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  • WWE SmackDown - 5 Surprises that may happen after Backlash - Matt Riddle attacked, Major heel turn 

WWE SmackDown - 5 Surprises that may happen after Backlash - Matt Riddle attacked, Major heel turn 

By Riju Dasgupta
Modified Jun 18, 2020 10:09 IST
Matt Riddle's first foray on WWE SmackDown could be very unfortunate
Matt Riddle's first foray on WWE SmackDown could be very unfortunate

WWE Backlash was an okay show at best and a below-average one at worst, but the SmackDown that follows could be a far more exciting affair as WWE builds to Extreme Rules and SummerSlam 2020. Bear in mind that RAW was a fantastic show with a lot of brilliant surprises, so there's no reason why SmackDown cannot follow suit, as well.

Gary Cassidy from Sportskeeda reported, not so long ago, that the SmackDown tapings for this week had been canceled but this episode of SmackDown has already been filmed by now. And one has to assume that, professionals that they are, WWE will ensure that the following episode of SmackDown is filmed well in time before next week.

So, without further ado, I present 5 surprises that Bruce Prichard can book on this week's episode of SmackDown that will significantly elevate the current product.

#5 Matt Riddle runs into Sheamus on his SmackDown debut

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The King of Bros made a name for himself in the UFC and then went on to make a name for himself in NXT, and now he is finally going to mix it up with the stars of WWE SmackDown. You know from the way that he's been presented thus far, that he is going to be a very prominent name in the SmackDown roster. And this is why I believe, personally, that someone like Sheamus will be presented to Matt Riddle straight off the bat, now that the man is seemingly done with Jeff Hardy.

It will be a treat for fans who don't want NXT to see Riddle, a seemingly chilled out man turn into a brawler when confronted with someone like Sheamus on SmackDown.

It will make him an instant star, if Sheamus attacks him and then, Riddle retaliates.

#4 Tucky turns on his Heavy Machinery partner Otis on WWE SmackDown

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Not long ago, I had a chance to interact with popular SmackDown star Otis and I asked him if Heavy Machinery was coming to an end. He assured me, as you can see in the video above, that there is needless fear in the media and that SmackDown's favorite duo (after Otis and Mandy Rose) will very much still remain a cohesive unit.

Forgive me if I don't believe Otis one bit as a long time viewer of SmackDown and the WWE product because now is the time to pull the trigger and get Otis over to the next level. And how long can Tucky play the role of the sidekick in WWE considering just how talented he is and how much he too can prosper as a hated heel on SmackDown, in the days that follow?

Otis needs a reason to stay on television until he cashes in his contract and a feud with Tucky on SmackDown is the best way to keep him on, in my opinion.

#3 Bray Wyatt returns to SmackDown and says Braun Strowman has unfinished business with The Fiend

I am sure that all of us remember that Bray Wyatt used to be the Universal Champion but then, out of nowhere, Goldberg entered the title picture on SmackDown and captured the Championship from him that he went on to lose at WWE WrestleMania. And the man that he lost the title to, is not a mere man but a monster who rules the roost on SmackDown and his name is Braun Strowman.

Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman went on to have a feud of their own on SmackDown and the thing to remember is that it wasn't The Fiend, but Wyatt, who was involved in this feud. So, now, this week, when Bray Wyatt returns to SmackDown after the time he took off to focus on fatherhood, chances are that The Fiend will be involved in the title hunt.

The Fiend vs. Strowman is a tough fight to call, truth be told, because both men have been presented as bulletproof with few exceptions, thus far.

#2 Jeff Hardy challenges AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Championship, this week on SmackDown

Believe it or not, Jeff Hardy lost to Sheamus at Backlash, in what should have been his redemption storyline. And now, he will return to SmackDown this week, a bruised, battered, and broken man, but he is sure to get his heat back when he goes up against someone like AJ Styles, who became the Intercontinental Champion in the go-home show of SmackDown prior to Backlash.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that Jeff Hardy vs. AJ Styles is a dream feud and a lot more people would be excited to see it unfold, as compared to segments where Sheamus throws urine on Jeff Hardy.

AJ Styles also needs a strong opponent straight up to make the Intercontinental Championship prestigious again, because, with all due respect to Braun Strowman, he wasn't exactly the model workhorse champion when he held the title. Sami Zayn could have been ideal in the role on SmackDown, but the current situation in the world has kept him away.

#1 Drew Gulak and Daniel Bryan enter the SmackDown Tag Team Championship picture again

Drew Gulak and Daniel Bryan can be the SmackDown Tag Team unit that goes on to have the best matches ever against the SmackDown Tag Team Champions- The New Day. And they can also be the team that, because of how likable they are, are eventually responsible for The New Day going heel.

But this week on SmackDown, they could come together and decide that they will compete as a tag team. This may be the wisest course of action because we are clearly headed for Miz vs. Morrison based on how the events of WWE Backlash played out and based on the amount of heat that Jaxson Ryker is experiencing based on his controversial tweet.

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