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WWE Backlash France is now in the rear view mirror which means all eyes are on the next massive Premium Live Event. Fans won't have to wait very long for the next show, however, as it takes place in less than three weeks.
The 2024 King and Queen of the Ring will take place live from Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 25th. More specifically, the next big Premium Live Event will be held at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
As the name of the show suggests, the big hook will be both the King of the Ring tournament and the Queen of the Ring tournament. Fans were given insight into many of the King of the Ring competitors at Backlash France.
The likes of Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Finn Balor, Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio, Gunther, Ricochet, and Ilja Dragunov will represent RAW. SmackDown's LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes, and Santos Escobar have also been confirmed. This means five spots are still open for the blue brand. This article will tackle which stars could potentially be included.
Below are five stars who could represent SmackDown in the 2024 WWE King of the Ring.
#5. Bobby Lashley could join
Bobby Lashley is a successful WWE star. He is a two-time WWE Champion, two-time ECW Champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, and even a three-time Intercontinental Champion. Tag team gold has alluded him, but otherwise, Lashley has been tremendously successful.
The All Mighty has had a mixed year or so. He missed essentially WrestleMania 39 due to health issues Bray Wyatt suffered. Lashley later formed The Pride, but the heel turn didn't last. The group has since turned babyface and defeated The Final Testament at WrestleMania 40.
There is a ready made story for Lashley in the King of the Ring tournament. He had a confrontation with Carmelo Hayes during last week's episode of SmackDown where Melo talked down to Bobby. This could lead to them battling it out in a tournament match.
#4. Shinsuke Nakamura is an obvious selection
Shinsuke Nakamura was a major success in pro wrestling before joining WWE. Since jumping into the Sports Entertainment juggernaut, Nakamura has continued having great success. He's a former NXT Champion, United States Champion, and Intercontinental Champion.
The King of Strong Style is currently in a bit of a funk in WWE. He had a career revival last year that included big-time title matches with Seth Rollins. Recently, however, he hasn't been doing much.
A spot in the 2024 King of the Ring tournament would correct that. He also feels like an obvious inclusion. Nakamura is someone who can main event or put someone over if necessary. He's a chameleon who can fit anywhere on the card, so a tournament role fits him perfectly.
#3. Baron Corbin should get a push after his NXT stint
Baron Corbin has been a regular on WWE television for around a decade now. He got his start as The Lone Wolf on NXT and later joined the main roster where he won the United States Championship. Corbin later captured the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy.
Corbin moved to NXT after becoming a free agent in the 2023 WWE Draft. He managed to completely reinvent himself and the new Baron Corbin is great. It was obviously a successful run, as he has since been drafted back to SmackDown.
If Triple H, Nick Aldis, and other company officials want to push Baron in a big way, putting him in the King of the Ring tournament would make sense. Aldis likely knows Corbin is a former King himself, so including him would be a logical decision.
#2. Johnny Gargano nearly won a different tournament
Johnny Gargano is one of WWE's most underrated performers. While in NXT, he won every single title available to him. This includes the NXT Championship, North American Championship, and the NXT Tag Team Titles.
The former NXT Champion has been chasing after a few different titles as of late. He and Tommaso Ciampa have come close to winning the World Tag Team Titles, but have ultimately fallen short. Meanwhile, he was in the finals of the tournament to crown the first-ever WWE Speed Champion.
While Johnny ultimately lost to Ricochet, he had a great showing and made it to the finals. Perhaps a different tournament could see Johnny Wrestling not only go to the finals, but ultimately win it all. Nick Aldis should include him given his recent tournament success.
#1. AJ Styles just lost an Undisputed WWE Championship match
AJ Styles is one of the best wrestlers in modern wrestling history. He found great success in the indies, in TNA Wrestling, and in New Japan Pro Wrestling before joining WWE in 2016. Since then, he has won several titles, including world championships.
The Phenomenal One just had one of the biggest matches of his career a few days ago. He headlined WWE Backlash France alongside Cody Rhodes. The two tore the house down, with The American Nightmare ultimately defeating the veteran performer.
While Styles lost at Backlash France, he proved any and all critics wrong. Any washed allegations were wiped away by his performance in Lyon. As a result, Nick Aldis could reward AJ for being so incredibly talented by putting him in the King of the Ring tournament. It could also help AJ rebuild momentum post-loss.
