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After a great episode of RAW this week, the Blue brand is expected to do the same, especially as Royal Rumble is just a couple of weeks away. Besides a big return, several exciting matches are set for the show this week.
Last week, John Morrison reunited with his former tag team partner The Miz, helping him to beat Kofi Kingston. Robert Roode also returned and reunited with Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin and the trio laid out Roman Reigns and The Usos.
The next SmackDown will be held at Greensboro Coliseum Complex, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Kane is set to make his return after a long time. John Morrison will wrestle in a WWE ring for the first time in nine years when he will take on Big E in a singles match.
Moreover, Lacey Evans will look to settle the score against Sasha Banks, while Roman Reigns will lock horns with Robert Roode in a tables match.
In this article, we predict five things we could see on SmackDown this week.
#5 The Intercontinental Championship match gets confirmed
The intriguing feud for the Intercontinental Championship took one step further last week when the Shinsuke Nakamura was defeated by Braun Strowman. Although the belt was not on the line on SmackDown last week, The Monster Amon Men certainly made his intention clear with the emphatic victory over Nakamura.
Defeating The Artist in the past week, Strowman grabbed the Intercontinental Title and raised it in the ring. However, Sami Zayn was quick to snatch the title away from The Monster Among Men.
The Intercontinental Championship match could get confirmed for Royal Rumble this week, considering the pay-per-view is less than two weeks away. Nakamura has been the holder of the title for over six months, but Strowman will be a different challenge for the champion. Though Cesaro and Sami Zayn interfered the match, Strowman still stood tall and hence, the numbers game shouldn't be a major hurdle for The Monster Among Men.
#4 Alexa Bliss avenges her previous loss in a women's tag team match
Alexa Bliss has had a rough start to the new year, losing her first singles match of 2020 to Mandy Rose. Bliss faced The Golden Goddess on SmackDown, and she was beaten after Otis interrupted the match. Following the defeat past week, the five-time Women's Champion will be looking forward get back on track this week.
While Mandy Rose has a friend in Sonya Deville, Alexa Bliss has Nikki Cross in her corner. Considering their feud in the past few weeks, it is feasible that they might collide in a women's tag-team match on the Blue brand this week. Either of the two teams could gain momentum if they manage a victory before the Women's Royal Rumble match.
There is no doubt that Alexa Bliss will be one of the favourites to win the Women's Royal Rumble this year and a victory on SmackDown will give her much-needed confidence before the pay-per-view. Therefore, Bliss could stand tall on SmackDown this week, taking revenge for her shocking defeat last time around.
#3 John Morrison defeats Big E
A big match is set for SmackDown, as John Morrison will make his long-awaited return to the squared circle against Big E, who is also one half of the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The New Day. Known for his incredible high-flying moves, Morrison will be aiming to make a striking impact upon his return.
Appearing on the first SmackDown of the year, John Morrison teased his return to the squared circle as well as a reunion with The Miz. Morrison confirmed his alliance with The A-Lister last week when he appeared as the guest of The Miz TV and eventually assisted him to earn a massive victory over the former WWE Champion, Kofi Kingston.
Morrison has honed his skills in the ring, wrestling for several other promotions in the last nine years, and the fans will see a rejuvenated Shaman Of Sexy with a number of new tricks in his arsenal. However, Big E will not be an easy opponent for Morrison, but the latter should win his first match after the return. Considering The Miz will be in the ringside, he could help the Guru Of Greatness to pick up a victory this week.
#2 Roman Reigns and The Usos humiliate the heel trio
Roman Reigns is set to face a returning Robert Roode, who assaulted The Big Dog last week. The Glorious One delivered a vicious Spinebuster to Roman Reigns on the announce table.
While the feud between Roman Reigns and King Corbin has been exciting, it is safe to say that it has been one-sided domination from the latter, thus far. With the return of The Usos, Reigns certainly received a huge boost, yet they were outclassed by the villanous trio last week once again. Therefore, Reigns needs to find a way to overcome Baron Corbin, Robert Roode, and Dolph Ziggler, which could happen on SmackDown this week.
When Reigns will take on Robert Roode, the former shouldn't find it hard to beat the latter unless Corbin and Ziggler influence the outcome of the match. As Roman Reigns will be one of the top picks to win Royal Rumble, which is just a few days away, he needs to get significant momentum before heading to the big event. Besides winning the singles match against Robert Roode, Reigns and The Usos could embarrass the heel trio this week, taking revenge for their previous humiliation.
#1 Kane announces his entry in the Men's Royal Rumble match
With the arrival of the new year, a number of big names have returned to WWE and a legend is scheduled to return this week. Kane, a former World Champion, will make his presence felt on SmackDown. Kane's last appearance was on RAW a few months ago, when he won the 24/7 Title from R-Truth and was laid out by The Fiend when he saved Seth Rollins.
Whenever The Devil's Favourite Demon makes his return, we generally see a twist, and the same could happen on SmackDown this week. The question remains why the legendary Superstar is coming back. Since Royal Rumble is around the corner, he could announce his entry to the Men's Royal Rumble, considering his remarkable track record in the match.
Kane held the record of most number of eliminations in a single Royal Rumble match, which was eventually broken by Roman Reigns in 2015. The Big Red Machine also appeared in nineteen Royal Rumble matches, most by any Superstar. After missing the Royal Rumble match last year, Kane will be eager to make a mark and he could be a great addition to the star-studded Royal Rumble match this year.
