Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley are the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions following a chaotic title match on the October 9 edition of WWE SmackDown. What was scheduled as Fatal Influence defending against Charlotte Flair and Paxley changed before the bell, as Flair was attacked backstage by Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab. Bliss ultimately took Flair’s place, and the replacement pairing made the most of its unexpected opportunity.
Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley entered the match as champions and spent much of the opening stretch controlling Paxley. Fatal Influence isolated Paxley on their side of the ring, cutting off the challenger from Bliss and repeatedly preventing the tag that could have shifted the match. Their strategy gave Reid and Henley a lengthy advantage, including through a commercial break, as Paxley absorbed the punishment while Bliss waited for an opening.
That opening finally arrived when Paxley reached Bliss. The tag immediately changed the pace, with Bliss bringing fresh energy into the contest and putting the champions under pressure. Fatal Influence, however, did not surrender control easily. Reid and Henley continued to find ways to halt Bliss and Paxley’s momentum, displaying the teamwork that had carried them into the championship reign in the first place.
The champions also came close to stealing the match through illegal means. At one point, the referee caught Reid and Henley attempting to use one another for additional leverage during a pinfall attempt. The official’s intervention prevented Fatal Influence from securing a tainted victory, leaving the title match open for the challengers to capitalize.
For more background on this topic, read Juice Robinson Reflects on Why He Chose to Leave WWE Developmental in 2014.
A Last-Minute Replacement Changes the Championship Match
The match had been set for Flair and Paxley to challenge Reid and Henley, making the backstage attack on Flair a significant development before the titles were even at stake. Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab’s assault removed Flair from the bout and created an opening for Bliss to enter as Paxley’s new partner.
That substitution did not make the challengers’ task easy. Paxley and Bliss had to work against an established champion team while also dealing with the disruption that had altered the original plan. Still, the pairing proved effective when it mattered most. Bliss’ experience in major WWE championship matches complemented Paxley’s determination and willingness to take risks in the closing moments.
Fatal Influence maintained its focus for much of the contest, but the champions could not keep both challengers contained. Once Bliss was able to get involved consistently, Reid and Henley had to deal with a more balanced threat. The match became increasingly frantic as all four competitors looked for the decisive move.
Bliss made a crucial impact outside the ring when Reid pursued her. Bliss caught one half of the reigning champions and delivered Sister Abigail on the floor. The move neutralized Reid at a pivotal moment and left Henley to deal with Paxley in the ring.
Paxley Delivers the Decisive Finish
With the match breaking down, Paxley looked to finish the bout with a 450 Splash. Henley avoided the move, forcing Paxley to roll through rather than connect cleanly. The missed attempt could have opened the door for Henley to retain the championship, but Paxley recovered quickly and kept the pressure on.
Henley was unable to escape Paxley’s follow-up. The challenger tied her up and delivered the Cemetery Drive, scoring the pinfall that ended Fatal Influence’s reign and crowned Bliss and Paxley as the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
The result is especially meaningful for Paxley. It marks her first championship victory on WWE’s main roster, a major milestone after her work in NXT. Paxley had previously held the WWE NXT Women’s North American Championship, with that title reign ending in June of this year. Winning the Women’s Tag Team Championship now gives her a main-roster title accomplishment and places her alongside one of WWE’s most decorated women’s division stars.
For Paxley, the victory also came under circumstances that demanded adaptability. She had prepared to team with Flair, only to see the announced partner taken out before the match. Rather than allowing the change to derail her title opportunity, Paxley adjusted to Bliss at her side and delivered the match-ending move herself.
The closing sequence emphasized that the new champions succeeded as a unit despite the late adjustment. Bliss removed Reid from the equation, while Paxley capitalized inside the ring against Henley. Their combined efforts produced a clean pinfall and a championship change on SmackDown.
Bliss Reaches a Historic Fifth Tag Title Reign
The win also adds another notable chapter to Bliss’ WWE résumé. This is her fifth reign as one half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Her previous four reigns came with three different partners: two with Nikki Cross, one with Asuka, and one with Charlotte Flair.
By winning the titles again with Paxley, Bliss becomes just the third woman in WWE history to hold the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship five times. Asuka and Raquel Rodriguez are the only other women to have reached that total. The accomplishment reflects Bliss’ sustained place in the tag team title picture across multiple eras and partnerships.
Bliss’ experience was evident in the way the match developed. Fatal Influence had built a strong foundation by isolating Paxley, but Bliss changed the direction of the contest after receiving the tag. Her ability to create an opening on the outside with Sister Abigail was just as important as the work done in the ring, as it prevented Reid from helping Henley during the final exchange.
While the victory gives Bliss another historic championship milestone, it also establishes a new partnership in the division. Her prior tag title reigns involved familiar allies in Cross, Asuka, and Flair. This reign begins with Paxley, whose main-roster title breakthrough adds a different dimension to the team.
Questions Remain After Flair’s Backstage Attack
The title change cannot be separated from the attack that removed Flair from the match. Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab directly affected the original championship bout by taking Flair out of action and forcing the challengers to make a last-minute substitution. Although Bliss and Paxley overcame the change, the attack ensured that the events before the match remained a major part of the night.
Flair had been positioned to challenge for the titles alongside Paxley, and the new champions now include the woman who replaced her. That sequence leaves an obvious point of interest surrounding the fallout from the attack and the championship situation moving forward. The immediate result, however, is clear: Bliss and Paxley left SmackDown with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Fatal Influence, meanwhile, saw its attempt to maintain control undone late in the match. Reid and Henley had repeatedly kept Paxley away from Bliss, survived a surge after the hot tag, and even searched for shortcuts when the match became more difficult. Yet the champions could not stop Bliss from taking out Reid or prevent Paxley from landing the Cemetery Drive on Henley.
The October 9 episode therefore delivered a major shift in the women’s tag team division. A planned title challenge changed on short notice, a backstage assault shaped the evening, and a newly formed pairing seized the championships. For Bliss, it is a record-tying fifth trip to the top of the tag team division. For Paxley, it is her first main-roster WWE title and a decisive step forward after her prior NXT championship success.
Bliss and Paxley now stand as the champions after surviving Fatal Influence’s prolonged control and delivering when the match reached its most critical moments. Their reign begins with a victory born from unexpected circumstances, but it ended with no uncertainty: Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley defeated Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley to become WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.