WWE Mixed Match Challenge: Top 5 most interesting teams from Season 2

We are two weeks into the second season of WWE Mixed Match Challenge. Around nine months after the first season, WWE decided to bring the concept back. There have also been some changes made to the format. It is now going to be a round robin style tournament with a final to decide the winner, instead of a knockout system. This is much better, as we get two matches each week after Smackdown instead of one.

Also, the drawn-out format gives all the teams enough time to develop their stories and form some real chemistry with one another. It is a fusion of the men's and the women's divisions in WWE, something we hardly ever get. Various superstars get the chance to show their charismatic selves without many restrictions, as they could not do on regular WWE programming. Last season gave us some really fun segments between partners.

While none of them is competing this time for two different reasons, the pairing of Becky Lynch and Sami Zayn was a lot of fun, showing off how both of them really can be if given the chance. Zayn trying to turn Becky to the dark side was a great precursor to what we are seeing now, as she is probably the biggest star on Smackdown today. There are a few married couples who are teaming again, while a few new pairings have caught the eye.

Here are the five most interesting teams from Season 2 of Mixed Match Challenge, based on (potential) chemistry, popularity and chances of winning, all combined.

#5 R-Truth and Carmella

The fifth spot was a toss-up between Kevin Owens and Natalya, the husband-wife pairing of Rusev and Lana, and this oddball team. However, the fact that R-Truth and Carmella have had a story of sorts over the past month on Smackdown gives them the edge. While they don't really stand much of a chance and will likely finish in the bottom two, this pairing has potential to be one of the most entertaining parts of Season 2.

The running story of R-Truth trying to pin Carmella has given us some of the funniest TV segments of the year. This is WWE comedy done right. It has been a seamless transition for the former Smackdown Women's Champion from heel to face, as she is continuing to improve her standing on the roster. Truth himself is enjoying somewhat of a career renaissance on the Blue brand, showing his still fantastic athletic ability in the ring.

Smackdown is a bag of fun at the moment, with good wrestling and logical storytelling. Almost every superstar is well utilised on the show and comes out better. The story between Truth and Carmella is proof of the vast improvements made on the Tuesday night show. They aren't a threat to any of the stronger teams, but their segments could potentially be the most memorable from this season. Also, Carmella helping Truth perform "What's up" to the ring is great!

#4 Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss

Side note: Alexa Bliss is currently injured and has been replaced for the time being by Ember Moon. Once she is back, the Goddess will take back her place next to Braun Strowman.

Alexa Bliss should be good to go for the second round of fixtures of the Mixed Match Challenge, after she was ruled out of the first match due to injury. While the team of Ember Moon and Braun Strowman is certainly a good one, how 'bout that Eclipse from Strowman's shoulders, the Goddess has been scheduled to team with the Monster Among Men for the second season running. They had their cute moments from Season 1, possibly as the most popular team.

Bliss and Strowman really played up the massive contrast in size between the two with some hilarious skits pre-tournament, before they had a weird and adorable chemistry throughout the season. WWE also heavily teased the two getting romantically involved in storyline, across various matches. They also showed each other some love in the weird inter-gender pre-Money in the Bank ladder segment on Raw. Funny thing is, both of them actually won the briefcases this year.

It will be intriguing to see what they have to offer this time around. How much more will they tease an on-screen relationship between Bliss and Strowman? Could second time be the charm for Team Little Big? Now that the Monster is a heel, how will that affect his role in this partnership? Will they go all the way? Lots of questions surrounding Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss, that's what makes them one of the more interesting teams this time as well.

#3 The Miz and Asuka

Last year's winners have a tall task ahead for them.

On the Tuesday before WrestleMania, The Miz and Asuka beat Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair to win the inaugural Mixed Match Challenge. A lot has changed since then. Both of them travelled to Smackdown, from Raw, in the Superstar Shakeup. Asuka lost her winning streak at the Grandest Stage Of Them All, to Charlotte in an incredible match. However, since that defeat, the Empress has seen her momentum fizzle out on the Blue brand as she has plummeted down the card in shocking fashion.

Miz, on the other hand, has been as good as ever on Smackdown. He is finally in a feud with Daniel Bryan, having being linked with him for two years since that Talking Smack promo. The fortunes of these two could not be more different. However, Asuka could use the Mixed Match Challenge to regain some of that aura. Highly unlikely, but possible. This pairing between Asuka and The Miz seemed a bit odd at first, but it has grown over time to become one of the most interesting teams of the tournament.

One thing that held them back in the previous season was Asuka's winning streak. That made all of their matches feel predictable. Now, without the shackles of the streak, Miz and Asuka will have more freedom to tell compelling stories. Unfortunately for them though, winning the entire thing again might prove to be a really tall task. We've got some better teams, more interesting ones as well, who would have a better chance at winning the second season of Mixed Match Challenge.

#2 Finn Balor and Bayley

Finn Balor and Bayley go way back. Way back to when they were still in NXT, running strong as the champions there. This was when the "developmental" brand of WWE was still coming into its own as a viable third brand, at the start of 2016. Balor and Bayley walked out of the first-ever Takeover event in Brooklyn with the two top NXT singles titles and had a career path very similar to each other since. They were on top of their respective divisions until the period around WrestleMania, with defeats to Asuka and Samoa Joe coming at different times and different circumstances.

The pair would lose their eventual championship rematches and make their way to Raw around the start of the second brand split two years ago. After some early success, probably too early, the both of them fell back in a very damaging way. Balor got injured and Bayley got hold of a kendo stick. They have also been booked in a similar way since recovering from their setbacks, as they remain on the mid-card of their respective divisions. It is a real shame. Funnily, both Balor and Bayley could really do with a heel turn.

These two had a lot of fun together at live events leading into NXT Takeover: Dallas, with Balor and Bayley doing each other's entrances. The pair even shared a dance together, in what was a cute moment between the pair. WWE missed a step in not pairing them together for the first season of Mixed Match Challenge, going with Balor and Sasha Banks instead, and have made it right this time around. It will be fun to see what they do as a team during the tournament. Hopefully, Finn Balor and Bayley find some success.

#1 AJ Styles and Charlotte Flair

This is a real dream team. AJ Styles and Charlotte Flair have been close to each other since the Phenomenal One signed for WWE in 2016, with their friendship finally getting a platform on WWE programming. Ever since Charlotte moved to Smackdown last year, the pair has been constantly posting pictures with each other on social media. You would think they were in a relationship if AJ was not happily married to his wife, Wendy, who Samoa Joe just loves to call out. However, they are just good friends and are coincidentally the best in their respective divisions.

AJ was the WWE Champion when Mixed Match Challenge was first born, and he is still on top right now, while Charlotte was on top of the Smackdown women's division in January before reclaiming the belt to be champion when Season Two was announced. She may have lost the title to Becky Lynch before the start of the tournament, but she still is one of the greatest female wrestlers in WWE history. Seeing the two most dominant superstars on the Smackdown brand team together for the Mixed Match Challenge really improves the stock of the tournament.

It will be fascinating to see how the pair gets on and if they are able to win all of their matches. The only opponents from Smackdown that AJ and Charlotte could feasibly lose to are The Miz and Asuka. That could be a potential final for the Smackdown brand. Also, how do the current storylines factor into this? AJ, currently in a personal feud with Joe, could have some bigger fish to fry. On the other hand, Charlotte has been tormented by Becky Lynch at every turn. This leaves the door open for some possible involvement from the Smackdown Women's Champion.

Those factors, along with the fact that this team is filled with greatness, make AJ Styles and Charlotte Flair the most interesting team from the second season of Mixed Match Challenge. Will they go on to win it all?