The People’s Champ will be in the building for SmackDown’s first episode on FOX.
WWE is pulling out all the stops for SmackDown Live’s debut on FOX this Friday, October 4 – and that includes bringing back The People’s Champ, the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
It has long been rumored that The Rock would be among the WWE legends at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for SmackDown’s premiere episode on FOX, and he took to social media on Monday to confirm the reports.
October 4 is also being billed as SmackDown’s 20th anniversary episode, and there will be a plethora other superstars past and present in attendance. This includes WWE Hall Famers Kurt Angle, Lita, Mick Foley, Booker T, Hulk Hogan, Trish Stratus, Goldberg, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Mark Henry, Ric Flair, The Undertaker and Sting.
As for the actual in-ring action, the night will be capped f by a WWE Championship match as Ki Kingston defends his title against Brock Lesnar. Kingston has held the WWE Championship since Wrestlemania 35 in April, when he defeated Daniel Bryan, while Lesnar, who has not had a match on SmackDown since 2004, just recently dropped the Universal Championship to Seth Rollins at SummerSlam.
Other matches on the SmackDown Live card for the FOX debut include Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks & Bayley, Kevin Owens vs Shane McMahon in a “Loser Leaves Town” ladder match, and Roman Reigns vs Erick Rowan.