5 directions for Lacey Evans as a heel on WWE SmackDown

Lacey Evans returned to her villainous roots on the latest episode of WWE SmackDown. After a brief stint as a babyface, the confident superstar is once again a heel in WWE.

Evans was set to team up with Aliyah to take on Shotzi and Shayna Baszler in a tag team bout, but the match never took place. When Evans came out for her entrance, she noticed that the crowd didn't greet her with a warm reception. She attempted to come out to the ring two more times in the hopes the crowd would cheer her on, but it didn't happen.

Once Evans got into the ring, she cut a scathing promo on the audience for not supporting her. She then told the crowd to go to hell. As she was about to walk out on the match before it could begin, she cemented her turn by hitting an unsuspecting Aliyah with the Women's Right.

Now that Lacey Evans is back to her heelish ways, what does the future hold for her? What direction will her career take? There are several potentially exciting routes the hard-working superstar's journey may take her.

On that note, we look at 5 directions for Lacey Evans as a heel on WWE SmackDown.

#5 Evans could align herself with other heels on the WWE SmackDown roster

Lacey Evans has a military background. She has shown signs of acting like a drill sergeant in the past. With her new heel turn, there may be a chance she aligns with other heels on the WWE SmackDown roster in an attempt to make a troop of sorts.

WWE recently had Sonya Deville, Xia Li, and Shayna Bazsler unite. Meanwhile, Shotzi has tried to rally the troops on the blue brand in the past. While it seems as though nothing has stuck in terms of a female faction being formed, Lacey may be able to change that.

If not a faction, The Sassy Southern Belle could form a tag team. With Sonya Deville's current attitude, the pair could potentially be a real threat to the women's division. Plus, if the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles make a return, they could possibly be the next champions.

#4 She could feud with Ronda Rousey

One way that Lacey Evans can quickly rise to the top of the blue brand is to target the most dangerous star on the roster. At the moment, that is Ronda Rousey.

Rousey's history speaks for itself. She's a former RAW Women's Champion and a former SmackDown Women's Champion. She's also a retired mixed-martial artist. Lacey Evans challenging Rousey could skyrocket her up the card. Their bouts would be highly entertaining.

The Baddest Woman On The Planet looks to be challenging Liv Morgan for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship at SummerSlam. While the match is currently being promoted, things can often change in the world of WWE. If not at SummerSlam, WWE can get Lacey Evans and Ronda Rousey to feud in the future.

#3 Lacey Evans could have a rivalry with Aliyah

Lacey Evans' heel turn came at the expense of the WWE Universe and of Aliyah. The plucky underdog Aliyah was set to be Lacey's partner in a tag team bout against the formidable duo of Shotzi and Shayna Baszler.

As noted, Lacey had other plans. After turning on the crowd, she sucker-punched Aliyah and knocked her out with the Women's Right. While many may see it as a quick turn, there's a chance more could come out of this rivalry.

Aliyah is a talented superstar who hasn't had a ton of time to shine yet. A fully-fledged storyline between the two competitors could offer Aliyah more time for character development and thus gain more attention from fans. An angle between the two could also prepare Lacey for a bigger match down the road.

#2 She could become a new authority figure on WWE SmackDown

An option a bit out of left field could lead to some very compelling television. Adam Pearce is currently an on-screen agent for both RAW and SmackDown. Up until earlier this year, he worked with Sonya Deville on a regular basis. Sonya was eventually relieved of her duties, and thus far there's been no replacement.

With Lacey's go-getter attitude, she may be perfect for the role. She is a natural antagonist. She's also good on the mic. Lacey could pull off the role incredibly well. With her gimmick, it'd be logical to place her in a role of authority. WWE would want somebody strict to get the locker room under control and in shape.

Of course, her behavior as an authority figure will likely lead to major rivalries on WWE SmackDown. This could include feuds with top stars already on the brand or new talent from RAW and even NXT. While this option isn't likely, it could be compelling.

#1 Lacey Evans could challenge Liv Morgan for the SmackDown Women's Championship

The biggest goal of any female superstar on WWE SmackDown is to win the SmackDown Women's Championship. The same rule applies on RAW with the RAW Women's Championship. If a superstar is on the brand, they want the top title of their division.

Lacey is yet to capture a women's championship, so there may be even more incentive for her to challenge the current champion. The person currently holding the gold is former RAW star Liv Morgan. Morgan cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase on Ronda Rousey at WWE Money in the Bank to win the belt.

It would make sense for Evans to target Morgan. While Morgan is extremely likable, Evans isn't. Evans may even claim that Morgan cashing in the briefcase to win the title wasn't befitting of a hard-working champion. Unfortunately, Evans may have to wait in line to challenge for the gold with both Ronda Rousey and Natalya chasing the championship.

Lacey Evans turning heel again seemed inevitable. Still, now that she has made a villainous transition, it'll be interesting to see what direction her career takes in the near future. Perhaps she'll become a champion, maybe she'll fight Ronda Rousey. For now, the WWE Universe has to wait and see.

Speaking of Ronda Rousey, click here for 5 possible directions for the WWE SmackDown Women's Champion following her loss at Money in the Bank.

Edited by Prem Deshpande