WWE SmackDown Preview: Roman Reigns tricks Brock Lesnar, two big tournaments set to start this week (8th October, 2021)

WWE SmackDown has a solid show planned for fans this week. We will see two big tournaments commence on the Blue brand, along with a huge contract signing. In addition to that, fans are anticipating surprise returns and shocking twists in some of the ongoing feuds. It should be noted that while this year’s Draft is over, the roster won’t reshuffle until after Crown Jewel.

Here, we look at the things that could unfold on WWE SmackDown this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

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#5 Roman Reigns starts a new game on WWE SmackDown

Last week on WWE SmackDown, Brock Lesnar made his presence known by brutally attacking Roman Reigns and The Usos. He also confirmed that he would be a free agent – thanks to his ‘good friend’ Paul Heyman. This led to a backstage segment in which Reigns made Heyman cry and instructed him to get his cousins drafted to the Blue brand.

Although Paul Heyman will be relieved to see that Jey and Jimmy Uso will be on the Friday night show, he might remember Reigns’ words from last week. We could see a long-term booking involved in this feud as The Tribal Chief could pretend to fall for Lesnar’s words and threaten Heyman. The latter would then go to work for his former client only to betray him at the big match.

Now, Paul Heyman can either do this at Crown Jewel or carry the narrative for months. Apart from Drew McIntyre, there is no other superstar on the Blue brand who can pose a legitimate threat to Reigns’ title. Thus, the creative team might lean towards an extended feud between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, with Heyman playing a key role.

It is also important to note that once again, Reigns left The Usos to take the punishment at the hands of Lesnar on WWE SmackDown. This pattern has repeated itself in almost all of his feuds as we have seen The Tribal Chief abandon his cousins to be subjected to a brutal beatdown. The Beast Incarnate could bring this up once again to help turn the narrative in his favor.

We have seen him take the upper hand for most of this feud so far, but the reigning Universal Champion will now be better prepared for his old enemy.

This is the first time when Reigns is playing a heel against a babyface Brock, and it will be exciting to see how the storyline maintains the dynamic between the two superstars moving forward. Can we see Roman Reigns fire his first shot at Brock Lesnar on WWE SmackDown tonight?

#4 King of the Ring tournament starts on WWE SmackDown

The King of the Ring tournament will kickstart on WWE SmackDown this week. We will see Sami Zayn and Rey Mysterio face each other in a singles match in the first round. The two superstars have crossed paths in the last few episodes as Dominik was booked in multiple matches against Zayn. He lost both those battles and essentially blamed his father.

During a recent backstage segment on WWE SmackDown, we also saw Sami Zayn advising Dominik to prioritize his instincts over his relationship with Rey Mysterio. While we expect an entertaining match between Zayn and Mysterio, can we also see Dominik make an appearance at ringside?

He can cost his father the match and confirm his heel turn – an idea that is reportedly in the works.

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#3 Queen’s Crown tournament starts on WWE SmackDown

This week’s episode will also mark the beginning of the Queen’s Crown tournament. The first round of the competition will see Liv Morgan and Carmella face each other in a singles match. Both superstars have been feuding for a while, and they last battled at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

Morgan is immensely over with the crowd at the moment and will step into the ring as the hot favorite to win the match. It will be exciting to see how both superstars perform as their match will set the standards for the tournament. We hope to see them make the most of their opportunity on WWE SmackDown tonight.

#2 Official announcement of WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship match at Crown Jewel

Last week on WWE SmackDown, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair faced each other in a brief but brutal main event. The Boss picked up a victory with the help of Becky Lynch’s interference before Charlotte Flair entered the ring and attacked both Banks and Belair.

The latter was back in action on RAW when she faced Flair, and Lynch once again cost her the match. Soon after that, Banks made a surprise appearance and laid out a brutal attack on both Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair.

As per the official confirmation, The Man will defend her WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks at Crown Jewel. Tonight, all three superstars will meet on the show for the contract signing and the official announcement of their upcoming title match.

Given their recent history, it would be fair to expect chaos to unfold when The Man, The Boss, and The EST of WWE meet inside the ring.

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#1 Edge hits back at Seth Rollins on WWE SmackDown

Last week on WWE SmackDown, Seth Rollins delivered the best segment of the night. Previously, he had asked Edge to face him for the third time. The Rated-R Superstar returned to the Blue brand only to find that Rollins has other dangerous plans in store. The Architect entered his house for an apple and a nap but mostly to threaten the latter’s family.

It is now expected that Edge will hit back at Seth Rollins with an appropriate response this week. We could see them engage in a brutal brawl on WWE SmckDown and set up their final battle, possibly for Crown Jewel.

However, given the recent developments, one can expect them to extend their feud for months, especially since they will be on RAW by the end of this month.