Alexa Bliss & Tatum Paxley win WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship as Bliss replaces Charlotte Flair

WWE

Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley became WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions on tonight’s October 9 episode of SmackDown.

Originally, tonight’s championship match was supposed to be Paxley teaming with Charlotte Flair to challenge titleholders Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid of Fatal Influence.

However, early in the show, Flair suffered a backstage attack at the hands of Jade Cargill, B-Fab and Michin which rendered her unable to compete in the match later on.

Despite Flair insisting she’d be able to work through her injuries, General Manager Nick Aldis and the WWE medical team wouldn’t allow her to do so.

Instead, Alexa Bliss took her place and teamed with Paxley in what ended up being a successful outing as they defeated Henley and Reid to become champions.

AND NEWWWW

Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship from Fatal Influence! https://t.co/NJB8JXZWfn

— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) October 10, 2026

This win marks Paxley’s first title on the WWE main roster, though she is already a former NXT Women’s North American Champion and NXT Women’s Champion.

Meanwhile, this is Bliss’ fifth time as Women’s Tag Team Champion – she’s held the title twice with Nikki Cross, once with Asuka and once with Charlotte Flair in the past.

Charlotte Flair heel turn coming?

This championship win for Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley could ultimately end up being the catalyst for the long awaited and expected heel turn of Charlotte Flair.

Last year, when Flair and Bliss were first paired together, it seemed like a temporary alliance that would result in Flair quickly turning on Bliss.

However, their chemistry has kept them going longer than planned, and has resulted in a big boost in popularity and goodwill among fans for Flair in particular.

Still, it has seemed inevitable that a turn would come eventually, and jealousy over Bliss stepping in and winning the championship Flair was ‘supposed’ to win could be the direction things go from here.

Flair herself as spoken about how she’s probably a better heel naturally, but she’s been having so much fun with this change of pace over the past few years that it would be a shame in many ways to end her partnership with Bliss.

With Tatum Paxley now on the scene, the young talent could benefit the most coming out of the ordeal if, for example, Flair turns on Bliss, then Paxley gets revenge on Bliss’ behalf.

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• Charlotte Flair
• Smackdown
• Alexa Bliss
• Tatum Paxley
• wwe

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