SmackDown airs tonight (Oct. 4) with a live show emanating from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the final episode of SmackDown during the five week build towards Bad Blood, which takes place tomorrow (Sat., Oct. 5) in Atlanta.
The Bloodline have only held the WWE Tag Team Championship for about two months, but it feels like they have a stranglehold on the titles given how easily they've dispatched their main competition, DIY and the Street Profits. These babyface duos have been beaten down over and over again by the champs, and they just can't figure out how to defeat The Bloodline. It feels like a lost cause at this point, and that they'd be better off fighting someone else.
The babyfaces won't give up, however, and now they are both challenging The Bloodline for the belts at the same time. It's The Bloodline vs. DIY vs. Street Profits tonight on SmackDown in a triple threat ladder match for the belts. Putting all of these teams in the ring at the same time introduces some chaos to the mix that adds uncertainty to the outcome, especially because anyone can legally interfere in a ladder match.
Even if DIY and the Street Profits don't really have what it takes to beat Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, perhaps they will receive a much-needed assist from folks like Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, or even Roman Reigns at the end of this match. All of these babyfaces would love to deliver a major blow to The Bloodline's momentum right now, and costing them the tag team titles is certainly one way to do it.
Will The Bloodline put an exclamation point on their dominance over DIY and the Street Profits by beating them at the same time in tonight's ladder match, or is it finally time for the babyfaces to turn that damn numbers game against the heels? You'll have to tune into SmackDown tonight to see how it all plays out.
The most hyped fight of the night might just be Michin vs. Chelsea Green in a Dumpster match. Which one of these women is taking out the trash? Does Michin have any way to neutralize Piper Niven or prevent her from interfering altogether?
Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton is also booked for tonight's show. Stratton was right there to rub salt in the wounds after Naomi lost last week's number one contender match against Bayley. Will WWE Women's Champion Nia Jax and Bayley be ringside for this match on the eve of their title fight at Bad Blood?
Where the f***? is AJ Styles? The correct answer is that he's finally returning to SmackDown tonight! Which wrestler will The Phenomenal One cross paths with first, and is he a babyface or a heel? Is Styles still preoccupied by his potential retirement from the ring, or is he putting that issue on the back burner for now?
- It looks like Kevin Owens is inching closer towards turning on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, especially after last week's miscommunication that cost KO in the main event. Can Randy Orton be the voice in Kevin's head that keeps him from snapping on Cody?
- Speaking of Rhodes, he has a huge tag team match set for Bad Blood with his partner Roman Reigns against The Bloodline's Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. Is The OTC actually in the building tonight, or does he only talk to Cody on football fields? Will Cody follow up on his tease from The Pat McAfee Show about major title implications related to his main event match at Bad Blood, or will we have to wait until tomorrow to see if the big guy shows up?
- WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair is a home state hero in Tennessee. Will she appear on SmackDown tonight to pop the crowd and beat the hell out of someone?
- Andrade and Carmelo Hayes have evenly split their six matches against each other after last week's miscue with United States Champion LA Knight cost El Idolo the bout. Will Andrade confront the champ and tell him to stay the hell out of his business? How many total matches will Andrade and Carmelo have before this series is officially over?
- Giovanni Vinci is a jabroni who can't win a match in WWE. Will he get a chance to prove that statement wrong tonight?
- Is there any indication that Charlotte Flair is on her way back to the blue brand relatively soon, or is that not happening for a while longer?