5 WWE SmackDown opponents for Lacey Evans' return match
Lacey Evans keeps bouncing around from brand to brand. After time away from WWE following her pregnancy, vignettes finally started to air the return of the star.
The vignettes and segments promoting her return began on SmackDown. It included an appearance in front of the live crowd. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, videos hyping her return began to air during RAW instead. Lacey was finally set to have her first match back on the red brand, only for the bout not to happen.
The superstar is back on SmackDown and is allegedly making an appearance on the next episode. While it hasn't been confirmed that she'll be competing, fans are finally getting desperate to see Evans in action. If Lacey does have a match, who will she end up battling? SmackDown has several quality candidates to choose from.
Below are five WWE SmackDown opponents for Lacey Evans' return match:
#5. Lacey could take on a local enhancement talent
A simple approach to Lacey's in-ring return is to pair her up with local talent. The goal in this scenario would be to give Evans a dominant win without giving away a match that could mean something more in the future.
At times, wrestling moves quickly. Lacey defeating enhancement talent for a few weeks helps save bigger matches later. It also helps avoid many rematches.
#4. Aliyah is a likable babyface for Lacey to defeat
If Lacey is a heel when she finally does compete, she needs babyface opposition. With Naomi and Sasha Banks currently suspended indefinitely, the SmackDown female roster doesn't have an abundance of heroes.
Aliyah is a potential opponent for Evans. While Aliyah hasn't received a major push during her tenure on WWE's main roster, she has had a brief story with Natalya and an ongoing feud with Shotzi. Fans seem to like the sympathetic babyface. That makes her the perfect potential victim for Evans.
#3. Shotzi would be difficult opposition for Evans
While many expect Lacey Evans to be a heel when she returns to action, that hasn't yet been confirmed. While she's at her best as a condescending villain, she needs an opponent who can make her look strong if she were to be a babyface.
Shotzi would be perfect for the role. The green-haired superstar can bump around and sell for Lacey before ultimately putting her over. Since Shotzi has an ongoing feud with Aliyah, a loss to Lacey wouldn't hurt her stock much. Meanwhile, a win for Lacey could help push the returning star up the card.
#2. Raquel Rodriguez would be a big challenge
Raquel Rodriguez is a big challenge for Lacey Evans on SmackDown. The Latina powerhouse recently joined the blue brand after a successful run on NXT, where she held both singles and tag gold.
Since joining the main roster, she has successfully defeated an enhancement talent, Shotzi, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler. She's also taken Ronda Rousey to the limit. While it looks like another bout between Rousey and Rodriguez will happen in the future, Lacey could change those plans.
If Evans battles and defeats Raquel, she'll move up in the eyes of both management and the WWE Universe. While Natalya is the #1 contender right now, Evans defeating Raquel would likely place her next in line for a title shot.
#1. Lacey Evans could take on the champion
While unlikely to happen, the biggest match for Lacey Evans would be against Ronda Rousey. It's for a few reasons. Rousey's star power is the most apparent reason. Whether the WWE Universe loves or hates Rousey at any given time, she has more name recognition than most in the promotion.
Another key reason why the match would be big for Lacey Evans is that Ronda is the SmackDown Women's Champion. If Evans can defeat the champion, even in a non-title bout, her stock rises significantly.
There could be potential negatives if this were to be Lacey's first bout back. A win would propel Evans' career significantly, but a loss would push her to the bottom of the rung for potential challengers. The risk may be worth the reward, however.
For now, the WWE Universe doesn't know who Evans will face when she returns to SmackDown. The powerful superstar may not even end up competing. Whenever she does return to the ring, though, the WWE Universe will be excited to see how it unfolds.