This week’s WWE Smackdown will have no live or taped edition as 2023 closes in but next year, a bash is coming to kick off the New Year in style. The first episode of 2024 scheduled for January 5th is being promoted as New Year’s Revolution and this night is going to be a packed one.
One of the main events of Royal Rumble 2024 will be declared on the WWE Smackdown New Year’s Revolution episode where the new challenger for the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will be determined. WWE has announced the following matches for this show so far,
– Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles (Winner will face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2024)
– Kevin Owens vs. Santos Escobar in the #1 Contenders tournament final (Winner will face Logan Paul for the United States Championship at Royal Rumble 2024)
– IYO SKY (c) vs. “Michin” Mia Yim for the WWE Women’s Championship
– Pretty Deadly vs. Butch & TBA
Top Match Featuring Roman Reigns Voted WWE Match Of The Year 2023
Sheamus returning on WWE Smackdown New Year’s Revolution
Now, a report from WWFOldSchool has indicated that former WWE Champion Sheamus will return on this episode to team up with Butch. The Celtic Warrior was last seen on the August 18th episode of WWE SmackDown, where he lost to Edge in a first-time-ever match which also marked the Edge’s final match in the WWE. Sheamus has been off TV since then due to a shoulder injury.
WWE Smackdown: Two New Factions Coming To The Blue Brand
According to the earlier reports of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Sheamus was initially scheduled to appear on the November 24 episode of WWE Smackdown as he was being advertised locally to appear. Not only that, he was also slated to appear in the three upcoming episodes of the blue brand.
Since this imminent return of Sheamus was teased just before Survivor Series WarGames, many believed that the former WWE Champion would possibly be joining the Cody Rhodes-led team of the babyfaces in the WarGames Match. With Drew McIntyre joining The Judgment Day’s WarGames team at the PLE in Chicago, Sheamus was supposed to balance the opposition side. However, Randy Orton was the person to have joined the babyface side and thus Sheamus’ return on WWE Smackdown was postponed.
