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For the first time in WWE history, Night of Champions will be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Jeddah Superdome is expecting a capacity crowd of over 35,000 fans on May 27. Hence, it will be another profitable run for the company in the Middle East.
Seven matches have been announced for the extravaganza. As is the case with such grand events, a few character changes could be in the cards. Some are obvious as per the ongoing angles, while others will add to the show's shock factor. A stable could implode, while a legendary duo can reunite to take down a six-time women's champion.
Here are two WWE Superstars who could turn heel and two who could turn babyface at Night of Champions.
#4 Heel: Lita finally chooses her side in the Trish Stratus-Becky Lynch feud at Night of Champions
Trish Stratus recently revealed that she had blindsided Lita backstage to team with Becky Lynch and cost her the Women's Tag Team Championship in April. The WWE Hall of Famer could add another layer to the betrayal saga if it turns out that the revelation was false.
The assault may have been a collective effort by Lita and Stratus to downplay The Man. Both have a strong bond on screen and in real life. Fans expect the former to side with Becky Lynch at Night of Champions, but a swerve might be in the works. Lita could cost Lynch the match and set up a tag team match for the future.
The former Team Xtreme member has been touring Iceland as per her latest Instagram stories. It remains to be if she will show up in Jeddah to potentially influence the outcome of Stratus vs. Lynch.
#3 Face: Gunther has been a favorite of the WWE Universe for a long time
Gunther's recent performances against top stars like Drew McIntyre and Sheamus have been praiseworthy. His ability to showcase an orthodox wrestling style which includes chops, powerbombs, and clotheslines, is a massive hit among fans. He is a heel on paper, but viewers rarely complain about the Intercontinental Champion's in-ring outings.
The Ring General is the favorite to win against Mustafa Ali at WWE Night of Champions. Instead of severely punishing the babyface star after the match, he could acknowledge his efforts with a handshake. The Jeddah crowd would love to see such a moment. This could result in a slow babyface transition for the Imperium leader.
Gunther had a backstage conversation with Ali on RAW in which he was seen smiling. Given the latter's positive mindset, he could bring about a change in the Austrian star. Defeating the dominant champion is another way of earning his respect.
#2 Heel: Bianca Belair's villainous turn is overdue
Bianca Belair's potential heel turn hit the rumor mill after the cold reception she received from the audience at Backlash. She is supposedly set to have a character change heading into the summer. Thus, she could drop the first hint about possibly embracing the dark side at Night of Champions.
Asuka is back for round two against The EST of WWE. Since the Japanese star's WrestleMania loss was quite a hit to her credibility, she may complete her story at Night of Champions. Belair is expected to snap in such a scenario, having dominated the women's roster for over 400 days.
A post-match attack on The Empress of Tomorrow could signal Belair's move to the dark side. She could even use underhanded tactics on Asuka to gain an advantage, the opposite of her current persona. Even if The EST wins, there is a chance that the crowd could turn on her once again.
#1 Face: The Usos begin the 'Civil War' at WWE Night of Champions 2023
Under the leadership of Roman Reigns, The Bloodline has got the better of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in the past few weeks. They have halted the Canadian duo's momentum by costing them the match on last week's RAW and will now assault the champs on a pre-taped edition of WWE SmackDown next week.
In short, Reigns and Solo Sikoa have seemingly done what The Usos couldn't do in the past few months. The storyline explicitly touches on this topic to show the former's lack of faith in Jimmy and Jey, who are arguably unhappy with the whole scenario. It is only a matter of time before they stop apologizing and start standing up for themselves.
The Usos are rumored to clash with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa at Money in the Bank or SummerSlam 2023. Combining that with the ongoing heat between the two parties will likely cost Roman and Solo their tag team title match. Fans can expect a thrilling interference by Jey Uso, followed by a reluctant Jimmy Uso stopping The Tribal Chief in his tracks.
