5 ways the Nikki Bella vs. Natalya feud can fulfill its potential
SmackDown Live gets a lot of things right, and it’s almost hard to believe that their show is run by the same company as Raw. One of SmackDown’s best traits is its ability to utilise all of the talent on the roster, as opposed to just headlining one or two feuds.
Whereas Raw has only focused on the same four main eventers or has promoted the epic Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks rivalry at the cost of other superstars. SmackDown, on the other hand, has a long list of intriguing feuds.
Currently, the headlining feud in the women’s division remains Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss, with a steel cage Championship match on the horizon. Lynch and Bliss have certainly brought the heat over the past few months, and it is remarkable how both superstars have been able to keep this rivalry fresh.
However, the feud between Nikki Bella and Natalya is suddenly becoming just as captivating, as both veteran wrestlers had an all-out brawl on the last episode of SmackDown.
Last week’s episode gave us the best moment of the rivalry so far, but the WWE needs to make sure that this rivalry lives up to its potential.
Even though no title is on the line here, there can be a feeling of something at stake. Here are five ways the blue brand can ensure that Nikki Bella and Natalya deliver an excellent rivalry early in 2017.
#5 Emphasize the in-ring work
When Nikki Bella and Natalya battled it out in November for the right to be the captain of the SmackDown Women’s Survivor Series team, I thought it would be nothing more than a filler match.
As expected, Nikki prevailed, but the match completely exceeded my expectations. Both women made the captain spot feel kind of important because they absolutely killed it.
Also read: 5 Best Diva matches in WWE PG era
Nikki Bella defeated Natalya by getting her to tap out to the STF, and many joked that her version of the submission hold was superior to John Cena’s. She certainly did a great job with the move, and the entire match was filled with solid counters and quick pins.
It was exciting, and it made me hopeful that SmackDown would consider making this a future rivalry. After someone attacked Nikki Bella prior to the Survivor Series 5-on-5 match, my hopes only rose.
We haven’t seen the two competitors face off in an actual match yet because they merely brawled in last week’s episode. That’s perfectly fine, because, in this case, it served to up the ante when it comes to the animosity between the two superstars.
However, the WWE needs to make sure that we get to see both athletes showcase their in-ring ability plenty of times because this should be the heart of the feud. Natalya has been busy dissing Nikki’s looks, while Nikki brought Bret Hart and the rest of Natalya’s family legacy into the picture.
That’s all fine, but when you have two superstars who are this talented in the ring, the focus needs to be on the actual wrestling.