WWE SmackDown Live Preview: November 07, 2017

The tensions between Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live are simmering dangerously close to boiling point as Manchester, England, hosts both the shows this week.

And I know exactly what you're thinking.

What a perfect opportunity for Raw to lay siege to SmackDown Live, isn't it?

However, life does go on as usual on the Blue brand with AJ Styles taking on Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship.

Will the Phenomenal One earn the right to face Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series by getting one over on the Modern Day Maharaja?

Or will the Singh brothers, yet again, interfere in the match and stack the odds against Jinder's opponent?

We're as curious as you are to find out as we preview this week's episode of SmackDown Live.

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A convenient 'confusion'

Who'd have thunk it?

Are the New Day in league with the Bar?

Both former Tag champions in their respective brands, it felt like a little more than coincidence that the New Day would show up on Raw during the Shield's match with the Bar and provide a distraction that the challengers would then capitalise upon.

The Tag Championships changed hands and Kurt Angle was left red-faced; he had bought the 'under siege part 2' ruse hook, line and sinker.

The biggest winners in all of the confusion, however, were the Bar, who won back the Raw Tag Team gold from Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose.

As it stands, they're the team that will represent Team Red at Survivor Series against the Usos - serial nemeses of New Day.

Which again begs the question: was all of this a grand, conniving plan hatched by the two teams in tandem?

Straight Fire in the hole for James Ellsworth

Becky Lynch attempts to rubber stamp her captaincy against James Ellsworth

Becky Lynch has been anointed the team captain for SmackDown Live and the WWE Universe knows that it's a much, much better choice than giving Alicia Fox the wheel.

But as it stands, the dissension within SmackDown Live's ranks is gaining voice as Carmella is particularly opposed to Becky being handed the captain's hat.

However, it will be James Ellsworth who will take to the mats in an attempt to settle his mistress' differences with Becky Lynch in a man on woman match on SmackDown Live.

Will the ever-faithful lapdog of Carmella prove his worth by defeating Becky Lynch and gifting the MITB winner captaincy of Team SmackDown Live?

Or will Becky Lynch reaffirm her position by putting him, and Carmella, back in their place?

Another Title change?

Will the Tag Titles on SmackDown Live change hands too?

Just when everyone thought the Shield's date with the Usos was all but set in stone for Survivor Series, the Bar threw a spanner in the words by reclaiming the Raw Tag Team Championships.

Now, one can't help but wonder if a similar fate awaits the SmackDown Live Tag Champions when they take on the team of Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable in a Title match.

Benjamin and Gable are on the up, and with momentum on their side, truly believe that they can usurp the Championship gold from the Usos.

The Usos, on the other hand, believe that barring New Day, no other tandem on the roster is quite on their level.

When these two teams clash on SmackDown Live... something has to give.

Raw returns the favour

Raw should be sick of being played by now

The New Day showed up on Raw, much to the surprise of everyone involved, and basically triggered the entire Monday Night Raw roster into a frenzy.

However, the siege never came.

And once again, Kurt Angle was left in the middle of the ring looking ridiculous.

On some level, the Olympic hero must decide that enough is enough. And with both Raw and SmackDown Live being hosted in Manchester this week, this could be the perfect opportunity for him to strike back.

So far, SmackDown Live has been pulling out all the stops in this intense pre-Survivor Series rivalry between both brands.

Is this — finally — the time for Raw to get in some offence of their own?

AJ Styles on the Championship trail

Will we see a WWE Title change before Survivor Series?

After disposing of Sunil and Samir Singh in the past couple of weeks, AJ Styles earned himself a WWE Title opportunity against Jinder Mahal this week on SmackDown Live.

And with a clash against Brock Lesnar looming, this could be the perfect time for Styles to challenge the Maharaja, who will undoubtedly be having one eye on Survivor Series.

However, after months of proving doubters wrong and retaining the WWE Championship repeatedly, you'd think that Jinder Mahal is well enough versed in the dark arts to defend his Title by whatever means necessary.

Will he prevail against the formidable challenge of AJ Styles, then?

Or will Phenomenal One, once again, prove that SmackDown Live is indeed the house that AJ Styles built?

Reports suggest WWE is having second thoughts about Mahal vs. Lesnar and having Styles go up against the Beast Incarnate makes for a dream match

Find out right here at Sportskeeda as we bring you all of the live play-by-play action, results and highlights from SmackDown Live!

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