'%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)
Becky Lynch kicked off the Season Premiere of SmackDown with Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks showing up for the Crown Jewel match contract signing. An argument broke out between the three and tables were flipped before a brawl broke out.
Banks took down Belair and started fighting Becky who managed to take The Boss into the corner with some kicks. Banks and Becky were still in the corner when Belair came back in and tried to hit a KOD on both women at the same time.
Banks fell off of Belair's shoulders and she managed to set Sasha up on the table in the ring before putting Becky through it with the KOD.
Rey Mysterio vs. Sami Zayn - King of the Ring Tournament Round 1 on SmackDown
Zayn hit a big powerbomb early on for a near fall before Sami was sent outside and Rey hit a dive with a hurricanrana to the outside. Rey was sent into the ring post and went down before Dominik showed up at ringside.
Back on SmackDown after a break, Rey got a near fall off a rollup before hitting a huge hurricanrana off the top rope. Rey set up for the 619 but Sami dodged it before hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
Sami was about to finish the match when Dominik got on the apron and Rey hit a senton off the distraction before he tried to tell Dom to walk away. Sami took advantage of the distraction and rolled up Rey for the win!
Result: Sami Zayn def. Rey Mysterio
Grade: B
We got a video package for Hit Row, SmackDown's latest callup from NXT, before the show continued with a recap of the WWE Draft.
Seth Rollins was backstage and bragged about beating Edge before saying that Edge ignored his challenge, leaving him no choice but to retaliate.
Zelina Vega vs. Toni Storm - Queen's Crown Tournament Round 1 on SmackDown
SmackDown continued with the match between Vega and Storm in round 1 of the Queen's Crown tournament. Vega started off strong and hit a snapmare and a hip attack before Storm retaliated with an Atomic Drop.
Storm went up to the top rope and Zelina stopped her before hitting a big slam out of the corner. Toni went for her finisher but Zelina countered into the Code Red and picked up the big win!
Result: Zelina Vega def. Toni Storm
Grade: B
Roman Reigns was out next with Heyman and The Usos on SmackDown. Roman told Heyman to come clean about helping Brock Lesnar become a free agent. Heyman said that he was faithful to Roman and The Bloodline and that it would be stupid on his part to betray them.
Heyman said that Brock was trying to trick him before Reigns told Heyman to look into the camera and talk to Lesnar directly. If something were to happen to Paul, Roman said that he would protect him.
Heyman gave his little speech before going down on his knees and handing Roman the Universal Title as the segment came to a close.
Liv Morgan vs. Carmella - Queen's Crown Tournament Round 1 on SmackDown
Carmella had her mask on before the match started on SmackDown. Liv took her down right away and Mella locked in a submission early on in the mat. Liv hit a modified Codebreaker for a near fall but Carmella got her foot on the ropes to break the pin.
On the apron, Carmella hung Liv up on the top rope before hitting a superkick and picking up the win!
Result: Carmella def. Liv Morgan
Grade: C+
Backstage, Mace told Kayla Braxton that he thought of the other Superstars in the lockers as his prey.
Happy Corbin came back with his talk show and Madcap Moss was with him. Moss made a joke about toothpaste before Kevin Owens rushed the ring and attacked the duo.
Moss and Corbin overpowered Owens quickly and sent him into the corner. Moss hit an inverted neckbreaker to take him down before we moved on.
Naomi was backstage and Sonya Deville accepted her challenge from last week for a match.
Cesaro vs. Finn Balor - King of the Ring Tournament Round 1 on SmackDown
Back on SmackDown after a break, Round 1 of the King of the Ring tournament continued. Balor took a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall before being tossed into the corner by Cesaro.
Balor managed to send Cesaro outside and went for a dive but the Swiss Superman caught him with an uppercut in the ring. Back from a break, Finn was stomping away at Cesaro in the ring before he took a few more uppercuts but hit a slingblade.
Finn took his opponent down and went up top but Cesaro hit him with an uppercut again. The Swiss Cyborg got a superplex for a near fall before locking in the crossface. Balor broke out and countered the swing before Cesaro was dropped on the apron.
Balor hit a dive on Cesaro on the outside before sending him back in for the Coupe de Grace and getting the win!
Result: Finn Balor def. Cesaro
Grade: B+
Becky Lynch was backstage on SmackDown and yelled at Adam and Sonya about the triple threat title match before finally signing the contract.
Edge confirms stipulation for Grudge Match with Rollins on SmackDown
Seth Rollins was out next and called out Edge to answer his challenge. Rollins said the WWE Hall Of Famer could pick the time, place, and the stipulation if he wanted; even if it was in Edge and Beth's living room.
Rollins said that Edge was disappointing all of his fans and his family and called him a coward. Edge pulled up to the arena and made his way to the ring.
Rollins ran out and got a steel chair but took a spear right away. Rollins was sent into the steel steps and the ring posts before Edge got the metal rod from the chair but Rollins escaped before Edge could lock in the hold with it.
Edge got on the mic and said the words: "You, me... Hell in a Cell", revealing the stipulation for the match very likely to take place at Crown Jewel.
Episode rating: B-
We got a rather slow episode of SmackDown with Roman Reigns sending a message to Brock Lesnar, Sonya Deville teasing her in-ring return and the start of the King of the Ring and Queen's Crown tournaments. Seth Rollins got the closing segment on SmackDown and threatened Edge once again, setting up their tiebreaker match.
