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From a surprising heel turn to an unexpected intergender match, this week's edition of WWE SmackDown featured many contrasting moments.
The go-home episode of SmackDown before Elimination Chamber was an exciting show for the most part. The episode was filled with twists and turns that may or may not result in a satisfying payoff in the long run. Although fans believe that the Elimination Chamber event may have predictable outcomes, a few interesting possibilities were highlighted during the final stop before the pay-per-view.
Which show was better this week, RAW or SmackDown? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Here are the five biggest news stories from this week's episode of WWE SmackDown (February 19, 2021).
#5 Apollo Crews lost his cool on WWE SmackDown
Apollo Crews and Big E's WWE feud has slowly escalated, and Crews finally snapped on SmackDown this week.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Apollo Crews wrestled each other on the latest edition of WWE SmackDown. Big E was seated near the commentary table, hilariously lashing out at the commentators for constantly bringing up Crews' nagging presence in the Intercontinental title picture.
The King of Strong Style was able to defeat his opponent via pinfall, but the rivalry between Big E and Crews seemed far from over. Out of frustration, Crews wanted to use the steel steps and deliver a post-match beatdown to Nakamura.
However, Big E stopped Crews from causing any further trouble. It became clear that the Intercontinental Champion did not want to give any more title shots to Crews. When Big E went ahead to check on Nakamura, Crews used the steps to ambush the champion from behind.
After a relentless attack, Big E was stretchered into an ambulance. Thanks to the intensity behind this storyline, the Intercontinental Championship scenario came across as a huge deal.
Crews' heel turn has been a gradual process and has benefited his rivalry against Big E. So despite losing his Intercontinental title shots, Apollo Crews' momentum skyrocketed on this week's WWE SmackDown.
#4 Otis surprisingly displayed his heelish side on WWE SmackDown
Otis is one of the most loved characters from the current generation of WWE, but that's no longer tru after this week's SmackDown.
Otis and Chad Gable were scheduled to face Rey and Dominik Mysterio. This match could have been an opportunity for either team to move up in WWE SmackDown's tag team division. However, it did not end in a satisfactory way by any means.
At one point, Otis went overboard while attacking Rey Mysterio in the ring under Gable's instructions. Gable ignored the referee's five-count and got his team disqualified on WWE SmackDown. Even after the match was over, Otis hit the Lucha legend with a splash off the top rope.
A heel turn from Otis is something that many people didn't see happening anytime soon. In hindsight, it seems like Gable's bad influence could have prompted Otis to turn over to the dark side.
The current WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions - Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode - are certified heel characters as well. How will the heel vs. heel dynamic play out if Otis and Gable earn a shot at the Tag Team Titles one day?
#3 The "Ding Dong, Hello!" show on WWE SmackDown resulted in an intergender tag team match
WWE's intergender matches and storylines have seen a surprising resurgence recently, and Reginald got involved in such a contest this week.
Bayley's "Ding Dong, Hello!" talk show featured Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax as special guests this week. When the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions insulted Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, Reginald came out to defend The Legit Boss. As expected, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair crashed the segment soon after.
As the situation got out of control, the sommelier suddenly challenged Jax, Baszler, and Bayley to an impromptu six-person match. Reginald would team up with Banks and Belair against the heels.
Apart from this entertaining series of events, Reginald seems to have become a fan favorite on WWE SmackDown. He even pinned Jax to win the match for his team, with some assistance from Banks and Belair.
Later backstage, Carmella confronted Reginald about his shenanigans in the ring. She wasn't too happy that her sommelier had been defending Banks' honor on WWE SmackDown.
It seems like Reginald could be turning babyface soon. A possible alliance with Sasha Banks could be in the works. Reginald does have an entertaining presence in the women's division. But it seems ironic how he is yet to make a mark in his own gender division on WWE SmackDown.
#2 Roman Reigns and Edge faced off on WWE SmackDown
Any of 13 potential WWE Superstars could face Edge at WrestleMania, but Roman Reigns made it clear that he is the only legitimate choice as Edge's opponent at The Show of Shows.
Reigns and Edge's face-off kicked off this week's WWE SmackDown. Edge was excellent throughout their segment. He pointed out the mind games he was playing against the current Universal Champion. The Ultimate Opportunist said that The Tribal Chief's insecurities have surfaced since Edge has been in control of their equation so far.
Sami Zayn interrupted their face-off and highlighted his conspiracy agenda once again. As Jey Uso laid out The Great Liberator, Reigns whispered something in Edge's ear in an intense moment. It came across like a scene straight out of a movie. The catch here is that the viewers never got to know what exactly Reigns said. It could be something crucial for their eventual feud after Elimination Chamber is over. But the said mystery certainly led to a few interesting reactions on social media.
Edge later embarked on a night-long arc with other stars on WWE SmackDown. However, Reigns and Edge would again cross paths at the end of the night.
#1 Edge teased dream matches with WWE SmackDown's Elimination Chamber participants
Edge vs. Roman Reigns seems like the ultimate feud after Elimination Chamber, but WWE provided their viewers with a couple of interesting alternatives this week.
Edge met Kevin Owens and Daniel Bryan in two excellent backstage segments. There was even a short segment between Edge and King Corbin, even though Edge vs. Corbin at WrestleMania sounds like a far-fetched possibility.
Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens, and Cesaro faced Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and King Corbin in the main event of WWE SmackDown. All these stars will participate in SmackDown's Elimination Chamber match at the upcoming pay-per-view. Edge was on commentary throughout this bout. He kept teasing the 13 possible opponents for him at WrestleMania, including stars from RAW's Chamber match.
Paul Heyman even joined commentary at one point, which is when Edge posed an interesting question - What happens if Jey Uso wins the Elimination Chamber and faces Roman Reigns on the same night? Heyman remained tight-lipped on the answer, which is another tactic to encourage fans to watch the upcoming event.
Bryan was able to tap out Zayn to win the match for his team. After the bout was over, chaos broke out between the Elimination Chamber participants. Edge entered the action as well and hit Uso with a Spear. But The Rated-R Superstar was laid out by a Spear from Roman Reigns at the end of the episode.
Roman Reigns was finally able to get his hands on Edge during this week's WWE SmackDown. After this instance, it seems more than likely that Edge will choose Roman Reigns as his WrestleMania opponent after all.
Do catch Rick Ucchino and Sid Pullar III (SP3) as they share their thoughts on all that went down during last night's WWE SmackDown in the video linked above.
