Roman Reigns Back On WWE SmackDown Next Week, Toni Storm Vs. Charlotte Flair Update
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will be returning to SmackDown on FOX next week.
Reigns has been announced for next Friday's SmackDown form the Allstate Arena near Chicago, to continue the feud with Brock Lesnar for WWE Day 1. It was noted that Lesnar will also be there next Friday.
Reigns did not appear on this week's SmackDown as Paul Heyman noted that he was away on a one-week sabbatical to train for the WWE Day 1 bout with Lesnar. This week's SmackDown featured angles with Lesnar and Heyman, designed to build to more tension between Reigns and Heyman next week.
SmackDown saw Sami Zayn, in a wheelchair with two male nurses, open the show and demand a rematch for Reigns due to Lesnar beating him up last week. Heyman interrupted Zayn, but then Lesnar interrupted Heyman. Lesnar tried to make friends with Zayn and take him hunting, until Heyman riled Lesnar up enough that he snapped and destroyed Zayn and his nurses.
Lesnar was later featured in a backstage segment where he referred to Heyman as still his advocate. He was featured in another segment where he intimidated Adam Pearce over the recent storyline fine and suspension that was handed down. This week's angles with Lesnar speaking were done really well, and can be seen below.
WWE managed to get the "#BrockLesnarsFlipPhone" hashtag trending last night after Lesnar pulled out a flip phone during the segment with Pearce. Lesnar wanted to show Pearce a photo of a moose he had killed and gutted, and ate, while away on suspension, but he couldn't figure out how to use the device. Lesnar became frustrated and broke the phone, further intimidating Pearce.
In other news for next week's SmackDown, the feud between Toni Storm and SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair is expected to continue. This week's show saw Storm defeat Flair in a non-title Championship Contender match, but by DQ. Flair was disqualified after she failed to stop stomping Storm while she was down.
While it was not announced that Storm is the new #1 contender to Flair, she should receive the title shot now, or at least another chance at earning the title shot. It's possible they announce Storm vs. Flair for next week's SmackDown, or likely at the WWE Day 1 pay-per-view on New Year's Day.
Stay tuned for more on next week's SmackDown. Below are a few shots of Lesnar and Storm vs. Flair from this week's show:
.@WWERomanReigns returns NEXT FRIDAY on #SmackDown! @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/gv1QAbvXPu
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021
A Beast and his overalls.#SmackDown @BrockLesnar pic.twitter.com/eBqwc2UejR
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021
#BrockLesnarsFlipPhone#SmackDown @BrockLesnar pic.twitter.com/UoPbDPTfW0
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021
.@MsCharlotteWWE isn't finished with Toni Storm! #SmackDown #TheOpportunity pic.twitter.com/SWPHG84ePF
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021
#SmackDown #WomensChampion @MsCharlotteWWE it out to teach #ToniStorm a lesson in this Championship Contender's Match! pic.twitter.com/2f4KpjbTSV
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021
"Why don't you ask my advocate Paul Heyman?" 😮
What's going on here, @HeymanHustle????#SmackDown @BrockLesnar pic.twitter.com/SfqhBtmSTN
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021
"How do you think @WWERomanReigns is going to react to what happened tonight?"#SmackDown @HeymanHustle @KaylaBraxtonWWE pic.twitter.com/Gt0xQ59Jpn
— WWE (@WWE) December 11, 2021