3 Things that could happen on the upcoming episode of SmackDown (August 12, 2022) 

The previous episode of SmackDown saw Karrion Kross, accompanied by Scarlett, return to attack Drew McIntyre. Elsewhere on the show, Shinsuke Nakamura and Shayna Baszler became the number one contenders for the Intercontinental & SmackDown Women's Championship, respectively.

Fans will be hoping for another strong showing when SmackDown emanates live from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 12, 2022.

WWE has announced that Guther will defend his Intercontinental Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura on the upcoming episode. On top of that, fans can expect WWE to start building on the feud between Liv Morgan and Shayna Baszler for the SmackDown Women's Championship this week.

So without further ado, let's take a look at three things that could unfold on Friday night:

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#3. Ludwig Kaiser helps Gunther retain his Intercontinental Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura on SmackDown

The previous episode of SmackDown saw Shinsuke Nakamura defeat Ludwig Kaiser to become the number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship. The former champion is set to clash with The Ring General on the upcoming episode of the blue brand. However, potential interference from Kaiser seems very likely.

The former NXT Tag Team Champion could interfere in the championship match to help Gunther retain his title over Nakamura. Given the ongoing feud between The Ring General and Nakamura isn't likely to end soon, WWE could have the duo of Gunther and Kaiser join forces to lay waste to the Japanese star after the match.

This angle could then lead to a potential rematch between the rivals at Clash at the Castle on September 3.

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#2. Shayna Baszler attacks Liv Morgan

Shayna Baszler won the Gauntlet Match on the previous episode of the blue brand to become the number one contender for Liv Morgan's SmackDown Women's Championship. Expect WWE to kick off this feud on Friday's show.

The creative team could have Shayna Baszler attack Liv Morgan tomorrow night to draw heat and cement herself as a credible challenge. With Triple H pulling the strings behind the curtain, don't be surprised if The Queen of Spades is booked strong in his feud.

On another note, while it was widely speculated that Ronda Rousey could have her presence felt in some form on the previous episode of the blue brand, it didn't happen. However, it's only a matter of time before The Rowdy One returns to demand a rematch.

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#1. Karrion Kross takes out Roman Reigns

Karrion Kross returned spectacularly to lay waste to Drew McIntyre on the previous edition of the blue brand. The former NXT Champion then issued a warning to Roman Reigns as Scarlett placed an hourglass inside the ring.

Given how things unfolded last week, there's no denying the fact that Kross seems to be in line for a main event push. Thus, the upcoming episode could witness the former Killer Kross going after The Tribal Chief.

The creative team could have the former NXT Champion take out Reigns on Friday night, establishing himself as a significant threat in due process.