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Roman Reigns kicked off the SmackDown from Madison Square Garden with The Usos and Paul Heyman making their way to the ring with him. Reigns said that he owned WWE, and the company owned New York. Hence, he owned the city and MSG.
Brock Lesnar came out to join Reigns and his crew in the ring before Heyman asked him why he wished to challenge for the Universal Title and not any other title. Brock asked why Paul didn't let Reigns know he would be there at SummerSlam.
Paul was dumbfounded by Lesnar questioning his loyalty to Reigns, and the champ and the Usos proceeded to leave.
Once Roman, Jimmy and Jey had abandoned Heyman, Brock asked him to announce for him like old times before threatening Heyman to make Reigns accept his challenge.
Brock went for the F5 on Heyman, but Roman came in with a Superman Punch. Brock lifted Reigns next, but The Usos came out to save him and hit superkicks on the Beast Incarnate. Brock took The Usos out with German Suplexes as Roman ran away on SmackDown.
Backstage on SmackDown, Reigns and the Usos were not happy, and Heyman said that The Tribal Chief would answer Brock's challenge when he was ready to.
Apollo Crews, Dirty Dawgz, Otis & Sami Zayn vs. Big E, Rick Boogs, Shinsuke Nakamura, & Dominik & Rey Mysterio on SmackDown
Sami Zayn was in the ring and called out NBA Star Trae Young, who didn't get the best reception in New York before heading for the tag team match.
Ziggler and Nakamura kicked off the match on SmackDown before tags were made, and Rey came in to hit a Sunset Flip on Sami. We got a big sequence of moves as the teams rushed the ring one by one before Mysterio was about to hit the 619 on Roode.
Apollo Crews, Dirty Dawgz, Otis & Sami Zayn vs. Big E, Rick Boogs, Shinsuke Nakamura, & Dominik & Rey Mysterio on SmackDown (contd...)
Trae Young attacked Rey Mysterio from ringside before the referee ejected him from ringside on SmackDown. Big E hit the Big Ending on Sami Zayn off the distraction and picked up the win on SmackDown.
Result: Big E, Rick Boogs, Shinsuke Nakamura, & Dominik & Rey Mysterio def. Apollo Crews, Dirty Dawgz, Otis & Sami Zayn
Grade: B-
Big E let us know that he still had the Money in the Bank contract, and he can cash it in tonight at SmackDown or on Monday's RAW.
SmackDown Women's Championship contract signing
Bianca Belair was out next and said that Becky took the easy win at SummerSlam because she knew she couldn't beat her in a proper match. Bianca signed the match contract, and Becky made her entrance.
Becky called Bianca a fan before, saying that she didn't want to sign the contract. Bianca got fans to chant for Becky to sign it, and Lynch was unhappy. The Man ended up signing the contract before tossing it at Belair and walking out.
Heyman told us backstage on SmackDown that Roman Reigns will answer Lesnar's challenge tonight before Big E sneaked upon him.
Edge vs. Seth Rollins on SmackDown
Edge and Rollins started slow on SmackDown, and the WWE Hall Of Famer grounded his opponent before throwing strikes at each other. Rollins was sent into the corner and the ring post before Edge dropped him on the apron.
Rollins got a knee strike before sending Edge outside for a big dive through the ropes. Back after a break, The Rated-R Superstar dominated and got a near fall from a top rope move after knocking Seth around on the barricades.
Edge took the Glam Slam twice before The Messiah got another near fall. Edge managed to hit a pedigree before wiping out Rollins with a dive to the outside. After a break, the WWE Hall Of Famer blocked a superplex before going for an anklelock.
Edge got a crushing DDT before Rollins hit the neck breaker. Edge nearly got the pin off a powerbomb before Seth returned the favor with a buckle bomb. The former WWE Champion came back with a spear before Rollins hit a low blow and got a few superkicks in.
Edge took a third kick to the face before Rollins hit the stomp and got the pin.
Result: Seth Rollins def. Edge
Edge was down after her match, and the official had to call in the doctors to get him on a stretcher and out of the ring on SmackDown.
Grade: A
Backstage on SmackDown, Rollins was unsure how to feel about the match as Edge was carried away from the arena in an ambulance.
The Usos (c) vs. The Street Profits - SmackDown Tag Team Title Match
Ford and Jimmy kicked off the match, and the former went for a quick pin attempt. Jimmy sent Montez outside for a big dive. After the break, Dawkins was in and was being isolated by The Usos in the ring.
Ford was tagged in and hit a huge dive on The Usos outside before Roman walked out at ringside. Dawkins hit a huge neck breaker before Ford came in and lost his shoe off a superkick.
Ford was taken outside before The Usos hit superkicks on Dawkins and got the splash in the ring for a near fall.
Angelo was in the ring, and Ford hit a splash after sneaking in a tag before almost getting the win. But Reigns came in and locked the Guillotine on Ford, taking him out.
Result: The Street Profits def. The Usos via DQ, but The Usos retain the tag titles.
Grade: B+
Reigns got in the ring after the match and called out Brock Lesnar, but Finn Balor walked out in his Demon persona. This was his first-ever appearance as the Demon on SmackDown.
Balor stared down Reigns and The Usos in the ring as the show went off the air.
Episode grade: A
We got an action-packed SmackDown from MSG with the return of Demon Balor and a major feud developing between Lesnar and Reigns. Edge took a brutal loss to Rollins while the Street Profits failed to secure tag team gold on SmackDown tonight.
