After becoming surprise replacements for Drew McIntyre and Sheamus on the final episode of SmackDown before the Royal Rumble, Ricochet and Braun Strowman had their toughest challenge as a tag team yet when, in the finals of the SmackDown Tag Team Tournament, they had to take on Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci of Imperium with GUNTHER on the outside. Sure, Strowman is a ringer, and the supersized star could easily best either of his foes on his own with ease, but the presence of the Intercontinental Champion roaming around on the outside could have proved a great equalizer and almost did before hitting Ricochet in eyesight of the referee and was sent to the back as a result.

Returning to the ring, Vinci and Kaiser did their best to hold down the bald duo, but alas, they proved too much, as Strowman hoisted Ricochet on his shoulders and assisted in an Avalanche Swanton Bomb for the 1-2-3 and a shot at The Usos' tag team titlesā€¦ or will they? The main point Michael Cole and Wade Barrett kept pointing out on SmackDown was the fact that no one, not even Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman, know if Jey Uso remains a member of The Bloodline.

Could The Usos lose their belts on a technicality? Could Ricochet and Strowman become tag team champions ahead of WrestleMania 39 and defend the titles at the ā€œShow of Shows?ā€ Only time will tell, but needless to say, next Friday will be very interesting indeed for anyone with a vested interest in the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.