With Asuka getting a shot at two titles at SummerSlam this weekend, the most logical question is which match will she have first? Will she face Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Title or Sasha Banks for the RAW Women’s Title allowing whoever goes second with the potential advantage.
There is tension between the two champions and best friends over who would go first. Banks started to get upset thinking that Bayley was trying to volunteer her to go first noting that she is trying to put her in a constant tough position.
The bickering came to a halt when Bayley threw out the claim that no one in the locker room could beat both her and Banks in one night. Not Asuka, not anyone. At that moment Naomi‘s music hit. Naomi challenged both Bayley and Banks to a match and wanted those matches to take place right then.
Corey Graves, who was doing the interview, suggested a Beat the Clock Challenge. Naomi agreed that she liked that idea, but still needed to know which one of the champions would go first. She would drop kick both women to the mat causing them to roll out of the ring. Banks would end up being the first to face Naomi.
As time started ticking away, Banks would make relatively short work of her opponent and provide a hard time for Bayley to beat. Banks defeated Naomi with the Bank Statement and completed this in 3 minutes and 39 seconds. The SmackDown Women’s Champion knew the stakes were high now, so she quickly pounced on Naomi who still hadn’t had a chance to get back on her feet. Bayley had to now win her match in less time than Banks did in order to not go first against Asuka at SummerSlam.
With still about 1:48 left on the clock, Naomi hits Bayley with a rearview and gets the three count defeating the SmackDown Women’s Champion. This quick defeat has made Bayley the first to defend her title against Asuka on Sunday. Banks was shown at ringside elated by the news before going into the ring to “console” her best friend from her loss.
Asuka’s music would then hit as the Empress made her way out to the ramp. She declares that at SummerSlam she will become the Empress of every title because no one is ready for Asuka. Banks goes after Asuka and gets a kick to the side of her head. She then runs into the ring and delivers a few kicks to Bayley before the Role Model retreats up the ramp herself. Bayley at first ignores Banks laying on the ramp before going to see if she is okay.
The third women’s match for this Sunday was originally supposed to be a Hair vs. Hair match between Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. The stipulation changed after Rose attempted to make some sort of amends with her former best friend.
Deville wasn’t buying it and decided to up the ante. Instead of worrying about who would leave bald, the match is now a No Disqualification/Loser leaves WWE match. You can read more about this by clicking here.
Before Deville announced the stipulation change, she was approached by Dana Brooke backstage. Brooke who earlier joined Lacey Evans, Tamina, Naomi, and the men from SmackDown in fighting off the ever-growing RETRIBUTION faction wanted to lend a shoulder to lean on for Deville. She says she understands what Deville has gone through personally this week and that she was there to help if need be. Deville responded saying that it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle and delivered a massive slap across the face of Brooke.
Moving on to Alexa Bliss, she has found herself smack dab in the middle of The Fiend’s feud with Braun Strowman. The two men go one-on-one at SummerSlam, but what will Bliss’ role be in all of this. After they showed a video package of what has transpired over the past few weeks with Bliss in this role, Nikki Cross was backstage to deliver some words of her own.
Cross says she has been friends with Bliss for quite a while now and she is very concerned. Bliss has been different. She may talk and act like herself but she isn’t herself. Cross has a bad feeling that something terrible is about to happen.
Let’s get into the final Winners & Losers before SummerSlam!
WINNER: Naomi
Naomi picking up a win against Bayley was what was needed. If she lost to both Sasha and Bayley back to back then that would have been total nonsense. As it is, I am not crazy about a short Beat the Clock Challenge. It just proved that the women had a 3-minute match and the time was right there in front of our faces. I get the point in all of it, and storyline-wise it was perfect for the Bayley/Sasha dynamic but that’s all. At least Naomi picked up one win during it and maybe if Bayley retains they keep that momentum going for her. They can use Naomi saying she beat her to get a title shot.
WINNER: Sonya Deville
Sonya continues to kill it with her promos. That is pretty much the top reason why she looked strong this week and that slap across Dana’s face…Woah! Now that was brutal. Dana took it like a champ also. It is highly possible she will be taking some much needed time off if she does lose on Sunday which seems to be the case. This may be the last winner’s column that Sonya is in for a bit.
LOSER: Bayley
Well, she has to face Asuka first on Sunday, so that can’t be the best position to be in. She lost in about two minutes the show before her big match, that can’t be the best either. Personally I have a feeling she is going to retain at SummerSlam because Asuka being SmackDown Champion doesn’t make much sense right now. I do enjoy Bayley, and she has been killing it for months, but I am ready for a new champion. Asuka just doesn’t seem right for it though. That is unless they really will give her both belts.
What did you think of this week’s SmackDown? What did you think of the new Thunderdome? Who were your Winners & Losers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Check back in with Diva Dirt throughout the weekend for any news, predictions, and results for SummerSlam.
