LA Knight, Three Others Set For US Title Invitational On Next Week's WWE SmackDown

L.A. Knight may not have secured the men's Money in the Bank briefcase on July 1, but next week on "WWE SmackDown," he'll have an opportunity to get one step closer to capturing championship gold. And if his words Friday night were any indication, it's simply a matter of when. Not if.

Friday night, Santos Escobar emerged victorious from a Fatal Four-Way match to determine one-half of Austin Theory's potential challengers as the United States Championship Invitational kicked off. In the end, he had to go through A.J. Styles, Butch, and the emerging Grayson Waller to earn his spot.

Next week, Knight will be one of four from a field that also includes Cameron Grimes, Sheamus, and WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio looking to challenge Escobar. The winner of that showdown will then go on to face Theory for his championship.

While Knight didn't have a match, he did make an appearance in Raleigh, North Carolina to a raucous reception only to deliver a simple message: "Sooner or later, one way or another, you will be calling me CHAMP! YEAH!."