Who are Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley? Crowned new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions on SmackDown

Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley were crowned as the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions in the SmackDown on Friday, October 9. The major title change comes just one day before the WWE Money in the Bank 2026.

Bliss teamed up with Paxley to capture the belts from Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley on the broadcast. This marks the fifth time Bliss has held the women’s tag team title. She held the title in the past with Nikki Cross, Asuka and Charlotte Flair.

The match took an unexpected turn after a backstage attack prompted a last-minute change in the night’s challenger lineup.

How did the SmackDown unfold?

The bout was supposed to take place between champions Fatal Influence’s Henley and Reid against the pair of Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley. However plans were changed due to a last-minute replacement.

Earlier in the show, Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab attacked Fair backstage. This forced Flair out of the match, prompting Bliss to take her spot in the previously announced title match. Flair, who injured her left shoulder, was not cleared by medical personnel to participate in the match. SmackDown general manager, Nick Aldis decided on replacing her.

Flair insisted on Bliss taking her place in the match. While Bliss was reluctant to do so, she ultimately decided to participate.

Henley and Reid controlled the action early. They reportedly prevented Paxley from reaching her corner. The former champions also tried to gain advantage with some questionable moves but were caught by the referee during a pinfall attempt. Henley went for a roll-up on Tatum, while Reid was helping her from outside the ring and was caught interfering.

Following this, the momentum shifted towards Bliss and Paxley. Bliss received that hot tag. She then hit Reid with a Sister Abigail on the floor of the arena. Paxley attempted a 450 Splash inside the ring but Henley moved out of her way. Paxley then recovered quickly and caught Henley. She ultimately secured the pinfall by delivering a Cemetery Drive on Henley.

With this Paxley and Bliss secured the championship victory and Fatal Influence’s reign is now over.

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Who are the new Women’s Tag champions, Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley?

Alexa Bliss, whose real name is Alexis Kaufman, is an American professional wrestler. She was first signed to the WWE in May 2013, where she has been performing on the SmackDown. She was first assigned to the WWE’s developmental brand NXT and made her main roster debut in the SmackDown in 2016.

She went on to become a two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion. She is also the first woman to hold the title twice. Bliss was transferred to Raw in 2017, where she became a three-time Raw Women’s Champion. With that win she became the first-ever woman to win both the Raw and SmackDown women’s titles.

Bliss and Nikki Cross are the first two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. In 2018, Bliss won both the second women’s Money in the Bank ladder match and also the first women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Bliss was also cast as a main member on ‘Total Divas’, a reality television series. She also appeared on the competition series ‘The Masked Singer’ in the ninth season.

She made her return at the 2025 Royal Rumble following a 2-year hiatus.

Tatum Paxley, whose real name is Natalie Elizabeth, was born in 1996 in Texas. She was signed to the WWE in August 2021. Paxley has won both the NXT Women’s Champion and the NXT Women’s North America Championship. Paxley is the second woman to win both these championships. The first to do so was Stephanie Vaquer.

She made her in-ring debut in 2022 in the debut episode of the NXT Level Up. During that match she teamed up with Ivy Nile. They scored a victory over Fallon Henley and Kayla Inlay.

Before she became a professional wrestler, Paxley was a successful powerlifter. She won the USA Powerlifting championship several times.