'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Roman Reigns kicked off the first SmackDown of 2021 with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman following him to the ring. Roman wished the viewers a happy new year before praising Uso and his dedication to helping Reigns win. Kevin Owens' music hit and he walked out but Roman had the crew cut his music short.
Owens said Roman should be embarrassed about what Roman and Uso had to do to beat him at TLC. Owens called Roman a little "b*tch" and said he would face Uso in a match tonight after which, 'his family will not have anything to celebrate'.
Big E vs. King Corbin on SmackDown
Big E had the advantage early with a near fall before taking a big clothesline. Corbin was hit with the Big Ending and was about to finish the match when Sami Zayn attacked him.
The Knights of the Lone Wolf and Sami wiped out Big E in the ring until Apollo Crews came out to the rescue before we headed for a break.
Result: DNF
Match rating: C
Big E & Apollo Crews vs. King Corbin & Sami Zayn on SmackDown
Back from the break, Apollo and Sami were in the ring before Corbin was tagged in. Corbin and Zayn were taking turns in the ring while Crews was in trouble before being sent outside where the Knights attacked him.
Zayn kept Crews from making the tag but he managed to reach Big E eventually. Corbin was in as well and was hit with a big suplex and a splash from the champ. Corbin managed to get the Deep Six in but Big E kicked out.
Apollo came back in while Zayn almost hit Corbin after getting the tag. Corbin and Zayn got into an argument and Corbin left with the Knights before Crews hit his finisher for the win on SmackDown.
Result: Big E & Apollo Crews def. King Corbin & Sami Zayn on SmackDown
Match rating: B
Backstage on SmackDown, Kevin Owens wanted Adam Pearce to schedule his match with Uso but Pearce said he couldn't. Owens said then he wanted to face Reigns instead before the WWE official finally agreed to the match with Uso.
Big E was backstage on SmackDown when he said that he wanted to place an open challenge next week and Apollo accepted the challenge right away.
Riott Squad vs. Natalya & Tamina on SmackDown
Billie Kay was supposed to find a partner and face the Riott Squad but Tamina and Natalya came out instead and started the match. Liv and Natalya were in the ring first and Natalya was almost pinned early on as Kay yelled from the outside.
Tags were made and Tamina took control of the match before Ruby managed to hit a double team move with the help of Morgan. Tamina countered the next double team move and hit a dropkick on Riott before Morgan managed to roll her up thanks to a timely distraction from Kay who then celebrated with the Riott Squad.
Result: Riott Squad def. Natalya & Tamina
Match rating: B
Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair vs. Bayley & Carmella on SmackDown
Carmella and Belair kicked off the match on SmackDown and Bianca had the upper hand early on. Bayley was tagged in before we headed for a break. Back on SmackDown, Bayley was dominating in the ring and focusing on Belair's left arm while taunting Banks.
Carmella was tagged in before she took out Banks from the apron and locked in an armbar on Belair. Banks recovered and got the tag before hitting a knee to the face and hitting the double knees in the corner.
Belair took out Bayley who was trying to interfere and sent her into the ring post before hitting a suplex on the floor. Carmella was locked in the Banks Statement before Reginald dragged her out of the ring.
Reggie taunted Banks a few times before Carmella took advantage of the distractions and hit a facebuster on Banks for the win.
Result: Bayley & Carmella def. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair
Match rating: B+
Backstage, Reigns was disappointed with WWE management for scheduling the match between Uso and KO and sent Heyman to find out who made the call.
Backstage on SmackDown, Sonya Deville was seen back on WWE after her Loser Leaves WWE match at SummerSlam and subsequent leave from television.
The Street Profits were out on SmackDown and made some predictions for 2021. They ended up making fun of Roode and Ziggler who came out and wiped them out. Roode hit Dawkins with a steel chair and sent him over the barricades before they used the ring post and the chair to injure Ford's leg.
Backstage, Roode & Ziggler said that the Street Profits were provoking them for months and that they were coming after the tag titles.
Otis & Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro and Nakamura on SmackDown
Bryan and Cesaro kicked off the match on SmackDown and Nakamura was tagged in early on before Cesaro caught him in an uppercut outside after a dive through the ropes.
After a break, Cesaro was in control in the ring and tagged in Nakamura who continued to punish Bryan. Otis was tagged in and threw Cesaro across the ring before wiping him out with a splash.
Otis & Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro and Nakamura on SmackDown (contd...)
Otis hit the caterpillar but Nakamura broke the following pin on SmackDown. Otis missed the splash and Nakamura tagged in before Otis made the tag too. Bryan took a dropkick before Otis broke up an armbar.
Bryan took out Cesaro with a running knee before locking in the Yes Lock on Nakamura for the win.
Result: Otis & Daniel Bryan def. Cesaro and Nakamura
Match rating: B+
Heyman reported to Reigns backstage and told him that Pearce sanctioned the match before sending Uso out to fight.
Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso on SmackDown
Owens started off strong and went after Uso with pounding fists before hitting a senton on the outside. Back in the ring, Owens got another near fall before focusing on Uso's left leg that was damaged during TLC.
Owens used the ropes and the apron to hurt Usos legs before telling Uso that it was all Reigns' fault for which Jey is being punished. KO hit a superkick and sent Jey over the announce desk before we headed for commercials.
Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso on SmackDown (contd...)
Back from the commercial on SmackDown, Owens managed to hit a stunner right away and picked up the win. He then started to beat up Jey in order to bait Roman into showing up to the ring. Owens handcuffed Uso to the ropes before hitting a superkick.
Result: Kevin Owens def. Jey Uso
Owens got tired of waiting and uncuffed Jey before bringing him to the stands where he was about to jump off a platform onto Uso but Roman attacked him. Owens, Uso, and Reigns fought their way through the screens and used some chairs to hurt KO.
Owens fought back and was sent into the LED screens before being tossed down onto a table which he went through.
Match rating: A
Episode rating: B
We got a great start to the new year with SmackDown tonight with Reigns and Owens' feud being the biggest spot of the night. Sasha Banks almost got her revenge on Carmella while Otis and Daniel Bryan picked up a good win. Big E is headed for a title defense next week while Roode & Ziggler sent a message to the SmackDown tag team champs.
