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Hell in a Cell came early on WWE SmackDown this week as Rey Mysterio decided to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship on Friday. Reigns brutalized Dominik last week, and Rey wasn’t ready to just sit back and do nothing about the attack.
The other big match scheduled for SmackDown was held between two teams, as Big E and Kevin Owens fought Commander Azeez and Apollo Crews. Azeez was looking to pick up a big victory during his first match on the SmackDown brand.
King Corbin was set to defend his crown against Shinsuke Nakamura. Apart from that, Bianca Belair made an appearance to lay down a big challenge for Bayley.
Cesaro and Seth Rollins were seen in a backstage segment that ended with the former pushing The Messiah off his chair. The two superstars will compete in a match at Hell in a Cell on Sunday.
Let's take a look at the seven things WWE got right on SmackDown before Hell in a Cell.
#7 Rey Mysterio set the tone of WWE SmackDown with an intense promo
Rey Mysterio asked to fight Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown rather than on Sunday, and WWE granted him his request. It was a big decision as WWE effectively removed one of their biggest draws from a pay-per-view match on short notice.
Mysterio kicked off SmackDown with an emotional promo, stating that he’d warned his son Dominik of what life was like competing inside the ring.
He demanded Reigns come out and accept the match in person, and The Tribal Chief obliged. Mysterio has never been the best on the mic, but he’s great when he has to cut an emotional promo. As a result, the main event of the night felt even grander.
#6 Jimmy Uso showed his loyalty to Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown
Later on SmackDown, Jimmy Uso approached The Head of the Table and admitted that he had his back because they were family. Roman Reigns then told his cousin to find Jey Uso, who was surprisingly missing from the show.
SmackDown did well to continue last week’s storyline, where Jey got sick of Reigns and Jimmy's conflict and decided to walk out.
This week's Anoa'i family-related segment was great once again and helped The Tribal Chief prove that he’s working on a completely different level. Reigns could end up getting both Jey and Jimmy on the same page and use them for his benefit in the weeks to come.
#5 Commander Azeez scored a pinfall victory on WWE SmackDown
In the latest edition of WWE SmackDown, Commander Azeez and Apollo Crews teamed up to take on Big E and Kevin Owens, as Sami Zayn joined the commentary team to watch the action up close.
Azeez proved to be a huge threat to the babyfaces. The 6ft 9in bodyguard showed off his strength right away and delivered some explosive moves to Big E. The heels isolated the former Intercontinental Champion for some time. However, Big E made a comeback into the match with a suplex to Crews on the ring apron.
Later, Owens came close to a victory for his team, but a distraction from Sami Zayn left him prone to the Nigerian Nail. As a result, Azeez picked up his first pinfall victory on SmackDown.
The match was decent and allowed Azeez to shine on debut, and he will likely play a major role in Crews’ title defenses going forward.
After the match, KO demanded a match against The Conspiracy Theorist. He was granted the same for Sunday night’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
The Owens-Zayn rivalry could elevate the action on yet another pay-per-view, as the two stars are capable enough to deliver one of the SmackDown brand's best matches on Sunday.
#4 Shinsuke Nakamura won the crown from King Corbin on WWE SmackDown
Shinsuke Nakamura and King Corbin finally competed for the King of the Ring crown on WWE SmackDown. The Battle of the Crown match came as a result of several bouts and interactions between the two superstars for the headpiece.
Corbin wasn’t too happy with Nakamura’s recent antics and pounded him as soon as the bell rang. He used his size and strength to keep The Artist grounded for some time.
Nakamura tried to make comebacks throughout the contest but could not keep the upper hand for long. However, he was able to hit Corbin with the Kinshasa to win the match and the crown.
After the match, an emotional Corbin watched on as The Artist celebrated with Rick Boogs at the top of the SmackDown stage.
The match wasn’t anything special, just like their previous four encounters. However, Nakamura could now do much more with the crown and alter his gimmick a little to get ahead on the SmackDown brand.
Meanwhile, WWE may book another King of the Ring tournament in the coming months. Corbin could also benefit from the loss by going back to his Lone Wolf gimmick.
#3 Bayley made the final statement on WWE SmackDown
Bianca Belair will defend her WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bayley at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. During this week's SmackDown, Belair made her way to the ring to cut a final promo ahead of Sunday’s title defense.
The EST was unhappy with Bayley’s antics over the past few weeks and issued a challenge for a match inside the Hell in a Cell structure. The Role Model arrived and the two women started to brawl.
Bayley delivered a Rose Plant to the SmackDown Women’s Champion and stood tall to end the segment. While the challenger had the last laugh on Friday, Belair will likely retain her title on Sunday. Additionally, the Hell in a Cell stipulation will make the match grander and much more exciting.
#2 Otis continued to bulldoze his opponents
Later on in the episode, Otis and Angelo Dawkins were set to compete in a match on SmackDown. Before matters could be settled in the ring, The Alpha Academy attacked an already injured Dawkins.
Otis bulldozed through Dawkins and made him suffer once again. It looks like The Alpha Academy will finally be getting a big push on SmackDown in the weeks to come.
With The Street Profits out of the way, Otis and Chad Gable could be the frontrunners for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
#1 Roman Reigns stomped down Rey Mysterio on WWE SmackDown
The biggest match of this week's WWE SmackDown took place inside Hell in a Cell. Interestingly, Rey Mysterio and Roman Reigns' main event clash was the first-ever Hell in a Cell match on SmackDown.
Mysterio unloaded on Reigns and tried to teach him a lesson for assaulting his son Dominik. He hit Reigns with a toolbox and then wrapped a steel chair around his neck before pushing him into the cage.
A missed Spear attempt sent Reigns right through a table outside the ring. Throughout the contest, Reigns threw everything he could at the veteran. However, Mysterio refused to stay down and got back up to mount a comeback now and then.
The Master of the 619 tried his best to avenge his son. However, he was no match for the biggest heel on SmackDown, who eventually locked in a modified anaconda choke to retain his title inside Hell in a Cell.
After the match, Reigns humiliated Mysterio by locking him in another choke. He wished the legendary luchador a “Happy Father’s Day” to add insult to injury as the show went off the air.
Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio were undoubtedly phenomenal throughout the contest, as both men did their best to end things on a high.
It will be interesting to see if Rey or Dominik decide to mess with The Head of the Table again.
