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The biggest winners and losers of last night's SmackDown (January 22)

Final confrontation - As far as building fan investment goes, last night's episode succeeded
Final confrontation - As far as building fan investment goes, last night's episode succeeded

Last night's SmackDown was rudimentary for a go-home show.

The equation didn't change a whole lot for many of the superstars on the blue brand in terms of their chances at the pay per view, but the show did make all of its bouts feel like the Royal Rumble on Sunday has higher stakes. As far as building fan investment goes, last night's episode succeeded.

Who got the most and least out of last night's SmackDown before the Royal Rumble?


Winners: Becky Lynch and Asuka

In contrast to last week's segment, there were no whining diatribes or awkward long promos on the part of the champion. A few words were exchanged, Charlotte Flair poked her nose in business which doesn't concern her as usual, and the two contestants brawled all around the ringside area. Both looked much better here.

Charlotte's entrance into this scuffle adds a wrinkle to things, because it's hard for either Becky or Asuka to lose cleanly at the moment. Asuka needs to find a way to retain her title, while Becky needs to keep her momentum toward Ronda Rousey going.

Might she find Charlotte Flair a convenient entrance into the bigger picture going into MetLife Stadium? Perhaps by saying the company is keeping her down? One feels like Becky needs to do something other than talk about how hot of an act she is.

That's already getting old and repetitive. Something bigger needs to happen, and soon, if she's going to maintain that heat, which WWE looks like it's investing a lot of resources in.

We might be in for a repeat of the Daniel Bryan saga from 2014. What if Becky Lynch is not in the Royal Rumble match everyone wants to see her in/win?

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