Former WWE champion to turn heel after 497 days following walkout on SmackDown this week? Potential twist explored 

The WWE Universe is still buzzing from the latest episode of SmackDown, as The Bloodline are no longer the WWE Tag Team Champions. Additionally, The Usos finally reunited in the closing moments of the show. Fans are excited to see how the story will unfold next.

Amid this, it appears that Tommaso Ciampa is on the verge of turning heel after 497 days in the Stamford-based promotion. The villainous turn of the former NXT Champion was teased by the company soon after DIY suffered a loss against The Motor City Machine Guns on the blue brand.

In the post-match segment, Ciampa was visibly frustrated with Johnny Gargano after the latter accidentally hit the former with a superkick during the match, which ultimately cost them the title shot. The 39-year-old star was not happy with how they suffered the loss. The camera focused on both of them after the match concluded, and Ciampa walked away from Gargano at that moment.

Moreover, after the show, Tommaso posted a story on his official Instagram handle featuring a picture of Gargano hitting him with a superkick. Many people believe that this is a clear sign of DIY's end as a tag team, suggesting that Ciampa may turn heel on SmackDown.

The potential location for Ciampa's heel turn, based on the current situation, could be after Crown Jewel 2024. Subsequently, a feud between the two could develop on the blue brand leading up to the Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 Premium Live Event. The upcoming episode of SmackDown is sure to reveal more about how the 39-year-old star will react on television after this major incident.

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WWE teased another heel turn on SmackDown

Apart from Tommaso Ciampa, Randy Orton's heel turn was once again teased on the latest episode of SmackDown. This occurred when The Viper came to rescue Cody Rhodes from a beatdown by Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser.

Soon after this, The Legend Killer grabbed the Undisputed WWE Championship and looked at the title for a few seconds. He then handed the title back to The American Nightmare, and later, they both stared down Gunther and Kaiser.

This is not the first time Randy has been caught staring at the Undisputed WWE Championship, but his recent actions on SmackDown solidify the notion that a heel turn will indeed take place soon. The Apex Predator could be waiting for the perfect moment to snap and claim the top prize.

As of now, Orton and Rhodes have a tag team match officially scheduled for next week's episode of the blue brand, where they will clash with Imperium. So, WWE could sow the seeds for The Viper's heel turn during this tag team bout.