Friday Night SmackDown is here once again! The weeks are passing us by at rapid pace; storylines are escalating (kinda) and the Road to WrestleManiais well and truly underway. This week’s edition of SmackDown is being built around just two matches and, therefore, we will speculate over some of the other likely segments set to take place tonight when SmackDown comes to Pittsburgh, PA. Wait, what? Yet another SmackDown preview previewing a number one contenders match for Gunther and the Intercontinental Championship? Well, let’s dive in!
Fatal Five-Way Match to Determine the Number One Contender for Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship: Xavier Woods vs. Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross vs. LA Knight
Kicking this preview off is the likely main event. Xavier Woods, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Karrion Kross and LA Knight are set to meet in a fatal five-way match to determine the number one contender to Gunther‘s Intercontinental Championship. Now, does it feel like we have a multi-man contenders match for Gunther’s title every other week? Yes. However, Gunther keeps chopping down (quite literally) every opponent who steps up to him, so it’s hardly surprising we are running through contenders at such speed. So, who do we think wins? Kross is essentially a perennial bridesmaid in a match full of brides at this point. LA Knight is embroiled in something of a feud with The New Day, so both he and Woods are probably out of the running from the start. Sheamus, though a magnificent contender for Gunther as they have terrific chemistry together, has had his chance. Surely, then, Drew McIntyre wins this match and goes on to face Gunther. Will we be right? Tune into SmackDown tonight to find out!
Bruan Strowman & Ricochet vs. The Viking Raiders
Ricochet & Braun Strowman will tonight get a chance to take it to Eric & Ivar, who collectively make up The Viking Raiders. Both of these teams have been establishing some form of dominance on SmackDown in recent weeks, as a slightly more bustling tag team division is seeming to emerge. No doubt, these two teams will be looking to chase The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) and the SmackDown Tag Team Championship sometime in the near future. Tonight, a big win for either side goes a long way in staking a claim (though an old team looks set to realign and they are perhaps more likely to earn a title shot first, if you know what I’m Zayn). Who wins? Find out tonight!
Not Announced But Expected for Friday Night SmackDown
– It is painfully obvious that a big part of tonight’s show will be occupied by the fallout between Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. On this past week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, Jey turned on Sami and confirmed that blood is thicker than any potential friendship which might have been shared between the two. Therefore, The Bloodline looks set to be one unified unit once more. Whereas Kevin Owens has repeatedly rebutted Sami’s attempts to goad him into reforming their alliance (and who can blame him?), it is likely this is heading for a tag team match at WrestleMania. Expect more seeds to be planted tonight.
– The ongoing feud between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes is set to continue. So far, though some words have been heated, the two men have acted like gentleman and are yet to get physical with each other. Could that change tonight?
– Charlotte Flair is the SmackDown Women’s Champion with a target on her back. She knows that number one contender, Rhea Ripley, is eyeing the title, and we can certainly expect a continuation in this storyline tonight.
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