A lot of gold will be on the line next weekend on the final Smackdown before Night of Champions.
Three title bouts have been booked for next week’s episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown, which is scheduled to take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The most notable match of the three will see WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton take on former titleholder Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing match.
Stratton initially earned the title off Jax back in January, cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase to end her title reign. They have faced off twice since then, including in the main event of a mid-May Smackdown, where Stratton retained in 13 minutes.
Stratton used a steel chair in the finishing sequence of the match, albeit in a way that didn’t disqualify her, when they last met. This has frustrated Jax and was part of why she called for another shot against her ally during this week’s episode of Smackdown.
With a special stipulation in play, the final chapter in a lengthy rivalry between Stratton and Jax might finally come to an end.
It was also announced that recent Smackdown arrival Giulia will look to obtain her first-ever main roster title when she meets Women’s United States Champion Zelina Vega in a singles bout.
Giulia notably scored a pinfall win against Vega in a women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match last month, giving her a solid case to face the champ.
The Wyatt Sicks will try and end the reign of the Street Profits in tag action, too. If successful, they’ll bring a halt to the longest ongoing tag title run in the WWE, as Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins have held the belts for 99 days.
Next week’s episode of Smackdown will air at different times, depending on which market you’re in.
If you’re in the U.S., the show will premiere at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network. But if you’re in a market where Smackdown airs on Netflix, you’ll be able to watch the taping live as it happens at 1 p.m. ET.
Here’s a look at next week’s card:
- Zelina Vega vs. Giulia (WWE Women’s United States Championship)
- The Street Profits vs. Wyatt Sicks (WWE Tag Team Championships)
- Tiffany Stratton vs. Nia Jax (WWE Women’s Championship) (Last Woman Standing)
