Natalya returns to action on WWE SmackDown

Image: WWE

After just three weeks out of action, Natalya returned to the ring on tonight’s episode of SmackDown.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina lost a non-title match against Shotzi & Tegan Nox on SmackDown tonight. Natalya tried to put the Sharpshooter on Shotzi during the match, but Shotzi kicked her away and then rolled her up to get the win.

This was Natalya’s first match since suffering an ankle injury while she and Tamina were facing Eva Marie & Doudrop in a tag team match on the July 26 episode of Raw. Natalya underwent surgery for the injury, but Dave Meltzer reported that she was only expected to be out of action for a few weeks.

“The deal with Natalya, her injury and her fast comeback after surgery is basically this. In the tag match with Natalya & Tamina vs. Eva Marie & Doudrop, when Doudrop landed badly and trapped Natalya’s ankle, a ligament snapped in half, but there was no ankle break,” Meltzer wrote. “She had a very progressive surgery in Alabama from someone who specializes in ankle surgery and basically had a simulated ligament put in to replace the snapped ligament which will enable her to recover in a few weeks.”

Natalya & Tamina have been WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions since defeating Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler for the titles this May.

Shotzi & Nox also defeated Natalya & Tamina in two non-title matches last month.