Triple H to sacrifice 53-year-old WWE legend to promote major SummerSlam program this week? Possibility explored

On last week's episode of WWE SmackDown, Aleister Black suffered a shocking loss to R-Truth via roll-up. The former NXT Champion, frustrated, rushed after the 53-year-old backstage furiously, but Damian Priest ran interference and urged Black to calm down. The Dutch pro wrestler would respond in kind with some hellacious kicks, rounding the assault up with his signature Black Mass, continuing his descent into darkness.

Black seems to have gradually turned heel over the past few weeks and is now expected to face Damian Priest at SummerSlam. The feud has quietly been built up over the past month, and with two men who can be elevated to the main event scene swiftly, their feud and eventual match could be instrumental to SmackDown's direction for the rest of the year, and perhaps, even beyond.

In fact, Triple H may push the star who comes out on top in their feud as a viable contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship, with Cody Rhodes expected to regain the title from John Cena at SummerSlam. However, with R-Truth still in the mix and allied with Damian Priest, the 54-time 24/7 Champion could play a major role in the build-up to the anticipated Damian Priest-Aleister Black match at SummerSlam.

Rather than Truth aiding Priest, Black could exploit the future Hall of Famer as The Archer of Infamy's weakness, and the darkness within Aleister Black could manifest itself into a disturbing nightmare for R-Truth. It is possible that the former AEW star viciously takes out R-Truth to add further fuel to his tensions with Damian Priest. An assault on the 53-year-old fan favorite would firmly establish Black as a demented and despicable heel and a force to be reckoned with.

That said, this is mere conjecture at this point.

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Making the case for an Aleister Black-Cody Rhodes feud in WWE

Aleister Black is a very compelling challenger for Cody Rhodes, given his prior history with The American Nightmare in the Jacksonville-based promotion. Black's debut prompted the AEW audience to turn on Rhodes, and this could be a great genesis point to their potential WWE feud, especially if The QB1 goes into the feud after beating John Cena at SummerSlam.

Black, now back in WWE, seems to be on a mission to prove his detractors wrong and finally go on the run he should have gotten in AEW or even his first stint with the global juggernaut. Reportedly set to be positioned for a run near the top of the card, Aleister Black could turn out to be one of the most intriguing feuds for Cody Rhodes in his inevitable second reign as the Undisputed WWE Champion.