WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Asuka aligns with Damage CTRL after main event turn
Asuka #Asuka
With Kairi Sane returning at Crown Jewel and immediately linking up with Damage CTRL, it was clear some of SmackDown’s top women superstars would need to align to handle an increasingly dangerous group. That appeared to be exactly what was happening in Friday’s SmackDown main event before Asuka turned and aligned herself with Damage CTRL.
Asuka teamed with Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair in a match that came about because Belair was upset over Sane’s return leading to her loss in the women’s championship match at Crown Jewel on Saturday. Asuka had bigger plans than working with Belair and Flair, however, and ended the night celebrating with her new Damage CTRL allies after spraying mist in Belair’s eyes.
CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Asuka turns on tag partners to align herself with Damage CTRL
Damage CTRL addressed Kairi Sane’s return at Crown Jewel with Bayley upset because ‘she had a plan” for Iyo Sky to retain her women’s championship against Bianca Belair and Sane was not part of it. Dakota Kai, Sky and Sane said they also had a plan and only brought Sane into the group to make them stronger. This brought out Belair, and then Charlotte Flair, and then Asuka, ultimately setting up a six-woman tag team match for the night’s main event.
Damage CTRL vs. Bianca Belair, Asuka & Charlotte Flair ended in a no contest after Asuka turned on her team. A fairly straightforward match took an unexpected turn late when a desperate Belair was ready to make the tag to Asuka only for Asuka to pull her hand away, refusing to tag in. As Belair tried to figure out what was going on, Asuka blasted her in the face with mist before delivering a kick. From there, the beatdown was on as the bell rang. Shotzi Blackheart attempted to run in to make the save but also was taken out by Damage CTRL and their new ally before the show went off the air.
It appears SmackDown is on a path for the brand’s War Games match at Survivor Series. Asuka turning to join up with her old friend in Sane makes complete sense and solidifies one side of a potential War Games match. Flair, Belair and Blackheart will need at least one more partner (two if WWE keeps the tradition of five-on-five alive). The match itself wasn’t anything special but at least there was meaning for everything that happened. Grade: B
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