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How does the SmackDown women’s division look after WWE No Mercy?
The Smackdown women’s division, on paper, may not seem up to snuff with the women of RAW. In total, RAW has 10 title reigns between their female wrestlers as opposed to just 4 on Smackdown and it just seems that the red brand has the star power. But there is something scrappy about the girls of Smackdown. They have spunk, charisma, and drive which was very apparent at No Mercy Sunday night.
Although champion Becky Lynch was unable to compete at No Mercy due to a health issue, the division was still on display as Naomi upset No. 1 contender Alexa Bliss and former 2-time champion Nikki Bella defeated Carmella. To have 2 women’s matches on a 7 match card shows that Smackdown is clearly invested in their female division. Between rookies and veterans, high-flyer and tacticians, their division has the potential to grow and become the better of the two sister programs.
Ahead we break down and rank all 7 members of the Smackdown Live Women’s division.
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7. Eva Marie
Love her or hate her, The Red Queen is here to stay. Is she the best wrestler? No, not even close. The best talker? No again. Does she have a ton of charisma? Strike three. But that doesn’t seem to make the WWE’s confidence in her budge one inch. Let’s call it what it is, she’s an absolute goddess with a look that screams superstar. She’s a head-turner and she makes it very difficult to change the channel when she’s in the ring. That alone is what keeps her relevant.
Currently off television for violating the WWE’s Talent Wellness Policy in August, she should be returning to SmackDown Live very soon. Before her suspension she was working a gimmick where she made continued excuses as to why she couldn’t wrestle at the very minute her match was about to begin. Believe it or not, the angle was working. It made perfect sense. The reality TV princess finds her way out of her matches based on either lack of confidence in her skill or the fact that she thinks she’s too good for her opponent. Either way, it works.
When she comes back we’ll see if she keeps up that act or if she goes in a different direction. But for now, while on the shelf and never really having much success inside the squared circle, she sits dead last.
6. Carmella
28-year-old Carmella is a work in progress. She’s about as green as they come but has the looks and personality that have the potential to make her a future star. With some fine tuning, “The Queen of Staten Island” could be a player on the big stage within the next couple of years.
The WWE seems to have confidence in her and that was apparent as they entered her into a feud with the former Diva’s champion, Nikki Bella. Carmella was controlling the feud for a number of weeks defeating Bella on a couple of different occasions but couldn’t make the most of her momentum at No Mercy, getting pinned by Nikki after the Rack Attack 2.0.
Carmella has a long way to go but she’s an intriguing prospect. She has all the physical tools: beauty, physique, athletic ability and has an engaging personality at that. Her time spent managing Big Cass and Enzo Amore was a massive boost to her confidence and helped shape the character that she displays on screen now. A disappointing loss at No Mercy not withstanding, Carmella is unquestionably a hot prospect in the entire WWE women’s landscape.
5. Nikki Bella
Former 2-time WWE Diva’s champ as well the as the longest reigning holder of that belt, Nikki Bella got back to her winning ways with a victory overCarmella at No Mercy Sunday night. Not the most popular baby face most likely due to her reality television career as well as her relationship with the ever polarizing John Cena, Nikki has made a number of strides as an in-ring worker and seems close to a run at the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
On the shelf for over 10 months with a neck injury, Bella battled her way back to active competition after some training with her sister’s husband and current Smackdown GM, Daniel Bryan. She seemed rusty at first and was on the receiving end of a couple of beatings by her No Mercy opponent on Smackdown Live. But what ever questions were out there about Nikki’s rust all evaporated Sunday night with her victory.
The 2015 Slammy award winner for Diva of the Year, Nikki is in a prime position to get back to where she wants to be. Lover her or hate her, she’s worked extremely hard to not only battle back from a career threatening injury, but to also become a solid wrestler as opposed to just a pretty face.
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4. Naomi
Before No Mercy, Total Divas star Naomi found herself basically in the same place she’d been since she decided not to be a Funkadactyl any longer, the lower mid-card. After being drafted to Smackdown surprisingly early at 39 overall, she’d compiled a solid 11-6 record (cagematch.net), but hadn’t performed in the big moments, namely in the Six Pack Championship Challenge at Backlash, and a five-way number contender’s match on the September 13th episode of SmackDown Live.
That all changed Sunday night when she pulled off an upset win over #1 contender, Alexa Bliss. Competing on short notice after champ Becky Lynch pulled out, Naomi picked up one of the biggest wins of her career after using a tricky pinning combination to best the surging Bliss.
Nobody’s stock rose higher than Naomi’s at No Mercy. Let’s see if she can ride that momentum into the Smackdown Women’s title picture and see her massive potential finally materialize.
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3. Natalya
Without question one of the most talented in-ring workers in the entire women’s division, the criminally underrated Natalya has fallen to the wayside in the Smackdown’s Women’s division. After tapping out current champ Becky Lynch at the Battleground pay per view in July and then being successful in a six-woman tag team match at SummerSlam, Natty lost her chance at getting another shot to beat Lynch when she lost in the aforementioned five-way number one contender match on SmackDown live. She now finds herself on the outside looking in as Alexa Bliss is the number one contender.
Lynch’s health status now delays Natty’s chances of getting back into the ring with the title on the line. Her best bet might now be to take a run at Naomi, the woman who has a claim to the number one contender slot after beating Bliss. It would be in Natty’s best interest to knock off any potential threats that may stand between her and another potential showdown with Becky.
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2. Alexa Bliss
Her loss to Naomi at No Mercy not withstanding, Bliss is firmly entrenched as the #1 contender to Becky once she returns. That was made clear before her match Sunday night when Daniel Bryan confirmed to Bliss backstage that she would get her shot on Smackdown, November 8th in Glasgow, Scotland.
Bliss has all the makings of a future star. She’s got the look, the ability, and the character that could carry her as far as she wants to go. The scary part about Bliss’s potential is the fact that at 25 years-old she’s only been wrestling for just over 3 years. She’s made huge strides while developing under the WWE banner and seems destined to be a champion.
While waiting for her title shot, it would be in Bliss’s best interest to take a rematch with Naomi and exact some revenge for the upset loss. That will solidify her as the clear #1 contender with no questions asked. Her victory in the five-way that match that put her on a collision course with Lynch was impressive, but erasing that loss at No Mercy will squash any doubt about her future on Smackdown.
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1. Becky Lynch
It’s been an up and down few years for Lynch. After spending close to year in NXT, the Irish Lass Kicker got her first shot at championship gold but was unsuccessful in a fatal 4 way at NXT TakeOver: Rival in February of 2015, and then again against Sasha Banks at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable that May. Her match with Banks was one of the better ones of the entire year, male or female roster.
After being called up to the main roster in July of 2015, Lynch came close to the title on numerous occasions including the show-stealing match at Wrestlemania 32 against Banks and Charlotte. After being the first woman drafted to Smackdown, Lynch’s efforts finally paid off as she became the first ever Smackdown Women’s Champion after winning a Six Pack Challenge at Backlash last month.
On the eve of her first pay per view title defense, Lynch, with details still unclear, was unable to compete due to health issues. But that doesn’t stop Lynch from being the clear #1 woman on Smackdown and a worker who has the potential to produce some of the best matches of anyone on the entire roster. Get well soon, Becks. Smackdown needs you.
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