Massive babyface turn; another challenger for Cody Rhodes? - 4 things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown this week

The final episode of WWE SmackDown before January’s Saturday Night's Main Event has concluded. The show featured some major developments, including a significant arrival on the blue brand: Damian Priest is now officially part of Friday Nights.

In addition, tonight's SmackDown set the final stage for SNME, which will take place in less than 24 hours. This article will discuss four subtle things WWE hinted at during this week’s show.

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#4. Damian Priest will soon target Cody Rhodes

Damian Priest made an impactful debut on SmackDown by clashing with Carmelo Hayes and defeating the former NXT Champion in a singles match. However, the Archer of Infamy's future feud was subtly hinted at during a backstage segment with Cody Rhodes.

In this encounter, the former Judgment Day member communicated to Rhodes, saying, "See you soon, champ." This line appears to confirm that if the American Nightmare successfully retains his Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens at Royal Rumble 2025, Damian Priest will be next in line for a title shot.

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#3. Tiffany Stratton is now seemingly a babyface star

Tiffany Stratton appeared as champion on this week's SmackDown and engaged in a segment with WWE Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley. Both stars shared the spotlight during the segment until Nia Jax, accompanied by Candice LeRae, was interrupted.

This segment subtly confirms that Tiffany is now officially undergoing a heroic turn. Otherwise, WWE likely wouldn’t have positioned her in a babyface-type interaction alongside Rhea Ripley.

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#2. WWE may have hinted at Kevin Owens' unexpected feud on this week's SmackDown

Kevin Owens continues to make bold statements against Cody Rhodes, reaffirming his confidence in securing victory at Royal Rumble 2025. However, on this week's SmackDown, the Prizefighter found himself in an unexpectedly heated verbal altercation with American actor Matthew McConaughey.

The Hollywood star, seated at ringside, became the target of Owens' taunts as KO climbed onto the announcer's table. During the confrontation, Owens promised to defeat Cody Rhodes at Royal Rumble 2025 and took a jab at McConaughey.

So, if Triple H is considering a celebrity match for the former Universal Champion, a showdown against McConaughey could be an exciting and marketable option.

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#1. Triple H is now finally pushing the Tag team division

The WWE Tag Team Titles on SmackDown have recently been absent from Premium Live Event cards. However, it now seems that Triple H is placing a renewed emphasis on these titles, as a massive tag team championship match has been added to the Royal Rumble 2025 PLE.

On the latest episode of the blue brand, the Motor City Machine Guns confronted DIY and confirmed that a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match is officially set for the upcoming event. This development strongly indicates that The Game is now making a concerted effort to elevate the status of the WWE Tag Team Championship.