4 possible finishes for the United States Championship Tournament finals on WWE SmackDown New Year's Revolution

The first week of January is going to be monumental for WWE. The Sports Entertainment juggernaut is set to air three television specials. The entire week is termed New Year's Knock Out Week. This will span across RAW, SmackDown, and NXT.

The red brand will offer RAW Day 1 to kick the week off. The developmental brand will then hold NXT New Year's Evil 2024. Lastly, the blue brand will air SmackDown New Year's Revolution a few days later on Friday.

While much of the card is yet to be revealed for these shows, some bouts have been named. One of the most intriguing will see Kevin Owens battle Santos Escobar in the finals of the United States Championship Tournament.

This match is extremely important, as the winner will go on to challenge Logan Paul for the United States Championship. In this article, we will look at a handful of ways the tournament finals may potentially end.

Below are four possible finishes for the United States Championship Tournament finals on WWE SmackDown: New Year's Revolution.

#4. Kevin Owens could win clean on WWE SmackDown

Kevin Owens is an extremely successful performer. Even prior to joining WWE, Owens held gold in most companies he competed in. This includes winning the Ring of Honor World Championship at one point.

In WWE, Owens has also had a ton of success. He won the NXT Championship almost immediately upon joining the company. He then won the United States Title, Intercontinental Title, and Universal Championship on the main roster. Kevin has also captured Tag Team Gold alongside Sami Zayn.

Given The Prizefighter's record of major title victories and high-profile matches, a win seems very likely. At SmackDown: New Year's Revolution, Owens may hit the Stunner or a Pop-Up Powerbomb on The Emperor of Lucha Libre and go over clean.

#3. The Latino World Order could cost Santos Escobar the win

The Latino World Order is one of the most beloved factions in WWE. The members of the group currently consist of Rey Mysterio, Carlito, Joaquin Wilde, Zelina Vega, and Cruz Del Toro. Dragon Lee appears to be an unofficial stablemate as well.

For quite some time, Santos Escobar was part of the faction. That changed when Carlito returned to WWE, and jealousy overtook Escobar. He turned on both Carlito and Mysterio, even injuring The Master Of The 619. Santos has also attacked Wilde and Cruz while verbally assaulting Vega.

When Santos battles Owens on SmackDown, the Latino World Order may finally get some revenge for the injuries and assaults inflicted by Escobar. Wilde, Cruz, and Zelina could cause a distraction of some kind and cost Santos the win. This then allows Owens to move forward and face Logan Paul.

#2. Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo could help Santos win the match

Before reaching the finals of the United States Championship Tournament, Santos Escobar had to first defeat two other SmackDown stars. He first beat Dragon Lee on the WWE SmackDown before NXT Deadline.

During the most recent episode from the blue brand, Santos managed to defeat Bobby Lashley, much to the surprise of many. He did so, thanks to a distraction caused by two masked men. It was then revealed that the two stars in question were Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo.

When Escobar and Owens clash on WWE Friday Night SmackDown, Angel and Humberto may make their impact felt again. If they cause a distraction or even manage to attack Kevin without the referee seeing, The Emperor of Lucha Libre can likely pick up a quick victory.

#1. The match could end in a draw leading to a Triple Threat Match

Heading into the match between Kevin Owens and Santos Escobar, most of the WWE Universe seemingly believes that the former Universal Champion will win. He has the most experience in the company and is currently positioned higher on the card.

There's also the heel factor. Fans don't expect WWE to book the heel Santos Escobar against fellow villain Logan Paul in a high-profile match. In some ways, that makes the finals of the tournament predictable. The promotion may realize that, however, and have a swerve in mind.

There's a chance that Santos Escobar and Kevin Owens will fight to a draw on SmackDown: New Year's Revolution. This could be a double disqualification or a double countout. Regardless of how it is executed, the pair could then battle Logan Paul in a Triple Threat match and Royal Rumble, giving both stars a shot at the coveted prize.