WWE Smackdown Preview 12/15: Roman Reigns Returns, US Title Tournament Continues, and More

WWE will travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin, this Friday for the taping of their upcoming episode of SmackDown. While this week’s SmackDown will see the continuation of the US title tournament, it will also see a major return. With the Royal Rumble coming up, who will stand up to face The Tribal Chief?

With so many stories rumbling around in the SmackDown arena, we take a look at this week’s episode and speculate on what’s more to come.

Roman Reigns’ return and the US title tournament

1. The Tribal Chief Returns: Our Tribal Chief Roman Reigns will be back from another slumber, where he missed the Survivor Series PLE. Like always, his arrival will mean another rivalry. This time, Randy Orton may interrupt his court to start another feud.

The Viper has unfinished business with The Bloodline from May 2022 when he faced The Usos. But now, he has a chance to face the big boss himself at Royal Rumble to put an end to their business.

2. Kevin Owens Vs Austin Theory: In another match for the #1 contender for Logan Paul’s US title, Kevin Owens will face rookie Austin Theory. We speculate that KO might win this match as WWE does not seem interested in Theory’s push. A push for KO will also establish him as a solid babyface in the company.

3. Grayson Waller Vs Carmello Hayes: In another match for the #1 contender for Logan Paul’s US title, rookie Grayson Waller will face former NXT Champion Carmello Hayes. It was announced earlier that Melo will fill up the slot of a NXT superstar meant to be included in the contendership.

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This will be Melo’s first appearance in the main roster and we speculate that he will come out triumphant. The win will help establish Melo as a credible performer in the main roster.

Bayley slowly moves away from Damage CTRL and another Tag team returns

4. More Damage CTRL: We may see more of Damage CTRL as the story of Bayley’s turmoil continues. SmackDown may feature a match against Shotzi to further the storyline for Bayley.

5. Tag team returns: PWInsider reports that former Tag Team Champions Angel Garza and Humberto Carillo will return to the main roster. The Los Lotharios have been missing from the main roster as they were working with the NXT brand.

WWE has many other storylines with performers like LA Knight and The Bloodline. But, they will most probably take a backseat for a while now.

Are you excited for this week’s SmackDown? Who would you like to see?

Watch this story: WWE Hall of Famer Dubs Roman Reigns the Modern-Day Andre the Giant, Backs His Limited TV Appearances