The beginning of the inaugural WWE SmackDown World Cup, a title match and more have been announced for next Friday’s post-Crown Jewel edition of SmackDown on FOX.
Next week’s SmackDown will see The New Day receive a shot at the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles, against the winners of Saturday’s Crown Jewel match – either current champions The Usos, or their challenges, The Brawling Brutes.
Tonight’s SmackDown saw Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods interrupt a promo by The Usos, saying they were rooting for Ridge Holland and Butch at Crown Jewel, but if The Usos retained, they’d be there waiting to protect their title reign record. Holland and Butch attacked The Usos from behind, and then the two babyface teams proceeded to beat on The Usos until Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa made the save.
Santos Escobar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura was also announced for next Friday’s SmackDown.
Tonight’s show featured a backstage segment with Legado del Fantasma. Nakamura said he always thought Nakamura was smart, but Nakamura siding with Hit Row last week leaves him no choice but to make an example out of Nakamura next week. Zelina Vega also warned Nakamura that the time for talking is done, and that the Legado del Fantasma empire can’t be stopped. The segment ended with Escobar, Vega, Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde toasting to their success.
The inaugural SmackDown World Cup will also kick off next week, but no matches have been announced as of this writing.
The 8-man tournament will determine who takes home the first-ever SmackDown World Cup trophy. WWE is expected to announce the participants over the next week. The last time WWE held a World Cup was the 8-man tournament held at Crown Jewel 2018 from Saudi Arabia. Shane McMahon replaced The Miz in the finals and ended up winning the tournament by defeating Dolph Ziggler, taking home the World Cup trophy. That tournament featured 4 RAW Superstars and 4 SmackDown Superstars, but it looks like the SmackDown World Cup will only feature blue brand competitors.
WWE has not officially announced Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns for next week’s SmackDown as of this writing, but he is being advertised by the official WWE Events website, along with The Usos, Sami Zayn, Drew McIntyre, and Liv Morgan. The arena has Reigns advertised, along with The Usos, McIntyre, Braun Strowman, and SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey. The arena is also advertising a dark main event with RAW Superstars – Matt Riddle vs. Damian Priest.
Below is the current line-up for next week’s live SmackDown from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN, along with related shots from tonight’s show:
* Fallout from Crown Jewel
* Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Santos Escobar
* The New Day challenges either The Brawling Brutes or The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles
* The 8-man SmackDown World Cup tournament kicks off
NEXT WEEK on #SmackDown we get a good one!@ShinsukeN vs. @EscobarWWE pic.twitter.com/aRYIPFvWo6
— WWE (@WWE) November 5, 2022
The #SmackDown World Cup begins NEXT WEEK! pic.twitter.com/30Osjp0xCI
— WWE (@WWE) November 5, 2022
NEXT WEEK on #SmackDown
The #NewDay take on either The #BrawlingBrutes or The #Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship! pic.twitter.com/wVb5JrY2tv
— WWE (@WWE) November 5, 2022
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