Former Tag Team Champion will replace Kofi Kingston in the five-way bout at SmackDown

Following the injury to Kofi Kingston, WWE has announced a name to fill the spot in the number one contenders match at this week's SmackDown.

Former Tag Team Champion will replace Kofi Kingston in the five-way bout at SmackDown

Contenders for the Intercontinental Championship (via Instagram)

WWE’s biggest event of the year is knocking at the door but the direction of the Intercontinental Championship is still obscure. Gunther is yet to get a worthy opponent for his title at The Show of Shows. As a result, WWE announced a fatal five-way match at SmackDown to determine the challenger for the Ring General at WrestleMania 39. However, one of the participants in the match, Kofi Kingston, is out of the equation due to an injury. Therefore, WWE announced a replacement for his vacant spot in the number-one contender’s match.

Gunther is the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in the 21st Century. He has restored the prestige of the title with his unfathomable title reign. Therefore, in order to determine a worthy challenger for the Ring General, there will be a five-way bout on this week’s SmackDown. WWE announced Xavier Woods as a replacement for his New Day member Kofi Kingston. The former tag team champion will square off against Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, LA Knight, and Karrion Kross in the match.

Kofi Kingston battles Gunther
Tweet by Fightful Wrestling

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Kofi Kingston suffered a debilitating ankle injury in the last episode of SmackDown. As a result, his status for WrestleMania 39 is obscure as of now. WWE has not yet revealed the nature of his injury. Besides, the former tag team champion recently tweeted a video in which he stated that he would recover in due time. The Jamaican superstar has given some of the most jaw-dropping moments to the fans throughout his career. However, it looks like, this year he will miss the opportunity to be a part of the Grandest Stage of Them All.

Therefore, his own stablemate Xavier Woods will fill his shoes and compete for the number one contender spot. Woods is an athletic superstar who has impressed the fans with his in-ring abilities. Moreover, it will be his first-ever shot at the singles title. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if he can earn a shot at the Intercontinental Championship and go on to WrestleMania 39.

Related : Former WWE Champion is reportedly out of the Intercontinental Championship Race following an Injury

Status of the Intercontinental Championship

Gunther
Gunther (via WWE)

Gunther has been holding the Intercontinental Championship for around a year now. He has inscribed his name on the elite list of greatest IC Champions. The Ring General has dominated the roster ever since winning the title. However, it looks like his unprecedented title reign is in jeopardy. Five superstars on the roster have their eyes set on the prestigious title.

According to reports, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus could be the two superstars to challenge Gunther for the title. The three of them could possibly be involved in a “triple threat match” at the Showcase of the Immortals. Moreover, the WWE Universe believes they could deliver one of the hardcore matches of the night.

Hence, it will be interesting to see how the storyline for the Intercontinental Championship shapes up ahead of WrestleMania. The fans are on the edge of their seats to tune into the weekly shows. The episodes of Raw and SmackDown will unfold many more exciting things in the upcoming weeks.

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