WWE SmackDown: Burning Questions to Address After Dec. 20 Show

The females of WWE SmackDown were at the forefront of the Dec. 20 show.

Natalya finally admitted to ambushing Nikki Bella, Carmella cuddled up with a battered James Ellsworth and Renee Young wasn't about to let intercontinental champ The Miz walk all over her.

After all these developments from Tuesday's show in Detroit, what happens now?

How will WWE dig into the Natalya-Bella story? And will their rivalry be how Natalya revives her stagnant career?

Carmella's relationship with Ellsworth and Young's involvement beyond interviewing also created a long list of questions. Fans had plenty to mull over regarding Baron Corbin's future on the blue brand, too.

Read on as we break down the biggest unknowns to emerge from Tuesday's SmackDown.

What's the Next Step for Natalya vs. Bella?

Carmella was telling the truth; Natalya attacked Bella at Survivor Series.

The mystery of who clocked Bella from behind at the November pay-per-view is finally solved, thanks to Natalya revealing what happened that night. After weeks of denying her involvement, Natalya changed her tune on Tuesday.

Now WWE can go forward with the brewing Natalya-Bella feud. 

But what will that entail? Will this be a story where WWE tries to work in the events of Total Divas into SmackDown? Will Natalya simply be a stepping stone for The Fearless One to climb back into the championship picture?

Natalya already seems energized by this rivalry.

After running in place for so long, she gained a good amount of momentum on the latest SmackDown. She came off as intense—a desperate animal pushed into a corner.

As Daily DDT pointed out, she had one of her stronger performances on the mic:

More of that is likely to come. This angle where Natalya feels she is passed by for women like Bella has big potential. It's bound to bring out Natalya's best if WWE fully dives into the story.

Where is the Carmella-Ellsworth Pairing Going?

SmackDown sent Ellsworth on a roller-coaster ride.

He began the night thinking he had a chance to dethrone AJ Styles as WWE champ. Seconds into his bout, though, he was out cold. The Phenomenal One proceeded to throttle Ellsworth until he needed a stretcher to return to the back.

When he later emerged bandaged and bruised, Carmella lifted his spirits. In a surprising move, The Princess of Staten Island comforted the lovable loser.

Where does WWE plan on taking this relationship? Will Carmella use Ellsworth as a pawn? Or will they become the oddest power couple the blue brand has?

The alliance is unexpected, but it could work. The folks at the New Age Insiders podcast believe Ellsworth and Carmella mesh well together:

WWE has an intriguing foundation for a new story here. With some creativity, this partnership could be the talk of SmackDown.

That first glimpse of Ellsworth and Carmella on the same team has the audience curious about what's ahead.

Is WWE Ready to Take the Plunge with Corbin?

Baron Corbin may close out 2016 with a career-making win. The Lone Wolf is set to face Styles and Dolph Zigler in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship on the next SmackDown.

Corbin took on The Showoff on Tuesday's show in a bout where the winner would become the No. 1 contender to Styles' title. One double count-out later, and both men were headed for a championship contest.

Is this a blip in Corbin's timeline, or is he headed for a substantial stay at headliner status?

WWE seemed all-in on the former NXT star when he debuted at WrestleMania earlier this year. Corbin scored a surprise win in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal before moving on to flattening Ziggler. But his career arc has been up and down since.

As of late, the company has seemingly positioned Corbin for a rise to SmackDown's top tier.

He doesn't have to win the WWE title next Tuesday to complete that journey, but he needs a high-profile feud afterward. Too often in 2016, Corbin didn't have a proper foil across from him.

SmackDown will benefit from investing in the big man moving forward. Corbin has been excellent in his role lately, mastering the art of being a self-absorbed bully.

And another fresh face on the marquee will do the brand good.

How Will WWE Handle Young's Inclusion in IC Championship Feud?

Before Tuesday, Young and Dean Ambrose's real-life romantic relationship had not been fodder for on-screen stories. That changed in an instant when The Miz took a shot at the commentator during an interview.

That moment made it clear that Ambrose and The Miz are going to be at each other's throats in the coming weeks. But how will Young fit in to it all?

She hasn't been an active part of narratives in the past. She's remained a neutral figure for the most part. Her role is now poised to shift in a big way.

Young slapped The Miz on Tuesday's SmackDown, and she later took to Twitter to discuss the situation:

"

Lol thanks @LanaWWE , but I took a page out of my own book. Someone crossed me in a distasteful way...I responded. https://t.co/UaW8WPJ9rC

— Renee Young (@ReneeYoungWWE) December 21, 2016"

Will she simply be the catalyst for Ambrose's bad blood with The Miz, or are we going to see her continue to be in the spotlight and perhaps even get in the ring at some point?

Young's charisma is reason enough to get her more screen time. It's hard to have faith that WWE can handle her part in this story with any sort of nuance, though. Each time Lana has been pulled into Rusev's feuds as a love interest, the company has produced tawdry, unappetizing fare.

WWE would be better off leaving that slap as a one-off and avoid making Young the feud's focal point.