Tusi se faʻaauau mo lenei palakalafa - I le Clash of Champions 2017, na manumalo ai Dolph Ziggler i le United States Championship e ala i le faatoilaloina o le siamupini o Baron Corbin ma Bobby Roode i se taʻaloga faʻatolu. I le isi vaega o le "SmackDown Live", ina ua maeʻa ona toe faʻamanatuina uma ana faʻamanuiaga muamua, na fai mai Ziggler e le tatau i le WWE Universe ia te ia ma na ia faʻapaʻu le ulutala i le mama ma alu. Ina ua le manuia taumafaiga e faʻafesoʻotaʻi Ziggler, SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan faʻalauiloa le ulutala avanoa ma faʻalauiloa se taʻamilosaga e faʻapaleina se siamupini fou. O le faaiuga sa fuafua muamua e faia i le 2018 Royal Rumble
, ae na siitia atu i le aso 23 o Ianuari i le vaega o le "SmackDown Live". Peitai, i le Ianuari 16 vaega, ina ua manumalo Jinder Mahal ma Bobby Roode i a latou taʻaloga semifinal, Roode luʻiina Mahal e faia le faʻaiuga i lena po ma Bryan faʻatulagaina mo lena vaega autu gaioiga.