Tatum Paxley will have an opportunity to qualify for the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match when WWE SmackDown heads to Denver’s Ball Arena on October 2, but the announcement has already created tension around her alliance with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.
In a WWE backstage digital video, Paxley shared the news with Bliss and Flair, only for Flair to respond in a way that immediately cast doubt on how supportive she is of Paxley’s upcoming opportunity. The exchange came before Paxley, Bliss and Flair were confronted by Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab, who challenged the trio’s standing in the pursuit of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.
The sequence leaves several issues hanging over next week’s SmackDown. Paxley now has a high-stakes three-way qualifier against Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae, while the wider tag team title picture appears increasingly contested. At the same time, Cargill’s comments seemed designed to exploit potential fractures between Paxley and the two women she considers her friends.
Charlotte Flair gives Tatum Paxley a cold response
Paxley approached Bliss and Flair with clear enthusiasm after learning she would be competing in a Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match. Rather than simply celebrating the achievement, Paxley suggested that the three could mark the occasion by going to brunch.
For more background on this topic, read Bakusai Promise Retribution as WWE Tag Team Title Chase Intensifies.
Flair’s answer was pointed. Addressing Paxley as “Tater,” Flair said,
“You know what, Tater? You’re right. Your candles cause me bad luck. Oh. Hope they don’t cause you bad luck next week.”
Flair then walked away, leaving Bliss to say that she would go speak with her. The reference to Paxley’s candles and bad luck gave the moment an especially personal edge, and it did not resemble the reaction Paxley appeared to expect from someone in her corner.
There was no direct explanation offered for Flair’s frustration. The video did not establish whether Flair’s comment was rooted in a specific recent setback, concern over Paxley’s rituals, frustration with the group dynamic, or something else entirely. What was clear, however, was that Flair was not willing to join in Paxley’s excitement in that moment.
That matters because Money in the Bank qualifying matches can rapidly alter WWE’s women’s division. Winning the ladder match ultimately grants a championship opportunity at a time of the winner’s choosing, making the briefcase one of the most consequential prizes in the company. Paxley’s chance to enter that picture is significant, but it now comes with an uncomfortable question: will Flair and Bliss be firmly behind her when she needs them?
Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab challenge the trio
After Flair and Bliss departed, Paxley was approached by Cargill, Michin and B-Fab. Their issue was not only Paxley’s qualifier. They also took aim at the prospect of Paxley, Bliss and Flair receiving a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title match.
B-Fab reminded Paxley that all three members of her group were receiving Money in the Bank qualifying opportunities despite the opposing trio having beaten them at Sunday Night’s Main Event. B-Fab said,
“All three of you get a chance to qualify for Money in the Bank when we’re the ones who beat your ass Sunday Night Main Event.”
The comment framed the dispute around results and opportunity. Cargill, Michin and B-Fab believe their victory should count for something in the battle for future title contention. From their perspective, Paxley, Bliss and Flair should not be moving toward a tag title match without their own group being considered first.
Cargill made that case even more forcefully. She told Paxley that the trio believed they deserved the next chance at the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles, warning that she could drop Paxley on the spot but was allowing her to carry the message back to her allies.
In Cargill’s words,
“You know what’s funny? You think that you’re up next for a Tag Team title match. When I say what happens around here and I think my girls deserve that opportunity, just like I will drop you right now, right here, but you get the opportunity to go tell your friends, we up next.”
Paxley pushed back by pointing out that she and her friends had already defeated Fatal Influence. In her view, that victory supports their case for a championship opportunity. The exchange makes clear that the tag title situation is not settled, with multiple groups presenting arguments based on their recent performances.
Cargill targets Paxley’s confidence in her friends
The most telling part of the confrontation came after Paxley defended her connection to Bliss and Flair. Cargill shifted the focus away from wins and title contention and toward Paxley’s faith in the people around her.
“If you think those are your friends,” Cargill told Paxley, “you’re nothing but another body in this war.”
Cargill, Michin and B-Fab then left Paxley behind. Paxley’s quiet response — “They’re my friends…” — underscored the uncertainty created by both confrontations. Flair had just walked away after delivering a harsh remark, and Cargill immediately seized on that apparent vulnerability.
It is too early to define the state of Paxley’s relationship with Flair and Bliss. Bliss did not join Flair in criticizing Paxley and appeared willing to check on her after she left. Paxley also continued to insist that the group’s bond is real. Still, Flair’s reaction has supplied Cargill with a clear opening to play mind games before an important week.
For Paxley, the challenge will be keeping her attention on the ring rather than allowing the uncertainty outside it to affect her performance. Her Money in the Bank qualifier will be a three-way match, meaning she must contend not only with the pressure surrounding her own allies but also with two dangerous opponents who have their own reasons to chase a career-changing victory.
Paxley faces Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae on October 2
Next week on SmackDown, Paxley will face Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae in a Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match. The bout will take place at Ball Arena in Denver, with Friday Night SmackDown airing live on USA Network.
Stratton and LeRae ensure that Paxley’s opportunity will not be an easy one. Three-way matches demand a different strategy from a standard singles contest, as a competitor can lose without being directly defeated by one particular rival. Momentum can turn quickly, and outside emotional distractions can become especially costly when there is only one qualifying spot available.
Paxley enters with a major incentive to prove that she belongs among WWE’s leading contenders. A victory would move her one step closer to the Money in the Bank briefcase and could also strengthen the argument that she, Bliss and Flair deserve consideration in the women’s tag title landscape. A loss, meanwhile, would leave the questions raised by Flair and Cargill lingering without the immediate boost of a qualification win.
Flair’s own role will be worth watching closely. Her comment may prove to be no more than a brief moment of irritation, particularly if Bliss is able to smooth things over. But it could also signal a deeper disagreement within the group at precisely the time Paxley needs stability. Cargill has already made it clear that she intends to use every sign of division to her advantage.
Tag team title contention remains unsettled
Beyond the Money in the Bank qualifier, the backstage exchange reinforced that the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title scene is becoming increasingly competitive. Paxley’s group believes its win over Fatal Influence has positioned it for a championship opportunity. Cargill, Michin and B-Fab believe their Sunday Night’s Main Event victory should place them ahead of the line.
Neither side received a final ruling in the video, and no tag title match was formally announced during the exchange. Instead, the confrontation established a growing rivalry built around competing claims and escalating personal animosity.
Cargill’s message was direct: she sees Paxley, Bliss and Flair as obstacles in a larger fight for control of the division. Paxley’s response was equally revealing. Rather than backing away, she defended the accomplishments of her group and maintained that they had earned their place in contention.
That confidence will be tested in Denver. Paxley has the immediate task of overcoming Stratton and LeRae to enter the Women’s Money in the Bank field. At the same time, she must deal with the possibility that Cargill’s words have touched on a genuine weakness in her alliance with Flair and Bliss.
SmackDown on October 2 now carries consequences on several fronts: a pivotal Money in the Bank qualifier, a brewing argument over the next WWE Women’s Tag Team Title opportunity, and a potentially fragile friendship under increasing pressure. Paxley can silence plenty of doubts with a win, but Flair’s reaction suggests the story around her may be just as important as the match itself.
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.