The road to WrestleMania 42 officially runs through Arizona tonight. Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu are scheduled to square off on the March 20 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, but the match is reportedly being viewed as a strategic maneuver to build momentum for a larger stage. The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter by Dave Meltzer notes that this televised encounter is specifically “designed to heighten interest” in their rumored match at the upcoming premium live event in Las Vegas.
McIntyre enters the ring tonight with a massive chip on his shoulder after losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes just two weeks ago. The “Samoan Werewolf” played a pivotal role in that title change, and tonight represents McIntyre’s first opportunity for physical retribution. While the match is a marquee television attraction, officials are using the bout to gauge the chemistry between the two “baddest cats” on the roster before finalizing the April card.
WrestleMania 42 Card Crystallizing as Triple H Finalizes Marquee Matchups
The internal lineup for the “Showcase of the Immortals” is beginning to look like a “lock” according to recent reports. Alongside the confirmed clash between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, management is moving forward with Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan and Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley for the respective women’s world titles. Other major matches reported by Meltzer include AJ Lee defending the Women’s Intercontinental Title against Becky Lynch and a “clash of the titans” between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi.
Tonight’s SmackDown broadcast on the USA Network at 8 p.m. EST features a loaded lineup beyond the McIntyre/Fatu grudge match. Randy Orton is scheduled to address his recent assault on Cody Rhodes, while the WWE Tag Team Titles will be on the line as Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga defend against Damian Priest and R-Truth. Additionally, The Bella Twins return to action against Nia Jax and Lash Legend for the Women’s Tag Team Championships, and Kit Wilson is set to call out 3-time Grammy winner Jelly Roll.
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