FanPost

Tag Team Weekly Roundup and Power Ratings: WWE has the right women’s tag champs – but what’s next?

WWE.com

Whether you think of Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai winning the WWE women's championships on Raw as part of the existing plan (to add to the story for the six-woman tag for Clash at the Castle and keep building Raquel Rodriguez) or a course correction, the end result is that Damage CTRL is the right home for the women's tag titles at this juncture.

It's the best way to put Bayley's stable in the position it should be to back up their words. Plus it allows Bayley to appear on both brands and re-establish the best rivalry in the business with Michael Cole.

That said, they still need challengers to make the belt mean something. The pool isn't empty but could certainly use reinforcements.

It seems like their ongoing rivals in Asuka and Alexa Bliss are first up. As former singles and tag champs, and the two most established faces outside Bianca Belair on the Raw women's roster, they make the most sense. Asuka's still a delight in every way and Alexa still very over (even as she admits her current character needs more development), so going over them means more than anybody else currently available. (Also, could we get at least one Asuka vs. Iyo singles match? Please?)

Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop? Good in the ring, great accents but mainly enhancement talent.

Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin from Toxic Attraction aren't there yet, and they're handcuffed to Mandy Rose and NXT as long as she's champ there, which could be a while.

WWE is certainly high on Zoey Stark and Nikkita Lyons, but they'll likely keep plying their trade at NXT a while. Zoey is great in the ring but needs character work, while Nikkita has her character built and needs ringwork. They're good complements in that way if they can help the other develop where they need to.

SmackDown left us with an apparent (and overdue) Shotzi Blackheart face turn and a potential partnership (at least temporary) with Rodriguez. With all due respect to the hard work Aliyah has put in, a Shotzi-Raquel partnership seems more exciting and they could get a title bout, but certainly not win it.

But of course the big X-factor involves the fantasy booking of the return of Sasha Banks and Naomi to reclaim the titles they were never defeated for. The story writes itself given the Bayley-Sasha history, with this creating a fresh new twist. Plus it would be amazing to see a Sasha vs. Iyo rematch of their fantastic NXT bout, this time with the alignments reversed. But we still have ifs in the equation.

And the truth is that's really the only money match in the division, at least until WWE establishes more teams.

The following Tag Team Power Rankings take into account wins, power and placement of segments, recentness of appearances, creative direction and momentum for teams and factions.

WWE Tag Team Power Rankings through Sept. 16:

1. The Bloodline (last week: 1)

Pro: Still holding unified singles and tag gold, with Solo Sikoa importing the NXT North American championship after one of two impressive wins this week.
Con: The international treasure that is Sami Zayn took a loss to Ricochet, creating even more friction with Jey Uso, fueled moreso by Solo asking Sami to join him alone at ringside.

2. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai) (3)

Pro: Ding dong! The titles are where they belong, and Bayley's still coming (at some point) for Bianca Belair's belt.
Con: Their win was sloppier than we're used to seeing for any match involving Iyo and Dakota.

3. Brawling Brutes (not ranked)

Pro: Good bounce back week for Sheamus and the boys, with Ridge Holland and Butch winning a chaotically fun fatal four-way to become #1 contenders.
Con: Certainly not beating The Usos, likely due to Imperium shenanigans.

4. Judgment Day (5)

Pro: Finn Balor added a win over Matt Riddle to his roll, while the faction stood tall over Edge to end the show.
Con: Dominik Mysterio took a DQ loss to Edge before that, but he had a good outing until then.

5. Pretty Deadly and Lash Legend 5)

Pro: The NXT champs retained against the Creed Brothers in a steel cage in a really good match.
Con: Once again, Damon Kemp ultimately made the win possible by continuing to spoil the plans of his former teammates.

6. Imperium (4)

Pro: Gunther is still the Intercontinental champion, and his companions looked great in the #1 contenders' fatal four-way.
Con: They got outsmarted by Holland sneaking in for the pin off their finishing move.

7. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter (6)

Pro: Still the NXT women's tag champs.
Con: Still not doing that much with the gold.

8. Zoey Stark and Nikkita Lyons (not ranked)

Pro: Earned a win on NXT to potentially move them toward contention.
Con: Likely need more wins to get in the title picture.

9. Toxic Attraction (not ranked)

Pro: Mandy Rose is still champ, which keeps the group relevant.
Con: Otherwise their momentum is all moving in the wrong direction, with Alba Fyre again getting the best of them.

10. Hit Row (10)

Pro: The team in the fatal four-way that most needed a good showing got it in large part due to Top Dolla's feats of strength.
Con: Wasn't good enough to get them a win.

Best tag segment of the week: New champs generally earn this designation, and Sky and Kai taking the straps is great for the division.

Grade: A-

We finally have contenders for The Usos (though you can't expect them to win), a great NXT men's title cage match and most of the other divisions are moving in the right direction.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.