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This week's episode of WWE SmackDown came on the back of the announcement that WWE will restart its live tours from July 16. A semblance of normality appears to be returning to the industry, as WWE's and AEW's shows will have live crowds once again.
SmackDown opened acknowledging the momentous announcement, as Sonya Deville talked about how they would soon be back on the road.
The matches followed, and each superstar seemed to have renewed energy as they put on their best performances and brought out all the stops. However, some stood out from the crowd.
The following are five of the best wrestlers from this week's episode of WWE SmackDown.
#5 Bayley got a win over Bianca Belair
Bayley is probably the woman with the most experience on the SmackDown roster at the moment. The superstar may have lost her title opportunity at WrestleMania Backlash, but she is not done with the championship.
This week on SmackDown, she distracted Belair enough in the opening segment that Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax could take her out. The SmackDown Women's Champion looked good in the ensuing match as she teamed up with Natalya and Tamina to face Bayley and the former women's tag team champions.
Belair hurt herself off a dive, and Bayley took advantage of that, focusing her attack on her leg.
The injury would cost her, as Bayley hit her with a Bayley to Belly on the outside. The former SmackDown Women's Champion was not done, as she then distracted Natalya, allowing Baszler to lock in the Kirafuda Clutch to get their team the win.
Bayley is looking like a proper champion once again on SmackDown.
#4 Dominik Mysterio gets a major win on SmackDown
At WrestleMania Backlash, Dominik won his first WWE title, becoming a SmackDown Tag Team Champion with his father Rey Mysterio. He was hurt for a large part of the match and was backstage. He came out later to support his father, but it was Rey who helped the team get the win.
During this week's WWE SmackDown, Dominik looked to prove that he belonged on the roster. He faced Robert Roode in a match with his father and Dolph Ziggler at ringside.
Dominik looked good in the match, fighting out of several precarious situations and sending Roode on the ropes for a 619. However, Ziggler caused a distraction, forcing Rey Mysterio to get involved and take him out.
Inside the ring, Dominik sent Roode into the turnbuckles before hitting the 619 and then the Frog Splash to get the win.
It was a major win for Dominik, proving that winning the tag titles was not a fluke and that he deserved them as much as his father.
#3 Shinsuke Nakamura defeats King Corbin on SmackDown
SmackDown held a few surprises for King Corbin. The King of the Ring winner had a match scheduled against the man who knocked him out and stole his crown earlier: Shinsuke Nakamura.
However, Nakamura was not alone. His entry was preceded by an apparent guitarist who played his entrance theme. The superstar introduced himself as Boogs, but has wrestled under the names Rik Boog and Rik Bugez in WWE NXT.
Corbin looked for a win against Nakamura, but it was not to be. Nakamura dominated most of the match, using his unique hard-hitting style to beat Corbin down.
However, Corbin came back with the Deep Six and looked like he was going to win. Then Boogs, standing by the commentary desk, played Nakamura's theme. It was enough of a distraction for Nakamura to take advantage and get the win.
Nakamura has been looking amazing on SmackDown for a while, and with a new ally, he may become the superstar who previously enthralled fans.
#2 Seth Rollins destroys Cesaro on SmackDown
SmackDown was not good for Cesaro this week.
At WrestleMania Backlash, Cesaro focused on Roman Reigns. But once he lost his match against the Universal Champion, he was not allowed to reflect on his loss. Seth Rollins attacked him and assaulted his already injured arm.
When Cesaro appeared on SmackDown this week to challenge Reigns to a match at Hell in a Cell, Rollins interrupted him again. He assaulted Cesaro and tore at his arm before being dragged away by officials. But Rollins got back into the ring and hit Cesaro with a Stomp. He would then break away from officials once more, hitting Cesaro with a second Stomp on the steel.
Rollins looked like the perfect heel on SmackDown, and his feud with Cesaro is far from over.
#1 Aleister Black returns on SmackDown
This week's main event on SmackDown saw the Intercontinental Championship defended in a Fatal Fourway Match. Apollo Crews put his title on the line against Big E, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens, as the challengers all looked to get the title they felt they deserved.
The match was brutal where all four superstars brought their A-game, doing everything in their power to outdo each other.
They all looked like they came to win, and by the end of the match, all four men were thoroughly spent. Then Big E took advantage of a clear ring to hit Apollo Crews with the Big Ending.
Commander Azeez pulled him out of the ring before he got the pinfall, but E sent Azeez into the ring post and got back in. However, he was not about to become the champion.
Aleister Black made his way out to the ring through the smoke and hit Big E with the Black Mass while Crews held on to E's leg. Black then walked away, allowing Crews to get the win.
With a single kick, Black changed the picture of SmackDown. It was a huge impact at the perfect time. It's exciting to see how he'll get involved in WWE in the coming weeks.
