5 Potential finishes for Riddle vs. Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown - Surprise return, Unpredictable heel turn 

Riddle will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship this Friday night on SmackDown.

Reigns has been on hiatus for several weeks, skipping the recent Hell in a Cell premium live event. As a result, this will be his first televised match since May.

In Reigns' absence, Riddle has pushed himself to be The Tribal Chief's next challenger while also making it clear that he's doing so in honor of the currently injured Randy Orton.

This match has several combustible elements, but here are just five potential finishes.

---

#5. Roman Reigns retains his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Roman Reigns has been pushed as the biggest star in the company over the past few years, and his win at WrestleMania 38 was reportedly booked so that he could regularly appear on both WWE brands moving forward.

It's hard to imagine Reigns dropping the championship on an episode of SmackDown and in his first televised defense after The Show of Shows. Competitors are queueing up for a shot at his title, and Riddle is perhaps the least likely to dethrone him out of all the stars that have stepped up to the challenge in recent weeks.

---

#4. Riddle becomes the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion

There has been talk that, given how Reigns has now taken on a much lighter schedule, the company could be looking to drop one of his championships, making him just the face of SmackDown again.

A disqualification victory for Riddle could lead to a rematch at one of the upcoming premium live events, which would give him a chance to win one of the titles and take it over to RAW. But what if WWE pulls off a surprising development in their upcoming showdown?

While it's highly unlikely that The Original Bro would walk out of SmackDown with both championships, this is WWE, and there is always a chance.

---

#3. Randy Orton returns to help Riddle pick up the win

Randy Orton hasn't been seen on television since his beatdown at the hands of The Bloodline several weeks ago. The Viper and Riddle were attacked after losing the RAW Tag Team Championships to The Usos in a unification match.

They were unable to fight off The Bloodline, and Orton has since been on the sidelines. While Riddle has stepped up his game since going solo, his partner could return on Friday night and help The Original Bro exact the ultimate form of revenge on Reigns' group.

---

#2. The Usos interfere to help Roman Reigns retain

The Usos have been the main reason Reigns has remained unpinned for over two years. They have gotten involved in several of his matches and helped him overcome some interesting odds.

It's hard to imagine that Jimmy and Jey will stand aside and allow Riddle to dethrone Reigns. The twins are also not banned from ringside for the match, which could mean they will be waiting in the wings to strike if the challenger comes close to victory.

---

#1. Randy Orton returns and turns on Riddle

Although Orton has made a career out of being The Viper, his recent run with Riddle has shown a soft side to WWE's famous serpent. But like many predators, he is always waiting to strike.

Riddle was the man pinned when they lost to The Usos a few weeks ago. Could Orton blame him for losing the titles? While it would be heartbreaking to see Orton turn on someone who has become his best friend in recent months, it's an interesting scenario to consider before the WWE legend challenges Reigns himself.