During last night's episode of SmackDown, Michin and Tiffany Stratton went one-on-one, with the winner set to advance to the finals in the Women's United States Championship tournament (which concludes during Saturday Night's Main Event later this evening).
During last night's episode of SmackDown, Michin and Tiffany Stratton went one-on-one, with the winner set to advance to the finals in the Women's United States Championship tournament (which concludes during Saturday Night's Main Event later this evening).
Unfortunately, the closing moments of the bout featured an unfortunate botch which it's undeniably hard to look beyond.
As Stratton performed her patented Prettiest Moonsault Ever, Michin rolled into it, took the full brunt of the move, but proceeded to jump straight back up and hit the Money in the Bank briefcase holder with the Eat Defeat for the 1-2-3.
It was a bad mistake and one WWE tried to ignore while showing replays. Michael Cole and Corey Graves, meanwhile, did their best to suggest Michin blocked the move using her elbows.
She'll now face Chelsea Green at the PLE, with the winner set to be crowned the first-ever Women's United States Champion. A recent rumour claimed to reveal who will emerge victorious in that bout.
Since SmackDown aired, fans have been going crazy on social media for the Christmas-inspired ring gear she wore to the ring for this match yesterday evening:
Despite being a heel, Stratton's popularity continues to increase with fans and she frequently receives a babyface reaction (something that's occurred even more often since WWE started teasing the possibility of a cash in on WWE Women's Champion Nia Jax).
"You know, I, I'm honestly trying to figure that out as well," she said earlier this year when asked why the fans connect with her. "I just, I feel like when I go out there, I, I'm kind of just authentically me just kind of turned up a little bit and I feel like people, they notice that and they see that and like, I'm not playing an act almost."
"So I feel like that's why people they can relate to me or, they buy whatever I'm putting down. They believe it. They think that that's really who I am, and that's because it is," Stratton concluded.
When that babyface turn happens, it's going to be huge...