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The Usos defended their tag team titles against The Brawling Brutes on the latest episode of WWE SmackDown. Before their match, The Bloodline officially inducted a couple of new members into the faction.
Liv Morgan returned to the ring for a match against Lacey Evans. The champion looked set to make a statement in the non-title match against the heel. Meanwhile, Raquel Rodriguez defeated Dakota Kai after a hard-fought match on the show.
Drew McIntyre also looked to hunt down Karrion Kross on SmackDown. The former WWE Champion wanted to exact revenge on the man who put him in a Kross Jacket.
Braun Strowman also looked to prove his doubters wrong in his match against Otis. The two heavyweights collided after their confrontation last week.
Take a look at the five things WWE SmackDown got right on this week’s show.
#5. Sami Zayn became The Honorary Uce on WWE SmackDown
The Bloodline kicked off WWE SmackDown on Friday night. Paul Heyman took the mic and talked about Roman Reigns’ massive victory at Clash at the Castle.
Their attention then turned to Solo Sikoa, who was asked to acknowledge The Tribal Chief. The newest member of the faction did so before it looked like the segment was coming to an end.
Sami Zayn took the mic to speak but Roman wasn’t happy with him. He asked Zayn why he was wearing The Bloodline’s t-shirt for so many weeks and following them around. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion asked him to take off his t-shirt.
Jey Uso ripped off the t-shirt, and it looked like The Master Strategist was in for a beating. Instead, Reigns gave him a special t-shirt of his own that said "Honorary Uce."
The Honorary Uce was ecstatic and hugged Reigns, Solo, and Jimmy Uso while Jey watched on. It was a superb way to kick off the show and tease a split. However, Sami seems to have become a bigger part of the faction now.
The angle will allow Zayn to get a lot more sympathy once he is kicked out of the group. The heel has been one of the best things on SmackDown for several weeks now.
#4. Liv Morgan punished Lacey Evans to send a message to Ronda Rousey
Lacey Evans got a match against Liv Morgan on this week’s WWE SmackDown. The non-title match saw Lacey start well and deliver a beating to the champ. She hit a big slam and beat down Liv for a little while.
Morgan fired back with a big knee and sent her opponent outside the ring. Evans caught Morgan in the head scissors but could not keep control of the contest.
Lacey headed outside the ring and got a kendo stick to attack the champion. However, Liv caught her with the Codebreaker and hit Oblivion for the win.
After the match, Liv Morgan destroyed Lacey with a kendo stick and hit a big slam. She also set her up on a table at ringside. Liv hit a huge senton off the top rope to lay out Lacey Evans and send a warning to Ronda Rousey.
The match helped Liv get over as a formidable champion. She hasn’t competed in many matches, and the after-match attack showed that she’s ready for her match against Ronda at Extreme Rules.
#3. Braun Strowman picked Otis apart in a monstrous display of strength
Otis slammed Braun Strowman with a big powerslam on last week’s WWE SmackDown. It led to a match between the two superstars this Friday night.
The Alpha Academy member looked to squash Strowman early but was sent outside the ring by the latter. Strowman chased him outside before Chad Gable emerged from under the ring. The distraction allowed Otis to take Braun down before getting a big lariat for a near fall.
The Monster Among Men hit a spinebuster before taking a big slam and a Vader Bomb from Otis. The Dozer failed to put his opponent away and got frustrated. He missed a frog splash and Strowman took advantage to hit the powerbomb for the win.
It was a fine match that showcased Strowman’s brute strength in the ring. Otis is among the heaviest superstars on the roster, and he was undone by The Monster Among Men.
WWE is taking its time rebuilding Strowman as a top force again. The creative team is likely waiting for the top title picture to clear up a bit before Strowman can be injected into it following Crown Jewel.
#2. Scarlett helped Karrion Kross get the better of Drew McIntyre on WWE SmackDown
Drew McIntyre entered the arena to challenge Karrion Kross for a match at Extreme Rules. The Scottish Warrior wanted to face Kross in a Strap Match at the upcoming Premium Live Event.
Scarlett made her entrance to distract McIntyre, allowing Kross to attack Drew from behind. The former WWE Champion turned the tides and beat Kross into a corner. He used a leather strap to tie his arm before beating him down.
Scarlett got in the way and shot something in McIntyre’s face. Kross took advantage but McIntyre still managed to gain the upper hand with a few strikes.
Scarlett hit Drew with a low blow from behind and Karrion locked him in the Kross Jacket to make him pass out. The segment further built tensions between the two of SmackDown’s toughest forces.
It’s surprising to see the creative team use Scarlett to give Kross control. It could damage The Herald of Doomsday’s image in the long run. However, this angle will help SmackDown to protect McIntyre in the current rivalry. It looks like he is ready to give the returning superstar a good push at Extreme Rules.
#1. The Usos retained the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships
The Usos defended their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in the main event of SmackDown against The Brawling Brutes. Butch went after Jey Uso’s fingers early and punished the champion.
Jey seemed furious at Sami Zayn’s antics outside the ring, and the latter tried to stay away from the action. Ridge Holland tagged in and took a double-team move immediately.
The Brawling Brutes hit back with a double-team maneuver of their own but failed to put the champions away. The Bruiserweight took some punishment from Jey but refused to stay down for the three-count.
The challengers kept trying to get the upper hand in the contest, but The Usos used double-team moves to regain control each time. Zayn tried to get a steel chair, but Sheamus got in his way. Solo Sikoa got in Sheamus’ face before Imperium suddenly came out to attack The Celtic Warrior.
Holland and Butch exited the ring to help Sheamus, but The Usos took them out with Superkicks. They hit Butch with the 1D in the ring for the win. It was an incredible match that gave rise to a brand new rivalry.
The Usos managed to regain their titles thanks to Imperium. Meanwhile, the rivalry between The Brawling Brutes and Imperium will be off the charts.
