SPOILER: NXT Superstar appears on SmackDown

It’s not completely out of left field, but the surprise from this week’s SmackDown taping in Manchester feels more surprising than the title change Raw pulled a night before in the same building.

The question is... what, if anything, does it mean long term?

Nikki Cross showed up with her SAnitY teammates to answer a challenge from SmackDown Women’s champ Becky Lynch. She was beaten clean with The Champ’s armbar, which makes sense considering Lynch is headed into a main event-level battle of the armbars with Ronda Rousey in less than two weeks.

But was Cross used because she’s from the United Kingdom and would get a response? Or is she finally joining Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe & Killian Dain on the main roster?

Honestly, I’m not sure how a call-up makes sense. Cross is involved in two high-profile NXT programs (as the person who revealed Aleister Black’s attacker (we think), and feuding with Bianca Belair). SAnitY is... not on television, and aside from a few weeks this summer, hasn’t been much since they were called up earlier this year. With acts like The IIconics and Andrade Almas & Zelina Vega already fighting for precious minutes, is SAnitY + Cross more likely to reach our screens than EY, Dain & Wolfe are on their own?

Problems for another time, I suppose. Now who’s ready for the Twisted Sister on SmackDown tonight?

Follow along with us in the live blog here, or head here for all the spoilers from Manchester Arena.