Just like tonight’s WWE Raw, the tournament around the World Heavyweight Title will progress on this week’s WWE Smackdown. A few weeks ago, Triple H announced that a new World Heavyweight Title Belt was coming to the company, and then during this year’s WWE Draft, it was further confirmed that the belt will be an exclusive property to the Raw brand since Roman Reigns was drafted to SmackDown.
Over on the Backlash 2023, Press Conference, this past Friday night, it was further confirmed that both WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown roster members will be able to participate in this tournament despite the title belonging to the Raw brand. Heading into this week’s Raw, the 12 participants for the tourney were also announced,
– Seth Rollins
– Shinsuke Nakamura
– Sheamus
– The Miz
– Damian Priest
– Edge
– Rey Mysterio
– Finn Balor
– Bobby Lashley
– AJ Styles
– Austin Theory (United States Champion)
– Cody Rhodes
The interesting name to feature in this list is WWE Hall of Famer Edge who’s the only part-time player on the WWE Smackdown roster. We’ve not seen him in action for quite sometimes but given that the tournament commences this Friday night, the Rated-R Superstar will be back on TV.
WWE Raw: Spoiler On Multi-Time Champion’s Return On May 8 Episode
Edge was drafted to WWE Smackdown during 2023 Draft
The last time Edge was seen on TV was at Wrestlemania 39 where he slayed the “Demon” Finn Balor inside the Hell in a Cell structure. Afterward, he was inserted into the 2023 Draft pool to be picked by the WWE Smackdown brand in what appears to be the final hurrah of his career renaissance.
There’s no update on which of the two Superstars, Edge will be locking horns on WWE Smackdown, this week but being a legend and a Hall of Famer, he certainly remains one of the favorites to win the tournament and become the new world heavyweight champion. After all, no one has held this belt more than him in the entire WWE history.
As announced by Triple H, on WWE Raw, two Triple Threat Matches will take place and the winners of these matches will compete in the main event of the show. Then on Friday’s WWE SmackDown, two more such Triple Threat Matches will take place and the winners of these matches will compete in the main event of the show.
Then the winners from the Raw and Smackdown sides will collide in the tournament final at the Night Of Champions premium live event in Saudi Arabia on May 27th over the World Heavyweight Championship.
