To say that this week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown looks to be an eventful one would be an understatement. Liv Morgan, who won the SmackDown Women’s Championship following a successful cash-in at this past Saturday’s Money in the Bank event, looks to kick off her reign on the blue brand. Drew McIntyre will clash with long-time rival Sheamus for an opportunity to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Speaking of which, the current champion, Roman Reigns, makes his return to WWE SmackDown tonight. Take a deeper dive into all the action to come this Friday evening on FOX.
WWE SmackDown (7/8/22) Preview
- Maximum Male Models Unveil Tennis Collection
- Liv Morgan Kicks Off SmackDown Women’s Championship Reign
- Roman Reigns Returns to WWE SmackDown
- #1 Contender Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus
.@YaOnlyLivvOnce IS THE #SmackDown WOMEN'S CHAMPION!!!#MITB pic.twitter.com/xST3omEG4u
— WWE (@WWE) July 3, 2022
Liv Morgan Kicks Off Title Reign
One of the major items to consider heading into this week’s edition of SmackDown is the arrival of Liv Morgan. The new SmackDown Women’s Champion captured the gold at Money in the Bank, as mentioned earlier, and it was a well-received title change by the fans in attendance and many around the world. Given that Morgan experienced many highs and lows throughout her career, to many viewers, it was gratifying to see her finally secure gold. As the new SmackDown Women’s Champion, however, she has a sizable target on her back, as evidenced by her interactions with fellow women’s competitors this past Monday on Raw. How will Morgan start her title reign as a member of the blue brand?
Roman Reigns Makes His Return on WWE SmackDown
This Friday evening, on WWE SmackDown, “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns makes his return. The current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion has not been nearly as prevalent throughout WWE programming since his transition to more of a limited status. With that said, Reigns remains one of the must-see stars in the company, not only due to his status as the top champion in the company but his sheer importance in general. Furthermore, he’s seldom without his cousins, current Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, or his special counsel, Paul Heyman. It may go without saying, but his attention is likely to be targeted at the upcoming bout between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus, where major title implications will be on the line.
Tonight! @WWESheamus and @DMcIntyreWWE battle for the right to challenge the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at #WWECastle.
📺 #SmackDown, 8e/7c on FOX pic.twitter.com/aXJx8CQdFg
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) July 8, 2022
Drew McIntyre or Sheamus: Who Goes to Clash at the Castle?
Though they’ve faced each other many times throughout their careers, these two long-time rivals will square off once more on this week’s Friday Night SmackDown. Moreover, this match will be among the most important, as the winner will head to Clash at the Castle to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The event in question is set to take place in Cardiff, Wales on September 3, live from the Principality Stadium. Thus, it would make sense that the individual to challenge for the title would be United Kingdom-born. The question is, who will be slated to challenge Reigns at Clash at the Castle? Given that both men are multi-time world champions, this upcoming match can go either way.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network and Peacock.
