WWE SmackDown: 5 big backstage rumors that could have a major impact - Plans for returning Superstar, 6-time World Champion upset with top star (10th January, 2020)

With WWE's Royal Rumble right around the corner, this week's SmackDown is all set to 'burn it down'. With RAW garnering major praise this week, the Blue brand will look to dominate the ratings by putting on a great show.

The feud between The Bloodline and King's Court will probably be the centre of attraction for the show. Also, John Morrison's return will play a major role in this episode of SmackDown.

Without further ado, let us take a look at the 5 biggest backstage rumors for SmackDown.

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#5 Major plans for John Morrison upon return

Former IC Champion John Morrison made his much-awaited return to SmackDown last week. While it was more of a cameo than a proper comeback, it is clear that Morrison will likely reunite his Tag Team with the Miz going forward.

SportsKeeda's Tom Colohue talked about why WWE reintroduced Morrison in a backstage segment and discussed possible plans for him on an episode of the Dropkick Diskussions.

“I don’t think it was a request per se but there are always conversations before someone signs a contract, ‘How am I going to be pushed? How am I going to be used?’ You can usually tell when somebody’s about to have an expired contract or they are about to re-sign because they will have a sudden and out-of-nowhere shot upwards.”

He also stated that Morrison would be happy to work with one of his best friends in The Miz following his return:

“I’m sure that’s what happened with Morrison. It was a case of them saying, ‘Okay, if you do come back, here’s how we’ll use you.’ Him hearing that and saying, ‘Okay, that sounds good to me.’ I can’t imagine he’s going to be unhappy working with one of his best friends – they had great times together. The fans seem to like it, I’m sure The Miz likes it, and Morrison signed on because he likes it too.”

#4 CM Punk bashes The Miz

The Miz has become the talk of the town after his appearance on WWE Backstage this week. The A-Lister took a slight jab at CM Punk which wasn't taken well by Punk at all, who retorted with a profanity-filled tweet aimed at The Miz.

Here is what The Miz had said:

Oh yeah, we are now done with WWE Backstage. They're taking the microphones off of me, it was great, it was amazing. I feel like this was the best WWE Backstage ever. Name one that was better. Sorry, sorry I didn't change the culture, my bad, my bad."

It is known that CM Punk and The Miz have never gotten along primarily due to Punk constantly targetting The Miz, which is exactly what happened yet again as Punk replied with a very strongly worded tweet for The Miz saying that he should go **** a blood money covered **** in Saudi Arabia, and calling him a dork.

With The Miz being as oustspoken as he is, there is a strong chance that he will take a dig at CM Punk on SmackDown this week.

#3 Bobby Roode to return soon

The feud between Roman Reigns and King Corbin is heating up as The Usos made their return last week on SmackDown to assist The Big Dog when Corbin and Dolph Ziggler were about to bathe Reigns in dog food yet again.

As per SportsKeeda's Tom Colohue, Bobby Roode will return in about 2 weeks and join the feud. Colohue also predicted why The Usos may have an upper hand on this week's edition of SmackDown:

The third guy will almost definitely be Robert Roode. Yes, he’s been out for a while but it was his first offence, it’s a 30-day offence. He will be back, I want to say two weeks? So, I’d imagine, that next week the Usos start to get the upper hand with Roman, maybe it would be Usos and Roman vs. Corbin and Ziggler but then the week after, they will be back, they will start to push for a six-man tag Elimination Chamber/ Fastlane, whichever one that is.

With Roman Reigns pegged to win the Royal Rumble this year, it will be interesting to see how this feud unfolds.

#2 Unplanned aspect of The Fiend's storyline

An interesting aspect of The Fiend Bray Wyatt's story has become the change in characters of Superstars he has defeated. All three Superstars who were babyfaces when they faced him, soon turned heel after getting beaten by The Fiend. These three Superstars include Seth Rollins, Finn Balor and The Miz.

However, SportsKeeda's Tom Colohue has reported that this was not planned by WWE in advance.

“It started off pure coincidence but when it comes to this Miz heel turn, I think maybe the change was leaning towards [John] Morrison and it was planned, and you see several elements building to it.

“But it [Miz’s heel turn] was also a little bit sudden, so I think they’re leaning into what is happening with Bray Wyatt, as they did with KofiMania and like they did with the main event of WrestleMania [35]. They saw the way the wind was blowing and they leaned into it.”

It will be interesting to see how The Miz's heel turn will affect his story with The Fiend and Daniel Bryan going forward on this week's SmackDown.

#1 Unfortunate news for Ember Moon

Ember Moon has been out of action for quite some time and she revealed on Booker T's Hall of Fame podcast that she may not be able to return to the ring before 2021.

The former NXT Women's Champion has been suffering from an Achilles injury during a segment with R-Truth.

Here is what Ember Moon stated:

“With the time off, I was so anxious to get back from this [elbow injury] that I just realised, it was like, ‘Man, I got to do ‘Mania.’ And with an Achilles rupture and the type of rupture that I did, they were telling me anywhere from four months to a year-and-a-half, so it’s just one of those injuries.”

Ember Moon was one of the biggest stars in NXT but has not really been able to make a big impact on the main roster since debuting. While Moon would be a great addition to SmackDown's Women's roster, it is safe to say that we will not be seeing the She-Wolf anytime soon on the Blue brand.