'%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)
This week's episode of SmackDown was the penultimate one of the ThunderDome era. For more than a year now, we've seen RAW, SmackDown, and pay-per-views apart from WrestleMania 37 take place behind closed doors.
This week's SmackDown was enjoyable. The pace of the episode was great and there was a lot of progress in the build to Money in the Bank 2021. Let's start with one of the Money in the Bank qualifying matches.
#5 Kevin Owens survives another brutal match on SmackDown, but is MITB his for the taking?
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn had the match of the night on SmackDown. Recently, following a loss to Sami Zayn, KO had decided to take a break for a while.
This made sense since many fans felt that he needed a hiatus. He has been a mainstay on WWE TV for a while now without getting too far. However, his feud with Sami Zayn has produced some great matches.
The "hiatus" was short-lived as Owens returned to take on Zayn in a "Last Man Standing" Money in the Bank qualifying match, which turned out to be quite intense.
There was one particular spot in the match where Kevin Owens stacked two tables outside the ring with the intent of sending Sami Zayn through it. If you've observed some of Kevin Owens' big stipulation matches in recent years, the outcome was somewhat predictable.
SmackDown wasn't the first time that Kevin Owens stacked up tables or objects on top of each other. In the 2017 Royal Rumble, he made an entire structure of steel chairs, only to go through it painfully himself. A year prior, he had challenged Dean Ambrose in a Last Man Standing Intercontinental title match at the Royal Rumble. On that occasion, Owens went through a similar table structure, but he didn't get up.
This time though, he didn't just get up; he also survived numerous scares to win and qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match.
But was it a mistake to let Owens win when Sami Zayn arguably has more momentum? Did WWE choose the wrong superstar for the Money in the Bank ladder match?
#4. Is "poverty" Baron Corbin turning face on SmackDown?
We're not big fans of the fact that "King" Shinsuke Nakamura and Baron Corbin are still involved on SmackDown. As you may also recall, Big E pinned the Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews to qualify for the Men's Money in the Bank ladder match on SmackDown last week.
The two storylines converged this week on SmackDown. King Nakamura teamed up with Big E to face Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews.
Tonight, when Rick Boogs told Corbin his vehicle was being towed, the distraction allowed Big E to hit him with the Big Ending and get the win. Corbin seems to be on a downward slide, which is probably the most entertaining program he has been in for a few years on SmackDown.
Later backstage, Boogs invited Corbin to join them to eat chicken and proceeded to take a shot at him about sleeping on a "King Size" mattress. Corbin asked him if he felt good kicking people while they were down and walked away. It seems unlikely, but this could lead to a face turn for Baron Corbin.
If he could make it work, it would be an unusually intriguing angle to watch. Corbin hasn't been a babyface for seven years now, and the last time he was one was back in NXT.
Baron Corbin will face Shinsuke Nakamura on SmackDown next week to claim one of the two final spots in the Men's Money in the Bank ladder match.
#3. How many more hurdles does Liv Morgan have to cross on SmackDown?
Sonya Deville's bias officiating isn't just restricted to Charlotte Flair on RAW. It's crossed over to SmackDown as well.
Last week, former Money in the Bank winner and SmackDown mainstay Carmella was announced as the first entrant for the Female MITB ladder match this year. Liv Morgan would defeat Carmella right after, but she wasn't given a spot in the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match.
This week, Deville announced the return of Zelina Vega to SmackDown and declared her the second entrant by default. Liv Morgan confronted Deville over the injustice and ended up getting a match against Vega. She won again, which made it three strikes in a row. From the look of things, Morgan has to overcome more hurdles to enter the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match.
Don't be surprised to see another woman get handed the spot. It's meant for fans to get behind Morgan on SmackDown, which is a good thing. If, or when, she finally qualifies, she could be a favorite to win the briefcase this year.
#2. Will SmackDown Women's Champion Bianca Belair make Bayley quit?
The Bianca Belair-Bayley feud for the SmackDown Women's title has gone on longer than expected. It probably didn't even need to extend to three pay-per-views. But given the lack of female superstars on SmackDown, it makes sense.
The first bout between the two charismatic superstars at WrestleMania Backlash ended with a bit of luck for Belair. In the second instance, she went to war inside Hell in a Cell and emerged victorious. This rivalry doesn't feel dragged. Also, given that all the other women are involved in Money in the Bank, it makes sense for WWE to extend it.
From the look of things, Bianca Belair and Bayley will end their SmackDown Women's title feud at Money in the Bank 2021. On the latest episode of SmackDown, Belair declared that she wanted an "I Quit" match for the Money in the Bank pay-per-view.
We fully expect Bianca Belair to make Bayley quit to establish herself more. It will likely be the end of their feud.
#1. Edge and his Universal title pursuit on SmackDown
A lot was going on this week on SmackDown with regards to the Universal title picture. The face of SmackDown, Roman Reigns, however, wasn't present. This was a bit disappointing, but Edge's presence more than made up for it.
Edge blamed Daniel Bryan for his loss at WrestleMania and told Roman Reigns that he knew he could beat him. Meanwhile, Jimmy Uso told Paul Heyman that he was going to call out The Rated-R Superstar in the main event. That's what happened, but the outcome was the opposite of what he would've wanted.
Earlier, Edge showed the somewhat comical footage of him nearly submitting Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 37 when he used a steel bar inside his mouth. History repeated itself as he did the same to Jimmy Uso.
But that was after Edge told Jimmy that just like his brother Jey, he was being used. It was a sudden shift for Jimmy Uso, but if he is taking on a role similar to his brother's, a similar outcome is expected.
Meanwhile, Seth Rollins laughed at Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville for not giving him a Universal title shot. Instead, they announced that next week on SmackDown, Seth Rollins will face Cesaro to determine the final entrant to the Men's Money in the Bank ladder match.
With a Seth Rollins-Edge match rumored for SummerSlam, how will WWE get there?
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
