WWE SmackDown - 5 Possible surprises - New Champion crowned, Becky Lynch confronts Roman Reigns, Interesting betrayal  

This week's episode of WWE SmackDown is a vital stepping stone to the road to the 2022 Royal Rumble. One has to believe that the company will go all out to hype up the upcoming premium live event.

This article will look at five potential surprises that could transpire on this week's show. Do you think that because RAW has Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar, it is the superior show at this point? Or is WWE SmackDown still the uncrowned king of weekly wrestling content?

Be sure to leave a comment and share your thoughts in the comments section below. These entries are not based on inside information, and we're just making guesses as fans.

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#5 Naomi upsets Charlotte Flair to become the new WWE SmackDown Women's Champion

Naomi has all of the momentum in the world heading into the Royal Rumble. She's been extremely popular with fans, especially coming off her angle with Sonya Deville. What if, in a moment that stuns the world, Naomi becomes the SmackDown Women's Champion, defeating Charlotte Flair in the ultimate upset?

Wait, you say... this week's match is not for the title. A simple war of words, a heated exchange is enough to add way more stakes to the showdown, especially if the plan is for Charlotte Flair to enter the Royal Rumble. 30 years after her father won the Rumble match, could the prodigal daughter do so too?

Imagine the ultimate marquee WrestleMania clash with Naomi as the Champion going up against Charlotte Flair and Lita! It would be a battle for the ages and would actually feel like a WrestleMania main event match. One wonders if the first step towards that goal will happen this week.

#4 Becky Lynch shows up on WWE SmackDown to confront Roman Reigns

We all remember the WWE SmackDown segment where Roman Reigns said he would have chosen Becky Lynch over Seth Rollins to face off against at the 2022 Royal Rumble.

We also know that Becky Lynch is not someone who takes kindly to her name being uttered in vain.

Could she show up on this week's show to slap Roman Reigns straight on his chiseled jawline? Of course, Reigns wouldn't be able to retaliate because there remains a stigma towards choreographed violence between genders in WWE even now.

#3 Rick Boogs hits Shinsuke Nakamura with his guitar

Ever since Elias disappeared into the void, there haven't been too many guitar shots of note in WWE. Could Rick Boogs assume the mantle vacated by his predecessor and hit Nakamura with his guitar heading into the Royal Rumble?

Then, the upcoming Royal Rumble match could be a triple-threat affair. Remember that Boogs has a victory over Sami Zayn, the actual number 1 contender.

#2 Roman Reigns invites WWE SmackDown star Naomi into The Bloodline

Let's assume that WWE SmackDown surprise #4 plays out with Becky Lynch showing up and potentially slapping Roman Reigns. Who will The Tribal Chief call for backup?

Naomi is a great candidate because she's married to Jimmy Uso in real life, and by default, could become a possible member of The Bloodline. It would give her much more sway and add a new twist to her ongoing saga with Sonya Deville.

#1 Kofi Kingston aligns with The Viking Raiders

We now know that The Viking Raiders have been inserted into the tag team title picture. We also know that King Woods has been out of commission for some time, meaning Sir Kofi really has nothing to do.

Could Roman Reigns and Kofi Kingston engage in a feud that's teased in between now and WrestleMania? If so, Reigns and The Usos could potentially feud with Kofi Kingston and The Viking Raiders. When you've gone halfway into the realm of the ridiculous as 'the hand of the king,' being a Viking isn't much of a stretch.