The O2 Arena Just Witnessed a Total Hijacking

Pull up a stool, grab a cold pint of whatever cheap lager is on tap, and let us dissect the absolute chaos that just went down in London. If you bought a ticket to SmackDown yesterday expecting a standard, run-of-the-mill television taping, you got robbed in the best way possible. Instead, we got a premium-grade mugging that instantly turned the women's division on its head.

Giulia had just wrapped up a hard-fought victory over Kiana James. The crowd was still buzzing, singing soccer chants, and throwing their half-empty cups in the air. Giulia was soaking in the applause, looking every bit like the international megastar WWE paid big money to sign.

She has that rare aura where she looks like a high-fashion model who could also break your nose with a headbutt and not even ruin her makeup. Then the lights flickered, the music hit, and the O2 Arena erupted into a wall of sound that probably shook the Thames.

Out came Blake Monroe, making her official SmackDown debut in front of her absolute rabid hometown crowd. As Wrestling Inc reported, Monroe walked straight down the ramp and systematically dismantled Giulia in a beatdown that felt more like a pub fight than a wrestling segment.

Monroe did not waste time with theatrical poses or villainous monologues. She went straight for the throat, throwing Giulia into the steel steps and leaving her in a heap in the middle of the ring. It was ugly.

It was violent, it was sudden, and it was beautiful booking. WWE has a habit of introducing new stars with slow, boring video packages that nobody watches, so seeing Monroe skip the line and start a fight with the biggest signing of the year is a breath of fresh air.

The Immediate Fallout in the Arena

The energy in the building was something else. You had the shiny new toy in Giulia, whom the hardcore fans have been hyping up for months like she is the second coming of Asuka. But you also had Monroe, the local hero returning to her backyard to claim her turf.

When those two forces collided, the crowd did not care about who was supposed to be the good guy. They cheered every single blow Monroe landed. When Giulia was thrown into the ring post, the O2 Arena sounded like England had just scored a last-minute winner in the World Cup.

It was loud, hostile, and completely threw the expected babyface-heel dynamic out the window. That is the magic of European crowds; they do not read the script, they write their own. The crowd went nuts.

Giulia's WWE Transition and the Kiana James Problem

Before we talk about the post-match assault, we need to talk about the match itself. Giulia and Kiana James went at it for several minutes, and while Giulia got the win, the path to get there was not exactly smooth sailing. Let us be completely honest here because someone has to say it: the match was a bit of a clunky mess in the early going.

Giulia is used to the high-speed, stiff-striking style of Japanese promotions. She is used to opponents who will let her kick them in the face as hard as humanly possible. She hits hard.

WWE is a different beast altogether, where safety is paramount and the cameras dictate every move. There were at least three moments in the match where Giulia and James looked like they were speaking two entirely different languages.

James is a solid worker who has thrived in the NXT system, but her character-first style did not mesh well with Giulia's raw intensity. When Giulia wanted to turn the match into a physical war, James wanted to do character work and work the crowd. The result was a disjointed contest that only saved itself in the final minutes when Giulia hit a brutal knee strike to secure the pinfall.

It was a victory, but it proved that Giulia still has some adjusting to do before she is ready for the top champions. The biggest worry for Giulia fans has always been that WWE would force her to tone down her offense.

If you take away her brutal headbutts and stiff forearms, you are left with just another wrestler on a roster full of them. Last night showed that WWE is letting her keep some of her edge, but the pacing of the match felt restricted.

The Danger of Watered-Down Strong Style

We saw glimpses of the real Giulia during the finishing sequence, but the middle section of the match was filled with standard WWE rest holds. If she is going to succeed, Triple H needs to let her loose. Trying to fit a round peg into a square hole by making her wrestle like a generic WWE superstar is a recipe for disaster.

The Crowd Dilemma of the Hometown Hero Heel

WWE loves to book hometown heroes in prominent spots, but they almost always find a way to overcomplicate it. Monroe is clearly being positioned as a heel, given that she attacked one of the most popular babyfaces on the roster. But doing that in London, in front of a crowd that would cheer Monroe if she kicked a puppy, is a wild decision.

The fans did not boo Monroe for attacking Giulia; they chanted her name and sang songs. This puts WWE in a tough position going forward. Do they pretend the crowd cheered Giulia and booed Monroe, or do they lean into the chaos?

The worst thing they could do is ignore the reaction and force a generic storyline where Monroe is a cowardly villain. Wrestling is at its best when the lines between good and bad are blurred. It keeps things interesting.

The Art of the Grey Area

Monroe looked like a star last night because she carried herself with supreme confidence, ignoring the rules and taking what she wanted. Giulia looked vulnerable for the first time since her arrival, which is actually a good thing for her character development. If Giulia just steamrolls through the entire division without any struggle, fans will turn on her quickly.

She needs an antagonist who can push her to her limits and make her fight from underneath. Monroe might be new to the main roster, but she has the presence to be that perfect foil. Throwing a debuting superstar straight into a program with Giulia is a high-stakes gamble.

Why Blake Monroe in the Deep End is a Massive Gamble

Monroe has plenty of talent, but she is being asked to swim with the sharks from day one. If this feud succeeds, Monroe becomes an instant main-event player. If it flops, it could damage both women before they even get started. The creative team has three distinct paths they can take with this booking:

  • Giulia wins the feud cleanly, keeping her momentum alive but leaving Monroe looking like a flash in the pan.
  • Monroe wins through heel tactics, instantly making her a top star but damaging Giulia's aura of invincibility.
  • A series of non-finishes and wild brawls that protect both women but risk frustrating the fans.

The key will be the promo segments. Giulia is still learning English, which means Monroe will have to carry the bulk of the talking on the microphone. That is a heavy burden for someone who just had their first night on SmackDown.

Monroe needs to deliver promos that feel authentic and gritty, not script-heavy monologues written by a writers' room. We have seen WWE ruin similar call-ups by over-scripting them until all their natural charisma is drained away. Monroe has a raw, unfiltered attitude that fits perfectly with the modern style of wrestling.

WWE needs to give her a microphone, point a camera at her, and get out of her way. My biggest concern is that WWE is rushing this feud. They had a ready-made story with Giulia chasing the championship, but instead, they diverted her into a rivalry with a newcomer.

This could turn into a mid-card distraction that keeps Giulia away from the title picture for too long. If Monroe wins the feud, Giulia's mystique is ruined. If Giulia wins, Monroe's momentum is stalled.

The Danger of Rushing the Storyline

The creative team has to walk a very fine line to ensure both women come out of this looking like stars. It requires long-term planning, which has not always been WWE's strong suit. They need patience.

The Verdict on SmackDown's New Direction

The women's division has felt stagnant lately, with the same few names rotating in the main event. Introducing Monroe and immediately putting her in a high-profile feud brings some much-needed energy to the show. Wrestling needs more moments that feel unpredictable and dangerous.

The O2 Arena got exactly that yesterday, and the ripple effects will be felt for weeks. Grab your popcorn, because the next few episodes of SmackDown are going to be wild.