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We are set for the first episode of WWE SmackDown after the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Top WWE Superstars are now seeking opportunities that can help their push as the ThunderDome era draws to an end. Everyone wants to be at their best before the crowd returns. Fortunately for us, this drive will help create an intense build-up to the next pay-per-view, Money in the Bank.
Tonight’s episode will help end a few rivalries and kickstart new ones. In this article, we will look at things that can transpire on WWE SmackDown this week.
#1 Dominik Mysterio answers Roman Reigns’ open challenge on WWE SmackDown
Last week, WWE SmackDown featured its first-ever Hell in a Cell match that saw Rey Mysterio face Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. Both superstars worked hard to deliver a solid match, following which the champion prevailed. However, Reigns was far from done. After their match, he decided to attack Rey Mysterio and send a strong message to the rest of the roster.
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After all, an arrogant Reigns has never shied away from asking people to “acknowledge” him. Paul Heyman then went ahead and issued an open challenge on behalf of Roman Reigns on Talking Smack. The Tribal Chief will celebrate his Hell in a Cell win with his entourage on WWE SmackDown tonight as per the plan. This would be the perfect opportunity for the next challenger to step up against Reigns.
While the creative have a handful of options, they might book Dominik Mysterio as his next opponent. The budding superstar was brutalized on WWE SmackDown at the hands of the Universal Champion that led to the Hell in a Cell match mentioned above. He will now look to avenge the attack on Rey Mysterio last week.
Dominik is enjoying a good run on WWE Smackdown as one-half of the tag team champions. However, this would be a massive opportunity for him to showcase his full potential in a high-profile match.
Many arguments put Dominik ahead of other potential challengers on the Blue brand. He may not beat Roman Reigns, but his performance in this high-profile feud could greatly impact his WWE career. Dominik can send a strong message by launching an attack during the Universal Champion's celebration, just like he did with Seth Rollins.
While Roman Reigns certainly doesn’t have Dominik Mysterio on his guest list, he is looking forward to meeting Jey Uso. Although Jimmy Uso has finally allied with Reigns, the latter is desperate to find his “Right Hand Man”. Will Jey return to celebrate with Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown tonight? If not, what is keeping him from being on the side of his Tribal Chief?
#2 High-profile mixed tag team match booked for WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown is bringing back a mixed tag team match for tonight’s show. As per the official confirmation, Bayley will team up with Seth Rollins to take on Bianca Belair and Cesaro. At Hell in a Cell, Rollins picked up a sneaky victory over The Swiss Superman, and it was evident that their rivalry is far from over on the Blue brand.
The pay-per-view also featured an excellent Hell in a Cell match between Bayley and Bianca Belair with the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line. Belair ultimately managed to retain her title after an epic title bout with Bayley. Both matches were good at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, but it seemingly did nothing to end the respective chapters.
Bayley and Seth Rollins had fun during their “Ding Dong, Hello!” segment together. They are similar types of heels and work well together when they are mocking someone. They are expected to deliver an entertaining segment while sharing the ring with WWE SmackDown’s two top babyfaces. It will be exciting to see if the creative team has any twists planned for this segment.
#3 Shinsuke Nakamura begins his reign as the “King” on WWE SmackDown
Last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown featured a “Battle for the Crown” between two kings – Baron Corbin and Shinsuke Nakamura. The latter recently reverted to his old, brutal self and allied with Rick Boogs. He then started targeting Corbin and even managed to steal his crown. Both superstars feuded for a month that led to their big match last week.
Nakamura picked up a win over Corbin and officially got the crown. He will start his reign on WWE SmackDown tonight, and the former “King of the Ring” might take offense. We could still see Corbin fighting to reclaim his crown. That said, there is a good chance that the creative team has decided to move on from this feud. Instead, they could turn all their focus towards making the crown more valuable on WWE SmackDown.
Nakamura’s “royal victory” has paved the way for other superstars to try their luck at becoming the "King." While this could prompt several opportunists to go after the crown, they will have to remember that the Japanese superstar has a strong associate watching his back. Boogs can play a crucial role in Nakamura’s extended run as a “King” on WWE SmackDown.
#4 The Alpha Academy continue their feud with The Street Profits on WWE SmackDown
The Alpha Academy are slowly rising through the ranks in the WWE SmackDown Tag Team division. They had a brutal feud with Rey and Dominik Mysterio before turning their attention towards The Street Profits. Interestingly, Otis and Chad Gable have had the upper hand in this rivalry so far. It all started when Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins questioned Gable’s credibility as a trainer.
Their comments did not sit well with Otis, who attacked The Street Profits backstage. Eventually, it led to Ford and Dawkins facing Gable and Otis in singles matches in consecutive weeks. Ford and Dawkins got the worse of both those matches as Otis ruthlessly punished them inside the squared circle. The Street Profits had no answer then, but they will look to make a strong return on WWE SmackDown tonight.
It has been a long time since we saw tag teams involved in a compelling non-title feud on WWE SmackDown. The creative team is finally investing more effort into building up the tag teams before pushing them into the title picture.
This will help establish multiple teams as solid contenders on the Blue brand and help elevate the entire tag team division. The Street Profits and The Alpha Academy now have the opportunity to deliver an epic feud and increase their stakes on WWE SmackDown.
#5 RAW Superstars make their presence known on WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown Superstars Natalya and Tamina have recently started feuding with Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke. Both teams have been involved in backstage altercations over the last couple of weeks. Natalya and Tamina believe that Rose and Brooke would go further up the roster if they prioritized their in-ring skills over their looks.
Rose and Brooke argue that the champions wouldn’t be where they are if not for their families' legacies in WWE. All four superstars appear committed to the narrative and are playing their respective parts well. Both teams engaged in a brawl on the last episode of RAW. Tonight, Rose and Brooke might return the favor by making an appearance on WWE SmackDown. It might finally lead to a match between them to set up their title feud.
Natalya faced Mandy Rose at Hell in a Cell pre-show, and their match delivered beyond expectations. They could build an intense rivalry across both brands. Considering that there are barely any women’s tag teams on WWE SmackDown, the creative will prefer involving the champions in an extended feud in the coming weeks.
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