WWE Backlash 2018: Preview and predictions
By Luke Norris
SmackDown Women’s Championship Match
Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Look, everyone. The women of WWE are back on pay-per-view. Okay, I don’t want to get political here so let’s start with the SmackDown Women’s Championship Match between Carmella and Charlotte Flair.
Just two days after a fantastic match that saw Charlotte Flair end the undefeated streak of Asuka, Money in the Bank winner Carmella finally seized the opportunity and cashed in her briefcase on SmackDown Live after Charlotte had suffered a brutal attack at the hands of the debuting IIconics (no, that doesn’t have a lowercase L in it … it just looks really silly) to win her first championship. Great, good for her. But in a division that includes Charlotte Flair, Asuka and Becky Lynch, among others, does anyone really think that Carmella should be champion?
Sure, she’s a decent heel, but she doesn’t have as much charisma as some give her credit for, and while her in-ring work has improved over the last year, she’s nowhere near the level of the three I mentioned and pretty much ranks just above Lana on the blue brand if we’re being honest here. The contract signing for this match was somewhat enjoyable, but this certainly isn’t a high-profile affair.
Prediction: I’m hoping that Charlotte can carry Carmella through this and we at least get a decent contest out of this, but I’m not holding my breath. It’s true that Charlotte doesn’t need a title to stay relevant and she’s got some big matches coming down the line. But I can’t fathom her beating Asuka at WrestleMania and then losing clean to Carmella. That just can’t happen. A dirty win for Carmella could play out here, so I’ll go with the upset and say that’s what happens.