My love for Jade Cargill knows no bounds, but seeing someone credible and believable actually give her a run for her money in a good match was something I really enjoyed on tonight’s “SmackDown.” Of course, Cargill winning and moving on in the Queen of the Ring tournament is what I loved most about this, but the way we got there tonight was excellent and enjoyable. I will admit, I was a little worried about this singles match for Cargill after her and Bianca Belair’s win at Backlash felt a little sloppy and lackluster to me. That might have just been an off night for Cargill, or Piper Niven was the dance partner she needed to get back on her feet, or maybe both, but whatever it was, worked and clicked for me tonight.

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Cargill took Niven’s offense for a good portion of the first part of the match, including a big cannonball into the bottom rope that looked great on Niven’s end, but nasty on the receiving end, and Cargill took it like a champ. This was also the best WWE has let anyone look against Cargill, and that includes the Kabuki Warriors at Backlash, in my opinion, and Niven deserved it, especially because I don’t think there was anyone who believed she was going to get the win here. Of course, Chelsea Green was ringside and got involved, but not too terribly much, just slapping the taste out of Cargill’s mouth at one point. It was effective, but didn’t distract too much from what was going on inside the ring, but also made sense for Green’s character. Cargill hit an impressive Jaded on Niven in the middle of the ring for a victory, continuing to make her look strong, which was needed after she stumbled a bit at the premium live event. This win has her looking like the champion she is now in WWE. I also loved the little interaction she had with Belair as she came down to the ring before her own tournament match against Candice LaRae. I love them together as a tag team and I think it’s what’s best for Cargill in WWE right now. It was just a sweet little moment and a quick highlight of how much better WWE production has gotten in recent months.

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This also means Cargill will go on to face Nia Jax in the next round of the Queen of the Ring tournament, presumably next week. It’s a great callback to their spots at the Royal Rumble in January when Cargill debuted and ultimately ended up eliminating Jax in an impressive manner. I personally think Cargill goes on to win the entire tournament, or at least gets to the finals in Saudi Arabia, but a match against Jax will only make her long even stronger and more believable as a singles competitor. Niven also looked great here, and I wouldn’t be upset at all if she and Cargill met again down the line. They worked well together, and I absolutely loved this Queen of the Ring tournament match.

Written by Daisy Ruth