5 Things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown before Survivor Series: Possible spoiler on top Survivor Series match, Former World Champion's WrestleMania 38 storyline officially begins?

#3. Sonya Deville and the crooked referee on SmackDown

On the latest episode of SmackDown, we witnessed yet another crooked refereeing moment. This isn't a new concept to WWE.

It happened all the way back in the 80s when Hulk Hogan controversially lost the WWE Championship to Andre the Giant, it happened in the Montreal Screwjob in 1997, and during Daniel Bryan's storyline with The Authority in 2014, the presence of a crooked referee was key in the storyline.

These are only a few of many examples, and on SmackDown, we may have seen history be made with the first-ever crooked female referee. Aja Smith was the referee for the match featuring Naomi and Aliyah against Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

Natalya had a crucifix pin position on Naomi, but the latter kicked out after just one count. This didn't matter as Smith rang the bell anyway. Later backstage on SmackDown, Sami Zayn was talking to Sonya Deville, and Aja Smith approached her to check if she did alright, hinting at a bribe.

What better place to ask for a bribe than on live television? Either way, WWE is doing a good job of getting heat on Deville, whose payoff and beatdown at the hands of Naomi is getting closer and closer.