WWE Smackdown Preview: Contender's Match; Seth Rollins Backfires (21/01/22)

All you need to know about 21-01-22 WWE Smackdown Night Live on FOX

Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins on WWE SmackDown. (Twitter: @WWE)
By Blesson Daniel | Jan 21, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

The buildup to the Royal Rumble will be the main focus of this week’s WWE Smackdown, as Seth Rollins seems to react to The Usos’ previous attack. On his way to a title bout against The Bloodline leader, Naomi is in desperate need of a major win that would position herself in the championship scenario. At the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, Naomi takes on champion Charlotte Flair in what may be the night’s big event.

Roman Reigns has now been the WWE Universal Champion for 500 days, surpassing Brock Lesnar as the longest-reigning champion with the title on WWE Smackdown. He won the championship in a Triple Threat Match against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman on August 30, 2020, at the WWE Payback PPV.

Since his previous pinfall loss on WWE Smackdown in December 2019, the Tribal Chief hasn’t been pinned or submitted in over two years. During his match with Seth Rollins, he declared to be in God mode, whereas the latter claimed to be the one who built Reigns and that when the time comes, he’ll destroy him.

The Usos were on their way to assault Rollins, but he showed his ingenuity by fleeing the ring. However, during his bout against Bobby Lashley on Raw, The Usos caught him off guard. At ringside, he was watching Lashley annihilate The Hurt Business members when The Usos appeared from behind and smashed him with simultaneous superkicks.

The Bloodline members sent him a severe message, stating that they have been following him around everywhere they go in order to make his life a misery. The Monday Night Messiah, on the other hand, is in dire need of his smart mind in order to win this numbers game. Taking down The Usos on WWE Smackdown would be the logical move if he wants to oust Reigns as Universal Champion.

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Flair vs. Naomi on WWE Smackdown (21/01/22)

Besides this plot, a rematch involving WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and Naomi has been set for this week’s program.

Naomi may clinch a future championship opportunity if she defeats Flair in this rematch, which is being labeled as a Championship Contender’s contest.

Flair beat Naomi on WWE Smackdown two weeks ago, thanks to intervention from WWE Official Sonya Deville. Naomi won the match via count-out at first, but Deville altered it to a no-count-out match, which was subsequently changed to a no-disqualification contest. After that, Flair pinned Naomi to clinch the match.

On WWE SmackDown, the Deville vs. Naomi feud resumed, with Naomi threatening to assault Deville in a backstage confrontation. Naomi was justified to complain about Deville interfering in her match, according to another WWE official, Adam Pearce. As a result, Pearce was one who booked Naomi and Flair’s rematch.