Bianca, but Stratton then proceeded to attack Jax and LeRae as well and threw Belair out of the ring to officially cash in her contract, hitting a Prettiest Moonsault on Jax to win the title to much fanfare from the crowd. Stratton celebrated as pyro went off in recognition of her victory.
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