WWE SmackDown Live rolls into Las Vegas tonight for its September 12 edition. As was reported by the Inquisitr last week, recent editions of SmackDown have been used to build a feud between Kevin Owens and SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon. Owens and McMahon have been nose to nose since McMahon banned Owens from challenging AJ Styles for his United States Championship. The feud between the pair was ramped up on last week’s SmackDown when Owens told McMahon that his family would have been better off if Shane had not survived his recent helicopter crash.
The official WWE website reveals that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon will be in Sin City tonight to “address the animosity between Owens and his son.” McMahon’s trip to Las Vegas can mean only one thing. The WWE creative team are following a well-trodden path, and we will see Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon at the Hell In A Cell PPV on October 8.
We already know that the SmackDown exclusive Hell In A Cell PPV will be headlined by Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, so McMahon vs. Owens will be a mid-card match, one that perhaps deserves the SmackDown creative teams retreading old ground. Earlier this year we saw SmackDown use the exact same storyline to build up to McMahon vs. AJ Styles at WrestleMania 33 . On that occasion, we also saw Styles call out McMahon for denying him a title shot.
There is, however, another scenario that could play out on tonight’s SmackDown Live . WWE has yet to announce who AJ Styles will defend his U.S. Championship against at Hell In A Cell . The whole point of contention between Owens and McMahon is the denial of Owens right to challenge Styles. Vince McMahon would overrule his son and announce Owens vs. Styles at Hell In A Cell . Doubtless, we will know tomorrow.
As reported by Sky Sports , tonight’s SmackDown Live sees AJ Styles defend his U.S. title against Tye Dillinger. It’s difficult to see Dillinger come out of this one as anything but a gutsy loser. Baron Corbin has been turning up to run interference during Styles’ matches recently. Though Corbin has reportedly been out of favor in recent weeks, he could perhaps set himself up for a title match with Styles at Hell In A Cell .
On last week’s SmackDown , it was announced that Naomi will finally get her rematch for the SmackDown Women’s Championship when she challenges Natalya for the title. This could be a close match, but Fansided believes that Naomi is a “ home banker ” to reclaim her title.
We also know that SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos will defend their titles against The New Day. There have been rumors suggesting that The New Day deliberately lost their titles at SummerSlam just so that they could win them back again. It’s difficult to see The Usos losing their titles tonight, so their match is likely to see them retain and establish who their challengers will be at Hell In A Cell next month.
[Featured Image by WWE]
