WWE SmackDown Live: 4 Superstars who could answer Kofi Kingston's SummerSlam challenge

This week's episode of SmackDown Live will emanate live from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The show will be televised the night following Raw Reunion, and we can expect few legends to appear on the blue brand after Shawn Michaels announced he would be a part of the commentary team for the show.

With only three weeks left for SummerSlam, we can expect WWE to start building up the blue brand's matches for the PPV. The first thing we'll find out is the challenger for the WWE Championship as Kofi Kingston will issue a SummerSlam challenge this Tuesday.

After a successful title defense against Samoa Joe at Extreme Rules, Kofi Kingston is currently without a challenger for SummerSlam. He has taken the responsibility on his own hands and will find his SummerSlam opponent when he issues an open challenge to the other Superstars on this week's SmackDown Live.

We can expect multiple Superstars to answer Kingston's challenge, and they could square off in the main event to determine the new No.1 contender. Here are four Superstars who could answer the champion's challenge this Tuesday.

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#4 Samoa Joe

Joe would not go down with just one fight.

Samoa Joe was unsuccessful in capturing the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules but looking at the way WWE booked him en route to Extreme Rules, it would not make sense if he didn't get another shot at the title.

Joe was the first person to beat Kofi Kingston since the latter won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35. Kingston had a 21-match undefeated streak until Joe made him pass out on the July 1st episode of Raw.

Samoa Joe would not let his Extreme Rules defeat stop his quest to capture the WWE Championship. So we can expect Joe to be one of the superstars to answer Kingston's open challenge this Tuesday on SmackDown Live.

#3 Elias

Will Elias become the new No.1 contender?

Elias is one of those underrated Superstars on the WWE roster right now. Despite having the looks and in-ring ability, WWE hasn't done anything significant with him so far. He has aligned himself with Shane McMahon and is acting as a henchman for the self-proclaimed 'Best in the World.'

Elias confronted Samoa Joe and Kofi Kingston on last week’s SmackDown Live and demanded he should be the next challenger for the WWE Championship. It’s unlikely he’ll get a one-on-one shot at the title anytime soon, but we can expect him to be one of the Superstars to answer Kofi Kingston’s challenge this Tuesday.

If WWE decides to have a multi-man match for the WWE title at SummerSlam, Elias could find himself as a part of the contest, but if the plan is to do a one-on-one match, he doesn't stand a chance.

#2 Ali

Will Ali return to reclaim what was originally planned to be his?

No one would believe it if we said that Ali is the person who was originally supposed to receive the push Kofi Kingston is enjoying right now. Right from the gauntlet match on the February 12th episode of SmackDown Live to the Elimination Chamber match, Kofi Kingston replicated the performance WWE planned for Ali.

Ali suffered an injury before the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match and had to pull out of the event. Kofi Kingston took his spot, and as a result, he is enjoying his first reign as WWE Champion. Ali commented on the missed opportunity in the following tweet, and we can be sure he would like to get back into the spotlight once again.

My dark time allowed someone else to shine. As much as it will haunt me for the rest of my career on the opportunity I missed out on, the fact that someone so deserving is getting the recognition he deserves makes it right. This was no accident. This was destiny. #KofiMania pic.twitter.com/2mADnJkTPs

— ALI / Adeel Alam (@AliWWE) March 20, 2019

Ali's last televised appearance was at the 50-man battle royal at Super ShowDown, and WWE has been using him on dark matches & house shows ever since. This week's episode of SmackDown Live could be the right place to have his televised return by having him answer Kofi Kingston's SummerSlam Challenge.

#1 Randy Orton

Are we looking at the next WWE Champion?

Randy Orton pinning Kofi Kingston wouldn't be a big deal if it happened five years ago, but the times have changed and Orton's win over Kingston on last week's SmackDown Live means that he's next in line for a WWE Championship opportunity.

Randy Orton took a brief hiatus from the WWE after his win over Triple H at Super ShowDown to heal some injuries. He made his return on last week's Raw and competed in a fatal four-way match to determine the No.1 contender for the Universal Championship which was won by Seth Rollins.

Orton returned to SmackDown Live and confronted Kofi Kingston and made his intentions clear that he's coming after the WWE Championship. Orton got a clean victory over Kingston in the six-man tag team match, and he is the favorite to be Kingston's SummerSlam opponent.

Orton will be one of the Superstars to answer Kingston's challenge, and he could come out victorious in the No.1 contender's match and go on to SummerSlam to face Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship.