Shocking betrayal, Logan Paul to join major stable? - 4 possible finishes for LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar on WWE SmackDown next week

WWE SmackDown is set to have a big show next week. Several championship matches and a six-woman tag team match have all been confirmed. For example, Naomi, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill will take on The Unholy Union, consisting of Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn, and Blair Davenport.

As for the title matches, the Street Profits will challenge Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga of The Bloodline for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Additionally, LA Knight will put his United States Championship up for grabs when he takes on Santos Escobar.

Santos earned this title opportunity during last week's edition of Friday Night SmackDown. He managed to defeat Andrade in a singles competition, courtesy of some help from his Legado Del Fantasma stablemates and interference from Carmelo Hayes.

Now that Knight and Santos will be clashing with the gold on the line, how might the bout conclude? This article will take a look at a handful of possible finishes for the upcoming title bout set to take place next week.

Below are four possible finishes for LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar on WWE SmackDown next week.

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#4. Logan Paul could return, cost LA Knight the win, and shockingly join Legado Del Fantasma

Before LA Knight won the prized United States Championship, it was Logan Paul who held the belt. The Maverick first captured it in 2023 by defeating Rey Mysterio but ultimately lost it to The Megastar at WWE SummerSlam 2024.

Paul has not been seen since his loss, but many people expect him to return to WWE television sooner rather than later. If he returns, Logan would likely go after Knight. That could lead to a shocking swerve on SmackDown next week.

The Maverick could return and shockingly cost Knight the win, allowing Santos Escobar to get a pinfall victory and the United States Championship. From there, Logan can take things one step further and officially join the Legado Del Fantasma, giving him permanent backup in the form of Santos, Angel, Berto, and Elektra Lopez.

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#3. LA Knight could retain his prized title by pinfall come WWE SmackDown next week

As noted, LA Knight won the United States Championship from Logan Paul at WWE SummerSlam. However, this was a journey decades in the making. The Megastar has been working hard and grinding up until this point for years.

He is a true veteran in the ring and while this is his first main roster title in WWE, Knight held gold in various promotions long before joining the Stamford-based promotion. The Megastar can deliver in the ring when called upon and that may be proven true on Friday.

When LA Knight goes one-on-one with Santos Escobar, there is a very real chance that The Megastar dominates the match and ultimately nails his opposition with the BFT. If he does, Knight can get the pinfall victory and move on to whomever his next challenger may be.

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#2. Santos Escobar could defeat LA Knight cleanly in a stunning upset

Santos Escobar is an underrated performer currently signed to WWE SmackDown. He is a former NXT Cruiserweight Champion and had decades of success both in and out of the sports entertainment juggernaut. This includes both in Mexico and in Lucha Underground.

Escobar is certainly known for how he utilizes stablemates. He won the NXT Cruiserweight Championship courtesy of the support of the old Legado Del Fantasma. He has also been part of the Latino World Order previously.

Still, Escobar is extremely talented in his own right, some fans just are not aware of it. They may become aware of it, however, next week. Santos may shock everybody and defeat LA Knight cleanly to capture his first title on the main roster. This would disappoint fans of The Megastar, but it would elevate the stature of the 40-year-old star considerably.

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#1. Legado Del Fantasma could shockingly turn against Santos Escobar and cost him the win

Legado Del Fantasma is one of WWE's most underrated factions. The group features Santos Escobar as the leader, but the always underappreciated Berto and Angel as well. In addition to all three men, the talented and intelligent Elektra Lopez is also involved in the group.

For whatever reason, Legado Del Fantasma has not quite lived up to the potential the stable has since joining WWE's main roster. Santos is aware of this and lashed out during a dinner party segment on SmackDown. He banged his fist on the table and demanded the group to make sure everybody took them seriously.

In what could be a shocking swerve, Angel, Berto, and Elektra may turn against Santos next week and cost him the title match against LA Knight. Lopez could distract the referee while Angel and Berto lay Escobar out. This would allow Knight to get a quick win. From there, they can claim the faction for themselves, forcing Santos to be on his own for the first time in a long while.