3 Matches Confirmed For SmackDown’s Last Episode Of The Year Next Week

3 matches have already been confirmed for next week’s SmackDown, which is the final show of 2022. The matches confirmed for next week are Solo Sikoa vs Sheamus, Raquel Rodriguez vs Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Championship and the big match of John Cena and Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. Let’s take a look at how these 3 matches for next week came to be.

This week’s SmackDown was the Christmas special edition of the show as well. It even had a Miracle on 34^th Street Fight in the main event. Solo Sikoa wasn’t in action and neither was Sheamus but The Bloodline and The Brawling Brutes have a long history together. They have collided on multiple occasions with The Bloodline mostly emerging on top. Next week, the leader of the Brutes, Sheamus, tries to topple The Bloodline’s young Street Champion Solo Sikoa. Let’s hope the Irishman is successful this time but Sikoa is on a vicious streak lately.

The second match announced is the SD Women’s title match between Ronda Rousey and Raquel Rodriguez. Rodriguez became the No. 1 contender after winning the 7 women Gauntlet match on the show. Rousey and her buddy Shayna Baszler had attacked Rodriguez last month, leaving her with a dislocated elbow. They attacked her again last week but she competed this week any way wearing a sling.

The Gauntlet match started with Xia Li and Emma that Li won via the Cyclone kick. Next came Tegan Nox, who succumbed to the Cyclone Kick again. It was Rodriguez’s turn next to face Li. Raquel used her size and strength to her advantage and turned Li’s finisher into a Tejana Bomb to advance ahead. Next came Liv Morgan to face the Big Texan. Morgan gave Raquel tough competition but was finally pinned after a slam. It was time for Sonya Deville as the final opponent who immediately started targeting her injured arm. Eventually, she ate a Tejana Bomb for the pin.

It was clear, Raquel had won the Gauntlet but out came Ronda Rousey. She informed her that she still has one opponent left. It was Shayna Baszler. Shayna attacked Raquel’s arm and tore the brace right off. She started brandishing it and got careless when Rodriguez quickly rolled her up for the pin. She is now officially the No. 1 contender for Rousey’s belt next week.

Next week’s third confirmed match is a big one that we’ve known since last week. It’s John Cena and Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. Cena will be making a one match comeback keeping alive the tradition of wrestling every year for 20 years. He made an appearance via the titantron last week to confirm this match at the request of Kevin Owens. Cena’s last match was against Reigns in 2021 and Owens has a rivalry going with The Bloodline and a long history with Zayn.

The unlikely duo will look to challenge Bloodline’s dominance by handing an L to their Tribal Chief next week.