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With Backlash right around the corner, SmackDown is set to give the fans a memorable episode. WWE has already announced a segment between Jeff Hardy and Sheamus that will take place on the blue brand.
Not just that, the finals of the IC Championship tournament will take place with AJ Styles taking on Daniel Bryan to crown the new IC Champion. As per certain reports, the match had been taped long ago and was spectacular.
Let us take a look at 5 of the biggest backstage rumors relating to SmackDown that can have a major impact on the show:
#5 Spoiler for SmackDown segment for Jeff Hardy and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy and Sheamus have been involved in a controversial feud as of late with WWE deciding to use Jeff Hardy's real-life past issues to promote a storyline. The angle has seen Sheamus continuously call Hardy a 'junkie'.
A few weeks back on SmackDown, it appeared as though a drunk Jeff Hardy ran over Elias before the show started. It was later revealed that Sheamus was behind the incident and tried to frame Jeff Hardy for it.
Sportskeeda's own Gary Cassidy has revealed that a major angle has been taped revolving around Sheamus and Jeff Hardy for SmackDown. Here is what Gary Cassidy said would happen:
WWE sources have indicated to me that Sheamus and Jeff Hardy are scheduled to meet in the ring with Renee Young, whereby the Charismatic Enigma is confronted by not only the Celtic Warrior - but also a man in a lab coat and four security guards.
He further revealed that the two would get into a war of words:
The segment sees Hardy accuse Sheamus of trying to ruin his life, while The Celtic Warrior seeks "assurances" ahead of their match, demanding that his opponent takes a urine test as he refuses to compete against a "junkie" - adamant Jeff will fail.
#4 Roman Reigns behind heat on Charlotte Flair? (SmackDown)
SmackDown Superstar Roman Reigns has been absent from competition for months now. The Big Dog had decided not to take part in active competition until the COVID-19 pandemic dies down. The reason for his decision was because he has had a past with leukaemia so he did not want to take any risks regarding his health.
With Roman Reigns not around, one Superstar who has been receiving a lot of criticism for being 'overused' is Charlotte Flair. While talking to Wade Keller on his podcast, Rich Fann talked about how Roman Reigns' absence on SmackDown could affect The Queen.
With Roman Reigns not here, one of the things I have always stood by is - Roman and Charlotte essentially get treated the same, but Roman was the one who got the biggest set of heat. Now that Roman is gone, everyone is giving her 'why are you on tv all the time'.
Charlotte Flair recently lost her NXT Women's Championship and is already involved in the RAW Women's Championship scene having faced the Champion Asuka this week on RAW.
#3 Otis' angle had to be re-shot 4 times (SmackDown)
Otis has had quite a year in 2020, having become Mandy Rose's on-screen boyfriend as well as becoming the newest MITB winner. However, Otis did not have much luck while taping for the upcoming SmackDown.
As per Fightful, Otis had to take 4 brutal spinebusters from King Corbin due to re-films by WWE. They kept at it until they found the perfect shot for the match. While having pre-taped episodes of RAW and SmackDown may have some benefits, re-shots and multiple takes are certainly not. Here is what Fightful said:
We're told that Otis ended up having to take four pretty brutal spinebusters due to re-films, and were told that wasn't even the part of the match that was messed up. There was also a re-shoot during an MVP promo, because he referred to the audience as "NXT Superstars." Someone came over the loud speaker to cut off the promo to say to only refer to the audience as "Performance Center recruits".
Otis has become one of the biggest attractions in SmackDown and is likely in for big push.
#2 Elias injury update (SmackDown)
As we talked about earlier, WWE wrote off former multi-time 24/7 Champion Elias from television by having him be the victim of Jeff Hardy or Sheamus' hit and run.
Previously on SmackDown, we saw 'The Drifter' Elias being stretchered out in an ambulance. WWE even stated that Elias has suffered broken ribs but nothing career-threatening. While this was a kayfabe injury update, it has been reported that Elias was genuinely suffering from an injury issue.
Here is what Post Wrestling had state:
Elias is out of action with a torn pectoral muscle, POST Wrestling has learned from multiple sources with the angle shot to write him off of television while he recovers. It is not known when he suffered the injury.
Elias had only recently started receiving a push as The Drifter had managed to beat King Corbin at WrestleMania 36. However, with Elias being out of action, it remains to be seen if he will get pushed upon his return to SmackDown, or if he drifts back into the lower mid-card again.
#1 No plans for Kofi Kingston to become World Champion (SmackDown)
Kofi Kingston had one of the most memorable moments of his career at WrestleMania 35 when he finally became WWE Champion for the first time. While Kingston had a good stint as the top Champion on SmackDown, he lost the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar on the first episode of SmackDown on Fox.
Though many believed there will be redemption story for Kofi Kingston to avenge his quick loss at the hands of Lesnar, nothing of that sort happened. As per SportsKeeda's Tom Colohue, there are no plans to have Kingston regain the WWE Championship and he will likely stay in the tag-team division.
There is no plan to have Kofi Kingston in the main event for a while yet, if ever again. So it would be the tag division he would go to, if he was to move.
Even while Kofi Kingston was the WWE Champion, there were no plans to give him a second reign. There were no plans to keep him in the main event after he lost that title, and that's exactly what happened. The second he lost that belt, it was over. It is and is a crying shame to take someone that talented and drop him off the face of the earth.
