To call the rivalry between Aleister Black and Damian Priest “brutal and personal” would be a drastic understatement. On multiple occasions, these two men tried to maim and end one another’s careers. After a long time of beatings and having the numbers game against him, Priest has brought out the big guns, enlisting the help of his former Judgment Day member and Terror Twins partner Rhea Ripley. The “Eradicator” is extremely excited to help her friend out, making a clear statement that Black and Zelina better be ready because they’re coming after them in an Mixed Tag Match on this week’s SmackDown.
Tommaso Ciampa has been pining for a shot at the United States Championship held by the “Mad Dragon” Ilja Dragunov for over a month now. Each and every time Ciampa would step up to the plate, Dragunov would turn him away, calling him “not worthy,” and even worse, a “jackass.” Naturally, Ciampa would not take the ridicule kindly, assaulting Dragunov on multiple occasions, verbally provoking him, and even tainting his matches. Finally, Dragunov is not playing around anymore and has recognized how dangerous a desperate Tommaso Ciampa really is, granting him a shot at the U.S. Title on this coming week’s SmackDown. Ciampa will undoubtedly be his toughest test to date, considering Ciampa has been stewing for the better part of four weeks. Will Ilja Dragunov once again notch a successful title defense? Or will Tommaso Ciampa, once and for all, put Ilja’s impressive title reign to bed and become the new United States Champion?
