5 things WWE SmackDown got right this week: The Demon takes down Roman Reigns; Sonya Deville teases in-ring return

The final episode of WWE SmackDown before Extreme Rules was expected to be a big one. Fans were looking forward to a final interaction between "The Demon" Finn Balor and Roman Reigns before their Universal Championship match on Sunday.

SmackDown kicked off with a segment between Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch. Soon after, the two got into a brawl, and Belair dropped the champion with the Kiss of Death. The two superstars will meet at Extreme Rules for a SmackDown Women's Championship match.

Seth Rollins also appeared on the episode and threatened to find Edge in his home. It was later announced that Edge would make his return on next week's show.

Liv Morgan failed to defeat Zelina Vega on SmackDown just a couple of nights before her big pay-per-view match. It was odd to see Liv pick up a loss just days before her bout against Carmella.

Nikki A.S.H. defeated Natalya before Tegan Nox and Shotzi appeared. The two fired a missile at the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions to make their intentions clear.

The Blue Brand had good segments that helped build towards future matches. Take a look at the five things WWE got right on SmackDown this week.

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#5. King Nakamura retained his Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown

Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez attacked Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs on WWE SmackDown last week. This led to an Intercontinental Championship match between Crews and Nakamura this week'.

The Nigerian superstar targeted Nakamura early and kept him on the back foot. He dumped his opponent outside the ring.

Rick Boogs played Nakamura's theme and pumped him up. The King went on a roll and took down his challenger with some good moves. He went for the Kinshasa soon after, but Crews ducked outside.

Boogs showcased his strength outside the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex on the massive Commander Azeez. Inside the ring, 'The Artist' rolled Crews up with an arm-trap pin the win.

The match was a good title match and gave 'The King of Strong Style' another successful defense. However, WWE needs to find something new for Apollo as it looks like the creative team has run out of ideas for him.

Rick Boogs is benefitting the most from his alliance with the Intercontinental Champion. He will become a breakout star for the company in the months to come. It won't be surprising if he ends up defeating Nakamura for the title soon.

#4. Riddick Moss helped Happy Corbin to flatten Kevin Owens on WWE SmackDown

Happy Corbin came out on WWE SmackDown on the debut of the Happy Talk. He showed off his flashy lifestyle.

After Corbin poked fun at Kevin Owens, 'The Prizefighter' came out to confront the heel. But before he could make it to the ring, Riddick Moss attacked him from behind. Corbin and Moss teamed up to flatten Owens with a slam on the steel steps.

The segment was decent and allowed Riddick Moss to do something substantial on SmackDown. A partnership between Corbin and Moss would work well for the Blue brand.

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#3. Sami Zayn tried to push Dominik Mysterio to the dark side

One of the most exciting segments of WWE SmackDown took place backstage. Rey Mysterio tried to give Dominik Mysterio some tips, but the younger superstar did not want to hear it.

He blamed his father for his loss against Sami Zayn on SmackDown. After Rey left, Zayn tried to convince Dominik to stop listening to his dad and trust his instincts.

It was one of the best segments of SmackDown as it built towards a big potential rivalry. Sami is the perfect man for the job, and he could soon turn Dominik heel to target his father.

#2. WWE SmackDown teased the in-ring return of Sonya Deville

For weeks on WWE SmackDown, Naomi requested Sonya Deville for a chance to compete, but the WWE official denied her a match.

She set up an open challenge this week before Deville cut the former SmackDown Women’s Champion’s mic. She had security escort her to the back to end the segment.

It looks like WWE is building towards an in-ring return for Sonya Deville, and fan-favourite Naomi could be the perfect opponent for her on SmackDown.

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#1. Montez Ford and Roman Reigns had a stellar main event

After Montez Ford insulted The Usos on WWE SmackDown, Roman Reigns demanded a match against him. The former SmackDown Tag Team Champion welcomed the opportunity to face The Head of the Table.

Ford was excellent during the match against the Universal Champion. He used his speed to counter Reigns’ strength.

Ford went for the From the Heavens late in the match, but Reigns got his knees up in time. He locked in the guillotine to choke out Ford and pick up the win.

The Tribal Chief and The Usos continued to attack Montez Ford before the lights went out, and The Demon arrived. He took out The Bloodline with a kendo stick and blasted the Universal Champion with a steel chair.

It was a great opportunity for Ford, who delivered once again. He looks like a future World Champion for WWE. Meanwhile, SmackDown did well as they built Balor before Extreme Rules.