The first SmackDown after WWE’s exclusive premium live event, Money in the Bank, is set to air live from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The live show is surely going to be a fiery one after everything that took place at the pay-per-view.
With the clock ticking for the blue brand’s weekly show, a lot of updates have made their way that will surely get the fans excited. The upcoming episode will be all the more enthralling. After all, Nick Aldis gave a preview of the events that will unfold in tonight’s segment.
From John Cena being present in the building to Seth Rollins potentially finding another superstar to make an example out of, the show will surely be a blast for fans present and streaming online.
WWE SmackDown preview: Events that have reshaped the blue brand’s scenario
Before we talk about the stars and segments that will take place in tonight’s show, let’s do a quick recap of the events that took place at Money in the Bank. These happenings are not only necessary to understand the alliances and which superstars will be directly affected because the men’s and women’s MITB Ladder Match winners are on the loose and could cash in their briefcases against a WWE Champion.
Perhaps the biggest shocker of that night was how Jacob Fatu screamed “I hate you” to Solo Sikoa before costing him the ladder match. This incident directly changed the outcome of the match, assisting Seth “Bankin’” Rollins to win his 2nd Men’s MITB briefcase.
Another interesting match was how Naomi outlasted the other 5 participants present in the match, Alexa Bliss, Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, Rhea Ripley, and Roxanne Perez, to win her first Women’s MITB briefcase.
Nick Aldis drops 3 huge announcements ahead of tonight’s show
Ahead of tonight’s event, Nick Aldis took over WWE’s official X handle (@WWE), announcing to the WWE Universe the venue of the blue brand. He mentioned how John Cena will be present in the building, potentially addressing what happened last week at MITB and earlier this week on Monday Night RAW.
But more importantly, fans will hear directly from Naomi about her victory and perhaps hear from Jacob Fatu for turning his back on Solo Sikoa. Aside from hearing from these WWE Superstars, the King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments would continue, and one match from both divisions will take place.
Well, these are the confirmed segments, but Aldis is hiding three potential events that can blow the roof off the arena.
3) Randy Orton potentially returning to participate in the KOTR tournament
After the thrilling battle between John Cena and Randy Orton last month at 2025 Backlash, the latter has not appeared in a single segment of RAW or SmackDown. The most recent segment of Monday Night RAW showcased that the Mayor of Viperville is part of the SmackDown bracket, which features him alongside 3 other stars: LA Knight, Aleister Black, and Carmelo Hayes.
Since Aldis has not mentioned which bracket of the brand will take place tomorrow, it can be heavily assumed that Orton returns at the Blue Grass State. The return alone will lead to a huge pop from the fans as all of them would start “hearing voices in their head” and witness RKOs Outta Nowhere.
2) Solo Sikoa embracing Hikuleo as part of The Bloodline
It goes without saying that the most shocking event at the Money in the Bank event, aside from R-Truth’s shocking return, was Jacob Fatu betraying Solo Sikoa. When the Samoan Werewolf came out with JC Mateo and did some heavy lifting for Sikoa, cleaning the ring and setting him up for an easy win. However, when he was climbing the ladder, Fatu grabbed his foot, pulled him down, and destroyed him.
Following the PLE, The New Tribal Chief has found a worthy replacement for the US Champion in The Bloodline, and it’s none other than the NJPW sensation Hikuleo. This report is also backed by BodySlam, one of the most reliable wrestling pages on X, tweeting that the star would reportedly be making his debut in the upcoming segment of SmackDown.
The rivalry between the two would match the intensity of a pay-per-view event, where Fatu is seen as one of the favorite stars of the CCO, Paul “Triple H” Levesque. On the other hand, Hikuleo has been making waves around the world, especially in NJPW, TNA, and AEW. Thus, adding him would add more weight and depth to the brand’s roster.
Seth Rollins and Company set their eyes on LA Knight
Last Monday, LA Knight decided to interfere at the KOTR match featuring Bron Breakker and cost him big time by giving him a BFT and helping Sami Zayn to advance in the tournament. The new power faction does not like anyone standing in their way, and The Megastar’s recent action has very clearly put him in Seth Rollins’ crosshairs.
Now, if the bracket featuring LA Knight will take place, it could very well mean that an attack led by the 2025 MITB winner might occur, where everyone will face their wrath, showcasing that he’s the man with the most power in the company.
With all that being said, grab your popcorn and witness the drama that will unfold in a few hours, as the first SmackDown after the PLE is going to be full of seismic events that will surely give a nail-biting thriller.
Friday Night SmackDown can be seen at 8ET/7CT on USA Network and on Netflix internationally.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
