SmackDown before WrestleMania Backlash: 6 WWE Superstars who stole the show – Roman Reigns gets reality check, big title change to fuel betrayal? (May 14, 2021)

WWE SmackDown’s go-home show before WrestleMania Backlash was entertaining throughout its duration. We saw interesting developments in the biggest title feuds ahead of the upcoming pay-per-view. The show also witnessed the women’s tag team titles change hands. It was a complete show, and there were no flops to pick from the Blue brand this week.

In this article, we will take a look at six WWE SmackDown Superstars who stole the show.

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#1 Cesaro annihilates Roman Reigns’ entourage on WWE SmackDown

Cesaro had the last laugh on WWE SmackDown

Cesaro’s recent booking on SmackDown has been commendable. The writers have done well in building him up as a credible challenger ahead of his title match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania Backlash. Last week, he defeated Seth Rollins to earn that championship opportunity and attacked Reigns and his entire entourage.

This week on SmackDown, Cesaro faced Jimmy Uso in a singles match that accounted for a solid main event. The Swiss Cyborg put up a dominant performance and did well in narrating a captivating story throughout the match. He also took a lot of punishment that made Jimmy’s first match after his return a memorable one.

From the TOP ROPE! 😮#SmackDown @WWECesaro @WWEUsos pic.twitter.com/g2ZTJBQvtL

— WWE (@WWE) May 15, 2021

It was a well-balanced match where both the SmackDown Superstars played to their respective strengths. Cesaro gained the upper hand in the match's closing moments and was close to pinning one-half of The Usos. Unfortunately, the match ended in disqualification after Roman Reigns attacked The Swiss Cyborg at ringside.

Reigns threw Cesaro over the announce desk before being involved in a verbal spat with Jimmy Uso. The two superstars started walking towards the backstage area, leaving Jey Uso alone inside the ring. Cesaro saw an opportunity and laid a brutal attack on Jey. Both Reigns and Jimmy Uso rushed to the ring, but the former United States Champion took them both out as well.

Message SENT.#SmackDown #WMBacklash #UniversalTitle @WWECesaro @WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/ONnoeMpgXj

— WWE (@WWE) May 15, 2021

It was great to see Cesaro standing tall in the final meeting between him and Roman Reigns before their Universal Championship match. Although this probably foreshadows his loss at the pay-per-view, this storyline is doing a great job establishing him permanently in the world title picture. Cesaro undoubtedly deserves credit for ending a good episode of SmackDown on an excellent note.

#2 Jimmy Uso makes an impressive in-ring return on WWE SmackDown

We undoubtedly missed Jimmy Uso on WWE SmackDown

Last week, Jimmy Uso returned on SmackDown and instantly sent the WWE Universe into a frenzy by confirming that he won’t acknowledge Roman Reigns as the 'Head of the Table'. This week, he asserted his argument and even urged Jey Uso to stop hailing Reigns as The Tribal Chief. This led to a frustrated Reigns asking Jimmy to fight Cesaro.

The expectations were high from Jimmy Uso’s first match on SmackDown after his return from a prolonged injury. He certainly did well and deserves praise for carrying himself with such ease inside the squared circle. He also showed glimpses of a more brutal side which ultimately helped in putting Cesaro over ahead of his big match.

Jimmy’s message for Roman Reigns was also clearly written on his T-Shirt. He challenged the Universal Champion’s authority on SmackDown. Jimmy Uso further argued that he could easily replace Reigns if the latter loses his title and The Usos win the SmackDown tag team titles.

It will be interesting to see how the creative will book another feud involving Roman Reigns, his cousin. Moreover, The Tribal Chief will now have to keep an eye out for Jimmy Uso as well while trying to defend his title at the upcoming pay-per-view.

#3 Roman Reigns asserts his dominance on WWE SmackDown

Roman Reigns delivered a captivating performance on WWE SmackDown this week

Roman Reigns has established himself as the biggest heel not just on SmackDown but in the entire WWE. He is set to defend his Universal Championship against Cesaro at WrestleMania Backlash. The two superstars engaged in a brutal altercation in the show's closing moments that ended with the challenger gaining the upper hand.

Reigns was brilliant in his promo right at the beginning of this week’s SmackDown. There was a subtle hint of vulnerability to an otherwise arrogant champion when his cousin, Jimmy Uso, was challenging his authority. Reigns was brilliant at adding more authenticity to the ongoing title feud and deserves a lot of credit for remarkably improving as a performer.

Roman Reigns also saw a glimpse of Cesaro’s potential when the latter was brutalizing both his cousins. He delivered two devastating Neutralizers on Jey Uso in the middle of the ring while Reigns looked at the ramp.

The fact that he didn’t help his cousin when Jey was responsible for almost all of Reigns’ title defenses would not sit well with Jimmy. The Tribal Chief has done so well in carrying a complicated storyline on SmackDown, and it will be interesting to see what’s in store for him on the Blue brand.

#4 and #5 Natalya and Tamina win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships on SmackDown

Tamina and Natalya had a great night on WWE SmackDown

This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown saw the Women’s tag team titles change hands. Following a promising run, Natalya and Tamina finally earned a shot at Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler’s gold. The SmackDown duo then faced the former champions in an entertaining match and walked out of the show with the tag team championships.

Natalya and Tamina relied on their newfound aggression, and they were determined to give their best inside the ring. Both teams engaged in a good back and forth in a fast-paced encounter on SmackDown. In the match's final moments, Nia Jax delivered a Samoan Drop on Natalya, who wasn’t the legal competitor. Before Jax could get back on her feet, Tamina delivered a Superfly Splash off the top rope and pinned her to win the tag team titles for her team.

Both Natalya and Tamina deserved this win, especially after their recent booking on SmackDown. They might have a rematch with Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler after WrestleMania Backlash. Moreover, losing the titles might eventually lead to a split between Jax and Baszler on WWE RAW. The Queen of Spades can use a brief singles run on the Red brand before entering the women’s title picture again.

#6 Rey Mysterio sends a bold message to WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions

Rey Mysterio looked like his old self on WWE SmackDown this week

SmackDown’s final show before WrestleMania Backlash witnessed a singles bout between Rey Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler. The two superstars delivered a brilliant in-ring encounter that ended with Mysterio picking up a big win. The masked legend sent a bold message to The Dirty Dawgs with his win before their upcoming title match.

Both Rey Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler were fighting to gain momentum and pushed each other to their limits. It was pleasantly surprising to see Rey engage in trash talk during the match on SmackDown. Towards the end of the match, Ziggler was dominating their battle. He scooped up Rey Mysterio and slammed him in the center of the ring.

Ziggler tried to do the same thing again, but Rey Mysterio hit back with a brilliant counter. He then rolled up The Showoff for a big victory over the reigning champion. Following the match, Robert Roode tried to attack Rey, but Dominik quickly rushed to his father’s aid and silenced Roode with a solid blow to the face.

Rey Mysterio is on the brink of making history. On Sunday, he will team up with his son Dominik Mysterio to challenge Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode for the SmackDown tag team titles. A victory in this match would make the Mysterios the first father-son duo to hold tag team titles in WWE history. Both Rey and Dominik Mysterio look confident about achieving the milestone as mentioned earlier at the upcoming pay-per-view.