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In July, Liv Morgan won the Money in the Bank briefcase at the WWE Money in the Bank event. In doing so, she battled multiple other women in a hellacious ladder match. While her win was impressive, it wasn't the biggest takeaway from the show, as the highlight came later in the night.
After Ronda Rousey defeated Natalya, Liv Morgan came down to ringside and cashed in her newly won MITB contract. In just a matter of moments, the 28-year-old captured the SmackDown Women's Championship from The Rowdy One.
At WWE SummerSlam, The Baddest Woman On The Planet had a rematch against Morgan. Rousey was hoping to win her championship back and dominated Morgan for most of the bout.
The match's finish saw the UFC legend locking in an armbar, but Rousey's shoulders were on the mat. While the referee was counting to three, Morgan tapped out. Unfortunately for The Rowdy One, the referee didn't see Morgan submit and awarded the win to the former Riott Squad member.
With WWE SummerSlam now behind her, what will be next for Liv Morgan? Could the SmackDown Women's Champion continue her storyline with Rousey? Could she face a returning star? Or will she perhaps look to win even more gold?
Below are five possible directions for Liv Morgan following WWE SummerSlam.
#5. Morgan may continue her rivalry with Ronda Rousey following WWE SummerSlam
The ending of Ronda Rousey vs Liv Morgan at WWE SummerSlam was mired in controversy. While the latter walked away as the SmackDown Women's Champion, whether or not she deserved the victory is up for debate.
Ronda Rousey certainly believes that Morgan should no longer be champion as she brutally assaulted her opponent and the match official after the bout. The attack led to The Baddest Woman On The Planet being fined and suspended. For now, the WWE Universe isn't sure when the UFC Hall of Famer will return to television.
If Rousey does return to action in the near future, Liv Morgan's trajectory may continue to be intertwined with the former. With the controversial finish to their SummerSlam bout, it could be argued that The Rowdy One deserves a rematch. If she receives one, the new champion may be in for a rude awakening this time around.
#4. She could attempt to unify the RAW and SmackDown Championships
It seems as if unifying championships are a popular thing to do in WWE this year. At WrestleMania 38, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar battled Universal Champion Roman Reigns. The Tribal Chief won the bout and became the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Not long afterwards, the SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos defeated RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro to unify the tag titles on Friday Night SmackDown. Notably, stars of the blue brand have been successful in both instances of championship unification.
If Liv Morgan wants to continue the trend, she could potentially challenge Bianca Belair, the current reigning RAW Women's Champion. While many members of the WWE Universe would prefer not to see the titles unified, it could certainly happen. If the two talented stars collided on a premium live event, fans would be glued to their devices to see who'd win.
#3. Morgan may move on to a new challenger on the SmackDown roster
For Liv Morgan's championship reign to be a true success, she must be a fighting champion. The young star doesn't run away from a challenge no matter who it is, as proven in her rivalries with the likes of Rhea Ripley and Ronda Rousey.
If her feud with The Baddest Woman On The Planet is over or at least delayed, Morgan could move on to battle other potential challengers on the Friday Night SmackDown. Several stars could make compelling opposition for the champion in the weeks to come.
Raquel Rodriguez would be an intimidating foe due to her impressive physical stature. The likes of Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville could also be intense opposition to Morgan. The two most intriguing options, however, are Lacey Evans and Shotzi.
Evans is despised by the WWE Universe, which will make for good television. Shotzi, on the other hand, is incredibly underrated and deserves more opportunities. Morgan has several exciting foes she could battle moving forward.
#2. Sasha Banks may return to challenge for the title
Rumors about Sasha Banks' potential status with WWE continue to circulate. Several months ago, the talented superstar walked out of the company alongside Naomi during Monday Night RAW. Since then, there's been speculation over her contract situation and whether she is still signed to the promotion.
With Vince McMahon retired and Triple H in power, there's a chance things could be mended between the company and Banks. If things do end up being fixed, there are a lot of intriguing routes The Boss could take upon her return.
One fascinating direction could see Sasha Banks challenge Liv Morgan for the SmackDown Women's Championship. Banks is one of the best female superstars of all time, and she'd undoubtedly help elevate the current champion. The Boss always works well as a villain, and Morgan is extremely likeable. This clash of contrasting gimmicks could make WWE a lot of money.
#1. Liv Morgan may turn heel following WWE SummerSlam
Despite Liv Morgan having the name The Miracle Kid, she isn't necessarily as wholesome as fans think. While she is a beloved underdog in modern WWE and on Friday Night SmackDown, she once had a different side to her.
When Morgan first joined World Wrestling Entertainment, she was a member of The Riott Squad. She, alongside Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan, caused mischief and, at times, would triple-team fellow performers.
While most fans believe Ronda Rousey lashing out the way she did was heelish, it could be argued that Morgan was the more villainous of the two. She celebrated a win even though she tapped out. The referee simply didn't notice the loss, and now Morgan gloats about defeating The Baddest Woman On The Planet.
While the SmackDown Women's Champion turning heel may seem unlikely, it certainly isn't impossible.
Who will challenge The Miracle Kid next? Will Ronda Rousey continue her title pursuit? Could Sasha Banks return to the company? Could Morgan attempt to unify the women's titles? With the changes in the company as of late, almost anything is possible.
Speaking of the changes within WWE, click here for five possible ways that Naomi could return to the company following Vince McMahon's retirement.
