WWE SmackDown Predictions: Big E Will Punch His Ticket To TLC

2.) Sami Zayn vs. Big E [Non-Title Match]

While the non-title matches against champions do need to stop in the WWE, the way the WWE booked Big E to lose to Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn on last week’s WWE SmackDown was not a step in the right direction for Big E’s supposedly rumored main event push. It does not help matters either that Vince McMahon reportedly did not have plans for Big E to battle Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 37.

However, Big E’s Talking Smack segment with Paul Heyman last week may have left a sliver of hope for his eventual push into the main event scene. Paul Heyman made Big E recognize that no one thinks of or mentions The Shield when they see Reigns on television, and Big E needs to assure that no one thinks of or mentions The New Day when they see Big E on television because Big E’s singles push needs to be more about him individually than The New Day.

As always, Paul Heyman made a solid point here while praising Big E for his gradual evolution in the WWE. Heyman made the WWE fans realize that Big E’s loss to Sami Zayn was a wake-up-call, rather than a demotion. Big E needs to translate this message into positive momentum for himself on SmackDown by defeating Sami Zayn in a rematch on this episode and earning an Intercontinental Championship match against Zayn at TLC.

Prediction: Big E

1.) Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Kevin Owens & Daniel Bryan [Tag Match]

On the November 27, 2020 episode of WWE SmackDown, Jey Uso attacked Daniel Bryan backstage, allowing Sami Zayn to defeat Bryan in a non-title match via countout. On the December 11, 2020 episode of WWE SmackDown, Roman Reigns similarly attacked Kevin Owens backstage after Kayla Braxton distracted Owens with a backstage interview. Since both Owens and Bryan were attacked backstage by the Bloodline, a tag team match would be suitable.

Owens and Bryan have been teasing a tag team for quite a while now. Since they both have common enemies in Reigns and Uso, now would be a good time to put their tag team to the test by defeating Reigns and Uso in a main event tag match. Not only will they get some babyface comeuppance from the backstage attacks but also give Owens and Bryan the momentum they need before they lose to Reigns at TLC and Royal Rumble respectively.

Prediction: Kevin Owens & Daniel Bryan