3 Hints WWE dropped on SmackDown before Royal Rumble (24 January 2020)

The final episode of SmackDown before Royal Rumble had some exciting segments. Even though we only saw three matches in two hours, the show had numerous great segments, including the awe-inspiring Universal Championship contract signing segment, which closed the show.

SmackDown opened with a huge six-man Tag Team match this week. The team of Roman Reigns and The Usos won a hard-fought battle against Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, and Robert Roode.

The SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley and Lacey Evans hyped their rivalry with a massive brawl, while John Morrison picked his second win upon his return, defeating the former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston. Braun Strowman and Elias won a tag team match against Nakamura and Cesaro. The Fiend made his presence felt this week, and he signed the contract in a bizarre way.

Let's take a look at three hints WWE dropped on SmackDown this week:

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#3 The Intercontinental Title might not be defended at Royal Rumble

Royal Rumble is a gigantic event, where all the big titles are usually defended. With Brock Lesnar participating in the men's Royal Rumble match, the WWE Title will not be defended. Similarly, Shinsuke Nakamura, the Intercontinental Champion, is also taking part in the Royal Rumble match, and it looks like he might not put his title on the line.

Joining hands with Elias, Braun Strowman wrestled in a tag team match against Nakamura and Cesaro on SmackDown this week. It was a decent bout, and Strowman and Elias picked up the win. However, Strowman didn't challenge Nakamura for a match at Royal Rumble nor was it even discussed on the Blue Brand this week, hinting the title might not get defended.

Although Nakamura has been the Intercontinental Champion for six months, his track record of defending the title is disappointing. After skipping title bouts in the last couple of pay-per-views, Nakamura might do the same at Royal Rumble this year.

#2 The Strap Match will be a ruthless one

The anticipation was sky-high for the contract signing of the Universal Championship this week, as The Fiend and Daniel Bryan were scheduled to sign the official contract for their match.

When Bryan showed up in the squared circle, Bray Wyatt appeared on the big screen from his Firefly Fun House, playing his usual mind games. Bryan invited Wyatt to the ring for the contract signing, and the latter appeared as his alter ego.

A myriad of fans were waiting to see how The Fiend would sign the contract, and we were guaranteed to see some twists in the segment.

The reigning Universal Champion didn't wait long to put his hands on his Bryan, delivering some vicious shots with the strap. As a matter of fact, The Fiend signed the contract with his own blood, which was certainly a frightening sight for anyone.

In their last encounter, Bryan and The Fiend locked horns in a normal match, but their recent segment on SmackDown hinted that the strap match will be far different from their last bout. Given the strap will not separate these two men, The Fiend will show his evil side more. Bryan, on the other hand, will not back down, and it should be a ruthless fight.

#1 Kofi Kingston isn't the big star of SmackDown anymore

Kofi Kingston was the ultimate face of SmackDown, not too long ago. Holding the WWE Championship for six months, Kofi Kingston enjoyed the most memorable phase of his career, but the scenario altered after losing the title to Brock Lesnar.

While he is still the holder of the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, his second consecutive singles loss on SmackDown hinted that he is not the prominent name of the Blue Brand anymore.

John Morrison made his return to the WWE ring last week, securing a victory over Big E. This week, Morrison picked up another big win by pinning the former WWE Champion, Kofi Kingston.

Morrison not only won two big matches in two weeks, but also attained momentum for the men's Royal Rumble match.