5 Early Predictions for the WWE SmackDown After WrestleMania 33

Credit: WWE.com

5. Erick Rowan Returns, Aligns with Luke Harper

Let’s ease into the predictions.

The destruction of the Wyatt Family has been handled significantly better the second time around. Braun Strowman disappeared to Raw during the draft to cut his hair and sadly introduce the world to James Ellsworth. Erick Rowan and Bray Wyatt went to SmackDown Live, with Rowan acting as the lackey to the charismatic Wyatt. He became injured, Luke Harper filled in. Randy Orton listened to the voices in his head and joined the group.

Now, Orton has betrayed Wyatt and is coming for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. It seemed we were going to see a triple threat at one point, with Luke Harper set to join the fray against the man he never trusted and the man who abandoned him for a new recruit.

Instead, we will be getting a singles match for the title, leaving Harper with nothing of substance leading into the show of shows. He has been putting in some of the best work of his life and needs a direction.

Why not pair him up with old running mate Erick Rowan as legitimately tough babyfaces in a struggling tag team division?

Rowan seems to be on Harper’s side with things, as I don’t believe he would be so keen to side with Wyatt after having the compound burnt to the ground by that snake Randall Keith Orton. Have him pair up with Harper and tear into some of the tag teams SmackDown Live has to offer. The tag division is one of the weakest aspects of the Tuesday night show.

Having these two combine forces once again gives the division more depth, and the fact that the duo didn’t get to hold tag team gold during their initial run is a travesty. If you haven’t seen the tag matches between Harper & Rowan and the Usos from their feud in 2014, go check those out.