The Top WWE SmackDown Storylines You Need to Know Ahead of USA Network Arrival

The Blue Brand's move on September 13 is quickly approaching, which means it's time to familiarize yourself with the top storylines running on WWE SmackDown.

Things move quickly in WWE, with many storylines wrapping up quietly before your favorite Superstars are off to explore new relationships and rivalries. However, not all storylines are created equal — here are the top SmackDown storylines you need to know ahead of the move to USA Network on September 13!

Think of this as a cheat sheet (or a refresher) for your SmackDown fandom!

Cody Rhodes' March Toward Cementing His Legacy

Although Cody Rhodes "finished the story" at WrestleMania XL in April by dethroning Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship (after coming up short in his first attempt one year earlier), Rhodes isn't resting on his laurels.

Let's be clear: The number-one SmackDown storyline to watch is The American Nightmare's continued march toward immortality. Finally winning the title he dreamt of holding since childhood was merely step one. Moving forward, Rhodes won't stop until he's considered the greatest champion of his generation — and possibly all-time.

Of course, to do that, he needs to rack up successful title defenses. The history books look fondly on things like that, and since winning the championship, he's already defeated challengers like Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, and Solo Sikoa. (He also has a defense scheduled for Bash in Berlin on August 31 against Kevin Owens!)

That's a good start — but we have a feeling the WWE Universe ain't seen nothing yet!

Every Friday night on USA Network beginning September 13, fans will experience Cody Rhodes laying the groundwork for what just may be the greatest in-ring career ever when everything's all said and done.

That right there is enough reason to tune in!

The Bloodline Continuing to Adapt and Transform

The continuing evolution of The Bloodline has been one of the most fascinating long-term storylines in WWE, and as 2024 draws to a close, the WWE Universe will be watching how the group continues to adapt to an ever-changing SmackDown landscape.

Consisting of Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu, The Bloodline currently houses the baddest men in professional wrestling. For years, the group has essentially controlled SmackDown, as they've historically controlled the Undisputed WWE Championship. Of course, they no longer possess that title, so they've become hellbent on creating as much chaos on SmackDown as possible.

The group has come a long way from its original version, which consisted of Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso, and Sikoa, the latter of whom seems like he's decades removed from the person he is today.

The Bloodline in 2024 is angry, violent, and unafraid to lay WWE Superstars out on a whim. Whether Sikoa or Reigns have been in charge of the group is irrelevant. For the past three years, SmackDown has revolved around The Bloodline — and any wrestlers in their general orbit eventually pay the price.

Where is Roman Reigns?

Any mention of the current iteration of The Bloodline needs to be followed by the single most pressing question on the minds of the WWE Universe: Where is Roman Reigns?

After an extended absence following his WrestleMania XL loss to Cody Rhodes (and the attached loss of the prestigious Undisputed WWE Championship), Reigns made a shocking return at SummerSlam to wage war against The Bloodline. In the eyes of the former champion, there is a pretender in the role of Tribal Chief — and that is something Reigns will not stand for.

However, after Reigns laid waste to The Bloodline on the August 9 episode of SmackDown, the group returned the favor to the former Undisputed WWE Champion in a significant way:

It was a full-on assault, and now the WWE Universe is waiting with bated breath — because the next time we see Roman Reigns, the Original Tribal Chief will have one thing on his mind: total and absolute revenge. It's just a matter of when (and where) Reigns will appear next.

The Emergence of the SmackDown Women's Locker Room

The women's division in WWE has never been more competitive, which means Friday nights are the best time to watch your favorite female Superstars compete at the highest level. If we're honest, there are almost too many threads to keep track of.

Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill have been laser focused on recapturing the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships in recent weeks, and if you ask us, it's only a matter of time before the super team succeeds in getting their gold back.

Nia Jax — the reigning WWE Women's Champion — is arguably the most formidable and intimidating Superstar to ever hold that championship, but you know what they say: the bigger they are, the harder they fall!

Yes, Jax holds the top women's title on SmackDown, but that's only earned her a target on her back. There's a laundry list of talented women ready and willing to put her to the test. As 2024 draws to a close, Jax will continue to discover that becoming the champion is sometimes easier than staying the champion!

LA Knight Taking on All Comers

For over a year, LA Knight proved beyond a doubt that he is one of the most entertaining Superstars on the microphone in all of WWE. But since becoming United States Champion, he's quickly realized that it's time to stop the talk and let his actions in the ring speak louder than his words!

At SummerSlam, Knight won the United States Championship after defeating Logan Paul in a hard-hitting, uber-athletic matchup — and the win served as a career milestone for the 41-year-old. Knight's SummerSlam victory doubled as the first-ever title in WWE — no small feat.

All eyes will be on LA Knight as he establishes himself as a legitimate champion — not someone who got lucky at SummerSlam. Fortunately, the fan favorite is off to a great start after he successfully defended his title in a tough match against Santos Escobar on August 23!

There's reason to believe Knight's run as U.S. Champion will go the distance. Not only does he have the unwavering support of the WWE Universe, but he's already shown how high he can climb the proverbial ladder.

Where LA Knight eventually lands is up to him.

Catch up on past episodes of SmackDown on Peacock ahead of its move to USA Network.