5 Things subtly said by WWE on SmackDown - Bad news for former WWE Champion, Roman Reigns' next opponent revealed?

There wasn't a lot of subtext on SmackDown this week. It's not like the show has the kind of layered storytelling that shows like Westworld or Lost are known for anyway.

But this week, the episode was taped, and well, let's just say it won't go down in history as one of the all-time great episodes. That said, eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed a few things on SmackDown such as these five points.

Rohit Nath, who writes this listicle every week, is currently celebrating Christmas in the hills and we thank you, reader, for taking the time to spend your holidays with Sportskeeda. We wish you and your loved ones all the best this season.

What did you think of the Christmas special that aired this week? Be sure to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

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#5 Jinder Mahal's stock on SmackDown has dropped drastically

Certain members of a gauntlet match have to be eliminated quickly to keep the bout going, to keep things moving. That said, the fact that Jinder Mahal's accomplishments as a former WWE Champion were brought up right before he was eliminated says volumes about his position on the roster. Even Shanky had a more dominant showing during the match than he did.

One may even say that Jinder Mahal has slipped to the same level that he was at before he got his major push. One has to wonder if WWE is looking at a new star like Veer Mahaan to connect with the Indian market now.

The fact that his vignettes are getting so much airtime probably means that he'll be booked more dominantly than his SmackDown compatriot.

Interestingly, former WWE Superstar Jeet Rama had much to say about how Indians are portrayed by the company.

#4 Will SmackDown star Drew McIntyre feud with Roman Reigns next?

In the SmackDown main event, the company took extra care not to have Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns lock horns. If you look at how things stacked up, you had The Usos and Moss, which was an odd sort of pairing.

If you consider that The New Day and The Usos are feuding right now and that McIntyre and The New Day are chummy, it's easy to see the future. Gear up for Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns next.

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#3 No payoff for the Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn angle

But here's the tragedy about the Roman Reigns situation. There's still an untold story between SmackDown star Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns, one that could have had a major payoff.

When Zayn was about to have his big moment, it was taken away from him by Brock Lesnar. Even though he is next in line to face Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship, in a sense this is a massive demotion for the entertaining star.

#2 Toni Storm to be booked in the Liv Morgan role?

The SmackDown Women's Championship match at the top of the show was a competitive affair. Yes, Toni Storm came up short but she went toe-to-toe with one of the best of all time in a far better manner, than say, Jinder Mahal did later on during the show.

The fact that there was a visual of her crying makes us wonder- is she being booked in the Liv Morgan role? The ultimate underdog who will come up short time and time again until she succeeds?

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#1 Paul Heyman's career on SmackDown is not done

Listen, Paul Heyman teased every possibility at the start of WWE SmackDown except for the two most likely ones. There's no way that his career is over at this point in time when the most intriguing storyline in pro wrestling is not yet done!

The two most likely possibilities are that he will help Brock Lesnar win the Universal Championship at Day 1 OR show that it was all a ruse. Maybe he's still team Reigns all the way!