5 things we can expect on SmackDown Live (22 May 2018)

The dynamic seems to have shifted after the Superstar Shake-up 2018, and the ensuing weeks have established SmackDown Live as the better show compared to Raw, at least according to the majority of the WWE Universe.

The blue brand is stacked with top Superstars, fan favourite tag teams, and even got the better deal with the NXT call-ups. With that in mind, after a lacklustre Raw, let us list out what all we can expect on tonight's episode of SmackDown Live.

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#5 Tag Team Champions return

The vignettes need to stop

The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles at the Grandest Stage Of Them All, but it is safe to say that their run hasn't lived up to the initial hype surrounding the dominant team.

In fact, the last two weeks of SmackDown Live, saw the Champions appear in supposedly intimidating but almost laughable, pre-taped promos.

This is not what WWE should be doing with the team, but should instead have them show up every week and beat other teams decidedly, and make their mark as a dominant team.

They will hopefully appear on the show this week and set up a feud for Money In The Bank.

#4 New female Superstars on the block make their mark

Billie Kay should be the one to come out on top in this encounter

Tonight, Billie Kay will take on Lana and, Sonya Deville will go against Naomi for two spots at the Women's Money In The Bank Ladder match.

With Absolution fading away for good, WWE need to establish Deville and Mandy Rose as a dominant team on the show. The way to do that can be to have Deville beat former Champion Naomi clean for the MITB spot.

The same can be said of the IIconics. The company seem to have high hopes for the Australian duo and have been putting them in important segments on the show since their arrival.

Lana seems set to go back to being a manager for Rusev, and hence we can expect Billie Kay to book her spot in the MITB Ladder match.

#3 The New Day have a decision to make

Headed for splitsville?

One of the three Superstars of the New Day will get a chance to be in the Men's MITB Ladder match, but the team is yet to decide who that person will be.

Rumors have it that the company is looking to push Big E in a singles run going forward, and the seeds for that may be planted tonight with a rift of sorts between the members of the New Day.

While it can't be said that WWE is breaking up the tag team prematurely, since they've been around for quite a while now, the company is definitely taking a huge risk by splitting up one of the most over and entertaining teams in WWE today.

#2 Daniel Bryan will be in the MITB match after all?

Will Big Cass' loss be Daniel Bryan's gain?

It was a shocking decision by WWE to have Daniel Bryan lose his qualifying match against Rusev a few weeks ago. It seemed for a while that Bryan would not be in the match, as WWE had announced a match between Big Cass and Samoa Joe for the final spot in the match.

However, backstage issues seem to have put a speed bump in Cass' return run, as WWE announced that due to an injury (most definitely kayfabe), Cass wouldn't be competing in the match. Instead, Jeff Hardy will take on Bryan, with the winner facing Joe for the final spot.

Fans need not be disappointed, as it looks like the Flying Goat will be in the marquee match come June 17th after all.

#1 The Stipulation

Fifth time's the charm, hopefully

Too much of a good thing can turn out bad, as WWE have proved with the Nakamura vs Styles feud, by having them go against each other 4 times in a matter of a month. Now they will clash for the fifth and hopefully final time at MITB.

We can expect Nakamura to make his decision about what the stipulation is going to be for their match at the PPV.

Rumors floating around suggest a Last Man Standing match or an Ironman Match. Both these sound like a good idea to finally put the underwhelming feud to a rest, so that both Superstars can move on to different storylines.