'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE Fastlane is just a couple of days away, and some rivalries on SmackDown became intense just before the pay-per-view. Sasha Banks and Nia Jax were scheduled for a SmackDown Women’s Championship match just before Sunday's WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship contest.
Big E and Apollo Crews were interviewed from separate locations before their Intercontinental Championship match at Fastlane. Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler also competed in a match that ended in a no-contest.
Plus, a couple of tag team matches took place during the show to build up towards the next SmackDown Tag Team Championship bout. Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura also had a face-off that led to an important development for Fastlane.
Lastly, Edge entered the SmackDown ring for the first time in a decade for a match against Jey Uso. Let’s take a look at the five things WWE got right on SmackDown this week.
#5 Sasha Banks retained her WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
This week's show began with Sasha Banks and Nia Jax's match with the SmackDown Women's Championship at stake. Before the match, Bianca Belair confronted Banks backstage and questioned her decision to defend her title just weeks before WrestleMania.
Belair made it clear she would not help Banks before the SmackDown Women’s Champion walked out for her match.
As Jax arrived on the scene with Shayna Baszler by her side, The Irresistible Force faced the wrath of the champion early on and was forced into a corner. Banks landed some moves before locking Jax into the Bank Statement. Jax fought back and delivered a Gorilla Press for a near fall. Jax took control from there on and kept Banks off her feet.
The EST’s music hit as she came out to check on Banks, despite her backstage warning minutes earlier.
The Irresistible Force targeted the SmackDown Women’s Champion’s leg and nearly snapped it into two. Banks fought back and hit a reverse Meteora. Soon after, Baszler tried to interfere in the match but ended up striking her own partner by mistake. This allowed Banks to pick up the victory.
The match was decent and allowed Banks a good title defense ahead of her tag team match alongside Belair at WWE Fastlane.
Despite her conflicted demeanor before the opening match, The EST eventually came out during the bout. As a result, it looks like both women are on the same page for now. However, things can get very ugly on the Road to WrestleMania 37.
#4 Shinsuke Nakamura stood up for his friend on WWE SmackDown
Seth Rollins has had his eyes on Cesaro since returning to WWE SmackDown. The Messiah came out to the SmackDown ring once again to talk about his "vision" as well as Cesaro.
Rollins called The Swiss Superman the biggest waste of potential in WWE history.
The Messiah claimed that The Swiss Superman humiliated and disrespected him a few weeks ago. Rollins called Cesaro an “abject failure” and played a video from last week of him beating down the superstar.
Rollins continued to talk before Shinsuke Nakamura interrupted him. The Artist told Rollins to shut up and then blasted him with the Kinshasa soon after.
While SmackDown has ended Nakamura and Cesaro's tag team partnership, it looks like the two superstars are still on the same page. This was a good way to set up a match between Rollins and Nakamura without overexposing Cesaro.
Nakamura and Rollins will take part in a singles match at WWE Fastlane. The consequences of their match will likely lead to a bigger contest between Cesaro and The Messiah at WrestleMania 37.
#3 WWE SmackDown showed off its tag team division's strength
Rey and Dominik Mysterio faced The Street Profits in a babyface tag team match on WWE SmackDown. Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford took control of the match as the SmackDown Tag Team Champions watched on from the commentary position.
Dawkins and Ford seemed like the favorites to win. However, Rey Mysterio managed to pull Ford off the top rope and Dominik Mysterio pinned Dawkins to pick up a big upset win.
Chad Gable and Otis appeared right after and took exception with the idea that Rey and Dominik were suddenly in the tag team title picture. The father-son duo took out The Alpha Academy, and a match between the two teams took place right away.
Rey picked up momentum and hit Gable with a 619. However, Otis threw his opponents around with ease and locked Mysterio in a bearhug.
Dominik made a late comeback into the match, but the babyfaces could not stay on top for long. A splash off the second rope onto Dominik earned Otis the victory for his team.
Both matches were decent and allowed SmackDown to flex their tag team division's strength without having the tag team champions involved in the ring.
The two matches helped The Mysterios and The Alpha Academy to get ahead of The Street Profits.
#2 King Corbin vs. Sami Zayn led to a significant plot development on WWE SmackDown
Sami Zayn once again tried to get Kevin Owens on the same page as him on WWE SmackDown. However, KO said that Zayn might be responsible for his own shortcomings. The Master Strategist asked his long-time friend to come to ringside and witness the "conspiracy" for himself.
Zayn then came out for his match against King Corbin on SmackDown. KO decided to watch the match alongside the commentators.
Corbin attacked Zayn throughout the match and overpowered him with ease. A blind charge from Corbin nearly cost him the match as Zayn tried to cheat his way to victory.
Corbin managed to finish off his opponent with the End of Days soon after and picked up the win.
After the match, Zayn was not too happy with Owens, who did not get onboard his conspiracy agenda. The Master Strategist delivered a sickening Helluva Kick to KO and left him lying near the announce table.
The entire angle finally opens up an opportunity for KO to get involved in a match at WrestleMania. Fans can now expect Zayn and KO to revisit their rivalry and have a big match at WrestleMania 37.
#1 Edge won his first WWE SmackDown match after a decade
The biggest match scheduled for this week's WWE SmackDown saw Edge return to the Blue brand’s ring for the first time in a decade. The Rated-R Superstar took on Jey Uso to determine who’d be the special ringside enforcer for the Universal Championship match at WWE Fastlane.
Uso took the fight to the Hall of Famer right away and targeted his ribs. Edge tried to fight through the injury and started targeting Uso’s shoulder.
Uso used the steel post to his advantage, but Edge was too determined to give up. The Rated-R Superstar survived a Superkick and then hit a Spear to pick up the victory.
After the match, Edge stared down Daniel Bryan at the commentary table. He turned around only to be attacked with a Spear by Roman Reigns.
Bryan tried to confront The Tribal Chief. However, Uso attacked him and allowed Reigns to hit a Spear on Bryan at the end of the episode. The match was decent and allowed Edge to shake off some rust ahead of WrestleMania.
Reigns stood tall over his Fastlane and WrestleMania opponents at the end of this week's SmackDown. Will Bryan be able to overcome Reigns and the special enforcer on Sunday to win his first Universal Championship?
