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WWE Smackdown Preview for Tonight (Nov. 15): Tag Team Championship Rematch, Daniel Bryan on Miz TV, More

By John Canton • Published 15th November 2019
TJR Wrestling

The WWE Smackdown roster is back in the US after a tour of Europe that lasted for over a week. They got back to the US yesterday and now they are ready for tonight’s Smackdown in Philadelphia.

Here’s what WWE has advertised for Smackdown tonight. I’m using what is on WWE.com this morning.

* The New Day will defend the Smackdown Tag Team Titles against The Revival

Last week on Smackdown, The New Day beat The Revival to win the SD Tag Team Titles. The “automatic rematch” rule is gone, so I’m sure some fans are going to complain about the former champs getting a title shot at the new champs so quickly. I don’t mind it once in a while. It’s going to be a good match. I’m not going to complain about good matches, but WWE also has to work on establishing other tag teams on Smackdown as well. I expect The New Day to retain their titles.

* What will Daniel Bryan have to say about Sami Zayn’s proposition — and “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt’s attack?

Daniel Bryan is a guest on Miz TV tonight. Last week, The Fiend attacked Bryan in a backstage segment and the expectation is that we’ll get The Fiend vs. Daniel Bryan for the Universal Championship at Survivor Series on November 24. It should become official tonight.

As for the Sami Zayn proposition to have Daniel Bryan join Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura, apparently the plan (or at least a rumor) was for Bryan to win the Intercontinental Title from Nakamura so that Bryan would be in the triple threat match at Survivor Series against AJ Styles and Roderick Strong. However, with Bryan focusing on a more important title, the expectation is that Nakamura will remain in that match. I assume Bryan will lead the crowd in “no” chants in response to Zayn and then The Fiend can attack Bryan to set up their match at Survivor Series.

* Bayley stands between Nikki Cross and Team SmackDown’s final spot

It’s another Bayley match against Nikki Cross. They have wrestled way too many times this year and did so as well two weeks ago on Smackdown. Bayley is even wondering why they have to wrestle again.

The storyline is that if Cross beats Bayley non-title then Cross gets to be on Team Smackdown in the women’s 5-on-5 elimination match at Survivor Series. A champion losing non-title happens way too often in WWE and it’s not like the SD women’s division is that full, so I expect Cross to find a way to win. Perhaps Shayna Baszler will show up to cost Bayley as payback for Bayley showing up on NXT this week to attack Baszler. Just a guess on my part.

Mustafa Ali & Shorty G face Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode with Survivor Series spots on the line

This one was partly set up by WWE’s favorite way of setting up a match: Twitter trash talk! “King” Baron Corbin complained about Shorty G and Mustafa Ali on Team Smackdown at Survivor Series because he wants his heel buddies Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode on the team instead. Mustafa Ali explained that he and Shorty earned their spot.

Due to that bickering, WWE set up Shorty and Ali vs. Ziggler and Roode tonight. If Ziggler and Roode win then they will replace Shorty and Ali on Team Smackdown. I expect Shorty and Ali to win the match.

Lacey Evans joins Team SmackDown for Survivor Series

This isn’t anything to do with Smackdown this week, but they announced Lacey Evans as the fourth woman on Team Smackdown at Survivor Series. The fifth and final woman on the team is likely going to be Nikki Cross, as mentioned earlier.

We might see some NXT superstars on Smackdown tonight as well although there’s no indication of who that might be and that doesn’t mean they will be taking part in matches this week.

Another thing to keep an eye on is if they show highlights of CM Punk on WWE Backstage from this past Tuesday. I’m sure the fans in the arena are going to give a big reaction to that with a lot of cheers, so it would be wise for WWE to promote it. Considering Smackdown on Fox and WWE Backstage is on Fox Sports 1, it makes sense to promote it.

There are two more Smackdown episodes until Survivor Series on November 24 in Chicago. Here’s the updated lineup.

WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

Men’s Traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team Raw (Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre and Ricochet) vs. Team Smackdown (Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, “King” Baron Corbin, Shorty G and Mustafa Ali) vs. Team NXT

Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler

United States Champion AJ Styles vs. Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs. NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong

Raw Tag Team Champions Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar) vs. Smackdown Tag Team Champions The New Day (Xavier Woods and Big E) vs. NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish)

Women’s Traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team Raw vs. Team Smackdown (Sasha Banks, Carmella, Dana Brooke, Lacey Evans) vs. Team NXT

As mentioned above, Bray Wyatt defending the Universal Title against Daniel Bryan is expected to be on the card as well.

I’ll back tonight with a live review of Smackdown right here on TJRWrestling.