With Triple H now calling the shots in WWE, the company's Superstars are being treated in a, let's say, far more humane manner. As a result, there will be no Christmas Day episode of RAW (instead, it's a recap show) and this Friday's SmackDown was taped in advance last week.
Yes, WWE's biggest stars are actually getting some time off over the holidays!
That's good news for them but also means we have a full breakdown of what's going to happen on the December 22 edition of the blue brand's show. The biggest talking point appears to be that AJ Styles didn't necessarily turn heel when he attacked LA Knight; instead, he's looking to take back his place on the card (you'll remember that Knight replaced him as John Cena's tag team partner) and wants a shot at Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
We'd thought Randy Orton had been confirmed for that match at the Royal Rumble; instead, The Viper, Knight, and Styles will square off in a Triple Threat match on December 29 for the opportunity to challenge the Tribal Chief at the January PLE!
Here's a full breakdown of what to expect courtesy of NoDQ.com:
United States Championship Tournament: Santos Escobar defeated Bobby Lashley
Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo interfere and help Escobar win.
NXT North American Championship: Dragon Lee (c) defeated Butch
AJ Styles, Randy Orton, LA Knight promo segment
Knight, Styles, and Orton all made it clear that they wanted to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Nick Aldis booked a Triple Threat match between the three at SmackDown New Year’s Revolution, with the winner earning a shot at Reigns at WWE Royal Rumble.
Holiday Havoc: Bianca Belair, Zelina Vega, Michin & Shotzi defeated Damage CTRL (Bayley, Asuka, Kairi Sane & IYO SKY)
Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre interfered and attacked Sane.
United States Championship Tournament: Kevin Owens defeated Carmelo Hayes
AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
Styles won via disqualifcation after Roman Reigns attacked him. The Bloodline brawled with Stykes, Orton, and Knight.
WWE has been firing on all cylinders as of late and much of the credit for that goes to Triple H. His influence on the company has changed it for the better, but it's good to see that improvements are taking place both behind the scenes and with what we see on TV.
Despite these spoilers for SmackDown doing the rounds today, we're sure there will still be some surprises, so many sure to check back here later this week for the live results!