Nick Aldis makes major announcement ahead of WWE SmackDown
Nick Aldis made a major announcement ahead of the upcoming edition of WWE SmackDown. Tonight's episode of the blue brand will air live on the USA Network from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
SmackDown has aired for the past five years on FOX, but the promotion's deal with the network ended last week. Cody Rhodes will be defending the Undisputed WWE Championship tonight against Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match.
Ahead of tonight's show, Nick Aldis announced that the first thirty minutes of tonight's show would be commercial-free. The Steel Cage Match between Sikoa and Rhodes for the title will be kicking off tonight's show.
"Tonight is the night, ladies and gentlemen. SmackDown makes its triumphant return to the USA Network, and we are kicking things off the right way. Yes, tonight, we go live at 8/7 PM Central on USA, with a Steel Cage match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Cody Rhodes defends against Solo Sikoa. And by the way, the first thirty minutes tonight, commercial free," said Aldis.
You can check out his announcement in the clip below:
Andrade is scheduled to square off against Carmelo Hayes once again during tonight's show. Kevin Owens and a mystery partner will battle A-Town Down Under in a Tag Team Match on SmackDown also.
Former WWE manager praises Nick Aldis as an authority figure
Wrestling legend and former manager, Dutch Mantell, recently praised Nick Aldis for his work as General Manager of SmackDown.
Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk show earlier this year, Mantell noted that both Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis were doing great jobs as authority figures in the company. The veteran noted that the RAW and SmackDown General Managers were not getting pushed around by the talents on the shows and that was extremely commendable.
"There's another guy [Aldis] that's doing a hell of a job. Because a lot of them just get run over. You don't run over Nick Aldis or the other guy. You just don't run over them. That's the way it should be," he said.
Roman Reigns returned last month at SummerSlam to interfere in the title match between Solo Sikoa and Cody Rhodes. The Head of the Table has not been seen on WWE television since The Bloodline Powerbombed him through the announcer's table on the August 16 episode of WWE SmackDown.
It will be interesting to see what the promotion has planned for the Steel Cage Match later tonight.