3 things WWE clarified on SmackDown this week (18 October 2019)

It was the third live episode of SmackDown on Fox, and WWE produced a decent show this week. While some big names were missing from the show, the Blue brand still delivered a number of good matches, including a title match.

Roman Reigns and Shinsuke Nakamura opened the show, as they faced each other for the Intercontinental Championship. The former Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak went up against Braun Strowman.

In other news, Nikki Cross overcame five other women to become the number one contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship and she will now face Bayley for the title. Heavy Machinery and The New Day were victorious against the team of The Revival and Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode.

Here, we will discuss three things WWE clarified on SmackDown this week.

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#3 Bayley will be a potent champion as a heel

Bayley has rejuvenated her character with her heel turn, and the fans are certainly loving the new side of the SmackDown Women's Champion. After reclaiming the title from Charlotte Flair last week, Bayley appeared on The Miz TV. The A-Lister asked some tricky questions to the champion, but Bayley handled them well. She looked more comfortable on the mic as a heel, delivering a noteworthy segment.

Bayley already showed signs of a heel turn a few weeks ago when she teamed up with her former Tag Team partner, Sasha Banks. However, she confirmed the complete change in her character when she came out with a new look and slashed her Bayley buddies. On her first night as a full-time heel, she conquered The Queen to become a two-time SmackDown Women's Champion.

Her last title reign was certainly impressive, and she will have another notable title reign with the help of Sasha Banks. Given Bayley's segment this week, it can be be predicted that she will cut more intense promos in the future.

#2 Daniel Bryan will go for the Intercontinental Championship

The Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura put his belt on the line against Roman Reigns on SmackDown this week. The two Superstars faced each other for the first time, and it was an outstanding match. However, the match ended in a disqualification, as Baron Corbin attacked Roman Reigns in the middle of the match.

When 'The Big Dog' was outnumbered in the brawl against Sami Zayn, Nakamura, and Baron Corbin, Daniel Bryan came out to his rescue. In the process, he set up a tag-team match in the main event of the night. Reigns and Bryan teamed up to face Nakamura and Baron Corbin. It was one of the best matches of the night, as Bryan made a huge impact, pinning the Intercontinental Champion, Nakamura.

It is clear that Bryan is a babyface now, and the King of Strong style has a new challenger. Considering the proficiency of Bryan and Nakamura in the squared circle, it will be a dream rivalry for the WWE Universe. It will be interesting to see if Reigns and Bryan remain a team while the latter is chasing the Intercontinental Championship. Bryan has won the International Title once before, and he will be aiming at his second run with the gold.

#1 Nikki Cross will get a push as a Singles star

After the completion of the draft, a couple of new names have arrived in SmackDown Women's division. Besides Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, Lacey Evans, and Nikki Cross are some notable inclusions on the Blue brand. Since Sasha Banks is already walking alongside Bayley, The Boss will not go for the SmackDown Women's title immediately. WWE is trying to build a credible challenger for Bayley, and it was visible on SmackDown this week.

A Six-Pack Challenge match was booked on SmackDown to decide the number one contender for Bayley. Lacey Evans, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Carmella, Dana Brooke, and Nikki Cross were the participants of the Six-Pack Challange match. Nikki Cross emerged as the winner of the match, and she will get a title shot in the future.

While Bayley has Sasha Banks as her back-up, Cross also has Alexa Bliss in her corner, and it should be an extraordinary rivalry between the two women. Cross has never won a Singles title in WWE, but she showed her potential as a Singles star in NXT, where she had a memorable feud with Asuka. It is clear that Cross will be used well as a Singles star on SmackDown, and she has the potential of reaching the top of the ladder.