5 things WWE SmackDown got right before Elimination Chamber: Big title match; massive challenge by former champion

The go-home episode of WWE SmackDown before Elimination Chamber had an Intercontinental Championship match between Gunther and Madcap Moss set for the night.

Shayna Baszler and Ronda Rousey also teamed up to take on Natalya and Shotzi on the show. Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus went after The Viking Raiders in a hard-hitting contest on Friday night.

Asuka scored a crucial win over Liv Morgan during the broadcast. She has emerged as one of the favorites to win the Elimination Chamber match on Saturday. Plus, Bray Wyatt had a warning for two top superstars this week. The Eater of Worlds is looking to make a statement in front of the entire WWE Universe.

Check out the five things WWE SmackDown got right on the episode before Elimination Chamber.

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#5. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler dominated Natalya and Shotzi

Ronda and Shayna were dominant on WWE SmackDown.

Hometown hero Natalya received a big pop from fans as she came out on WWE SmackDown to team up with Shotzi against Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler.

The heels took control of the contest early, but Natalya used her experience to tag Shotzi in. The green-haired superstar found herself on the backfoot as both Rousey and Baszler took turns punishing her.

Shotzi fought back and got Natalya in, who hit a suplex and a powerbomb before nearly putting Baszler away with a Sharpshooter. The veteran also got the Sharpshooter on Rousey, but The Queen of Spades helped her partner fight out.

Shotzi was targeted by the heels once again, and Ronda finally caught her in an armbar to make her tap out. The match lasted long enough for all four women to get some time in the ring.

WWE is building Rousey and Baszler as the next big team on SmackDown, and they could take the titles off Damage CTRL at WrestleMania 39.

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#4. Bray Wyatt made a big announcement on WWE SmackDown

Bray Wyatt had a message for the competitors at Elimination Chamber.

Hit Row came out on WWE SmackDown and performed a rap song in which they made fun of Canada. Fans erupted in a chorus of boos before the lights went out in the arena.

When they came back on, the arena was soaked in blue lights, and Bray Wyatt and Uncle Howdy stood on the apron. The two men laid waste to Hit Row before Wyatt grabbed a microphone.

The Eater of Worlds surprised everyone by issuing a challenge to the winner of the match between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley. The segment went pretty well, as no one expected Wyatt to come out and issue such a big challenge.

It would be great to see Lashley work with Wyatt for some time if he wins at Elimination Chamber. It will be a fresh booking that will help both superstars. The All Mighty could even turn to MVP for help if he fails to take down Wyatt and Uncle Howdy himself.

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#3. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus delivered another banger

Sheamus and Drew McIntyre looked to exact revenge on The Viking Raiders on WWE SmackDown. The Celtic Warrior started the match for his team and looked to end things early with a Brogue Kick.

The two teams went hard at each other, and the babyfaces worked well to get their opponents down early. Erik fired back with a few moves, but McIntyre and Sheamus soon got hold of The Viking Raiders for the Beats of the Bodhran together on the apron.

Valhalla ran a distraction, and the Vikings were able to take control. The Scottish Warrior kicked out of the Viking Splash before Sheamus hit Ivar with the Brogue Kick. McIntyre followed with a Claymore to Erik for the win.

Drew McIntyre and The Celtic Warrior work extremely well together as a team on SmackDown. It’s a shame that they won’t be getting into the tag team title picture anytime soon unless the company splits the championships again.

This was another great performance from them, and WWE should look to build Ridge Holland and Butch more around them.

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#2. Madcap Moss put on a good fight against GUNTHER on WWE SmackDown

GUNTHER dominated yet again on WWE SmackDown.

Madcap Moss got the opportunity to win his first major title in WWE as he took on Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER on SmackDown. Moss was able to get the better of the champion early and get some strikes in before the champion grounded him.

Moss continued to show determination and hit a Spear before taking down GUNTHER with a Spinebuster. The challenger continued to try and keep the big man down, but The Ring General kept fighting back and hitting some stiff strikes.

Madcap got a fallaway slam from the ropes, but GUNTHER kicked out. It did not take the Intercontinental Champion long before he got the powerbomb for the win.

SmackDown did well to give Moss a good match on Friday night that showcased that he can put up a fight against one of the most dominant superstars in the industry.

WWE could have saved this match for Elimination Chamber, but it was good to see a title match just before the Premium Live Event.

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#1. Sami Zayn’s homecoming helped build his match for Elimination Chamber

The final segment of WWE SmackDown saw Sami Zayn come out before his big match against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber. He received a deafening pop from the fans in attendance, who waited all night long to see the hometown boy.

The Master Strategist stood in the ring for several minutes, soaking in the moment as fans continued to show their love and appreciation for him. When he finally spoke, he said that it would be Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn and the entire city of Montreal on Saturday night at Elimination Chamber.

Triple H and his men did a terrific job at building a segment that hyped the big match for Elimination Chamber without Zayn stretching things long. The former Honorary Uce will compete in the biggest match of his career on Saturday, and it will be a showstopper.