Gunther, the new WWE Intercontinental Champion, will defend his title on SmackDown next Friday night.
Gunther defeated Ricochet to win the WWE Intercontinental Title on last Friday’s SmackDown. The title will be on the line in Ricochet’s rematch, which will take place next week.
A new Intercontinental Title storyline began with a backstage segment with Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser on this week’s SmackDown. Gunther’s title triumph was unavoidable, according to Kaiser, because it belongs to him. Kaiser went on to say that the WWE Intercontinental Title was created in a tournament in South America, won by a French Canadian (WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson), and that its greatest champions were international Superstars from Canada, Mexico, England, Ireland, and Italy, but that the title has also been tarnished by the likes of Ricochet, who embodies everything that’s wrong with America – a lot of flash but little substance. The audience changed from chanting “WALTER!” to booing Kaiser’s promo.
The title will never be held by an American again, Kaiser said, since its reputation has been restored, and it will remain in the iron grip of the man who keeps the mat and the Intercontinental Title sacred — Gunther. Gunther then spoke briefly, announcing himself as the new Intercontinental Champion.
The Viking Raiders, Erik and Ivar, will also be back on SmackDown next Friday. Despite the fact that The Viking Raiders have been on the blue brand roster for quite some time, WWE began running new teaser vignettes for them last week. On this week’s SmackDown, another vignette aired, and WWE stated that they will return to action next Friday, but no opponents were chosen.
Since their loss to current WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Creed Brothers on the May 17 NXT 2.0 broadcast, Erik and Ivar have not been on television. They’ve subsequently wrestled a few non-televised WWE live events in late May, where they came up short in Fatal 4 Way bouts against Los Lotharios, The Brawling Brutes, and the eventual winners, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos. Erik and Ivar worked the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on April 1 SmackDown, lost a Handicap Match count out to Omos on March 28 RAW, and feuded with other SmackDown teams in January and February before their brief time in NXT this spring. They were scheduled to face The Usos at WWE Elimination Chamber, however the brothers attacked The Vikings prior to the match, forcing it to be cancelled. They also used a number of dark matches.
There’s no word on who The Viking Raiders will be feuding with when they return to the blue brand, but we’ll keep you updated.
In other SmackDown news, the WWE Events website lists Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns as appearing next Friday from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, but Brock Lesnar is not listed. That might change soon, as the company prepares a follow-up on Friday night’s SmackDown main event.
Three additional blue brand Money In the Bank Ladder Match qualifiers will also be featured on next week’s SmackDown.
Here is the updated SmackDown line-up for next Friday’s show:
– Men’s MITB Ladder Match Qualifier: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn
– Women’s MITB Ladder Match Qualifier: Shotzi vs. Aliyah
– The Viking Raiders return to SmackDown action
– WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther defends against Ricochet in his rematch
– Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and others advertised to appear
