WWE SmackDown preview 06/02/23: Roman celebrates, plus MITB qualifiers

Will Roman Reigns celebrate his 1,000-day reign in style on WWE SmackDown, or will the Bloodline turmoil overshadow his accomplishment?

If ever there was a time to acknowledge your Tribal Chief, this would be the night. Roman Reigns is celebrating 1,000-plus days with the Universal Championship tonight on WWE SmackDown from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and he requests, nay, demands your presence and adulation.

(It sounds like he may even receive some new gold for the occasion.)

Alas, all is not well on the Island of Relevancy where the Tribal Chief dwells. The tension within the Bloodline erupted into open combat at Night of Champions, where The Usos accidentally superkicked Solo Sikoa … then Jimmy Uso intentionally did the same to Reigns. Will the celebration be muted as a result? Heck, will there even be a Bloodline by the end of the night?

That’s not the only thing scheduled for SmackDown that figures to be of interest and importance. Money in the Bank qualifiers are underway, with two men already in and both men and women getting a chance to join them tonight.

LA Knight and Montez Ford, two men who we think would benefit greatly from earning the briefcase, will face each other to be added to the men’s Ladder match with Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura. Zelina Vega, who came up short in her opportunity to dethrone Rhea Ripley at Backlash, will try to put herself right back in the title hunt if she can beat Lacey Evans (remember her?) for a spot in the women’s Ladder match.

We anticipate there being plenty to discuss when this particular episode of SmackDown is through. You’ll want to tune in tonight at 8 p.m. on Fox, or join us back here on Wrestling Junkie as we break it all down with live updates and such. See you then!