Tommaso Ciampa was added to the list of WWE NXT Superstars brought to Kansas City for tonight’s Royal Rumble go-home edition of SmackDown on FOX.
We noted before how Io Shirai, Dakota Kai, Roderick Strong and LA Knight were booked for tonight’s SmackDown. PWInsider adds that Ciampa is also backstage at the T-Mobile Center for the show.
There’s no word on if these NXT Superstars will be appearing on TV for some sort of Royal Rumble angle, but it’s likely that they’re just there to work dark matches as they have in recent weeks and months.
Kevin Owens is also backstage for tonight’s SmackDown. The RAW Superstar worked last week’s blue brand show, teaming with Seth Rollins to defeat SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos in a non-title match, which banned The Usos from being at ringside for the Royal Rumble title bout between Rollins and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
There is no word on if Owens will be appearing live tonight.
It was reported earlier this week that King Xavier Woods was set to return to the road for WWE tonight, but it wasn’t clear if he was being medically cleared for in-ring action. Woods was not backstage at the T-Mobile Center as of around 3:30pm ET today, and there’s no word yet on if he’s arrived since then.
Woods has been out of action since suffering a calf muscle injury on the January 7 SmackDown as he and Kofi Kingston took a loss to The Usos in a Street Fight. Tonight’s SmackDown is scheduled to feature Kingston and RAW Superstar Big E vs. Happy Baron Corbin and Madcap Moss.
Stay tuned for more on tonight’s SmackDown and be sure to join us for live coverage at 8pm ET via this link.
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