WWE SmackDown Preview: Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar return; four-time champion under scrutiny (7th January, 2022)

We are all set for the first episode of WWE SmackDown in the new year. Tonight’s show will set the tone for the blue brand as we gear up for Royal Rumble season.

The next few WWE shows will witness top superstars striving to gain momentum ahead of the mega event scheduled for later this month that is known to redefine careers.

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

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#5 Roman Reigns returns on WWE SmackDown, comes face to face with Brock Lesnar

Roman Reigns was initially scheduled to put his Universal Championship on the line against Brock Lesnar at Day 1. However, the Tribal Chief missed the show after testing positive for Covid-19. As confirmed on Twitter, he is set to return on WWE SmackDown tonight.

His absence led to Lesnar being added to the WWE Championship match in the last minute. The Beast Incarnate then defeated Big E, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Bobby Lashley in a Fatal 5-Way match to win the title for the sixth time. Although he is now the biggest champion on RAW, Lesnar is still a free agent and has already confirmed an appearance on WWE SmackDown tonight.

Lesnar reunited with Paul Heyman as the latter was recently fired by Roman Reigns from his role as the Special Counsel to the Tribal Chief. The Universal Champion repeatedly questioned Heyman’s loyalty during the feud with Brock Lesnar.

Heyman has seemingly reprised his role as The Advocate to The Beast Incarnate and even took shots at Roman Reigns earlier this week.

Tonight on WWE SmackDown, we will see Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns come face to face with another big change in their dynamic. Not only is the Beast Incarnate one of the top babyfaces at the moment, but also a champion just like Reigns.

It appears that Brock is not yet ready to give up on his rivalry with the most dominant heel in the company. It will be exciting to see what’s in store for the two champions when they come face-to-face tonight.

It should be noted that Brock Lesnar will defend his title against Bobby Lashley at Royal Rumble, who secured a championship opportunity on RAW. However, Lesnar’s continued attempts at provoking Roman Reigns make us ponder if they will eventually enter into a title feud once again?

Moreover, is it possible that Roman Reigns is playing the long con and is still secretly aligned with Paul Heyman? This storyline has been exciting at every turn, and tonight’s big returns on WWE SmackDown will only add to the dramatic narrative.

#4 Shinsuke Nakamura’s Intercontinental Championship reign on WWE SmackDown

WWE SmackDown superstar Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the most talented names in the entire pro-wrestling business. However, his current run as the Intercontinental Champion is equally underwhelming. His last notable match as the titleholder was at Survivor Series last year when he faced United States Champion Damian Priest and won via disqualification.

Two weeks ago, Sami Zayn won a Gauntlet Match on WWE SmackDown to win a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. He is expected to challenge Nakamura for the title soon, and he might dethrone the King of Strong Style. The creative team has not done anything significant with Nakamura’s title reign, and it would be unfortunate to see him lose in his first legitimate defense in the last five months.

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#3 WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos move on to the next challengers

The Usos successfully defended their WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships against King Woods and Sir Kofi Kingston at Day 1. The two teams rekindled their rivalry and delivered the best match of the night. However, Jey and Jimmy Uso now have enough reasons to move on to their next challengers.

As much as we love the chemistry between New Day and The Usos, it is high time for the champions to look beyond repetitive fixtures. The new championship feuds will also help revive the otherwise stagnant WWE SmackDown tag team division. It will be exciting to see who will next step up and challenge the members of The Bloodline for their gold.

#2 What’s next for WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair

WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair was involved in a title feud with budding superstar Toni Storm. They were expected to engage in a lengthy feud until Storm was released from the company. Now, The Queen will have to look for fresh challengers on the blue brand, and she will start doing so tonight.

Former champion Sasha Banks is the only one on WWE SmackDown at the moment who could pose a legitimate threat to Charlotte’s title reign. However, Banks recently went through an injury scare and may not be at her best to compete in an extended feud. Thus, we could see the likes of Naomi, Shayna Baszler, Natalya, or Xia Li challenge the champion for the title.

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#1 Will Sheamus extend his feud with Cesaro on WWE SmackDown?

WWE SmackDown superstars Sheamus and Cesaro have been involved in a feud over the last few weeks. At Day 1, the Celtic Warrior teamed up with his protégé Ridge Holland to take on Cesaro and Ricochet.

Unfortunately, Holland suffered from a broken nose in the middle of the match after Ricochet accidentally kicked him in the face. This led to Sheamus essentially battling Cesaro and Ricochet in a handicap match, which made him look like a huge babyface.

While Sheamus and Cesaro share an exciting history that should be used to set the tone for long-term storytelling, the recent turn of events has opened up a lot of possibilities for writers to explore.

Sheamus is over with the crowd despite being a heel and could do well in prominent title pictures on WWE SmackDown. Since Drew McIntyre is expected to take time off television after sustaining injuries at Day 1, could we see Sheamus emerge as Roman Reigns’ next challenger in the coming weeks?