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WWE SmackDown delivered a solid show this week. The Blue brand witnessed massive returns, compelling matches and exciting swerves as top superstars looked to gain momentum ahead of Extreme Rules. There was just one questionable decision in an otherwise flawless show.
Here, we will look at the biggest hits and flops from WWE SmackDown this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#5 Hit on WWE SmackDown: Brock Lesnar makes a stunning return, attacks Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman
This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown kickstarted on an epic note. Roman Reigns walked out alongside The Usos and Paul Heyman, demanding the fans to acknowledge The Bloodline’s dominance over the promotion. We saw the crowd rally behind the Universal Champion as they cheered his name in unison.
The arena’s excitement tore through the roof when Brock Lesnar's entrance music interrupted Roman Reigns. The Beast Incarnate arrived on WWE SmackDown to a massive pop as fans rose to their feet to welcome him back on the Blue brand. He made his way to the ring and immediately went up close to the Tribal Chief, clarifying his intentions.
Lesnar even asked Heyman why he didn’t tell Roman Reigns about his return at SummerSlam to play mind games with the champion. The signature “You F***ked Up” chants echoed on WWE SmackDown while Heyman pleaded his innocence. A doubtful Roman Reigns took his title from Paul Heyman and left the ring, but the Beast Incarnate was not yet done.
Brock Lesnar cornered his former advocate and forced him to accept a title shot on behalf of Roman while fans screamed “Suplex City” on top of their lungs. Despite Heyman’s multiple attempts to bank on their past relationship, he ended up on his former client’s shoulders for a potential F5. He would have been slammed harshly onto the mat if not for Roman Reigns’ Superman punch.
Lesnar dropped Heyman and picked Reigns up for an F5 before The Usos ran an interference, allowing the Universal Champion to escape. Unfortunately, Jey and Jimmy Uso couldn’t escape punishment as Lesnar subjected them to multiple Suplexes in WWE SmackDown’s opening segment.
Everyone was perfect in their respective roles tonight, and for the first time in almost a year, someone came across as a legitimate threat to Roman Reigns’ dominant run as a heel.
Lesnar has his eyes set on the Universal Championship, and he will get that match sooner or later. WWE allowed Lesnar to be himself on the mic as he brought the perfect amalgamation of misleading words and brute strength on WWE SmackDown tonight.
#4 Hit on WWE SmackDown: Edge and Seth Rollins lock horns in a jaw-dropping encounter
Edge and Seth Rollins delivered yet another brilliant match on WWE SmackDown and showed us why the writers decided to extend this feud beyond SummerSlam. Their last battle was flawless, and it ended with the Rated-R Superstar picking up a victory. Tonight, The Architect settled the score in a match that had the most compelling psychology and storytelling we have seen in a while.
Remember when Rollins said he needed to be more like Edge to beat him? That’s precisely what he did on WWE SmackDown tonight. He used Edge’s tricks against him while the veteran used every weapon in his arsenal. In fact, the latter’s performance was met with “You still got it” chants and deservingly so, as he kept coming back despite taking multiple brutal shots to his face.
The mind games, the subtleties, and ruthless attacks made for an epic encounter on WWE SmackDown. Rollins used The Stomp to seal his victory over Edge, but he didn’t celebrate. Instead, he appeared slightly confused about his actual feelings while Edge was rushed to a medical facility.
Their in-ring chemistry accounted for a great narrative, and it will be exciting to see what’s in store for both these superstars as we advance. Given that Rollins used a low blow to gain an advantage, we could see Edge return for a third and final match against The Messiah.
#3 Hit on WWE SmackDown: The Demon returns after the impressive main event
Tonight’s main event saw The Usos put their WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line against The Street Profits. Both teams were nothing short of brilliant in their championship clash on the show this week. All four superstars were booked well, allowing them ample time to put their biggest strengths on display.
The Usos and The Street Profits were equally dominant throughout the match, accounting for a well-balanced title bout. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins posed a credible threat to the champions and came close to regaining the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles. However, their plans were derailed after Roman Reigns interfered in the match and forced it to end via disqualification.
There wasn’t much time for The Bloodline to celebrate their narrow escape as The Demon made his first-ever appearance on WWE SmackDown. Last week, Finn Balor challenged Reigns for the Universal Championship but lost after a series of unfair tactics allowed The Tribal Chief to retain his title.
His alter-ego’s much-anticipated return was teased on the show, and tonight, The Demon walked out to a thunderous pop on WWE SmackDown. He will now challenge Roman Reigns for the title at Extreme Rules, while The Street Profits are expected to get another shot at the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships at the upcoming pay-per-view. The Demon successfully scared off Paul Heyman and The Usos but can he do the same to Roman Reigns?
#2 Flop/Hit on WWE SmackDown: Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair sign contract for their championship match
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair met for their contract signing on the show tonight. The Man squashed Belair in under thirty seconds to win the title at SummerSlam and has been avoiding a rematch ever since. However, Becky Lynch can no longer escape the title bout after tonight’s contract signing.
It is good that the champion used her controversial title victory to draw more heat and simultaneously put Belair over as the top babyface. The latter admitted that she wasn’t prepared at SummerSlam, but she won’t repeat the same mistakes again. She looked more composed and did not allow Becky Lynch to ruffle her feathers on WWE SmackDown.
However, it was surprising to see that the entire segment was conducted rather peacefully. We may be used to violent contract signings, but it would be fair to say that it looked odd when a heel champion and a face challenger were not involved in an altercation.
Unless WWE SmackDown are planning to expose Becky Lynch’s vulnerability or Sasha Banks’ potential addition to the feud, we really hope that both superstars will be involved in more intense segments in the weeks leading up to their title rematch at Extreme Rules.
#1 Honorable mention: Sami Zayn pulls off a brilliant heel move on WWE SmackDown
This week's first match on WWE SmackDown saw Big E, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rick Boogs, Rey Mysterio, and Dominik team up to take on Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Otis, and Apollo Crews. It was a good match that eventually ended with Mr. Money in the Bank picking up a victory for his team, but the biggest highlight was Sami Zayn’s bold move right before the bout.
Zayn sported a New York Nicks jersey before the match, which earned him massive applause at MSG. However, fans felt betrayed when he revealed that he had invited Atlanta Hawks’ Trey Young to Knicks’ home. The NBA star was subjected to overwhelming boos as fans struggled to digest that WWE SmackDown really brought back the city’s villain to “The Garden.”
In case you didn’t know, Young’s 27 points and nine assists led Atalanta Hawks past the New York Knicks in the first round of playoffs in May 2021. If you don’t watch NBA, maybe this analogy would help understand how disrespectful yet clever this looked on WWE SmackDown.
The act was equivalent to Lex Luthor inviting The Joker to Wayne Manor for drinks and striking up a conversation about his parents. Except this time, Batman could only stand and boo from the stands. (Sorry, not sorry.)
The point being, it was exceptionally sinister on Zayn’s part to bring someone who is despised at the venue for tonight’s WWE SmackDown, and that’s exactly what you expect from great heels. It was a genius call on the creative’s part, and Sami Zayn deserves credit for pulling it off after he previously brought Logan Paul to similarly thunderous boos.
WWE cannot -- and we can’t stress this enough -- afford to lose a talent like Zayn, and they must look to involve him in more compelling storylines.
