What’s the news?
Maryse and The Miz may have set the wheels further in motion for the rumored mixed tag match at WrestleMania 33 this year.
In case you didn’t know...
The wheels for this match were seemingly kickstarted at the Elimination Chamber pay per view. Nikki Bella and Natalya wrestled to a double countout at the event. A little later in the evening, Nikki was being interviewed backstage when Natalya attacked her from behind yet again.
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The two fought back and forth around the backstage area, with Nikki ultimately falling into Maryse as she was passing by. Mrs. Mizanin was covered in powder as a result of the fracas, and it was rumored that the segment was setting up a John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. The Miz and Maryse match for WrestleMania 33.
John Cena eliminated The Miz from the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship at the same event, in rather short order.
The heart of the matter
In order to settle their differences once and for all, Daniel Bryan ordered a Falls Count Anywhere match between Nikki Bella and Natalya for Smackdown! Live tonight. After quite the war, Nikki countered a sharpshooter attempt into a tight STF. Just when it looked like Natalya was going to tap out, Maryse came in from out of nowhere and assaulted Nikki Bella with what looked to be a lead pipe.
After several shots with the massive weapon, Maryse angrily left and Natalya picked up the pieces, pinning Nikki and winning the match.
Later on in the show, during the Battle Royal to determine the Number One Contender for Bray Wyatt’s WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33, The Miz returned the favor from the Elimination Chamber match. The Miz was the man responsible for the elimination of John Cena from said battle royal.
It is believed that this will be the official beginning of the Miz and Maryse vs. Cena and Bella program.
What’s next?
Anything could happen over the next few weeks, as there’s still six weeks or so until WrestleMania 33 from Orlando.
Sportskeeda’s Take
A lot of wrestling fans were hoping against hope that this match would go down as nothing more than whispers of a rumor. However, with the events of Smackdown! Live tonight, on top of what happened at Elimination Chamber last Sunday night, it looks like this match is going to be all but official for WrestleMania 33.
We would be lying if we said we weren’t a little disappointed. The Miz might be the most improved wrestler in the world over the past year, and of course John Cena is always on top of his game when it comes to ring work. Both men deserve much better than this match at WrestleMania 33, but it looks like their fate for the Showcase of the Immortals is all but sealed.
We just hope that they don’t pile on top of the animosity between the four by adding in that Cena is standing up for his future brother-in-law, Daniel Bryan, who has been embroiled in a one-sided feud with The Miz since the WWE Draft of 2016.
