IC Title Match Set For Next Week's WWE SmackDown

Following what felt like something out of the Impact Zone circa ten to fifteen years ago (hey, it *was* in front of a non-paying crowd in Orlando), an Intercontinental title match has been signed for next week's episode of WWE SmackDown between champion AJ Styles and challenger Jeff Hardy.

Styles made his way to the ring with current WWE producer Chris "Joseph" Park (formerly known as TNA star Abyss) for a segment in which he introduced a new rankings system to determine challengers to his belt, to be known as the Phenomenal Intercontinental Statistics System (or PISS, get it?).

Styles revealed that there are apparently no eligible challengers for his title, but was interrupted by Hardy. He demanded a title match, which Styles initially denied. Hardy then attacked both he and Park, sending both men out of the ring.

It was later announced that the Styles-Hardy title match was on for next week.

The segment marked Joseph Park's first appearance on WWE television as a character. As Abyss (and, occasionally, Abyss' bumbling brother Joseph), Park worked for Impact Wrestling continuously from 2003 to 2019, before signing on with WWE as a producer.