WWE SmackDown Preview: Aleister Black's opponent revealed, Former teammates clash

By Riju Dasgupta
Modified Jul 09, 2019 16:42 IST
We will finally learn who knocked on Aleister Black's door
We will finally learn who knocked on Aleister Black's door

Extreme Rules is just around the corner and this means that all eyes will be on the blue brand. This is because this is the final stop before Extreme Rules comes around, this week.

To get you guys all pumped and ready for the action coming our way in just a few hours, we present an official Sportskeeda preview. So, you can choose whether you want to catch the show or not, based on the card that SmackDown will present before you.

To be honest, there's a lot of exciting stuff lined up for the WWE Universe, and speaking for myself, I'm quite kicked about what we could potentially see, this week. I'd like to know your thoughts about the card in the comments section below.

Here's what you can expect on SmackDown...

#4 SmackDown Tag Team Championship Summit

Three teams will square off right before their Extreme Rules match
Three teams will square off right before their Extreme Rules match

One thing that SmackDown Live has always managed to do better than RAW is book tag teams much better. Well, three tag teams will be part of what is being dubbed a Tag Team Summit, where The New Day, Heavy Machinery and the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, Heavy Machinery will come face to face.

If there is one thing that we know about tag teams coming face to face, it is that they will implode in a flurry of fists soon after. Expect something of this nature when the teams collide in what should be one of the more explosive moments on the blue brand. This should be a great preview of the carnage we can expect at Extreme Rules.

Do you think it's time that we crown a brand new tag team champion? Or are you happy with the current reigning champs?

See WWE Smackdown Live Updates, Highlights of event, & more on Smackdown updates page

#3 Aleister Black's opponent finally revealed to the world?

This is, by far, the most anticipated segment from SmackDown. For weeks, Aleister Black has been calling out an opponent to take him on at Extreme Rules.

And after weeks of not receiving a response from a fellow superstar in the locker room, someone finally knocked on Black's door, two weeks ago. But then, when Black went to answer the challenge, it turned out that nobody was there, proving that his opponent was playing mind games with him.

This week, we find out exactly who Aleister Black's Extreme Rules opponent will be, and the buzz has been very high. A lot of people want it to be Bray Wyatt, but I think that's way too far fetched a theory to be true.

Could it be someone like, maybe, Rusev, whom we haven't seen on WWE TV in quite some time now?

#2 Two former teammates wage war

Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler were in the same team against Heavy Machinery in last week's main event. It did seem like Kevin Owens was going babyface at the start of the night, and by the end of it, we were convinced of it. Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler were at each other's throats by the end of the night, leading to this week's big match.

I have a feeling that Kevin Owens will be the one going over in this match. And this is because he has turned face meaning that all eyes will be on him to grow into his brand new character. He needs a big win far more than Dolph Ziggler does at the moment.

Will Owens be the man to take down Shane McMahon's reign of terror at long last? I think that he's being groomed for the role. But first, Dolph Ziggler.

Special mention: Apollo Crews gets more screen time than before?

Because there's such an abundance of talent in the main roster, every time you're given an opportunity to go out and deliver, you have to! Apollo Crews did just that last week when he took on Andrade in what was a fantastic contest.

While Andrade has a bright future ahead of him, it is clear that Crews' may not be privy to the same opportunities. I do hope that last week's performance results in more screen time for the man.

Could he go out there and tear it up with the likes of someone like Buddy Murphy, another man who's just been sitting on the sidelines waiting for his chance? You know that if the man gets a chance to excel, he's going to hit the ball right out of the park.

Do you want to see more Apollo Crews soon?

#1 Finn Balor takes on Shinsuke Nakamura

It is very easy to forget the fact that Finn Balor is a Champion at this point in time. And this is because Balor is one of the many Superstars in WWE history, who've held a belt, only to be sidelined shortly thereafter.

We've gone weeks without seeing a glimpse of him on television, except for a backstage segment where he had a brief interaction with Shinsuke Nakamura. From the looks of it, both men will clash this week in a match that should be a treat for purists of pro wrestling.

These two former NJPW Superstars have had very different careers, but you know that when the bell rings, they will give it their all. There's a lot more on the line in this match than just a potential clash for the Intercontinental Championship, presumably at Extreme Rules.

This is a chance for both men to prove they belong at the top of the card.

What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.