WWE SmackDown LIVE Preview: April 11, 2017

What’s next for the King of Strong Style?

To say that the Superstar Shake-Up really shook things up for Raw would be an understatement. With a total of 11 additions, from the top of the card to the mid-card, to the lowest rung of the card, the Superstar Shake-Up changed the landscape of Raw. We predicted that Alexa Bliss would go over to Raw, but we didn’t know that Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, The Miz, and Maryse, among others, would follow suit and appear on the flagship show this early. What surprises does SmackDown have for us this week?

We may not know yet, but we sure can offer you a glimpse into the immediate future. We can also ask some pressing questions that are bothering you too.


#5 So, Shinsuke Nakamura is not facing The Miz?

What seemed like a promising storyline, will forever remain an unfinished dream

Last week on SmackDown, The Miz and Maryse were in the middle of a skit, imitating John Cena and Nikki Bella, when a familiar violinist appeared on our screens and ushered in royalty- The King of Strong Style. Miz and Maryse were left dumbfounded when the Swagtastic Shinsuke Nakamura arrived in the middle of the ring, seemingly for a program with The Miz.

Considering the two men are on separate brands, this story is going no further. Does this mean that WWE is actually listening to the fans and giving us an AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura storyline right away? Knowing them, this is too good a program to be true. We suppose that one of the guys coming in from Raw will face Shinsuke Nakamura in a long-term program. Let’s look at some possible arrivals then, and gauge who this possibly could be. Who? Who? Who?

#4 A New Day for SmackDown’s Tag Division

A trade that SmackDown really needs!

The tag team division on SmackDown is in shambles. This week, The Usos face American Alpha for the millionth time, and while their matches are always good, there’s something called too much of a good thing. From the looks of it, The New Day, having put The Revival over on their way out, may soon be heading to SmackDown LIVE. The trio will inject new life into the tag team division and make it feel important again. The rumour mills have been buzzing about this trade for weeks.

Now that we’ve spoken about a King and a few Jesters, it would be a disservice to not talk about a Queen.

#3 Will Charlotte rule over a depleted Women's Division?

She’s held the red belt before. Blue belt time?

Charlotte Flair put Nia Jax over in their match this week on Raw. So much so that she almost got permanently injured because of Nia Jax’s absolute lack of in-ring experience. It would be a shame if all of that were in vain. We believe that The Queen is on her way to SmackDown LIVE. This is a trade that SmackDown desperately needs, considering they lost both Alexa Bliss and Mickie James.

Charlotte Flair can have some really interesting matches on SmackDown, right now. As a heel, she can face Women's Champion Naomi, and her best friend in real life, Becky Lynch. Since SmackDown lost two women, we do believe another name from Raw may come to SmackDown as well. We hope we’ve answered some of your questions, but others still linger.

#2 What happens to the ‘House of Horror’ Match?

Does Bray Wyatt's magic allow him to travel between different brands?

We saw Finn Balor interrupted by the arrival of the Eater of Worlds, on the big screen. A man who, during the course of his cryptic promo, mentioned his ‘House of Horror’ match with an opponent from another brand. How does this happen again?

Another pressing question is that with Wyatt having moved to Raw, does Erick Rowan embark on a singles career? We don't know if he has the in-ring ability or the charisma to break out on his own like Braun Strowman. We believe that Randy Orton can answer our first question while Rowan answers our second one, this week on SmackDown.

#1 Will the United States Championship move to SmackDown?

Raw surely cannot have two mid card titles...

Kevin Owens lost to Dean Ambrose in the main event of Raw, indicating that he may move to SmackDown LIVE very soon. This makes perfect sense considering that Dean Ambrose has taken the Intercontinental Championship to Raw, leaving a massive void on the SmackDown roster.

Unless WWE plans to have both belts on the same brand, Kevin Owens is almost certainly on his way to SmackDown LIVE. Who knows? He may just be Shinsuke Nakamura’s first program on the main roster. How cool would that be? Can you imagine Owens mocking Nakamura's mannerisms?

All will be revealed in a few hours. We simply cannot wait for SmackDown LIVE.


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An unexpected name just challenged Randy Orton RIGHT HERE.

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