Contract signing, KO Show segment set for WWE SmackDown
A pair of segments building up title matches for Fastlane have been announced for this week’s SmackDown.
Ahead of their Universal Championship match at Fastlane, Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan will take part in a contract signing on SmackDown this Friday night. Bryan challenging for the Universal Championship at Fastlane was confirmed when he defeated Jey Uso in a steel cage match in the main event of SmackDown last week.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair will be Kevin Owens’ guests on the KO Show on this week’s SmackDown. Banks & Belair are challenging for Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s WWE Women’s Tag Team titles at Fastlane. On SmackDown last week, Belair defeated Baszler in a singles match.
Fastlane is taking place on Sunday, March 21. It will air live on the WWE Network and Peacock.
Reigns vs. Bryan and Jax & Baszler vs. Banks & Belair are both rematches from Elimination Chamber. Bryan won SmackDown’s Elimination Chamber match at last month’s pay-per-view but then had to immediately challenge for Reigns’ Universal Championship. Reigns won when Bryan passed out in a guillotine
Jax & Baszler retained their Women’s Tag Team titles against Banks & Belair at Elimination Chamber when Banks was distracted by Reginald. After last week’s angle where he was fired as Carmella’s sommelier, Reginald is now aligned with Jax & Baszler.
Banks is defending her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Belair at WrestleMania 37 next month. The winner of Reigns vs. Bryan will defend the Universal Championship against Edge at WrestleMania.
WWE has also announced that Intercontinental Champion Big E will make his return to SmackDown this Friday. It will be the first time Big E has appeared on the show since being stretchered out after Apollo Crews attacked him with the steel steps three weeks ago. Crews cut a promo on SmackDown last week and said he’s demanding another shot at Big E’s Intercontinental title.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.