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WWE will bring us this week's episode of SmackDown Live from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. WWE will look to carry the momentum from the colossal Raw Reunion to SmackDown Live and try to shake things up on the blue brand en route to SummerSlam.
After weeks of getting embarrassed at the hands of Kevin Owens, Shane McMahon will address the situation on the show. The other advertised segments include Daniel Bryan opening up on the career-altering announcement he was supposed to make last week and Kofi Kingston's WWE Championship SummerSlam Challenge.
The new No.1 contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship Ember Moon will take on former 9-time women's champion Charlotte Flair. Also, a WWE legend will work an extra night as Shawn Michaels will join the blue brand's broadcast team as a guest commentator.
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With just three weeks left for SummerSlam, WWE will look to set the SmackDown side of the affairs straight on this week's episode. With that in mind, here are five things that should happen on this week's show:
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#5 Roman Reigns starts a SummerSlam feud with Samoa Joe
Roman Reigns confronted Samoa Joe at Raw Reunion after the Samoan Submission Machine took a verbal shot at The Usos & Rikishi. The confrontation turned physical after Joe and Reigns locked horns in a one-on-one match where the Big Dog came out victorious.
Both Reigns and Joe don't have a feud heading into SummerSlam. Since WWE can't insert Reigns into any title picture and unless they have any other plans, the only way to feature the Big Dog on the SummerSlam card will be by booking him in a match against Samoa Joe.
It looks like the seeds for the feud have already been planted after their match on Raw and it could continue during Kofi Kingston's SummerSlam challenge if both Reigns and Joe answers the challenge. We'll find out the answer on SmackDown Live.
See WWE Smackdown Live Updates, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Smackdown updates page
#4 Finn Balor calls out the Fiend
Bray Wyatt made his long-awaited return on last week's episode of Raw. He appeared in his Fiend persona and took out Finn Balor with a Sister Abigail. According to various reports, Bray Wyatt's first match since his return will take place at SummerSlam against Finn Balor.
Balor had reportedly asked for a two-month break, to which WWE had agreed on the condition that Balor puts over Wyatt at SummerSlam. It also makes sense for the Fiend to target Balor as both superstars have some unfinished business with each other.
WWE could've addressed this situation on Raw, but they had to make sure they have enough screen time for all the legends present on the show. So we can expect Finn Balor to address Bray Wyatt on SmackDown Live and make their SummerSlam match official.
#3 AJ Styles attacks Shawn Michaels on commentary
Shawn Michaels sent out the following tweet that he will return to SmackDown Live to join the broadcast team as a guest commentator following the Raw Reunion.
Seth Rollins took on the United States Champion AJ Styles at Raw Reunion, and when Gallows & Anderson interfered in the match, Triple H & Shawn Michaels came out to even the odds for the former Universal Champion. The arrival of the New Age Outlaws & the Kliq turned the tables against the O.C's, and there was a brief staredown between HBK & AJ Styles during the segment.
WWE has been teasing a lot of dream matches as of late, and they have added AJ Styles vs. Shawn Michaels to the mix. We all know HBK will be at SmackDown Live tomorrow and Styles could take advantage of the "Wild Card Rule" to confront or even get physical with the two-time Hall of Famer and set up the dream against HBK down the line.
#2 Shane McMahon orchestrates a beatdown on Kevin Owens
The curse of the Stunner has been following the McMahon family since the Attitude Era. While they had to endure the move at the hands of Stone Cold Steve Austin in the past, Kevin Owens has taken the responsibility to continue the tradition in the present.
Kevin Owens has been targeting Shane McMahon for the past two weeks by calling him out for taking the opportunities away from the other deserving talents. He nailed the self-proclaimed Best in the World with Stunners for two weeks in a row. Shane O’Mac has had enough and will address the situation on this week’s SmackDown Live.
After enduring two weeks of humiliation at the hands of Kevin Owens, Shane McMahon would look to get some retribution. He could goad Owens into facing him in the ring only to have his henchmen carry out a vicious beatdown on the new owner of the Stunner.
#1 Randy Orton becomes the new No.1 contender
Randy Orton made his return on last week's episode of Raw and was unsuccessful in winning the Universal Championship No.1 contender's battle royal. However, he confronted the WWE Champion Kofi Kingston the next night on SmackDown Live and made his intentions clear that he's coming for the WWE Championship.
Orton teamed up with Samoa Joe & Elias to take on Kofi Kingston & the New Day in a six-man tag team match. The ending saw the Viper getting a clean win over the WWE Champion making him the second person to score a victory over Kingston since he became the WWE champion at WrestleMania 35.
Kofi Kingston needed a high-profile match at SummerSlam, and Randy Orton has come at the right time. Orton will be one of the Superstars to answer Kingston's SummerSlam challenge on this week's SmackDown Live, and he could earn the right by default or by competing in a No.1 contender's match.
