WWE News: Roman Reigns vs Shinsuke Nakamura announced for Friday Night SmackDown

Shinsuke Nakamura along with Sami Zayn was drafted in the third round of the WWE Draft this week on RAW. This seemed pretty low for the Intercontinental Champion according to Zayn, who took to Twitter to express his issues. He even name-dropped the Blue brand's number one draft pick, Roman Reigns.

The Big Dog responded in fairly straightforward fashion, seemingly issuing a challenge towards Nakamura for the Intercontinental title on SmackDown.

WWE quickly announced Shinsuke Nakamura vs Roman Reigns for SmackDown

Shortly after the Twitter back and forth between Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns, WWE announced that the Big Dog will challenge Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship at Friday Night SmackDown on FOX, the first episode after the 2019 WWE Draft.

This will be the first time that Reigns and Nakamura have ever faced each other, aside from when they were the final two men in the 2018 Royal Rumble Match. The King of Strong Style came out on top in that encounter. However, Friday night's bout will be a bigger ask, considering the current circumstances.

What happens next?

With Roman Reigns challenging for the Intercontinental Championship, expect him to win the title. He has already won it before on RAW, proudly defending it regularly against various Superstars, including Samoa Joe and Elias. Reigns becoming the IC Champ again could spark the return of the IC Title Open Challenge. This would be a great thing for both, the Big Dog and Friday Night SmackDown.

Ever since he has returned to the WWE following his recovery from leukaemia, Reigns has been getting cheered by the WWE universe, contrary to the rections he had received in the last few years. His goodwill would likely continue if he does produce wonderful championship matches on a regular basis against the likes of Nakamura, Ali and Cesaro among others. An Intercontinental title match could potentially be a weekly staple for SmackDown on FOX, giving fans a guaranteed title match to look forward to on every episode.

About the author

Divesh Merani is a dedicated sports writer and specialises in creating WWE content. He has been contributing on Sportskeeda since 2018, after years of developing a passion for football and pro wrestling.

Divesh has also represented Sportskeeda at multiple WWE-related events in India, including when Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley visited the country. In 2022, he became an Assistant Content Manager at Sportskeeda but continues to regularly write news and listicles that cover the past, present, and future of WWE's product.

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