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Raquel Rodriguez was angry during the latest episode of WWE SmackDown after her altercation with Damage CTRL. The villainous faction consisting of Bayley, IYO SKY, and Dakota Kai recently hurt Rodriguez's partner Aliyah, and she was out for revenge.
Bayley and Rodriguez clashed on WWE SmackDown, but the numbers disadvantage worked against the latter. The Role Model picked up a big win in part due to her stablemates. After the bout, however, things truly got interesting between the rivals.
Damage CTRL began attacking Rodriguez post-match, potentially injuring the former tag team champion. Shockingly, Shotzi made her way out from the backstage area. She attacked each faction member and forced them out of the ring.
Shotzi stood with Raquel after the match, though Rodriguez seemed confused by the green-haired superstar's actions. She even expressed her befuddlement in a promo after WWE SmackDown ended. Shotzi's actions caught everybody off-guard, and now fans and superstars alike are attempting to figure out the reasoning behind her behavior.
What could be Shotzi's motive to save Raquel Rodriguez from Damage CTRL on WWE SmackDown? Below are four reasons Shotzi saved Raquel Rodriguez from the evil stable on the blue brand.
#4. She may legitimately detest Damage CTRL
Shotzi defending Raquel Rodriguez may not simply be a case of her trying to be a hero, but more so her reading the room. Since Damage CTRL arrived on the scene, they've caused mayhem and pain on the women's roster.
Bayley returned during WWE SummerSlam with IYO SKY and Dakota Kai making their official main roster debuts by her side. The next night, the trio further injured Becky Lynch's hurt arm. They've also recently targeted former champion Aliyah.
Saving Raquel may be due to genuine animosity against Damage CTRL. The group is loud, annoying, and, most importantly, dangerous. The green-haired superstar likely realizes that she is better off standing against them with others as opposed to falling victim to the stable. If anybody can shut them up, it may be Shotzi.
#3. WWE SmackDown needs more babyfaces
A more practical reason for Shotzi seemingly turning babyface on WWE SmackDown comes down to what the brand needs moving forward. The roster is currently overloaded with heels, and few face stars could bring balance to the equation.
Xia Li, Sonya Deville, Shayna Baszler, Ronda Rousey, Natalya, and Lacey Evans are all active heels on the brand. The only babyfaces who are active in-ring competitors are Aliyah, Raquel Rodriguez, and Liv Morgan. Damage CTRL being a trio of heels, only further tips the scale.
Outside of kayfabe, Shotzi turning babyface on WWE SmackDown may better balance the brand's babyface-heel ratio. Excluding Damage CTRL, four active babyfaces on the brand will now be opposing six active heels. Until the likes of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Naomi return, that ratio seems much more balanced now.
#2. She may want to challenge for the tag team titles
Shotzi's potential babyface turn on WWE SmackDown may be authentic but not necessarily completely altruistic. There's a chance that she is joining the fray also to help herself and further her own career.
IYO SKY and Dakota Kai are the current-reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champions. Even ignoring how their behavior puts targets on their backs, the titles around their waists mean that every superstar is gunning for them.
As a former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion, Shotzi has proven to have what it takes to win tag team gold. Given Raquel recently held the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship alongside Aliyah, Shotzi may want to slide in and become Rodriguez's new partner. They may find success if linked up as both are extremely talented.
#1. Shotzi helping Raquel on WWE SmackDown may be a trick
While an optimistic perspective will see Shotzi's actions on WWE SmackDown as the green-haired star turning over a new leaf, there's no guarantee that is the case. Her actions may appear out of character for a reason.
Shotzi may be plotting something more nefarious and devious than fans may realize. She has proven to not be trustworthy since she and Tegan Nox were separated as a tag team in the 2021 WWE Draft. Shotzi hasn't had an active alliance that has lasted since then. In fact, she doesn't even appear to have many friends on the roster.
The extremely talented superstar may be plotting to take out the powerful Raquel, especially if she sees Rodriguez as a threat. Furthermore, Shotzi has had a rivalry with Raquel's partner, Aliyah, on WWE SmackDown in the past.
Shotzi saving Raquel Rodriguez was undoubtedly an unexpected move. While there are plenty of possible reasons for her actions, fans don't yet know why she did what she did. She may reveal more in the coming weeks on SmackDown.
Why do you think Shotzi saved Raquel Rodriguez on WWE SmackDown? Give your thoughts in the comments section below.
A WWE Hall of Famer called out AEW fans HERE
