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It was made official by the Acting General Manager of Monday Night Raw Baron Corbin that Team Raw and Team SmackDown will clash in a traditional Survivor Series tag team elimination match. He also made it clear that 2 (one men's and the other women's) 5-on-5 matches will be held at Survivor Series. While the men of SmackDown have won 1 and lost 1 match to team RAW, the women of SD Live have failed to defeat the women of the flagship show on both the occasions. Asuka and Charlotte Flair who had played a huge role in RAW's two victories are now on the blue brand and so the tables might be turned on RAW this time.
Also Read: 5 female superstars who should represent RAW and 5 who should not
I have already discussed team RAW and here are the 5 female superstars who should be a part of team SmackDown and 5 who should not:
#1 Should Be - Charlotte Flair (Captain)
Charlotte Flair put on a performance of a lifetime against Becky Lynch in a Last Woman Standing Match at WWE Evolution. The two women blew the arena's roof down in that classic match-up. However, the Nature Girl could not capture the Women's title which gave Becky a chance to represent the blue brand versus RAW's champion Ronda Rousey.
Charlotte has won both the matches she has taken part in the inter-brand warfare. She was one of the two sole survivors for Team RAW in 2016 and scored a victory for Team Blue by defeating RAW's champion Alexa Bliss in 2017. She was even offered the captaincy role by SD Live GM Paige this past week and most probably this week Charlotte would win a multi-woman match to be officially assigned the captain's position.
#1 Should Not Be - Lana
The Ravishing Russian, despite being popular amongst the WWE Universe has been sloppy in the ring. She has had her own share of botches in the ring in spite of her best efforts. Lana is a regular feature on the WWE Mixed Match Challenge as her husband's tag team partner. However, she has failed to impress the WWE Creative with her in-ring performances.
Even if she is included in the SD Live's women's team, she would probably be the first woman to be eliminated from the match. This would do nothing but bury Lana's on-screen character. It would be better for her to stay out of the inter-brand warfare. Lana was not in Team SmackDown in the last two years and I think the same trend should continue this year.
#2 Should Be - Carmella
Carmella has worked hard since the brand split which has led to her rise in the women's division. She became the first-ever Miss Money in the Bank by winning the ladder match in 2017. The Princess of Staten Island even successfully cashed in her briefcase to win her first title in the WWE. She held the SD Live Women's championship for 4 months before losing it at the Biggest Party of Summer in 2018.
Since then she has been out of the title picture and has been paired up with R-Truth as a co-host of Truth TV. Though the pair of Truth and Carmella is fun to watch, it has depreciated the former Women's champion character as she rarely is a part of singles matches now. A strong showing at Survivor Series will help her get back at the top of the division.
#2 Should Not Be - Zelina Vega
Zelina Vega used to appear on Tuesday nights as the business manager of El Idolo Andrade Cien Almas. However, she now wrestles more frequently than appearing with Almas. She had multiple matches with Lana and even teamed up with Almas to battle Rusev and Lana at the SummerSlam kick-off. Vega even battled in the Women's Battle Royale at Evolution. While, her participation in these matches is not the matter of concern it is the way she is being booked.
She lost her match to Rusev and Lana on a SmackDown episode and then to Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella. Vega also was poorly booked in the Women's Battle Royale at Evolution and if she is considered for the SD Live team, expect another poor outing for the business manager.
#3 Should Be - Asuka
Remember the dominance of the Japanese female superstar when her undefeated streak was intact? Asuka has received the reciprocal booking of it once Charlotte ended her streak at WrestleMania 34. The Empress of Tomorrow has lost matches to Carmella, the IIconics on PPVs and is finding it hard to maintain her position in the female division.
She was the sole survivor of the women's match at Survivor Series 2017. However, given the booking she has received in the past few months, she might even find it hard to make a place for herself in the SD Live women's team. Asuka is a talented superstar and deserves better booking than what she is receiving. A dominant performance at the inter-brand warfare may help her revitalize her on-screen character.
#3 Should Not Be - The IIconics
The reason why the IIconics should not be a part of Team SD Live is that the maximum number of members in the team is 5 and not 10. To have either one of the two Billie Kay or Peyton Royce may be the way WWE Creative goes but it doesn't make sense to have only one member of the Iconic duo. And if both the superstars are included, it might be difficult to book a SmackDown victory.
Given the friendship they share, it would be good to leave them both off the team and instead have someone who can really benefit from this match. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce could be inserted into a tag team match tomorrow where the winning team qualifies against Asuka and this woman.
#4 Should Be - Naomi
Naomi is one of the few superstars to have won the SD Live Women's title twice in her career. She won it first at WWE Elimination Chamber PPV in 2017 and for the second time at WrestleMania 33. The female superstar had a good run at the helm of the women's division but ever since she lost her title to the Queen of Harts, Natalya at SummerSlam 2017 she has not been included in the title picture.
Naomi has been losing more matches now than she is winning which has kept her away from the SD Live title scene. But with the Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair feud now potentially coming to an end, WWE may want another face superstar to feud with the heel Becky Lynch. WWE Survivor Series could be the perfect launching pad for Naomi to become the next #1 contender for the title.
#4 Should Not Be - Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville debuted on the main roster as Paige's sidekicks as a part of the faction "Absolution". However, ever since Paige retired, the two female superstars haven't had much to do even after they were drafted to SmackDown Live.
This shows that the WWE creative is in no mood to push the two towards the top and perhaps, keeping them out of the Survivor Series match is best for them. Mandy Rose who was the first woman to be eliminated from the Royal Rumble match and Elimination Chamber match might just be used to complete a treble by becoming the first woman to be eliminated from the Survivor Series match.
#5 Should Be - Maria Kanellis
Many members of the WWE Universe believed that Maria Kanellis was supposed to stay in her husband's corner and going to wrestle after her return. But the WWE made things pretty clear by having Mike Kanellis shifted to Monday Night RAW and leaving his wife Maria on the blue brand. With Maria making her in-ring return at WWE Evolution, it seems that she might make a return to WWE TV on the UK special episode of SD Live.
Maria Kanellis has been wrestling since 2004 and if provided the ideal platform she could emerge as one of the top female superstars of the company. Paige might name her as the final member of team SmackDown or may even put her in a match against Mandy Rose/ Sonya Deville. Given the mic skills she possesses, she could even have an emphatic feud with the SD Live Women's champ Becky Lynch in the near future and for that to happen, Maria needs to be a part of team SD Live.
#5 Should Not Be - Brie Bella / Maryse
Brie Bella and Maryse were involved in a heated rivalry after SummerSlam 2018 and even were a part of multiple matches on SD Live. While Brie worked on both the brands RAW and SD Live, Maryse has been a part of the blue brand. WWE may try to bring Maryse back for one match but given her sub-par showing at Hell in A Cell, she should be ignored for the pay-per-view. Her inclusion may even come at the cost of a younger female talent a mistake which the Creative team should not commit. The same goes for Brie Bella as well. Despite her best efforts, she has not been able to repeat her past performances and should not be included in the Survivor Series match.
Which 5 female superstars do you think will form team SD Live? Share your views in the comments box below.
