SmackDown Preview: Huge title match, Daniel Bryan's "career-altering" announcement revealed? (July 16th, 2019)

Last week's episode of SmackDown Live very much revolved around WWE Extreme Rules 2019 and the build towards it. It was, after all, the final episode of the show before the PPV, so they had to make an impact in a big way.

Kevin Owens truly felt like the star of the show, being involved in multiple segments and being the rebel of the show. He's been displaying a new sort of edgy attitude that fans have absolutely loved and it's going to be interesting to see where it all leads to this week.

The Extreme Rules PPV was undoubtedly a fantastic one and from the championship perspective, there was only one set of titles that changed hands. Now, the blue brand begins the build to WWE SummerSlam 2019 and we couldn't be more excited about it.

Tonight promises to be a really interesting episode and given that it's SmackDown, it's hard to doubt it. Here is what you need to look forward to on SmackDown Live tonight.

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#5 Kabuki Warriors to challenge for the WWE Women's Tag Team titles

Are The IIconics' days numbered?

Shockingly enough, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce are yet to defend the WWE Women's Tag Team titles against legitimate competition. Paige has been hounding them for a while now, pushing her new team The Kabuki Warriors.

As agreed, The Kabuki Warriors defeated the champions in a non-title match at WWE Tokyo, meaning they have earned a title shot. This week around, there's no more ducking for the IIconics, as they will defend the Tag Team titles against Asuka and Kairi Sane.

It's clear that the quality of opposition that they're up against is far superior, but will they manage to use their craftiness and tag team dynamic to outdo two world-class female competitors?

#4 New Day, New challenge?

This photo tells a story in itself

The New Day come into SmackDown Live after what may have been the pinnacle of their run together as a faction. They've smashed all sorts of records as Tag Team Champions between 2015-2016, but never have they all held titles like this.

And yes, just to clarify, Kofi Kingston is a double champion, since The New Day will be defending the SmackDown Tag Team titles with the Freebird rule like they always have. Kofi Kingston cleared Samoa Joe and Xavier Woods and Big E captured the Tag Team titles for the sixth time in their careers.

With The New Day standing tall and supreme, who will be the first ones to knock them off their perch? Will we find out Kofi Kingston's SummerSlam opponent tonight? The real question is as to who can stop three men at their very peak?

#3 Ember Moon to find a mystery partner to challenge Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose

Ember Moon needs the comeuppance

Bayley's move to SmackDown Live turned out to be the best of her career, while Ember Moon's lack of luck on the main roster has somewhat continued. So far, her run on SmackDown Live has just been confrontations and matches against Sonya DeVille and Mandy Rose, both of whom she's lost to.

DeVille and Rose have been taunting and bullying Ember Moon for a long time now and despite Moon clearly being better than the two from a skill-set viewpoint, she ends up waling out as the loser.

She's set to take on both women in a tag team match tonight, but she needs someone to ally with her. She has a few good options, but Carmella is probably the safest bet. Since Bayley finished up with Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, she would be a great option as well.

#2 Shane McMahon to host a "town hall meeting"

Here comes the meeting?

Kevin Owens has been very vocal about the fact that Shane McMahon is hogging up all the TV time selfishly, which has turned out to be detrimental to other superstars. He put it perfectly on Twitter, revealing a whole list of superstars who weren't on the Extreme Rules card while he was.

Shane McMahon did end up getting a vicious beating at Extreme Rules in the hands of The Undertaker and Roman Reigns, while even Drew McIntyre was unable to do anything to stop them. A (hopefully) humbled Shane McMahon will now be hosting a town hall meeting on SmackDown Live, where he is set to address all the concerns of WWE superstars and hear out their grievances.

Given that it's Shane McMahon, we know that nothing productive will be made of it. What we can hope for, however, is for Kevin Owens to interfere and run his mouth more. We need a hijack!

#1 Daniel Bryan to make a "career-altering" announcement

There won't be a title around that waist

Daniel Bryan was distraught, disoriented and in disbelief after WWE Extreme Rules. He and Rowan defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The New Day and Heavy Machinery and once again, The New Day had his number and walked out as six-time tag team champions.

Bryan went on a rant as to how he was planning to revolutionize the tag team division and make them main event WrestleMania. That clearly won't happen and now, he's set to make a career-altering announcement.

We believe that the announcement will be about the fact that he is ditching the tag team division and restarting his singles run again. Rowan will obviously be by his side for assistance, but it does feel as though it's time for Daniel Bryan to start mixing it up with the top dogs of SmackDown Live again.