Really hoping the focus of the Asuka/Naomi pairing isn't going to be strictly comedic like it was in that singular segment. Not that Asuka can't do comedy well, but that's like, entirely what the focus of the Mixed Match Challenge is (or at least, it was last time, I don't really see why they'd change that) so keep that content relegated to there so you're not conditioning people to start treating her as a comedy competitor. With that said, I don't think this will actual remain a comedy schtick, I think the intention was to quickly attempt to form a bond between the two on TV since I believe there's been about zero interaction between the two prior to last week, and how do you easily show people as friends, have them laugh together? I don't particularly like this direction regardless if the focus is going to be comedic, but I suppose if this results in them winning the first ever tag titles or something I'll be fine with it. And I did read somewhere else that Asuka was initially planned to have the heel turn but creative decided to go with Becky Lynch instead. Assuming that's true, it'd be logical to assume that maybe Tea-Generation X were going to feud with The Iconic Duo and maybe go on to Evolution and face The Lesbian Duo to crown the inaugural tag champs, so maybe the slots just got switched. & even if they won't even give Asuka a tag title for some dumb reason, at least Naomi will be there to take the fall and I do believe WWE is at least smart enough to not have Asuka take the fall because even though the matches with Carmella were only damaging to Asuka, it's clear to see that WWE's intention was to protect her in both those cases despite the awful execution.
As for the rest of Smackdown Live? Like I bothered watching any of that. I'm only aware of the Asuka segment because I have a problem. But since Shinsuke Nakamura's trajectory was brought up, I honestly don't think his failure to win the WWE Championship, at least as a heel, has anything to do with WWE's opinion on Nakamura, but instead, entirely on AJ Styles. I'm almost positive that AJ Styles is holding the Championship until WrestleMania because they want him to break Punk's record (granted, he'll do that sometime during the build to the Royal Rumble, unless The Rock wants to face Styles instead of Roman, I don't seem them just deciding to end it there when Mania's right around the corner) and not to mention, at Mania he'll have held it for a little over 500 days (which side-bar, enough to break Asuka's record for longest modern championship reign [although only in reality, not by the days WWE recognizing due to tape delay] but it's not like Pete Dunne isn't going to do that anyway). Also, they might be trying to get the most out of AJ Styles before his contract expires and he potentially retires, I don't think he's going to retire this soon anyway (although he has said 42 in the past and he's 41, but we've probably got a few more years left) and he'll most definitely re-sign but still. Granted Joe could win it Sunday and I could just be exaggerating WWE's petty bs or their hopes to capitalize on Styles but after the Shinsuke feud which ended with him only immediately getting a consolation prize, I feel like WWE's all-in on giving Styles a WWE Championship reign to surpass Punk's.
