WWE SmackDown - 5 Potential surprises - Returning legend to challenge Roman Reigns, current star to return after 201 days

The WWE SmackDown after the Royal Rumble is almost always a must-watch show for wrestling fans. The promotion's most crucial time of the year has indeed kicked off, with the Road to WrestleMania beginning at the Rumble.

On the way there, the company will have to stop at the Elimination Chamber - another event that's looking quite promising. While the WWE Championship will be defended inside the eponymous devilish structure, the Universal Championship's future at the event has not yet been decided. Roman Reigns does not have a clear challenger yet, but SmackDown might fix that.

Charlotte Flair might find her next challenger on the Friday night show as well, while a superstar, who has been away from the ring for more than six months now, could return.

Overall, the blue brand appears to be hosting a can't miss an episode of WWE SmackDown this weekend.

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#5 In our list of 5 potential surprises for WWE SmackDown - Asuka returns

Since last year's Money in the Bank event, Asuka has been absent from WWE for more than 200 days. Her absence has been sorely felt, as releases have largely decimated the women's roster over the past year.

As one of the most entertaining stars, Asuka has overcome the language barrier to hold fans spellbound while performing. Before leaving, she was a babyface thanks to her popularity with the audience.

Asuka could return on WWE SmackDown this week and immediately make a mark. Given the lack of female performers on the roster, she would be a welcome addition and could feud with almost anyone and hold her own.

While she was not assigned a brand during the WWE Draft, it remains to be seen if she will join SmackDown or RAW on her return.

#4 Ronda Rousey challenges Charlotte Flair

At the 2022 Royal Rumble, unlike Becky Lynch, Charlotte was a part of the women's 30-woman over-the-top-rope Rumble match. While she didn't win, she came face to face with a very familiar face - Ronda Rousey.

Rousey last eliminated Charlotte to win the match. While she confronted Becky Lynch on RAW, she didn't challenge her for a WrestleMania match. Instead, she could appear on the blue brand this week and challenge Charlotte for the WWE SmackDown Women's title.

The two are very familiar with each other, 2/3rd of the first-ever women's main event at WrestleMania 35. The feud could escalate and become one of the most interesting storylines heading into this year's event.

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#3 Brock Lesnar takes revenge on Roman Reigns

Brock Lesnar has challenged Bobby Lashley to a title shot at the Elimination Chamber. Still, he will not have forgotten how Reigns' interference robbed him of his WWE title at the Royal Rumble event.

Thus, he could make a surprise appearance on WWE SmackDown this week to take his revenge on an unsuspecting Tribal Chief. The two will face at WrestleMania, but knowing Lesnar, he is fully capable of continuing two feuds simultaneously.

#2 Rick Boogs and Shinsuke Nakamura break up

Rick Boogs and Nakamura have been paired together for a long time now, but they have not done much. Most fans have forgotten that Nakamura is still the Intercontinental Champion.

Something desperately needs to change in that partnership, and Boogs betraying Nakamura to challenge him for the title would be the perfect step towards that direction.

The two have been so closely entangled together over the past few months that this would be the perfect surprise for WWE SmackDown to change things around.

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#1 Goldberg returns to challenge Roman Reigns

While Brock Lesnar attacking Reigns is a genuine possibility, a surprising return might be waiting for the Universal Champion ahead of Elimination Chamber.

There have been rumors of Goldberg returning ahead of Elimination Chamber, and fans may not have to wait longer than this week's episode of the blue brand. Goldberg might return to WWE and challenge Roman Reigns to the match that was initially supposed to take place in the 2020 WrestleMania event.

Back then, Reigns had backed out of the match due to the pandemic, but this time, they might square off in the ring.