7 Things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown: Face turn canceled, former champion loses his push again?

#1. Roman Reigns ups the stakes on SmackDown...a bit too much?

"This man thinks he can pin me 1,2,3."pffftttt 😂#SmackDown #SummerSlam @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle @JohnCena pic.twitter.com/BeVG19btka

— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2021

The go-home segment for SmackDown was a face-off between Roman Reigns and John Cena, as it should have been. It was a good showing for both men. John Cena carries a certain energy about him that truly sets him apart.

Roman Reigns held his own this week on SmackDown, so much so that he may have even spoiled their SummerSlam match. Roman Reigns hasn't been defeated as The Tribal Chief, and that's a fact - whether it was on SmackDown or pay-per-view.

John Cena threatened to win the Universal title and go back to Hollywood, which wouldn't have gotten cheers if any other superstar said that. But as always, John Cena had complete control of the crowd on SmackDown.

Roman Reigns upped the stakes in a big way. So big that he couldn't stand the idea of losing to John Cena. He told Cena that if he were to lose at SummerSlam, he would leave WWE.

"Either I'm leaving that stadium as Universal Champion, or I'm leaving WWE." 🤯🤯🤯The stakes have been RAISED at #SummerSlam! #SmackDown @WWERomanReigns @JohnCena @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/5X20vNoaSr

— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2021

This essentially spoiled the result of the main event, but many fans seemed to be aware that John Cena's chances of becoming the Universal Champion are slim.

However, it just got slimmer. John Cena "pinned" Roman Reigns in a somewhat awkward final moment on SmackDown. Michael Cole botched the call, but Pat McAfee rightfully said that Roman Reigns kicked out at 2.5. Either way, it's a psychological advantage for John Cena heading into SummerSlam.