WWE SmackDown delivered a memorable episode this past Friday. While Jey Uso superkicking Roman Reigns stole the headlines, a lot more happened on the show that caught the eye.
The new No.1 contenders were determined to win the Undisputed Tag Team Championship, while several Money In The Bank competitors grew their momentum heading into the London event.
Several future story threads were teased as well – some of which had fans very excited, while others simply piqued their interest. These teases could foreshadow some big events in the blue brand's future or simply turn out to be throwaway tidbits. Nevertheless, we felt it worth exploring what could come of them.
Without further ado, let's look at five possible story threads teased on WWE SmackDown this past Friday
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#5. A push for Karrion Kross?
Karrion Kross has not been in good form in recent months. After jumping from short-term feud to short-term feud and often coming out on the losing side, The Doom Walker's momentum has nearly stalled out. However, all that could be about to change, judging by the events of WWE SmackDown.
Not only did Kross and Scarlett defeat AJ Styles and Michin, but the former NXT Champion got the pin after hitting a new finishing move. This suggests that the company may be pushing The Herald of Doomsaday soon, since characters don't generally get tweaks like a new finisher unless the company has plans to help them reap the benefits.
Could we see Karrion Kross in the United States or even world title scene soon?
#4. WWE SmackDown continued to hint at a looming split between Iyo Sky and Bayley
Bayley and Iyo Sky have been aligned since Damage CTRL debuted at Summerslam 2022. In the 11 months since, the Genius Of The Sky has grown in stature, becoming a two-time tag team champion with Dakota Kai in the process. With Kai out of action due to a long-term injury, Sky has gained some breakout singles momentum, becoming a fan favorite to win Money In The Bank.
It seems WWE creative has also picked up on this, as they seem to be teasing a rift between The Role Model and her protege lately. The latest sign of dissension between the two came when Sky accepted a match on behalf of the former Hugger with the latter's spot in the MITB ladder match at stake.
With the former SmackDown Women's Champion having cost her stablemate a match earlier in the night, this could all be leading to a huge implosion, possibly in London.
#3 & #2. The Epic Bloodline saga teased two intriguing storylines
Amidst all the uproar about Jey Uso's decision, two teases flew under the radar – one regarding Main Event Jey himself and another regarding a remaining Bloodline member.
For the past few weeks, Paul Heyman's status in the group has repeatedly been called into question. First, Austin Theory hinted that he was ready to take Heyman on as an advocate if he should find himself out of a job. Then, Jey insisted on having the Wise Man ousted if he were to accept Roman Reigns' offer to make him Tribal Chief-in-waiting.
Could this have just been a red herring designed to throw fans off, or will it be revisited once the dust settles from The Bloodline's civil war?
What about The Right Hand Man's impassioned promo about always having to keep up with his elder brother, wherein he even used his real name? Jey's comments sounded like some deep-rooted emotional storyline material that WWE will surely revisit down the road for a Brother vs. Brother feud!
#1. A Bianca Belair heel turn was teased once again on WWE SmackDown
Ever since Bianca Belair lost the RAW Women's Championship at Night Of Champions, she has exhibited an edgier demeanor. The smiling babyface of old is mostly gone, and in her place is a more serious version of the EST with a take-no-prisoners approach.
This was on full display on WWE SmackDown, where Belair berated Charlotte Flair in a fiery promo reminiscent of her NXT days as a heel.
Could this signal an impending turn back to the dark side for the EST? Could WWE simply be adding a meaner side to her babyface character, as has been done in the past for the likes of Becky Lynch, John Cena, and Kevin Owens?
We have a feeling we'll know the answer soon.