Predicting Best WWE Feuds on SmackDown for Remainder of 2024

Coming out of the 2024 WWE draft, there's little doubt Raw emerged as the superior show over SmackDown.

The red brand recruited the likes of Ilja Dragunov, Bron Breakker and Rey Mysterio while retaining top stars such as Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Gunther, The Judgment Day and Sheamus.

However, SmackDown was left with a star-studded roster in its own right. The blue brand now boasts The Bloodline, Bianca Belair, Bayley, Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Logan Paul and Randy Orton, among others.

Carmelo Hayes, Blair Davenport and Baron Corbin being brought up from NXT also adds some fresh blood to its ranks. Additionally, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller have a hold on a deep tag team division and the women's scene is stacked.

Roman Reigns will likely land on Friday nights once he's ready to return from his hiatus, giving WWE yet another notable name to incorporate into the main event mix eventually.

With SmackDown shaping up to be a must-see show for the remainder of 2024, these are the programs with the potential to be the most exciting.

Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton

Randy Orton staying put on SmackDown was one of the top takeaways of the draft, if only because it meant that a match between him and Cody Rhodes is now much more likely.

Rhodes unseating Roman Reigns as undisputed WWE champion at WrestleMania 40 led to him becoming a member of the blue brand for the first time in over a decade. Orton has been signed with SmackDown since returning to the ring from injury at Survivor Series last November.

The two have interacted with each other a fair amount in the time The American Nightmare has been back in WWE, but never as opponents.

Their last televised one-on-one match came on the September 2, 2013 edition of Raw. In that bout, Orton was the heel and Rhodes was the babyface, which is the dynamic their next feud should have.

As much of a fan favorite as The Viper is at the moment, he's always done his best work as an antagonist. Given their history in The Legacy, he'd be the perfect foil for Rhodes and can take credit for the second-generation star's ascent out of jealousy.

Rhodes vs. Orton would be a marquee match for SummerSlam on August 3, but WWE can easily shelve it for the final few months of the year if that's too soon.

Austin Theory and Grayson Waller vs. DIY

By WrestleMania 40, it was high time WWE returned to have two sets of men's tag titles across Raw and SmackDown, and the ladder match at the event accomplished that.

Austin Theory and Grayson Waller were the right team to retrieve the renamed WWE Tag Team Championship and lead the SmackDown division. They defeated The Street Profits on the May 3 edition in Lyon, France to retain the titles and are already looking ahead to the next challenge.

DIY is the tandem that makes the most sense to ultimately dethrone them, ideally at SummerSlam in Johnny Gargano's hometown of Cleveland.

DIY's main roster run hasn't exactly been stellar so far. Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa have failed to connect with the audience on a meaningful level and fallen short of becoming champions on three separate occasions.

All of their setbacks should culminate with them getting their moment at SummerSlam against Theory and Waller, two brash braggarts Gargano has a checkered past with from his NXT days.

Their chase for the championship in the coming months can add an extra layer of interest to SmackDown's loaded tag team division.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair

In just under four months, NXT alum Tiffany Stratton has quickly made a name for herself on SmackDown. Despite coming up short of becoming WWE women's champion at Backlash, she had a stellar showing and proved herself as a legitimate threat to the title.

In the aftermath of the premium live event, she finds herself taking part in the Queen of the Ring tournament, starting with a first-round match against Blair Davenport on Friday's edition of SmackDown.

Stratton can benefit from winning the crown more than most, especially if it sets up an eventual clash between her and Charlotte Flair upon the latter's return from injury.

The Queen has been out with a torn meniscus, MCL and ACL since the December 8 edition of SmackDown. Although WWE announced on the subsequent show that she'd be sidelined for nine months, it's possible she could be cleared to compete before then.

Either way, Stratton will be waiting for her when she gets back with a score to settle over who the Queen of WWE truly is.

By that point, The Center of the Universe could be holding the WWE Women's Championship, but it isn't imperative as a non-title feud would be equally appealing.

Logan Paul vs. LA Knight

LA Knight has been primed to win the United States Championship for some time now, but for whatever reason, WWE has yet to pull the trigger.

WrestleMania 40 was where he should have taken the title from Logan Paul, but the company had other plans for the two of them.

Knight bested AJ Styles one-on-one, while Paul emerged victorious over Kevin Owens and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat match to maintain his possession of the prestigious prize.

Thankfully, both are still SmackDown stars post-draft, so it's a match that must be made sooner rather than later.

Paul has delivered in every single contest he's had in WWE and would surely have instant chemistry with The Megastar in the ring.

More so than the matchup itself, the feud can be fun for the promos alone. Prior to Money in the Bank 2023, fans were given a small taste of what a war of words would sound like between them. Unsurprisingly, the brief exchange was entertaining enough to leave the audience wanting more.

This is another attraction worthy of the SummerSlam stage, but how WWE keeps them both busy with other opponents until then remains to be seen.

The Pride vs. The Bloodline

Even in the absence of Roman Reigns, The Bloodline continues to grow in numbers with Tanga Loa being the latest to join the faction at Backlash.

There's been no word on when The Tribal Chief will be back on WWE TV other than it not being anytime soon, per WWE insider WrestleVotes. Solo Sikoa has taken on the role of leader and recruited former IWGP tag team champions Guerrillas of Destiny into the ranks.

Expect the trio to be a force to be reckoned with on Friday nights going forward—and for The Pride to soon take exception to their dominance.

Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits are fresh off a WrestleMania win over The Final Testament. The All Mighty was scheduled to battle Tama Tonga in the first round of the King of the Ring tournament on Friday before being declared unable to compete by SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis.

Whether that was supposed to mark the start of their storyline is unknown.

Beating The Pride would immediately lend credibility to Sikoa, Tanga and Loa and set them up for the inevitable clash with The Usos, Reigns and/or the debuting Jacob Fatu. That chapter of the Bloodline saga may not play out until closer to WrestleMania 41 on April 19-20, 2025.

Bianca Belair vs. Jade Cargill

Bianca Belair vs. Jade Cargill has been a dream match for many for a lot longer than the latter has been under contract to WWE. And sometime in 2024, it might finally become a reality.

Cargill had an impressive performance in the women's Royal Rumble match before having her first official bout at WrestleMania 40 alongside Bianca Belair and Naomi, defeating Damage CTRL.

The Storm and Belair have been a dominant duo since then and secured the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at Backlash last weekend.

Of course, it's more a matter of when than if their alliance will implode.

Either powerhouse could realistically turn on the other, but a Belair heel turn would be uncharted territory for The EST of WWE on the main roster.

Much like Charlotte Flair vs. Tiffany Stratton, this is a match that could exist all on its own without anything at stake. It'd be an effective way of further establishing Cargill as a big deal to the audience while simultaneously giving Belair her toughest competition in ages.

Once they wage war, there's no telling who will come out on top between these two titans.

---

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.