SmackDown begins with a newly-crowned champion getting assaulted; Major name absent

The July 4 episode of SmackDown was pre-taped, but it began with a banger nevertheless as a top faction, including a newly crowned champion, was assaulted. A major name was also missing.

That faction was The New Bloodline, and that newly-crowned champion was none other than Solo Sikoa. As you know, he took the help of the returning "Infamous" Tonga Loa, as well as the debuting Hikuleo at Night of Champions, allowing him to beat Jacob Fatu and hand him his first pinfall loss since joining WWE a year ago.

Jacob Fatu would end up brutally assaulting Solo Sikoa by dragging him out of the car. When Tonga Loa tried to get in, he hilariously got slammed into the bus on the side. JC Mateo was also on the receiving end of the beating. Hikuleo was nowhere to be seen.

This is in the immediate aftermath of what can only be considered an unjust loss for Jacob Fatu. However, the numbers game in Riyadh proved to be far too much for him to handle, and Jimmy Uso wasn't around to help either.

This only means that the story between Fatu and Sikoa is far from done. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis told Fatu that if he found himself a partner, then he could have two of the new Bloodline members in the ring.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens next on SmackDown.