The lineup for the Sept. 15 SmackDown wasn’t heavily advertised in advance, but given the involvement of big names like John Cena, who is slated to feature on “The Grayson Waller Effect”, and LA Knight, who might be concluding his storyline with The Miz soon, the expectation was that perhaps no further promotion was necessary.
However, WWE ramped up the anticipation by revealing more details in the preview on their official website just a few hours before the show. The two key attractions announced were:
Bayley set to confront Asuka
In the fiercely competitive SmackDown Women’s division, holding onto the WWE Women’s Championship is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly for IYO SKY who is the current title holder. The stability of the Damage CTRL group is essential to her reign. Bayley, however, has found herself unsettled by the chaos incited by Shotzi. Determined to reassert her dominance, Bayley is now set to face Asuka, showcasing that she remains a formidable force in her villainous faction, just a week before Asuka challenges The Genius of the Sky for the title.
AJ Styles to battle Finn Bálor
AJ Styles, the remarkable WWE superstar, is preparing to square off against Finn Bálor, one half of the reigning WWE Tag Team Champions and a familiar adversary. Bálor is part of the formidable Judgment Day faction that currently dominates WWE, a situation that has been a constant thorn in Styles’ side. The two titans are scheduled to clash on FOX at 8/7 C. While Styles is on a mission to bring some semblance of order to the blue brand, Bálor advocates for continued chaos.
While these showdowns might not have the full build to qualify as main event material, they are nonetheless significant. The first serves as a critical chapter in Asuka’s journey to reclaim the WWE Women’s title from IYO SKY, a member of Bayley’s Damage CTRL group. The second conflict arises from a complex web of rivalries involving the industry’s top factions—Finn Bálor’s Judgment Day and The Bloodline, which is now ensnared in a feud with AJ Styles & The OC. Thus, while it might not have received a traditional buildup, the existing narrative dynamics indicate a scenario ripe for conflict.
Will you be tuning in? We will be!
