Friday Night SmackDown is here once more! The clouds have parted; the skies are blue and there is a descending light heading down to earth as, for the first time in weeks, we have a preview with more than one announced segment to preview. As the title suggests, this week’s SmackDown will see John Cena return to confront Roman Reigns. The two WWE lifers have been embroiled in a hot rivalry for weeks now and with SummerSlam fast approaching, it’s only going to heat up tonight. What else do we have in store? Let’s find out.
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura vs Apollo Crews (c)
Having gotten the better of Apollo Crews in recent weeks – including a pin over the champion in a six man tag team match – the “One True King”, Shinsuke Nakamura, has earned his shot at the title. The Japanese legend has hit a hot spell of form in recent months. Having virtually broken Baron Corbin, with Rick Boogs, Nakamura now wants the gold. Nakamura has history with Intercontinental Championships, being arguably the greatest IWGP Intercontinental Champion ever in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He has also won the WWE version of the championship and therefore poses considerable threat to Crews’ reign of terror. Crews will have Commander Azeez in his corner and is a fierce competitor in his own right. Should these two be allowed considerable time to craft the kind of match they are capable of, this could prove to be a fiery contest and a show stealer. Expect Crews to retain with outside interference or a disqualification.
Contract Signing Between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair
The SmackDown Women’s Championship match we predicted would take place at SummerSlam looks set in stone. Tonight, champion Bianca Belair and contender Sasha Banks will make it official. Two weeks ago, Sasha initially returned to the aid of Bianca, but by the end of the show, she had locked her into a nasty Bank Statement – making the EST of the WWE tap out post-match. This feud is precisely what the SmackDown Women’s Championship needs, as it has been languishing ever since Bayley was put on the shelf for the remainder of the year. In typical WWE fashion, this won’t be your typical contract signing; expect some foul play, a brawl and maybe even another Baron Corbin appearance.
John Cena Confronts Roman Reigns
The aforementioned confrontation between Reigns and Cena will likely take place at the end of the show, but who knows – Bianca and Sasha could easily take the main event. Things have been heating up between these two for a while now, but things haven’t yet boiled over into physicality. The two have remained relatively cordial in that aspect, but maybe tonight that will change. There is also the added mystique of where this is going with Finn Balor. The recently returned Prince of NXT is on SmackDown now and having already been robbed of a championship match by Baron Corbin and John Cena, last week he was demolished at the hands of the Bloodline (Roman, Jimmy and Jey Uso). Can he take some kind of revenge this week? Can he make it into a triple threat match at SummerSlam? You will have to tune in to Friday Night SmackDown on FOX, tonight.
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