WWE SmackDown: Burning Questions to Address After August 23 Show

On Tuesday's WWE SmackDown, it was Carmella, a pair of new championships and a challenger who just can't quite cross the finish line that left the audience asking questions.

The Princess of Staten Island, one of the many NXT stars drafted to the main roster last month, is already rearranging who she is. She made her mark on Tuesday's show by throttling Nikki Bella. Will a darker version of Carmella click?

The first SmackDown after SummerSlam also added to the brand's collection of titles. The blue brand now has its own tag team and women's titles.

That opens the door for newcomers from NXT and established names to first wear those crowns. Who will emerge from the Backlash pay-per-view with gold around their waist? And will Dolph Ziggler be at that event now that his time on the marquee may be over?

Who Will Win SmackDown's New Championships?

The blue brand's women and tag teams suddenly have a tangible prize to fight over. SmackDown commissioner and general manager Daniel Bryan introduced two new titles on Tuesday night—a brand-specific tag team title and women's championship.

The tourney to decide who first holds the former got underway later that night. A Six-Pack Challenge at Backlash will determine who carries the latter.

Now that those championships are in place, the first thing on the audience's mind is who will wear that gold.

Miami Herald writer Scott Fishman is among those who foresee American Alpha, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan, winning the tag belts:

The former NXT tag champs appear to be the favorites as one of the only teams WWE has booked to win consistently of late. Will WWE continue the trend of highlighting the New Era by crowning these new arrivals, or will the more experienced Usos get first dibs on the titles?

The Hype Bros and the brand-new alliance of Rhyno and Slater are still in the tournament, so there's still the possibility of a curveball coming our way.  

As for the women, the race is wide-open.

Unlike the tag team tournament, there are no bottom-feeders here. Anyone in the upcoming bout, from Becky Lynch to Naomi, one of the NXT call-ups to the former Divas champ Natalya, is a plausible winner.

It's not clear what direction WWE wants to go, and that creates a sense of excitement surrounding the division. 

Is the Slater-Rhyno Duo for Real?

In his continuing search for a spot on the SmackDown roster, Slater aligned with Rhyno on Tuesday.

Shane McMahon and Bryan told The One Man Rock Band he will earn a contract should he win the tag team tournament. That sent Slater wandering around the locker room until someone would agree to team with him.

Rhyno answered the call.

But has Slater found a long-term partner or another means to fall on his face? Their relationship isn't exactly built on a strong foundation. Rhyno has speared the free agent several times in the past weeks.

WWE would be smart to keep this odd couple together for the near future.

It will give both Superstars instant direction and deepen the tag title picture. Slater's partnership with Titus O'Neil had just started to create some buzz when WWE split them up. This time around, the company must give Slater a shot to win the crowd over alongside another powerhouse.

American Alpha, The Usos and the rest of the tag team division could use a kooky-but-formidable pair of foes.

Will Carmella's Heel Turn Work?

The Princess of Staten Island embraced her inner darkness.

Carmella attacked Nikki during the former Divas champion's interview. Later that night, Carmella struck again, this time ambushing Nikki during Talking Smack:

She is a natural babyface, having played the bubbly, moonwalking sidekick for Enzo Amore and Big Cass at NXT. Moving to a heel role will be a challenge. Can she be vicious and vile enough to get the crowd to turn on her? 

Will Pruett of ProWrestling.net believes the shift in character will benefit both Carmella and Nikki:

Carmella has yet to reveal the impetus for this change and her animosity for Nikki beyond losing to her on Tuesday. Logical motivation and the unveiling of a savage side of her will help propel the recent draftee.

This angle is her first major opportunity, and her success as a villain will shape the early arc of her career.

Where Does Ziggler Go Now?

Is Ziggler destined to tumble out of the spotlight? He ended Tuesday's SmackDown outside of the world title picture, with no clear path to the Backlash PPV.

After his loss to WWE world champ Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam, Ziggler wanted another crack at The Lunatic Fringe. SmackDown's authority figures offered him the chance to make the Backlash world title bout a Triple Threat contest featuring himself, AJ Styles and Ambrose.

All Ziggler had to do was defeat Styles on SmackDown. He didn't.

Styles is now headed to the Backlash main event. The Showoff, on the other hand, is at a crossroads. Robert Lentini of SEScoops wondered what will be Ziggler's next step: "Is it a run at the Intercontinental Championship? Or does Ziggler fall right back to the bottom of the card?"

Any of those things are strong possibilities.

WWE surprised fans by elevating Ziggler, but history says that the company won't keep him in a prominent spot. His tasks in recent years have included playing Tyler Breeze's first stepping stone and battling Sheamus in a bizarre story where both men literally kissed each other's buttocks. 

Ziggler thrived as Ambrose's hungry, desperate challenger. There's no guarantee he will get another opportunity of that quality in the next year.

Bray Wyatt, John Cena, Styles and eventually Shelton Benjamin when he's healthy are set to push him aside.