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On Sunday, we witnessed WWE’s Money in the Bank PPV, which saw Otis and Asuka win the briefcase in the Men’s and Women’s Ladder Matches respectively. Now, we are set for the first episode of SmackDown after a decent PPV and a promising show is lined up for the fans. Needless to say, the events from the PPV are bound to influence the events that will transpire on tonight’s episode.
From the return of a former Champion to a tournament that will help decide a new Champion, there’s a lot that will unfold on SmackDown this week. In addition, we will see Otis taking a closer look at his Money in the Bank opportunity as he is set to appear as a guest on Miz TV. Maybe, we will get a better insight and find out what the one half of the Heavy Machinery is planning to do with his titles.
The SmackDown Tag Team division has also been interesting lately. After the successful title defense by The New Day at the recently concluded PPV, they are now expected to engage in a feud with just one team. It will be interesting to know who will be their next challengers.
In this article, we will take a look at things that can happen on tonight’s episode of SmackDown. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#5 Charlotte Flair set to appear on SmackDown
WWE Superstar and the reigning NXT Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair, is set to appear on SmackDown tonight. Right after winning the title at WrestleMania 36, ‘The Queen’ made it clear that she will be defending her title across all the three brands. Hopefully, we will see her confront two other horsewomen, Bayley and Sasha Banks.
It is almost certain that Charlotte will be booked for a match tonight on SmackDown. We could see her in a Champion vs Champion match where she could square off against Bayley. Or we could see her teaming up with someone in a match against the SmackDown Women’s Champion and her best friend, Sasha Banks.
Recently, Charlotte defended her title against Io Shirai on NXT, and it looks like the former Champion, Rhea Ripley, wants to have another shot at the title. Therefore, it is quite possible to see either of those two women attack Charlotte on tonight’s episode of SmackDown. However, one might still expect ‘The Queen’ to have the upper hand on the brand that she once ruled.
With Becky Lynch set to stay away from in-ring action for a while, WWE would want the other three horsewomen to carry the Women’s division. We have seen Bayley and Banks tear their way through the SmackDown women’s division, and a fresh feud might be just what they need before the two best friends are involved in a much-anticipated rivalry.
#4 SmackDown to have tournament to crown new Intercontinental Champion
As reported earlier, Sami Zayn refused to be a part of WWE tapings as a precaution amidst the coronavirus crisis. In his absence from SmackDown, the creative have decided to organize a tournament to determine who would be the next Intercontinental Champion. However, it is safe to say that Zayn isn’t very supportive of the idea.
As far as the new Intercontinental Champion is concerned, this is an opportunity for WWE to bring the spotlight on the rest of the SmackDown locker room. We could see the likes of Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, Sheamus, Jeff Hardy, and others battling it out for the title in the coming weeks. However, the new Champion must be booked in a feud with Zayn if and when the latter decided to return.
Zayn had to wait for a long time before he could finally get his hands on a Single’s title. Even though he has been far from a conventional Champion, Zayn deserved a better ending to his title reign. Hopefully, WWE will consider using Zayn's eventual return to SmackDown for making the Intercontinental Championship picture more interesting.
#3 Otis set to appear on Miz’s talk show on SmackDown tonight
Last Sunday, we saw SmackDown Superstar Otis walk out of the WWE Headquarters with the Money in the Bank 2020 contract. Even though his victory was the result of a combination of an interruption from Elias and a consequent error on AJ Styles’ part, the one half of the Heavy Machinery still has a huge opportunity at hand. He is now set to appear on ‘Miz TV’ on tonight’s episode of SmackDown.
Given the fact that there has been speculation about Otis possibly cashing in his contract for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, his scheduled appearance on the show hosted by The Miz will give us some clarity on his future plans. There’s also a chance that Otis will declare his intentions of pursuing a Single’s run.
Given his recent push, it’s not too difficult to imagine that becoming a reality. His tag team partner, Tucker, has been quiet for a long time and it will be interesting to see his reaction tonight on SmackDown.
Could we see an epic betrayal sometime soon? If not, will Otis cash-in his coveted contract to win the title for him and Tucker? Let’s find out.
#2 Sonya Deville to continue her feud with Mandy Rose on SmackDown
Otis’ rise to the top came as a result of the storyline involving Mandy Rose. Luckily for us, it was also responsible for the feud between Rose and her former tag team partner, Sonya Deville. Both these Superstars have been at each other's throats on SmackDown ever since Deville’s betrayal. Now, she has declared that she is not yet done with her former best friend.
Both Rose and Deville are talented Superstars and deserve to find themselves in the title picture. But before that, they need to gain some credibility on SmackDown. This feud between them will be helpful for both the Superstars involved as they can explore their potential before pursuing other storylines.
Since both Rose and Deville are expected to have a Single’s run, a good feud to kickstart this change in them will work in elevating their position on the main roster.
In addition to that, the rivalry between Deville and Rose will keep the SmackDown Women’s division entertaining as the fans would want to see something other than the rivalry between Bayley, Banks, and Lacey Evans. The creative have a good opportunity in their hands and hopefully, they will make the best use of it.
#1 Which SmackDown Superstar will challenge Braun Strowman next?
At the Money in the Bank PPV, WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman successfully defended his title against Bray Wyatt. This match had brilliant story-telling, and the two might engage in a feud sometime in the future. However, for now, it will be interesting to see which SmackDown Superstar will challenge Braun Strowman for the title.
Although the ‘Monster Among Men’ should not lose his title just yet, there are a lot of promising talents on the SmackDown division that can benefit from a title feud with Strowman. In addition, a one-off encounter against the likes of Daniel Bryan and Jeff Hardy will help add more credibility to Strowman’s title reign.
Right after WrestleMania 36, Strowman made it clear that he will be a fighting Champion. Similar to Drew McIntyre on RAW, Strowman should also be booked in title feuds regularly. WWE can also have one cross-brand match since Baron Corbin from SmackDown will be going to RAW for one match against the WWE Champion.
There are many interesting possibilities to explore with Strowman’s title reign, and WWE should use them wisely.
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
