5 things that could happen on the upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown (January 27, 2023) 

Last week's episode of WWE SmackDown saw Kevin Owens lay waste to The Bloodline. Elsewhere on the show, Bray Wyatt revived his FireFly Fun House gimmick.

Fans will hope for another power-packed episode when the go-home episode of WWE SmackDown before the Royal Rumble 2023 airs live from the Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas, on January 27, 2023.

The company has announced Kevin Owens vs. Solo Sikoa and Rey Mysterio vs. Karrion Kross for the upcoming show. Furthermore, the semi-finals of the tag team tournament to determine the No. 1 contender for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship are also scheduled for Friday.

The following piece will look at five things that could happen in the final WWE SmackDown before the Royal Rumble.

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#5. Karrion Kross brutalizes Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio will face Karrion Kross on the upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown. However, this may not end too well for the WWE veteran, as he could receive a brutal beat down at the hands of the Herald of Doomsday.

The creative team could have Kross dominate Mysterio throughout the match. It won't be surprising if the bout ends in a disqualification to further progress this rivalry. This angle would not only result in Kross receiving a lot of heat but would also draw a lot of eyeballs.

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#4. Drew McIntyre & Sheamus advance to the final of the SmackDown Tag Title Contender's Tournament

The previous episode of the blue brand saw Drew McIntyre and Sheamus defeat The Viking Raiders to qualify for the semi-finals of the SmackDown Tag Title Contender's Tournament. The Banger Bros will now face Hit Row in the upcoming episode.

While Hit Row defeated Los Lotharios to earn a spot in the semi-finals, the odds of them prevailing over Banger Bros seem very low. Fans can expect McIntyre and Sheamus to make easy work of their rivals to qualify for the final of the tournament.

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#3. Imperium defeats Legado Del Fantasma

Imperium will lock horns with Legado Del Fantasma in the second semi-final of the SmackDown Tag Title Contender's Tournament this Friday. While they defeated The Brawling Brutes to earn a semi-final spot, Legado qualified after prevailing over Maximum Male Models.

However, the odds of LDF progressing further in the tournament are dismal. Fans can expect Imperium to earn a hard-fought victory to set a date with Drew McIntyre and Sheamus in the final.

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#2. LA Knight hits back at Bray Wyatt on WWE SmackDown

Monday's RAW saw The Undertaker interrupt LA Knight. Following that, Bray Wyatt laid waste to his Royal Rumble opponent by delivering a devastating Sister Abigail.

Given how things unfolded on the red brand, expect an irate Knight to get back at The Eater of Worlds on the upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown. The former NXT Superstar could be in revenge mode and may attack Wyatt.

Given the duo is set to lock horns in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble, this angle would be an apt way to hype up the clash.

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#1. Kevin Owens defeats Solo Sikoa before getting the better of Roman Reigns

Kevin Owens is scheduled to lock horns with Solo Sikoa on Friday's SmackDown. While the latter has been on a rampage, things may not end too well for him against The Prizefighter.

With Owens scheduled to challenge Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble, a huge loss just a day before could seriously undermine him. Hence, fans can expect KO to emerge victorious over Solo on Friday night.

Following that, the creative team could have Owens get the better of The Tribal Chief. Given Reigns is likely to retain his title at the Rumble, WWE could make KO look strong by taking out The Head of the Table this Friday.

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Are you excited about WWE SmackDown? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Also read: 5 potential blockbuster matches WWE could tease at the Royal Rumble. Click here.