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The latest episode of WWE SmackDown had several developments that fans are already buzzing about. While Sasha Banks defended her Smackdown Women's Championship against Carmella, a few other match-ups had championship implications, too. Some new contenders freshened up the mid-card scene, and a oddball tag team has risen up to strengthen the tag division.
The main attraction of the show was yet again the build-up to the TLC clash between Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship. The added element of Jey Uso continues to create compelling television. His struggle to meet Reigns' is bound to strike a chord with the viewers.
Plus, a new faction in the form of Baron Corbin and "The Knights of the Lone Wolf" has laid down a challenge to a major family faction.
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So let's dive in and see some of the major talking points from this week's episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown.
#1 Jey Uso could be a major factor on SmackDown and its main feud, Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens
While Reigns and Owens continue to thrive in their feud on SmackDown, one cog in the wheel that certainly stands out is Uso. His motivations and actions are driven by his attempts to stand out in front of his cousin. While he was resoundingly beaten down by Reigns, he had a chance to make things right this time around.
In the ring, Uso unleashed a flurry of chair shots on Owens, even though the latter ultimately had the last laugh. To Uso's credit, he successfully weakened Owen's knee, a point that may come into play at WWE TLC.
Considering the Reigns-Owens clash will be a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match, it's practically guaranteed that Uso will interfere. Even though Reigns has made it clear that he doesn't need help in the ring, Uso might be unable to resist the temptation to get involved. While it's hard to believe that Reigns will lose to Owens, it will be quite interesting to see how Uso gets involved and how "The Tribal Chief" could react.
Plus,he post-TLC episodes of SmackDown might push forward the Reigns-Uso saga, which is, in all honestly, the best long-term story WWE is doing right now.
#2 The Riott Squad might be in the line to get a Women's Tag Title on SmackDown shot post-TLC
First, let's take a moment to think about the strange pattern WWE has displayed as it relates to the tag team division. The company breaks up tag teams and then sets those superstars up with others to create a new pairing. There's only one word for it, and it's baffling. SmackDown itself has more than one of these duos.
Back to the point, the team of Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan, collectively known as Riott Squad, took home a much-needed victory this week. They defeated the unlikely duo of Billie Kay and Natalya on SmackDown. While none of these teams are close to the Women's Tag Team Championship picture, a win like this one can only help the Riott Squad.
Let's assume the current champs Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler will come up victorious in their match-up against Lana and Asuka at WWE TLC. If they do, they might choose to head to SmackDown, hoping to find new challengers. But if new champions are crowned, the chances of Riott Squad getting a shot is clearly a long shot.
#3 Multiple challengers emerge for the Intercontinental Championship on SmackDown
Sami Zayn is enjoying quite a run with the Intercontinental Championship. He won the title for the second time against Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles at WWE Clash of Champions in an insane, brutal ladder match. He has wrestled fun singles matches with the likes of Daniel Bryan, Hardy, Apollo Crews, and in SmackDown's latest episode, Big E.
His scheming skills have helped him come up victorious in creative ways that usually leave the fans feeling entertained. He applied a similar strategy this week when he picked up a countout victory against the former Intercontinental Champion. But his days with the gold seem to be numbered.
With as many as three superstars ( Bryan, Crews, and Big E) losing to him by screwy finishes, all of three them could be gunning to get another shot at his title. While it remains to be seen whether Zayn defends the title at WWE TLC, this mid-card storyline at SmackDown has been quite fun to watch. Every week, it lets predict what will happen next.
#4 Otis-Gable refreshes the tag team division on SmackDown
A fresh pairing of Otis and Chad Gable has officially emerged on SmackDown. This new duo could give the tag team division a lift fans have hoped to see. The seeds for this duo were planted in last week's main event, where Reigns brutally assaulted Otis. Gable soon came out to help the former Money in the Bank briefcase briefcase holder. This development paved the way for their alliance.
While the duo was unsuccessful in beating the crafty veterans, Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro, they did manage to impress with their chemistry in the ring. They are a much-needed addition to SmackDown's tag division, which has been languishing for some time now.
With the addition of this duo, a good number of teams are breathing new life into SmackDown. Baron Corbin's "Knights of the Lone Wolf" are another fresh combination. Murphy could add another team with either Rey or Dominik Mysterio. With the current champions, The Street Profits, also taking on Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode next week, the tag team picture seems to be booming.
#5 Carmella is becoming a important player on SmackDown
In the opening segment of this week's episode, the SmackDown Women's champion Sasha Banks challenged Carmella to a title match in the main event of the show. While it was head-scratching to see WWE yet again give away a pay-per-view match on TV, Carmella's performance throughout the show was quite impressive.
From her in-ring skills, which have improved drastically, to her character work and promo skills, everything hit the mark. She has seemingly solidified her position as one of the must-see superstars on SmackDown. Even though her match with Banks ended in a disqualification, a rematch down the line seems imminent.
Her post-match beatdown was one of the best things on the whole show. The manner in which she struck Banks with the champagne bottle, and spilled it all over her, was a treat to watch. With Bianca Belair also being pushed by the creative team, the SmackDown women's division has become one to keep an eye on.
