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This week’s SmackDown Live promises the dawning of several new storylines in the land of opportunity.
In fact, despite Rusev winning the Gauntlet Match and securing number-1 contender status for the WWE Championship last week, he looks to face off with an old foe this week.
Also on the show, fans may run into a couple of surprises, as Daniel Bryan lays coiled to strike after being unfairly removed from the Gauntlet Match last week by The Bludgeon Brothers and The Miz.
Furthermore, as promised by SmackDown Live General Manager Paige, the show will feature the United States Championship being defended in a dream matchup come to fruition. Accordingly, Jeff Hardy puts his US title on the line against a certain "Artist".
In what comes as one of the most important SmackDown Live episodes of 2018, the WWE has several new angles planned for the fans—
Jeff Hardy defends the US title against Shinsuke Nakamura
One of the most talked-about fantasy matchups that has, for years, piqued the interest of the professional wrestling community is now officially a WWE feud.
After laying waste to Jeff Hardy last week, Shinsuke Nakamura now faces Hardy once again on SmackDown Live.
In fact, this time around, the blue brand’s General Manager Paige has upped the ante, so to speak, declaring this week’s match between Hardy and Nakamura as a title showdown.
Can Nakamura finally win a title on the WWE main roster, or will Hardy continue his Cinderella story-run in WWE since his 2017 return?
The Flying G.O.A.T. seeks vengeance
It was during last week’s Gauntlet Match to determine the number-1 contender for AJ Styles’ WWE Championship that The Bludgeon Brothers attacked Daniel Bryan, which in turn led to The Miz pinning and eliminating Bryan from the matchup.
The attack was completely unprovoked, and Harper & Rowan are presently scheduled to appear on Miz TV, where they could perhaps finally reveal the reason behind their vicious attack on Bryan.
Now, Bryan and The Miz are no strangers, what with their longtime rivalry with one another, and that could play into this already complex situation on SmackDown Live.
Will The Bludgeon Brothers continue their dominance or could Bryan successfully get back at them for last week’s beat-down?
Change of fortunes for the Irish Lass Kicker
Becky Lynch is one of the greatest in-ring performers of this generation, and looked to shrug off the stench of her heartbreaking loss at Money In The Bank where she had come inches within grasping the Women’s Money In The Bank contract—in what was an eerie replay of how she failed last year.
Regardless, Lynch faced The IIconics’ Billie Kay last week, and scored an impressive win over the latter. The WWE Universe now gets to witness Lynch face Kay’s Tag Team partner Peyton Royce this week on SmackDown Live.
Can Lynch continue her momentum and once again ascend to the great heights of success everyone expects from her?
Rusev throwing shade at an old rival
Rusev won the Gauntlet Match on last week’s episode of SmackDown Live, and shocked the world by becoming the number-1 contender for the WWE Championship.
Now, while AJ Styles currently holds the WWE Championship, and Rusev would logically be expected to commence a feud with Styles—“The Bulgarian Brute” seems to be using his newfound leverage and time at the top of the food chain so as to throw shade at an old rival.
Rusev posted a few photographs of The New Day’s Xavier Woods on Twitter; insinuating that Woods has been nothing more than a punching bag for Rusev all through their time in NXT, RAW and now on SmackDown Live.
While Rusev’s taunts did come out of the blue, Woods fired back at him immediately; likely setting up a showdown between the duo on SmackDown Live this week.
Netflix’s “GLOW” stars check into the SmackDown Hotel
Netflix’s popular show GLOW, a professional wrestling-centric show that chronicles the lives of female performers back in the 1980s, has long drawn inspiration from the WWE as well as smaller organizations.
This week’s episode of SmackDown Live will see GLOW actors Britt Baron and Sydelle Noel feature on the show, as the duo could likely be interacting with WWE’s “Glow” Naomi.
Tonight, GLOW checks into the SmackDown Hotel, as does the rest of the WWE Universe!
