WWE SmackDown Preview: No escape for Roman Reigns, top heels destroy friendship with 3-time champion, interesting debut lined up for the show

We are all set for an exciting episode of WWE SmackDown. Roman Reigns will return on tonight’s show, and two WWE superstars are looking forward to extending a presumably unpleasant welcome to the Tribal Chief. Paul Heyman is also expected to be on Reigns’ side, but he might be distracted by other ongoing disputes. Top superstars will compete to gain momentum and raise their respective positions on the roster as several title pictures intensify.

Here, we look at some exciting things that could unfold on WWE SmackDown this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

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#1 Drew McIntyre finally confronts Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown

Drew McIntyre’s attempt to confront Roman Reigns was overshadowed by Karrion Kross, who made a massive return earlier this month. However, the Scottish Warrior is now better prepared for surprise interferences ahead of tonight’s show. As confirmed by WWE, McIntyre and Roman Reigns will come face-to-face on the blue brand tonight.

The two superstars are set to lock horns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle in Wales. They have little time to build up their rivalry and will look to make the most of every opportunity. Kross is still a massive threat in the main event picture, but McIntyre is expected to humble the Tribal Chief ahead of their title match.

The Scottish Warrior appeared on RAW earlier this week, where he cut a scathing promo while standing across from Kevin Owens. The two also delivered an epic match that stole the show. McIntyre has momentum on his side and will look to capitalize on the same against Reigns. The latter is indestructible at the moment and won’t shy away from asserting his dominance. However, Roman Reigns has a massive target on his back, especially with Kross eyeing his gold.

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#2 The Usos attack Sami Zayn on WWE SmackDown

The last couple of weeks have been tough for Sami Zayn. The honorary Uce has tried his best to remain on The Bloodline’s good side, but The Usos are no longer fond of the former Intercontinental Champion. Last week on WWE SmackDown, McIntyre attacked The Usos in front of Roman Reigns’ private room. Interestingly, the tag team champions had come out because Sami Zayn knocked on the door.

Although Zayn played no part in McIntyre’s attack, The Usos might believe otherwise. Moreover, they have been evidently frustrated with Zayn “not pulling his weight.” We might see them end their association with the self-proclaimed ally of The Bloodline and could attack Zayn. This will leave room for Kevin Owens to come to Zayn’s rescue, a move he teased on RAW earlier this week while cutting a memorable promo during his aforementioned segment with Drew McIntyre.

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#3 Huge change confirmed for WWE SmackDown

This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown will feature the quarter-finals of the ongoing women's tag team tournament. NXT’s Toxic Attraction are expected to make their main roster debut. While current NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose is familiar with SmackDown, it will be Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne on the blue brand in their match against the team of Sonya Deville and Natalya.

Earlier, Nikkita Lyons and Zoey Stark were scheduled to compete in the match, but both superstars were deemed medically unfit for in-ring competition. They have been replaced by former NXT Tag Team Champions, Dolin and Jane, who will look to pick up a statement victory against the top heels after being omitted from the tournament at the start.

Although Natalya has held the tag team championship before, Deville has never won a title in WWE. She will hope to qualify for the tournament semi-finals alongside a veteran superstar against debuting talents. Previously, Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah defeated Shotzi and Xia Li to seal their spot in the WWE SmackDown semi-finals scheduled for next week.

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#4 Gunther’s next challenger on WWE SmackDown

Gunther defended his Intercontinental Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in a brilliant match last week. He will now look forward to his next challenger on WWE SmackDown, which could be Ricochet. The high-flying superstar has started to thrive in the Triple H regime. Ricochet mentioned that he is coming after the title he lost to Gunther, but he has one more obstacle in his path.

Ricochet has been involved in a feud with Happy Corbin. The latter would not let his current rival get an easy shot at the gold. Ricochet looks determined to establish himself as a credible threat in the championship picture, and it will be interesting to see his next move on SmackDown.