WWE SmackDown: Burning Questions to Address After October 18 Show

From The Miz's cheerleading allies to AJ Styles' chinless challenger, it's clear WWE SmackDown is in the midst of a fun, strange transition.

Thanks to the Survivor Series pay-per-view not happening for another four weeks, the blue brand has delved into the bizarre on Tuesday nights. That leaves fans unclear about how many of the current oddities are here to stay.

Is Dolph Ziggler's old crew, The Spirit Squad, going to be around long-term? Is lanky underdog James Ellsworth going to remain a part of the tale of Styles vs. Dean Ambrose?

And what of the little-used Natalya and Breezango? Tuesday's SmackDown showed hints of what's ahead for them, but it's hard to tell what WWE has in mind. Natalya can't possibly be turning into a Whitney Houston-themed wrestler. 

How Long Will The Spirit Squad Stick Around?

During Ziggler's quest for the Intercontinental Championship, his past bubbled up. His old cheerleader stablemates, Kenny and Mikey, re-emerged after years away to beat up on their former friend.

That angle looked to be just a one-time affair as The Miz mocked Ziggler's career, but the cheerleaders are still here.

Kenny and Mikey looked to assist The Miz in ending Ziggler's career at No Mercy. They then showed up last week and took on The Showoff in a 2-on-1 Handicap match. On Tuesday's SmackDown, the cheerleaders clashed with Ziggler once more, this time in six-man tag team action.

The Spirit Squad and The Miz's victory in that bout could lead to even more appearances. 

In fact, with a win over Heath Slater and Rhyno on their resume, Kenny and Mikey have a reasonable claim to being the No. 1 contenders to the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, as insane as that would be. Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com is among those wondering if we're set to see that scenario unfold:

That would be a major mistake. 

SmackDown is loaded with tag teams struggling for momentum. To neglect building them up for the sake of two guest stars from the past would slow their growth.

And this isn't like Raw bringing Goldberg back. The Spirit Squad was never a major factor, even during its peak.

What Is WWE Doing with Breezango?

Shortly after Tyler Breeze and Fandango joined forces, the narcissistic duo looked poised to make an impact on the tag team division. They were brash and flashy heels on the rise.

Since the brand split, though, SmackDown has had little use for Breezango.

The heel team has barely been on TV. Its latest storyline isn't even airing on SmackDown itself; it's been relegated to post-show YouTube territory.

In these recent clips, Breeze has been searching for his tag team partner, who he believed to be missing. On Tuesday night's video, Prince Pretty found his buddy while dressed as a policeman.

Where is all this leading?

These segments feel like throwaway stories to keep Breeze and Fandango busy. Why aren't they getting promo time and appearances on Talking Smack a la The Hype Bros?

The blue brand's tag team division needs more viable heels. WWE needs to start elevating some of its villainous squads to remedy that. 

Each SmackDown that goes by without Breeze and Fandango sauntering to the ring is a missed opportunity.

Natalya's Not Going to Get Another Stupid Gimmick, Is She?

Ellsworth getting a WWE world-title shot wasn't the weirdest thing on Tuesday's SmackDown. That honor goes to Natalya's interaction with SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan.

Natalya talked to Bryan backstage about joining the upcoming Survivor Series match featuring female Superstars. She began to speak almost exclusively in Whitney Houston quotes.

After exposing that quirk, she also showed Bryan photos of her cat. 

That's not nearly as bad of an idea as when WWE made farting a key part of Natalya's character, but it's not exactly brilliant writing, either.

Wrestling Inc noted how WWE has offered her such odd shticks:

This may be just a one-time venture, or perhaps WWE is looking for a way to revamp Natalya. Emma is becoming Emmalina, which, from the vignettes, looks like a sultrier version of herself. Bo Dallas has grown more intense and started reciting poetry.

Hopefully Natalya doesn't join that list of tweaked gimmicks by way of pop lyrics. She's too talented to be handed something so silly.

What's Next for Styles and Ambrose After Ellsworth Diversion?

After their collision at No Mercy in a Triple Threat match with John Cena, Styles and Ambrose's story has taken an out-of-left-field turn.

Ellsworth, who burst onto the scene before the WWE faithful as one of the jobbers Braun Strowman gobbled up on Raw, became a key figure in the rivalry. Styles tried to use him as a way to get a cheap, easy win. Ambrose, though, leaned on some shady refereeing last week to net Ellsworth an upset.

On Tuesday night, Ellsworth met Styles in the ring, this time with the WWE World Championship on the line. Ambrose was right there, doing everything he could to make his enemy fail.

Ellsworth is likely done as part of this tale for now, leaving Ambrose and Styles to lock horns alone.

WWE will then have to change the tone of the feud in a hurry. Ellsworth's inclusion has led to an amusing subplot, but there has to be a meatier main story ahead. 

Styles needs to look stronger after suffering two shocking losses. He will get a chance for a major victory in just a week, as Bryan booked him and Ambrose in a match on the next edition of SmackDown.