*OFFICIAL* SmackDown Discussion Thread: 23rd January 2018

[Awesome]

Last week on SmackDown LIVE, a very confident AJ Styles vowed to put an end to Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn’s “Yep!” Movement at the Royal Rumble event, when he defends his WWE Championship against them in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match. However, the duo Styles dubbed “Kami” have never been ones to let a confident opponent deter them from causing chaos.

With days left before this monumental championship showdown in Philadelphia, will Owens & Zayn have anything else to say as they try to get under The Phenomenal One’s skin? Will General Manager Daniel Bryan or Commissioner Shane McMahon be able to keep them in line?

Last Tuesday, Bobby Roode won two matches in one night, defeating Mojo Rawley and Jinder Mahal to become the new United States Champion. There’s be no rest for the new titleholder, though he will have some backup in action this week.

Roode teams up with The New Day to face the trio of Mahal & Rusev Day. The Modern Day Maharaja is surely looking for vengeance following his loss to The Glorious One, while Rusev & Aiden English haven’t forgotten about their past run-ins with Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston & Big E. Which trio will reign supreme?

Naomi, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch joined forces to take on The Riott Squad in Six-Woman Tag Team action last week on SmackDown LIVE. In a chaotic battle, Ruby Riott clocked Naomi with a kick to the face from outside the ring, setting her up for a devastating maneuver from Liv Morgan that gave The Riott Squad the victory.

This week, Naomi will be out for payback when she faces Morgan in singles competition. However, wherever there’s one Riott Squad member, the other two usually aren’t far behind. Can Naomi make Morgan feel the glow, or will the former SmackDown Women’s Champion be subjected to another painful night?

This Sunday’s Royal Rumble event marks the beginning of the Road to WrestleMania, as 30 men and 30 women will look to cement championship opportunities on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

On the men’s side, Team Blue Superstars like Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton and Baron Corbin have been staking their claim to victory in the over-the-top-rope melee. Will one of them be the last man standing in Philadelphia?

For the women of WWE, history is also at stake in the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match. How will the women of Team Blue get ready for this highly anticipated battle?

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin will clash this Sunday at Royal Rumble in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the titles. However, they’ll meet up in the ring before that Sunday night, when Jey Uso and Gable collide in singles competition.

Will The Usos show the mat wrestling master what he and Benjamin are in for on Sunday, or will Gable send a warning that The Usos’ championship reign is drawing to a close?

Find out on SmackDown LIVE, tonight!