Friday Night SmackDown aired this week from inside the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. The Women’s United States Championship tournament has entered the semi-finals stages, but come tomorrow night, only two out of the remaining four competitors can advance. Who will they be? And with Bianca Belair having an unwavering desire to discover the identity of Jade Cargill’s attacker, did we get any new leads this week?
The women’s action this week started with Tiffany Stratton being shown exercising in the locker room when Candice LeRae and Nia Jax arrive to wish her good luck. Jax mentions her attire resembling that of a Christmas present, and not only tells Stratton that she has all faith in her, but that after she becomes Women’s United States Champion, she won’t need her Money in the Bank briefcase anymore. In Jax’s words, it’s all about Tiffany’s legacy, having had to go through round after round to become the first champion. Both LeRae and Jax promise to be watching, although Stratton has a bit of a nervous look that she seemingly brushes off once they leave.
Following commercials, a frustrated Nick Aldis tried to reason with Drew McIntyre after attacking Jimmy Uso at the start of the show, but the general manager of Team Blue then ran into Bianca Belair and Naomi. The EST asks Aldis if it is a good time for them to talk about who attacked Jade. The only thing Aldis can tell the two is that the investigation is still ongoing, and there has been no conclusion made just yet. Unfortunately, with that in mind, Aldis wanted to tell Bianca that he does not see any other option for her aside from relinquishing the Women’s Tag Team Championship. Bianca does not want to do so, and Naomi steps in, mentioning that she has never relinquished anything in her life, and doesn’t want her to have to do it now, so if Bianca needs a tag team partner, she can step up to the plate.
Belair recognizes that while this is not an ideal situation, Naomi has always had her back. Aldis says that he’ll consider the idea, but the two will have to be fighting champions if they want to make this situation work, perhaps having to defend the titles as early as next week. The two decide to make the team official, with Belair giving Naomi a hug.
Tiffany Stratton’s match with Michin was up next after that in the first of two Women’s United States Championship tournament semi-final matches. Stratton took most of the hits during the duration of the contest, with Michin winning after Stratton’s execution of a rolling senton into a failed Prettiest Moonsault led to Michin hitting an Eat Defeat onto the Buff Barbie. She is now one of the finalists to compete in tomorrow night’s Women’s United States Championship match.
Elektra Lopez appeared with the rest of Legado Del Fantasma, confronting Nick Aldis on the way the show has been run in recent weeks. Not claiming any responsibility for the attack of Jade Cargill and last week’s assault on The Street Profits, leader Santos Escobar feels like Aldis plays favorites and that with the transfer window now open, perhaps they would be better off with Adam Pearce on Monday Night Raw. They walk away to try and get him on the phone.
Bayley and Chelsea Green made their way out to the ring to determine the other woman who would advance into the finals. The Role Model immediately began with a Bayley-to-Belly that sent Green running out of the ring, claiming that she was not ready. The action quickly became a back-and-forth affair, with Green starting to show more aggression in the second half of the match. Bayley would soon get some more lick backs on the floor at ringside and then inside the ring, even as Green got several near-falls.
Piper, who had been watching the match, tried dragging Chelsea out of the ring, which got her laid out by the former SmackDown Women’s Champion. The commotion almost got Bayley counted out, but she would get back in the ring, where an Un-pretty-her would put her away for good and out of the running to determine the inaugural Women’s United States Champion.
Lastly, Tiffany Stratton was seen walking backstage sporting a despondent look on her face after losing to Michin earlier in the show. Nia Jax says that it was a tough night. It happens, as not everyone is meant to be a singles champion. Candice LeRae arrives and tells Stratton that her loss was a bummer, but to perk up because she spoke to Nick Aldis and got herself and Jax a match against Bianca Belair and Naomi for the Women’s Tag Team Championships. Jax walks off to brainstorm, but LeRae has one more thing to say to Ms. Money in the Bank: maybe singles wrestling isn’t her speed. Stratton then holds her Money in the Bank briefcase and glares once The Poison Pixie has also walked away.
The stage is now set for Saturday Night’s Main Event, which airs tomorrow night (December 14th) at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on both NBC and Peacock. The show will emanate from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, New York, with the following matches taking place:
- WWE Women’s World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs IYO SKY
- WWE Women’s United States Championship Tournament Final: Chelsea Green vs Michin
As has become common throughout the past two months with the main roster WWE shows, next week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown will be pre-recorded after tonight’s episode finishes airing. Here is what’s set to take place next week:
- Women’s Tag Team Championship: Bianca Belair and Naomi (c) vs. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae
Make sure to share your thoughts on tonight’s edition of SmackDown in the comments below!
