Bayley returned from a year-long injury layoff at Summerslam 2022, instantly becoming the talk of the wrestling world. The Golden Role Model did not come alone, though. She brought with her former NXT cornerstones Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai, proceeding to stare down Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch.
The trio made their presence felt two nights later on RAW by attacking The Man's already injured shoulder to write her off television. As the saying goes, "Strength invites challenge," so it is more than likely that an opposing stable will be formed to oppose the new force on the red brand. With Survivor series not too far away, we wonder which potential trios on Smackdown could bring the fight to them in brand warfare.
Let's explore three women's stables that can be created on SmackDown.
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#5: An NXT callup to shake things up?
One cannot talk about the most dominant women's stables in 2022 WWE without mentioning Toxic Attraction. Mandy Rose, Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin have been the most dominant force on NXT 2.0 for the better part of the year, holding all the gold in the NXT women's division for almost 250 days.
Calling them up to Smackdown would immediately make them the top women's stable on the blue brand. If allowed to replicate their success on the rainbow brand, they could take over the entire scene as the Bloodline has. This would give SmackDown's women's division a similar boost to that received from Bayley, Sky and Kai on RAW.
#4: Raquel Rodriguez, Shotzi and Aaliyah could establish themselves as a fan-favorite faction
After Ronda Rousey's heel turn at Summerslam 2022, SmackDown Women's Champion Liv Morgan is the only top-level female babyface left on the blue brand. The other heroic characters on the show are recent NXT call-ups who are yet to have a star-making moment on the main roster.
How perfect it would be, then, if Raquel Rodriguez, Shotzi and Aaliyah banded together to build up momentum as a group. As a team, the three babyfaces would have the perfect mix of likeability (Aaliyah), unpredictability (Shotzi) and power (Rodriguez) to become a major threat. With fans behind them, they could feasibly accumulate enough momentum to become the hottest act on a show severely starved of formidable babyfaces (barring Drew McIntyre).
#3: Sonya Deville, Xia Li and Shayna Baszler were recently teased as a stable on SmackDown
SmackDown may lack babyfaces but it has a great assortment of heels. Three of the villainous characters on the blue brand that are currently creatively rudderless are Sonya Deville, Xia Li and Shayna Baszler. The trio formed a brief alliance on the June 24 episode of SmackDown, an idea fans were open to.
Following up in this direction with all three ladies showcased to their full potential is a truly intriguing prospect. Shining a spotlight on their respective combat sports backgrounds and replicating the dominant booking they received in NXT could propel them to the top of the women's division. Based on the overwhelmingly positive fan reaction to the new trio on RAW, this is a faction worth pursuing.
#2: Ronda Rousey, Natalya and Lacey Evans could form the baddest, nastiest heel team-up on SmackDown
Natalya and Lacey Evans are currently blowing hot-and-cold as top heels on SmackDown. The B.O.A.T. has drifted in and out of the title picture since Money In The Bank, while the army veteran gimmick has failed to gain traction for Evans. Both women get less respect than they deserve due to the shakiness of their gimmicks.
The solution to this stop-start momentum could be teaming up with the newly-heel Ronda Rousey. The Baddest Woman On The Planet is arguably the biggest star in the women's division, and the momentum of her villainous turn is still red-hot. Aligning her with Evans and Natalya would not only enable them to share her spotlight but also allow them to cover for her shortcomings on the mic.
#1: Charlotte Flair teaming up with Sasha Banks and Naomi would instantly change the heirarchy of power in the WWE women's division
This may be fantasy booking, but hear us out. Naomi and Sasha Banks are still WWE Superstars, and have reportedly been contacted over a potential return. Charlotte Flair is the single most successful competitor in the history of the WWE women's division, having won a total of sixteen titles in the company.
Bringing back the three icons as a unit would instantly create the biggest faction in the division, if not the entire company. The dominance they would achieve together as well as individually could potentially rival the best trios of the last decade. If SmackDown was seeking a Hail Mary pass to help them overtake a far superior RAW women's division, this would be it.