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WWE SmackDown was a packed show yet again this week. Many superstars impressed with their performances and showcased them in a favorable light.
Daniel Bryan put his SmackDown career on the line when he faced Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship one final time. Meanwhile, Big E got the chance to win his Intercontinental Championship title back from Apollo Crews.
On the other side of things, the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions faced Natalya and Tamina in a non-title match. The show also opened with a six-person mixed tag team match, with Belair joining The Street Profits to face The Dirty Dogs and Bayley.
Here is the power ranking for this week's episode of WWE SmackDown. The following are the five wrestlers that managed to deliver the most impressive performances on the show.
#5 Bianca Belair dominated with The Street Profits on SmackDown
The Street Profits teamed with Bianca Belair to face The Dirty Dogs and Bayley in a mixed tag team match, which saw Belair showcase herself yet again.
The Street Profits were dominated early on as The Dirty Dogs and Bayley used all the underhanded opportunities they could to keep them down.
Belair was also attacked on the outside multiple times, but when she came face-to-face with Bayley, she took her out with the Kiss of Death. She also whipped Robert Roode on his back with her hair. The distraction cost Roode, and Dawkins and Ford took advantage. Ford hit the splash off the top rope to finish him and pick up the win for the team.
Although it was a team win, the SmackDown Women's Champion shone clearly during the match. After Sasha Banks, WWE has positioned Bayley as her next opponent.
But if Belair can continue in the same vein, she may continue her reign for some time.
#4 Tamina and Natalya defeat the Women's Tag Team Champions on SmackDown
WWE hyped up Tamina and Natalya's team on SmackDown ever since they won on WrestleMania's first night to challenge Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Despite losing the title opportunity, they've remained in the title picture.
Tamina and Natalya have both been part of WWE for a long time during which they have not always been in the spotlight for the right reasons. However, something about their new partnership clicked. Over the past few weeks, they appeared more convincing than before.
During this week's episode of SmackDown, they added an exclamation point to their claim towards the Women's Tag Team Championships. They faced Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler in a non-title match and leveraged the miscommunication between the champions to overcome the odds, despite interference from Reginald.
Tamina was the one to get the pin as she hit the Superfly Splash on Shayna Baszler. WWE have positioned the two in such a manner that they could easily be the next WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
#3 Commander Azeez destroyed everyone on SmackDown
Although Commander Azeez didn't have a wrestling match on this week's episode of WWE SmackDown, he definitely made an impact.
Apollo Crews defended the Intercontinental Championship against Big E, the opponent whom he won the title from at WrestleMania 37. There, Commander Azeez made his debut, assisting Crews in his win.
During this week's show again, Commander Azeez proved critical. Not only was he a distraction on the sidelines, but he also didn't hesitate to get involved.
Apollo Crews seemed like he was doing well in the match until things changed. Big E managed to reverse the Olympic Slam attempt, and then hit Crews with a Big Ending. That might have been enough for the win had it not been for Commander Azeez, who pulled Big E out of the ring and slammed him into the ring post.
Big E won via DQ thanks to the interference by Azeez. Following the match, before Azeez could continue assaulting the former New Day member, Kevin Owens made his way out to help. Owens and Big E teamed up on Azeez before Sami Zayn rushed out to assist him.
Azeez went on to display his unpredictability by attacking Sami Zayn, who was seemingly trying to join Crews and stand together with them. As a result, he appeared to be a loose cannon on SmackDown - exactly what Crews needed to add further intrigue to his character.
#2 Daniel Bryan's emotional SmackDown performance
The main event of the night for SmackDown was an incredible match that everyone was waiting for. Roman Reigns faced Daniel Bryan defending his Universal Championship. However, Bryan had everything on the line because if he lost, he would leave WWE SmackDown forever.
The match was built up in such a way. The WWE Universe expected it to be Daniel Bryan's last-ever performance in front of the SmackDown crowd. No one thought that Roman Reigns would lose the title, and he didn't. But Bryan came close and gave Reigns the fight of his life in an incredible main event.
Daniel Bryan came out of the gate fast as he attacked Roman again and again with his best moves, hitting the running dropkick and the Yes kicks. He hit Reigns with every move in his arsenal and then some.
Despite everything he threw, it was not enough. Roman Reigns proved to be too much for Bryan, whose game plan fell apart when Reigns, seeing that he could not use his damaged right arm, used his left to choke Bryan with the Guillotine.
Bryan is now barred from SmackDown. Yet, his performance showed he had not lost a single step in the ring. Whether he becomes a part-timer in WWE now or not, Bryan clearly has a lot more to offer in the ring.
#1 Roman Reigns asserts his spot on SmackDown
Roman Reigns had something to lose in the main event of SmackDown: his Universal title. He faced a man who had become a thorn in his side, and had chance to remove that thorn for good.
Ever since his return to WWE SummerSlam, Roman Reigns proved again and again why he's the top name in the company. He defeated everyone who challenged him, and each time he added a new weapon to his repertoire.
No longer is this the Roman Reigns who only did what was right. This Roman Reigns doesn't care what it takes to defeat his opponent, which is clear from the fact that he has won almost all his matches using underhanded means.
Reigns showcased his ability as he showed off not only his previous in-ring ability, but also a willingness to do anything.
In the main event on SmackDown, he added insult to injury after he hit Daniel Bryan with the Con-Chair-To moments after the match was over, while a helpless Cesaro looked on.
Currently, there does not appear to be anyone who can defeat Roman Reigns on SmackDown.
