Tonight’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown is set to be a loaded show, but the brand will be running without its top creative force on-site. WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H will not be in Norfolk, Virginia for the broadcast.
His absence is the culmination of a whirlwind week of commitments outside of the usual WWE television schedule. Following appearances at TEDSports in Indianapolis and the All-In Summit, Triple H’s focus has shifted to Las Vegas, the site of tonight’s special WWE & AAA Worlds Collide event. This also accounts for his absence from WWE Raw this past Monday.
Triple H isn’t the only big name remaining in Vegas for the co-promoted supercard. WWE has confirmed that Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are also present for the event. It’s been noted that The Undertaker has a significant backstage hand in AAA, adding another layer of intrigue to the collaboration. Veteran producer Jeremy Borash is said to be the man in charge of running the Worlds Collide show.
Meanwhile, SmackDown is still poised for a major night. The broadcast is scheduled to feature a massive bout between Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre, a United States Championship open challenge laid out by Sami Zayn, and an appearance by Brock Lesnar. Additionally, the WWE Women’s Championship will be on the line as Tiffany Stratton defends against Jade Cargill.