After delivering one of the most successful Premium Live Events of all time in WWE Backlash France, the global juggernaut is all set to host their second Premium Live Event of the month in WWE King and Queen of the Ring which will emanate from the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on May 25, 2024.
WWE will be hosting the finals of the King and Queen of the Ring in Saudi Arabia and will continue the build-up to the upcoming spectacle on this week’s WWE Friday Night Smackdown.
Let us take a look at possible angles and predictions for matches we can expect to happen for the 5/17 WWE SmackDown episode:
1. WWE King of the Ring Quarterfinal Matches
Friday Night SmackDown will see the Quarterfinal matches for the WWE King of the Ring Tournament and the WWE Universe is going to be treated to two major matches for the event in The Viper Randy Orton battling against new WWE NXT draftee, Carmelo Hayes and LA Knight taking on the Bloodline member, Tama Tonga.
Furthermore, both of these are first-time-ever matches and fans can expect some great in-ring action in both of the collisions. Carmelo Hayes is one of the rising WWE Superstars and a win over a legend like Randy Orton to advance in the tournament can garner significant attention to him. Meanwhile, in the other match, WWE fans can expect LA Knight to get a win over Tama Tonga to advance to the semifinals of the tournament, despite possible interference from The Bloodline.
2. WWE Queen of the Ring Quarterfinal matches
Much like the King of the Ring tournament, WWE will be hosting the WWE Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals matched on the 5/17 edition of WWE Friday Night Smackdown with Jade Cargill battling Nia Jax and her partner, Bianca Belair squaring off against Tiffany Stratton.
Both of these matches are Premium Live Event caliber bouts and the fans can certainly expect two of the most competitive matches in recent memory in the women’s division. With that said, Tiffany Stratton is a heavy favorite to win the entire tournament so we can expect her to win the match against the EST, and on the other hand, The Storm of WWE could hand a huge loss to Nia Jax and advance in the semifinals.
3. Title vs Title match made official during the contract signing
The WWE King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event is set to be headlined in a first-time-ever match between the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, and the current WWE United States Champion, Logan Paul in a one-on-one match.
The Maverick and The Prodigal Son are set for the contract signing for their upcoming match at the WWE King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event on Friday Night SmackDown and according to much speculation, the match could turn into a title vs title match as both men sign on the dotted lines on the upcoming edition of SmackDown.
4. Blair Davenport debuts on the big stage
An array of incredible and determined NXT superstars were called up to the WWE main roster as part of the WWE Draft 2024. However, one of the most promising female athlete who has been drafted to Friday Night SmackDown is NXT’s finest, Blair Davenport.
Blair Davenport is a world-traveled athlete, taking Meiko Satamura to the limits when she squared off against the Joshi legend for the NXT UK Women’s Championship and she would have been on the cusp of winning the title if it wasn’t for an unfortunate injury that she suffered in the match. Furthermore, Blair has made a name for herself in NXT and has come close to winning the title on several occasions. So, it is about time she makes a mark on the main roster and it could happen as soon as this week’s SmackDown.
5. The Bloodline development hints at new members coming soon
The Bloodline faced a huge blow when the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns lost his Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40. However, since that fateful night, Solo Sikoa has been leading the charge of The Bloodline and has been recruiting more names to the group.
Just after WrestleMania, Tama Tonga debuted on Friday Night SmackDown as a new member of the Bloodline when he viciously attacked Kevin Owens. Later on, WWE Backlash saw a new member joining the dangerous group in Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga’s brother. The stable has been becoming more stacked and dominant than ever and it is expected that the long-rumored name ‘Jacob Fatu’ could also debut in the stable, possibly happening this week on Friday Night SmackDown.
What do you think will happen on Friday Night SmackDown? Share your thoughts in the comments!