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WWE King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event is mere days away and anticipation is high among fans ahead of the spectacle in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. However, before that, there is the go-home episode of Friday Night SmackDown before the event to look forward to.
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The remaining finalists of the 2024 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will be determined on the blue brand's show, which will be a major talking point in the build-up to the premium live event. Here are four potential developments to watch out for on Friday Night SmackDown ahead of the much-anticipated event.
#4. Major upset on the cards
Bianca Belair is set to face Nia Jax in the semifinals of the ongoing Queen of the Ring tournament. The winner will move on to face the recently called-up Lyra Valkyria in the finals at the King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event this Saturday.
Jade Cargill, one of the favorites to win the entire tournament, made a surprise exit last Friday by getting disqualified in her match against Nia Jax. The Irresistible Force could cause another such upset by defeating The EST on SmackDown this week.
#3. Surprise return on WWE SmackDown
Kevin Owens has been out of action since the brutal tag team match at Backlash France, where he and Randy Orton faced The Bloodline duo of Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa. The Viper and The Prizefighter, unfortunately, lost the match after the interference caused by the returning Tonga Loa.
Randy Orton is now set to face Tama Tonga in the semifinals of the 2024 King of the Ring on SmackDown, with The Bloodline by Tama's side. With the odds stacked against The Viper, there is a possibility that Kevin Owens could make a surprise return to help his friend and seek revenge on The Bloodline.
#2. The final showdown
Cody Rhodes is scheduled to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Logan Paul at the 2024 King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The contract signing segment last Friday ended in chaos, with Rhodes standing tall. The build-up to their intriguing matchup has been quite spectacular to watch, with the Maverick continuously trying to get under the skin of The American Nightmare. This week's episode of SmackDown could serve as a preview of their upcoming match with both superstars engaging in a heated war of words.
#1. Gunther to make a surprise appearance to close the show
In what is likely to be the main event on SmackDown, Randy Orton will face Tama Tonga in the semifinals of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament.
The winner of the match will advance to face Gunther in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament at the King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. The Ring General could make a surprise appearance and confront the winner of the match between Randy and Tama to close the show.
