The WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship, as well as the champion Asuka, continue to be a particularly low priority on WWE TV, as the new Women’s Tag Team Championship and the Raw Women’s Championship take up time on both shows. Asuka didn’t appear on Smackdown this week (which sadly has begun to seem pretty normal), nor did anyone discuss the belt or who might challenge her for it at WrestleMania. That didn’t happen until the show was over, when WWE released a video online in which Kayla Braxton interviews Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville.
In the course of the interview, Kayla reveals that next week’s Smackdown will feature a Fatal Four-Way match between Mandy, Sonya, Naomi, and Carmella, with the winner going on to face Asuka at WrestleMania 35. This booking is obviously designed to cause further drama between best friends Mandy and Sonya, who have had hints of tension for a long time, which have increased since Mandy’s loss to Asuka at Fastlane, which might have been Sonya’s fault.
It’s interesting that the Four-Way doesn’t feature any more recent additions to the roster. Lacey Evans wouldn’t have been too surprising, since her constant entrances that go nowhere seem to be building her up for something. Meanwhile, Nikki Cross, who has only appeared online lately, is cutting promos on the WrestleMania sign.
The Women’s Battle Royal seems like the most likely place for Lacey and Nikki, as well as whoever doesn’t win the Four-Way next week. Of course it won’t be at all surprising if two or more of those four women find their way into the championship match. Pitting Mandy and Sonya both against Asuka would add to their drama, while putting a former champion like Naomi or Carmella in the mix would add prestige and experience to the match. In any case, we’ll know more soon.
