Booking Liv Morgan's Reign as WWE SmackDown Women's Champion

Liv Morgan's shocking Money in the Bank win and subsequent successful cash-in later that night ranks among the most satisfying WWE moments all year thus far.

With Morgan having been on the main roster for almost five years and in the company's developmental system for a lot longer than that, it appeared unlikely after a while that she would ever hold gold in WWE.

She unsuccessfully challenged for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on multiple occasions and came close to unseating Becky Lynch as Raw women's champion at January's Day 1 event. That's in addition to her Riott Squad stablemates being released by WWE and Rhea Ripley betraying her shortly after WrestleMania 38.

Her many setbacks made the moment of her capturing the SmackDown Women's Championship all the more meaningful, but now it's all about how WWE decides to follow it up.

There's an opportunity to make Morgan a massive star over on SmackDown based on how popular she already is. The following five booking steps would ensure her reign is as prosperous as it has the potential to be.

Continuing to Be Booked Strong on TV

Far too often, WWE books its champion to lose on television and look weak in the process.

The mindset tends to be that if they're holding a title, then their credibility can't be harmed. In reality, it merely devalues the championship and makes the person holding it feel significantly less special.

Few people are immune to such mind-boggling booking, but Morgan must be the exception in order for her reign to be considered a success.

In the two weeks since she captured the championship, her only match on WWE TV was in a tag team alongside Bianca Belair against Carmella and Natalya. It would have been easy for WWE to have Natalya pin Morgan to set them up for a future title clash, but thankfully that didn't happen.

That once again needs to be the case on Friday's SmackDown, when she goes one-on-one with Natalya, especially after an "injured" Ronda Rousey made quick work of her last week on the blue brand.

Morgan doesn't need to be in action every week on SmackDown, but preventing her from being beaten unnecessarily is imperative. The days of her losing a majority of her matches should be over.

Beating Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam

Morgan pinning Ronda Rousey to become SmackDown women's champion at Money in the Bank was shocking enough, but even more shocking than that would be Morgan beating her for a second straight time to retain the title at SummerSlam.

It's possible someone else is added in shortly beforehand to make it a Triple Threat, but Morgan vs. Rousey one-on-one is the real attraction for SummerSlam. That would also give Morgan a chance to defeat Rousey straight-up.

Prior to Money in the Bank, Rousey had been pinned in WWE only once, and that was in the Triple Threat main event at WrestleMania 38 by Becky Lynch. That was why it was such a surprise Morgan managed to pull it off at Money in the Bank.

It might be unrealistic to assume that Morgan has a legitimate chance of winning the rematch clean. As long as she wins convincingly and retains the title, that's what matters most.

Charlotte Flair could very well be due back any time now, and if so, she could cost Rousey the win at SummerSlam. Making Morgan the afterthought wouldn't be ideal, but she needs to show she can hang on Rousey's level and walk away with an uninterrupted reign.

Upping the Intensity and Establishing Credibility

One of the main criticisms among fans following Morgan's first few appearances as champion on Raw and SmackDown was that she sounded overexcited.

Morgan's authentic passion for pro wrestling should be celebrated and appreciated, not mocked or condemned. WWE's titles have been so devalued that it's actually refreshing becoming champion still means so much to some members of the roster, including Morgan.

That said, it wouldn't hurt for her to adopt an aggressive edge and show off her serious side more often as we get deeper into her title reign.

If WWE wants her to be viewed by fans as a threat to everyone else in the division, then she can't be made to look inferior in the ring or on the mic. Instead of being used as a weakness, her enthusiasm should be channeled into intensity.

It's shined through at various points in the last two years, so it's clear she has it in her. Honing that ability while also sticking to what has worked for her thus far is key.

That character development will make her a compelling champion and prevent her from getting stale.

Escaping Inevitable Charlotte Flair Feud with Title Intact

Although Morgan currently has Ronda Rousey in her sights at SummerSlam, it's merely a matter of time before Charlotte Flair resurfaces on SmackDown and demands a rematch for the SmackDown Women's Championship she lost at WrestleMania Backlash.

As previously noted, rekindling the rivalry between Flair and Rousey by having Flair cost Rousey the title at SummerSlam is a possibility, albeit not a very exciting one. That could lead to a Triple Threat between the three of them for the title at Clash of the Castle.

Regardless of how Flair contends for the championship, it would be a massive step backwards to put the belt back on her as soon as she returns. She's still fresh off a lengthy title reign and has no business being champ in the foreseeable future.

A win over Rousey would lend Morgan plenty of credibility, and beating Flair as well would certainly cement her as a star. For as many titles as Flair has won, she has also lost an astounding amount of times to help put others over, and Morgan should be the next person she attempts to elevate.

It will be tough for WWE to resist the urge to immediately crown Charlotte champion again upon her return, but it's crucial Morgan escapes their feud with her title intact.

Holding Gold for Ample Amount of Time Before Reentering Chase Mode

As exciting as it's been to have Liv Morgan in the spotlight for a change as the SmackDown women's champion, there's no guarantee she'll be in possession of the prestigious prize for the remainder of the year.

Rousey potentially getting the belt back at SummerSlam and Flair's impending return pose the biggest threats to her title reign. It could quickly be forgotten if it ends in a month or two, which is why WWE should aim to prolong this run.

It will be impossible to tell how well she'll do in the role as champ if she isn't given the ball to run with for an ample amount of time. WWE has to continue capitalizing on the great reactions she's been receiving as of late by booking her with the same level as prominence as Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Flair, Rousey and others.

Nikki A.S.H. found herself in a similar spot a year ago when she won Money in the Bank and cashed in to become champion shortly thereafter. She, too, was riding a wave of momentum before losing the belt within a month and never being pushed as aggressively again.

Morgan has much more upside and room to grow with her current character. She may benefit from returning to chase mode after four or five months as champ to keep the title picture fresh on Friday nights.

Morgan's title reign is off to a strong start and will only ascend from here if WWE can stay the course with her and maintain her winning ways.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.