WWE Money in the Bank 2017 review: What we learned, takeaways, future projections

SmackDown Women’s Championship Match

Naomi (c) vs. Lana

What we learned: We learned here that Lana might actually have a future as a wrestler.

The WWE Universe was all set up for Lana to fail in her TV singles debut but she rose to the occasion and put on a very decent performance, much better than anyone could have anticipated. I’m not saying she’s ready to join the elite ranks with Charlotte or Sasha or Becky or Alexa just yet but she came through on Sunday night. Her selling still needs some work as there were a few spots that looked pretty bad but her athleticism was impressive and she told a good story in the ring by continuing to attack Naomi’s leg. Her spinebuster looked good, and while she didn’t get the win here — I don’t think anyone really expected her to but given the finishes in the previous two matches, you just didn’t know — she was a highlight of the night. Credit goes to Naomi as well for working well with her and easing her into this new role as a wrestler. The champ is a veteran and took care of her opponent, which is something the good ones do. Not bad at all.

What’s next: Carmella came down to the ring toward the end of the match and teased a cash-in, which is something to expect on a regular basis; again, assuming she actually gets to keep the briefcase. I don’t know if a Naomi/Carmella program can carry the division for too long, especially given the talent on the blue brand’s women’s roster, but it could be interesting on a short-term basis. With SummerSlam just two months out, the build toward a big match there needs to begin. There’s also a chance that Lana gets thrown into this mix as she’ll likely blame Carmella’s distraction for the loss.