SmackDown airs tonight (Oct. 21) with a live show from Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. This is the second SmackDown episode during the four week build towards Crown Jewel, which takes place on Nov. 5.
Liv Morgan might be Bray Wyatt’s first disciple
Bray Wyatt is back in WWE, and while his emotional return promo left us with more questions than answers, it appears he will once again have split personality issues in WWE.
Wyatt also has a history as a cult leader in WWE, whether it’s as the figurehead of an entire family, or warping the mind of a single victim like Alexa Bliss. With that in mind, there are some early signs that Liv Morgan might end up as his newest follower.
The former SmackDown women’s champion smiled as she lost consciousness and her belt to Ronda Rousey at Extreme Rules. Since then she has seemingly gone off the deep end, violently targeting Sonya Deville backstage in an unusual manner.
Morgan faces Deville in a singles match tonight. WWE’s web site says Morgan will continue her “dark descent” in this match, while also bringing up her “newfound manic aggression.” Finally, they state that “Morgan’s psyche has come into question” due to her bizarre smiling of late.
Those quoted phrases are the exact kind of language I would expect to be associated with someone who is susceptible to Wyatt’s influence and power. It’s probably going to be a while before Bray gathers followers on screen, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all if Morgan’s “dark descent” is eventually connected to his story.
The title scene
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends the gold against Logan Paul at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. The YouTube star is in the house tonight but Roman is not advertised. Paul tried to play some mind games and create tension within the Bloodline the last time he showed up, and he’ll likely try to do the same exact thing tonight. Can Sami Zayn, Solo Sikoa, the Usos, and Paul Heyman all stay on the same page without the Tribal Chief around to keep them in line?
Women’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai will defend their belts tonight against the new team of Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez. Can the return of Shotzi’s tank give the babyfaces the edge they need to win championship gold?
Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER’s next challenger will be Rey Mysterio. Mysterio was ready to quit WWE last week after that little shithead Dominik broke his heart on Raw, but Triple H convinced Rey to move over to the blue brand. I guess neither guy got the memo about wrestlers crossing over between both shows at will these days. It’s just a matter of time until The Judgment Day tortures Rey again. Before that happens, though, he gets to have his chest obliterated by GUNTHER.
Ronda Rousey is the new SmackDown women’s champion and we’re still waiting to see what’s in store for her next. The SmackDown women’s roster is lacking in credible championship contenders, so someone from Raw might have to pay Ronda a visit tonight.
The Usos are the undisputed WWE tag team champions and are closing in on New Day’s record length run for consecutive days holding the belts. Needless to say, the two teams are on a collision course as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods try to keep their names in the record books. Don’t be surprised if New Day works together with Logan Paul tonight as they try to get one over on the Bloodline.
Other stuff to keep an eye on
– Omos is making an appearance on SmackDown tonight. He has picked a fight with Braun Strowman, who is probably the last person on the roster he should have messed with. The battle of Giant vs. Monster is probably coming to Crown Jewel.
– I think someone tried to murder Karrion Kross & Scarlett with a car last week. Drew McIntyre happened to show up right after the car accident to lay a beating on Kross. Is Drew also the person who was behind the wheel?
– Legado Del Fantasma and Zelina Vega have asserted their dominance over Hit Row in recent weeks. What will Top Dolla and his teammates do about it tonight?
– LA Knight made a successful return to in-ring action last week at the expense of Maximum Male Models. However, Knight made it clear after the match that he is still a douchebag who looks down on the fans. Which babyface will have the displeasure of dealing with LA tonight?
– It looks like the Viking Raiders are on their way back to WWE, this time with Sarah Logan in the fold.
– After missing out on another shot at the Intercontinental championship, what’s next for Sheamus and the Brawling Brutes?
What will you be looking for on SmackDown?
