5 Major Implications of the Mixed Match Challenge

After the considerable success of the first season of WWE's Mixed Match Challenge, the second season hasn't lived up to expectations. Teams such as Lashley & Mickie James facing elimination, along with the mid-season replacements of reputed stars were detrimental to the show. Alexa Bliss, AJ Styles and Kevin Owens were amongst those who were replaced due to various injuries, leading to a decrease of star power in the Mixed Match Challenge.

After weeks of entertainment, we have our last four teams facing off against each other for a spot in the finals. With WWE making the overall victory even more sweeter with a 'paid vacation' along with the chance to enter the Royal Rumble at number 30, competitors have to give their all in possibly sealing an indirect ticket to Wrestlemania 35.

Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox face off against the pair of Finn Balor and Bayley, while reigning champions Aweska (Asuka and the Miz) face off against Carmella and R-Truth. While the matches are set for the next couple of weeks, we try to decode what WWE has in plan for the superstars still active in MMC Season 2 right now

#5 Carmella/R-Truth and Fox/Mahal

Dance Break!

Even before the semi-finals of the WWE Mixed Match Challenge get underway, two teams are already out of the running, considering the prize of entering the Royal Rumble at Number 30. With neither of the four competitors being household names, it is highly unlikely that the WWE would be investing their time upon these two teams from Raw and Smackdown.

Carmella and R-Truth initially seemed to be the work of lazy writing. But this has proven to be a masterstroke with both of them gaining the support of the fans. Carmella's current run adds up to her impressive 2018 after clinching her first Women's championship earlier in the year.

While Carmella and R-Truth have arguably been the stand-out team of this year's competition, with the seven-second dance break being one of the highlights, they are sure to settle for a semi-final exit to the formidable team of the hot favorites, Miz and Asuka.

#4 Could Bayley be drafted to Smackdown Live?

Could this be it for Bayley?

As already seen in the case of this year's Royal Rumble winner Asuka, Bayley could be slated to win the MMC Season 2 along with Balor, which would increase her odds of winning the 2019 Royal Rumble match and challenging the Smackdown Women's Champion at Wrestlemania.

With stars like Ronda Rousey, Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss and the emergence of Ember Moon, Bayley has not been in the main-event picture for a very long time. Considering her in-ring abilities and her following amongst the WWE Universe, it wouldn't be surprise if we were to see Bayley compete in a very depleted Smackdown Live roster.

As of now, Smackdown Live's roster can only boast of three superstars and are in desperate need of a performer like Bayley, who could realize her potential under the tutelage of Smackdown GM, Paige. Only time will tell what WWE creative have got in store of the Hugger.

#3 Fantasy Balor Matches

Too Sweet

Finn Balor created history when he won the Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2016. But fate had other ideas for Balor, with him relinquishing his title the very next night due to an injury. Since returning from injury, Balor has not come anywhere near the main event scene.

If the WWE Creative decide to hand Bayley and Balor the win in the MMC Finale, it would mean something special in store for the fans. The possibilities are countless!

We could witness Balor (most probably The Demon King) face off against the likes of Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan or even AJ Styles if he won the Royal Rumble.

There is even an outside chance that Balor would win the Royal Rumble and challenge the WWE Champion culminating in a Balor Club or Bullet Club re-union with AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in the Smackdown roster. If even one of the aforementioned gets to happen, we are in for a treat!

#2 Asuka's probably not winning at TLC

The women's division of Smackdown has been the talk of the town! With the reinvented Becky 'The Man' Lynch running the show, Paige announced that Lynch, Flair and the Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka would take part in the first ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at the TLC pay-per-view for the Smackdown Women's Championship.

In spite of this being a great opportunity for Asuka, who has found championship matches hard to come by after her losses to Carmella, this sadly probably means that Asuka ISN'T going to win the Women's championship at TLC.

If Asuka were to win at TLC, then it would mean that Miz and Asuka aren't going to win the MMC, as it wouldn't be logically correct for the champion to even enter the Royal Rumble, let alone enter at number 30.

WWE has a lot on their plate in carefully planning for Asuka and her role in the build up to Wrestlemania.

#1 Daniel Bryan vs The Miz at Wrestlemania?

It seems like Bryan and Miz are bound to fight forever!

When the WWE announced that the winners of the Mixed Match Challenge were to enter the respective Royal Rumbles at 30, the two superstars that came up into everyone's mind were Brain Strowman and the Miz. With Strowman's injury and elimination and Bryan winning the WWE Championship, it seems to be written in the stars!

The Miz and Daniel Bryan have a very deep rivalry with tensions developed between the former mentor-protege during the first season of NXT. Since then, both of them have been at each other's throats, with the Miz stealing Bryan's moves and Bryan even calling the Miz a coward in 2016.

With Bryan's sudden entry back into WWE and his subsequent championship victory, it would be the perfect scenario to book the Miz and Bryan for another chapter in the storied rivalry.

Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt was the last time WWE invested in a storyline that culminated at Wrestlemania, but this could change with the Miz winning the MMC and consequently the Royal Rumble.