The FIFA World Cup begins later this month in Qatar and supposedly has nothing to do with wrestling. Yet, WWE intends to celebrate this ultimate sporting event on earth. The promotion announced last week that it would host its own SmackDown World Cup, which will begin on this Friday’s episode of the blue brand on Fox.
The single-elimination knockout tournament will feature eight Superstars, with the winner receiving an Intercontinental Title shot against Gunther.
The name of the tournament’s eight competitors have yet to be announced, but given who currently calls SmackDown home on an IC level, fans can probably make a few educated guesses about who might be involved.
Shinsuke Nakamura, Karrion Kross, and possibly even Bray Wyatt could be among the eight people to be involved in this most anticipated event. Wyatt has yet to wrestle in a match since his return at Extreme Rules. However, including him in the bracket may be a little misguided.
Having a World Cup competition hosted by WWE is nothing new. Crown Jewel thresholds the conclusion of the series, which began four years ago.
Shane McMahon would go on to win the cup, proclaiming himself “the best in the world” despite not qualifying for the final. The Miz was supposed to compete, but due to an injury, Shane O’Mac took his place and won.
Hopefully, the first-ever SmackDown World Cup does not end in the same way. It’s unlikely to conclude in Saudi Arabia because Crown Jewel has already left, and the next trip is at least three months away.
