:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46756770/tumblr_mxs11zSl0o1st2unoo2_1280.0.0.jpg)
Want to know what's happening in the major angles in WWE right now? Get eyes on our Raw preview and Reactions, since everyone knows Monday night is when the important stuff happens.
Want to know what is definitely happening on tonight's SmackDown from Birmingham, Alabama - the 'go home' show for this Sunday's Battleground pay-per-view (PPV)? Peep our spoiler post.
On Thursday mornings, we'll dig into the mid-card, the interesting and/or horrible stuff happening on the fringe away from your John Cenas and Brock Lesnars. Plus, pretend for a spoiler-free minute that we're the Legendary Teddy Long and guess at the blue brand's patented tag match of the week!
Are you not entertained by my briefcase?
Sheamus was the surprising winner of this year's Money in the Bank ladder match, and as such has a contract for a WWE title match at a time and place of his chosing for the next twelve months. Since no one has any intention of inserting him into the Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar feud currently going on for that strap, he's been tussling with Randy Orton, including an injury write-off that allowed The Viper to slither off to paradise and ask his girlfriend to make an honest man out of him.
What they should do: Given the decision to give The Celtic Warrior the briefcase? Probably exactly this. It gives him a chance to work fun matches against a name opponent while further honing his heel character for a main event storyline down the road somewhere.
What we're afraid they'll do: Continue to forget that they left Orton's character in an interesting place when his increasingly paranoia about being kicked to the curb by The Authority turned out to be well founded, and stick with the boring good guy Randy and the fans hated from 2011 - 2013.
Tag Team Championship
Right up there on the list of surprises from recent PPVs was Prime Time Players defeat of The New Day to become tag champs. Darren Young & Titus O'Neil have made some strides, and undoubtedly have value to the company on the public relations front. But as was once again evidenced by their work jobbing to Brock in Tokyo, Big E, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods are an insanely entertaining heel group that seemed poised for a long run Freebird-ing the tag straps while face teams tried to knock them from the their perch.
What they should do: Let Titus and X talk as much as possible...in interviews, as guest commentators, whatever.
What we're afraid they'll do: Allow The New Day to drift back to the Superstars-level they were at before the SmarkaMania crowd forced Creative to turn them into a trio everyone loves to hate.
A Clash of Kings
Bad News Barrett defeated R-Truth in a tournament earlier this year, and now they can't stop fighting.
What they should do: Put King What's Up over clean, as quickly as possible, cementing his status as the new Santino Marella in a way that let's wins over him mean something for up-and-coming heels. Take Barrett off television for a while so he can come back with the Bad News gimmick to job in the mid-card. Yes, his booking over the last few months has been so bad that he needs to go away for a while in order to even be an effective enhancement worker. Don't worry about the King of the Ring gimmick - this whole thing has been about Vince buring tournaments.
What we're afraid they'll do: On the pre-show for Survivor Series...R-Truth vs. King Barrett!
The Theodore Long Honorary Tag Match goes to...
Dean Ambrose main evented the last three PPVs, and he has no match on Sunday's card. Ryback's injury might create an opening for him (although I'd love to see Cesaro get a nod there, too...even if I kind of want all wrestlers I like to stay far away from the cursed Intercontinental title), but in the meantime, I beat Roman Reigns will need some back-up against a team with either Kane, Bray Wyatt or both.
(Note: I know some folks have come looking for a more definitive match listing - that will be posted behind spoiler text in the comments. If WWE.com releases more information on anything that's officially going to take place on tonight's show, that'll be updated here)