WWE SmackDown Preview: Seth Rollins crashes Roman Reigns’ party to get his revenge, top champion in a big rematch (21st January, 2022)

We are all set for tonight's episode of WWE SmackDown. The blue brand is expected to deliver an action-packed episode that will feature significant surprises and big matches on the road to Royal Rumble 2022.

We could witness several top superstars assert their dominance inside the ring as we inch closer to WWE's first big premium live event of the year.

Here, we look at things that could transpire on WWE SmackDown this week. So, without further ado, let's begin.

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#5 Roman Reigns celebrates making history on WWE SmackDown

Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins almost came together for the Universal Championship feud on WWE SmackDown when The Architect was still a part of the blue brand last year. It took them a few months, but they are once again back to compete in one of the most highly anticipated title feuds.

Rollins is set to challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2022, but before that, the two former Shield brethren are determined to one-up each other. Last week, they came face-to-face on the Friday night show.

Seth Rollins escaped before The Usos could attack him but couldn't dodge the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions when they made a surprise appearance on RAW to hijack the main event. He will look to make them pay for their actions by pulling off a surprise of his own on WWE SmackDown tonight.

Rollins needs to send a clear message to The Tribal Chief, but the question remains, can he do it all by himself?

One of Rollins' best possible options is to seek help from his new best friend, Kevin Owens. The latter has his history with Roman Reigns and a vested interest in Seth Rollins getting the upper hand in the Universal Championship feud.

Additionally, Owens' appearance on SmackDown will make for a good surprise. Given that Rollins is also a heel, it is highly unlikely for him to seek favors from other babyfaces on the show.

He can also decide to get the better of Reigns and The Usos all by himself. However, this will end up projecting him as a face in the story, which is not necessary at this point.

It is also challenging as The Bloodline hardly shows vulnerability on WWE SmackDown. The mystery surrounding their potential confrontation is bound to draw more attention to their feud.

Roman Reigns recently broke Brock Lesnar's record to become the longest-reigning Universal Champion in history. He will probably have a mini celebration on SmackDown, and all our past experiences have shown that such events never go uninterrupted on TV.

It will be exciting to see what's in store for one of the biggest feuds ahead of the Royal Rumble, and hopefully, we will see significant developments tonight.

#4 Naomi gets her rematch against WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair

WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair was involved in a war of words with Half of Famer Lita last week. The latter had the last laugh during their brief encounter, but The Queen cannot remain distracted by the past events.

Former champion Naomi made her way into the title picture earlier this month. She, unfortunately, lost the match against The Queen because of Sonya Deville's interferences, but things didn't end there.

Naomi now has a chance to prove herself as a deserving title contender in her rematch against Charlotte Flair tonight on SmackDown. She will look to pick up a huge victory on the show and win a future shot at the women's championship.

In the absence of Sasha Banks and Bayley, Naomi is the one who can pose a serious threat to Flair's title reign, and hopefully, this time, she will finally be involved in a bout that has a clean finish.

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#3 Sami Zayn extends his title aspirations on WWE SmackDown

Recent reports confirmed that Sami Zayn had signed a long-term contract with the company. He is also the title contender for Shinsuke Nakamura's Intercontinental Championship, and the two superstars are expected to engage in the high-stakes match in the future.

Zayn recently lost against Rick Boogs and was on the receiving end of Nakamura's devastating blow. But that has not crushed his spirits. Determined to prove himself as a victim of a conspiracy, Sami Zayn will leave no stone unturned in pushing his narrative on the blue brand.

It will be interesting to see what's next for this title feud, especially considering that Shinsuke Nakamura has not defended his championship in months.

#2 The Usos meet new challengers on WWE SmackDown

Last week on WWE SmackDown, The Viking Raiders defeated three other tag teams to win a shot at The Usos' titles. Erik and Ivar will now look to make a strong statement ahead of their feud with the reigning champions.

Jey and Jimmy Uso have finally moved on from their feud with The New Day and will have to look for a fresh challenge on the show.

This is a huge opportunity for the writers to build their credibility in the SmackDown tag team division. The champions and the contenders need a strong push ahead of their title bout and a good rivalry to keep things entertaining.

Can we see members of both tag teams engage in singles matches to give us a taste of what awaits us in this feud?

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#1 All about momentum for WWE SmackDown superstars ahead of Royal Rumble 2022

Top Superstars from SmackDown will look to gain momentum ahead of Royal Rumble. Big names like Sheamus and Cesaro might get a chance to prove themselves as considerable threats on the blue brand. Ricochet should also be allowed to prove his mettle in big matches on the show.

Last week, Kofi Kingston lost in a singles match against Madcap Moss. Tonight, the New Day member could look to settle the score and prove his superiority on SmackDown.

He could also be involved in a match with Happy Corbin. Since King Woods is out because of injury, Kingston is expected to engage in a series of singles bouts over the next few weeks.

All of this can help him gain momentum ahead of Royal Rumble, a match that constantly witnesses an entertaining performance from the former world champion.