WWE Smackdown Live preview and schedule: May 8, 2018

Bengaluru, May 8: The rivalries on Smackdown Live have reached boiling point and this in turn is expected to help build up to Money in the Bank PPV event. In most of the big matches at the Backlash PPV were unable to settle the scores for the superstars. Hence, we should see a massive fallout from the bygone event on tonight's show.

The WWE Championship’s fate and the competitors for Money in the Bank match will be decided on tonight's edition of Smackdown Live hosted at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.

The live telecast of the show will be available via Sony Ten 1 on Wednesday (May 9) from 5.30 AM IST onwards, while the repeat will be aired on the same network later in the day at 5 PM and 10 PM IST.

The focal point of the show will definitely be the fate of the WWE Championship. We have already seen a number of matches between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. The pair have battled many times from Wrestlemania. But, the bad blood has been so intense that we have not received a clear-cut winner in the bygone matches.

So, the question remains whether they will be given another chance to battle it out inside the squared circle or, will AJ Styles receive a brand new opponent for his next title defense which is set to happen at the Money in the Bank PPV event.

On that subject, we are at that time of the year when the hype around this exciting event begins. On WWE Raw, we saw a set of names qualify for this gimmick match. The same will happen on Smackdown, as well. There will be a number of qualifying matches that will take place to decide the contestants for the MITB match in June.

The Miz will compete against Jeff Hardy in one of them. In another match of the evening, Daniel Bryan will square off against Rusev and from the women’s division, it will be Charlotte Flair taking on Peyton Royce to earn her spot in the MITB match.

The feud between Daniel Bryan and Big Cass is set to continue even after the former one defeated Cass, fair and square. The seven-footer could not accept defeat, easily. Hence, he went on to deliver an ambush on the former GM of Smackdown Live and in doing so has kept the rivalry, intact. We will also hear an update on the physical condition of Bryan after that attack.



In the women’s division, Carmella was able to defend her title, successfully at Backlash. Charlotte Flair lost her chance and might have to wait in the queue for now. So, there should be a new contender for the title held by the Princess of Staten Island. Becky Lynch is the one expected to step up and take this place as she gears up for a singles fight against Mandy Rose, tonight.



Jeff Hardy delivered an incredible performance at the bygone PPV to retain his US Championship. Going forward, he will either receive a new opponent for his title. Or else, he will be inserted into the MITB picture, to stay away from it, for now.