The October 3 edition of Friday Night SmackDown just got bigger, with new matches and appearances added to the card. The lineup now features a United States Championship open challenge, Damian Priest in action, and an appearance by WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton.
United States Champion Sami Zayn will once again put his title on the line against a mystery opponent. Zayn has turned these weekly open challenges into a streak, defending the belt in recent weeks against John Cena, Rey Fenix, Carmelo Hayes, and Je’Von Evans.
Damian Priest is also booked for the show, though his opponent remains unknown. WWE noted that Priest has caused “significant backstage destruction” since his last televised bout on September 5, when he faced Aleister Black.
The women’s division will also be in the spotlight. Tiffany Stratton is set to appear as she gears up for her champion vs. champion clash with Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer at Crown Jewel. Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss will be in Cincinnati as well, with Flair calling it “champ duties.”
Also confirmed for the night is a marquee tag team match: WWE Champion Cody Rhodes teams with Randy Orton to face Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. The inter-brand showdown was made official by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and SmackDown GM Nick Aldis.