WWE SmackDown June 16: Roman Reigns, Women Tag Title Unification Set
WWE has announced an action-packed line-up for SmackDown June 16, 2023 episode which will include the unification of women’s tag team titles and the return of Roman Reigns.
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler became the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions last week on RAW by winning a 4-way tag team match. NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn were drafted to SmackDown during Draft 2023. They were out in the ring during this week’s SmackDown episode(June 9), but were soon interrupted by Rousey and Baszler.
Baszler started the discussion by bringing up how NXT created their own women’s tag titles when she and Nia Jax defeated Women’s Dusty Rhodes Classics winner in 2021. Ronda added they would quickly run through the tag division and would want to start with Dawn and Fyre. The NXT champs were quick to accept the challenge for a title unification.
#WWENXT Women's Tag Team Titles 🤝 WWE Women's Tag Team Titles @IslaDawn and @wwe_alba seem more than ready for @RondaRousey and @QoSBaszler! 👀
— WWE (@WWE) June 10, 2023
UNIFICATION MATCH when?#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/88AuvGYOQY
The match was later announced to take place next week itself. It is reported that WWE decided to scrap NXT tag titles and going forward, WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship will be defended on all 3 brands – RAW, SmackDown & NXT. It is also reported that new title belts might also be introduced for the unified tag titles as soon as next week.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will be on SmackDown next week after missing this week’s show. Paul Heyman earlier announced that Roman Reigns would publically announce Jey Uso as his successor and start grooming him for the role. However, things might have changed after what unfolded during this week’s SmackDown.
Roman pulled strings to give Jey a shot at United States Championship against Austin Theory to give him an impetus to choose his side over his brother Jimmy. During the title match, Pretty Deadly interfered when the referee went down. Jimmy came out to help Jey but Solo Sikoa was also out to attack Jimmy. Jey stopped Solo from hitting Samoan Spike on Jimmy. The brawling in the ring led to Jimmy accidentally hitting Jey with a superkick and Theory was able to capitalize to get the win.
As the dust settled down, Jey was miffed with Jimmy and walked past Solo and Heyman on the floor. It remains to be seen now if Jey will indeed end up choosing Roman over Jimmy. Or whether Roman is still in the mood to keep Jey under the Bloodline?
WWE SmackDown June 16, 2023 episode will air from Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. The advertised line-up for the show is as below:
- Charlotte Flair comes to The Grayson Waller Effect
- Tag Title unification – Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler vs Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn
- AJ Styles & Michin take on Karrion Kross & Scarlett
- Tag Team Gauntlet Match for #1 Contender for WWE Tag Team Titles
- Roman Reigns returns
- Iyo Sky vs Zelina Vega
