WWE Supersized SmackDown Flops and Hits: Brock Lesnar’s mind games against Roman Reigns, epic Street Fight for titles (October 15th, 2021)

WWE SmackDown had a solid show planned for this week. The episode featured huge returns, top matches, and surprise twists in its biggest feuds. Other highlights included Zelina Vega defeating Carmella to enter the final of the Queen’s Crown tournament and Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance (thankfully) shutting down Happy Corbin and his protégé, Madcap Moss.

Here, we look at some of the biggest hits and flops from SmackDown this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

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#6 Hit on Supersized SmackDown: Brock Lesnar stuns Roman Reigns with a unique line

The last few episodes of SmackDown have seen Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns engage in multiple brawls. But their final meeting for the purpose of signing a contract ahead of their Universal Championship match was an affair as simple as one can imagine. Reigns, accompanied by Paul Heyman, walked to the ring in his usual arrogance.

Lesnar followed him to the squared circle and quickly got comfortable with both his feet on the top of the table while the champion looked angry. Heyman advised Reigns to sign the contract after asserting that it has everything he wants.

The Tribal Chief put his name on the dotted line before asking Lesnar to do the same. The Beast Incarnate promptly signed his name all over the first page before bursting into laughter.

Roman Reigns questioned his challenger’s intelligence and mocked him for signing the contract without reading it first. A confident Brock Lesnar only had one line to say but it was more effective than anything we could have imagined.

“Roman, I already read the damn contract this morning… with my advocate Paul Heyman,” revealed the former world champion.

Those words were enough to send the crowd into a frenzy as a confused Reigns slowly looked at an equally doubtful Heyman. The creative team has played with the idea of Paul Heyman’s actual allegiance in this storyline, but Lesnar might just be preying on Reigns’ doubts with such mind games.

It was undoubtedly strange to see such a peaceful contract signing but it was impactful and ended the show on a promising note.

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#5 Hit on Supersized SmackDown: The Usos face The Street Profits in an entertaining title match

The Usos put their SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line against The Street Profits in a Street Fight. Although the entire action was restricted to the ring and the surrounding area, both teams made full use of the stipulation that allowed them to go beyond the conventional rules of a tag team match. All four superstars were competing at the same time and the chemistry was unbelievable.

The match eventually ended with The Usos retaining their titles. However, they ensured that Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins looked equally strong, which is precisely what you would expect from industry veterans. After Crown Jewel, The Usos might find their next challengers in The New Day and we already know it will be nothing short of a classic.

#4 Hit on Supersized SmackDown: Finn Balor advances to the King of the Ring tournament final

The opening match of SmackDown this week saw Finn Balor and Sami Zayn face each other in an excellent semi-final bout. Both superstars played to their respective strengths, complimenting each other quite well inside the squared circle. Their well-balanced match allowed both Zayn and Balor to pose an equally convincing threat until the very end.

The former was the first person The Prince faced after returning to the main roster and thus, the story-telling in the match did well in catering to their recent history on SmackDown.

At one point, Zayn tried to hit Balor with a Helluva Kick but the latter escaped. He even came close to pinning Finn Balor while supporting his legs against the ropes but the official called off the pinfall as soon as he spotted the illegal move.

The closing moments of the match saw Balor hit his opponent with a picturesque Coup de Grace and sealed his spot in the King of the Ring tournament final. It was a brilliant performance and helped restore a lot of his credibility after his recent feud with Roman Reigns. Zayn deserves equal credit for putting up a strong performance that added to the intensity of the competition.

The next episode of RAW will feature the second semi-final of the tournament between Xavier Woods and Jinder Mahal. Can we possibly see the final between Woods and Balor at Crown Jewel next week? That would certainly keep the crowd divided.

Based on Finn Balor’s performance on tonight’s SmackDown as well as Xavier Woods’ long-term dream to wear the crown, one can’t deny the potential hype surrounding the prestigious tournament.

#3 Hit on Supersized SmackDown: Sasha Banks steals the show

One of the most intense encounters on SmackDown this week saw Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch face each other in an exciting singles match. Bianca Belair was also present with the commentary team and helped draw more attention towards the feud between all three superstars.

Lynch and Banks pushed each other throughout their bout, leading to a great match between two Horsewomen of the company.

The two took turns to dominate the match, often resorting to brutal heelish maneuvers to help turn the fight in their favor. They both took a lot of punishment and elevated each other’s performance. Lynch came close to beating Banks on a couple of occasions but a timely interference from Belair helped The Boss in picking up the victory.

This allowed Sasha Banks to look strong without compromising Becky Lynch’s credibility. It was a good decision considering both Lynch and Belair will move to RAW and thus, Banks will be the best person to walk out of Crown Jewel with the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

It is unlikely that WWE will move back any of the other two superstars to the Blue brand, especially considering that both their partners are also on RAW.

#2 Hit on Supersized SmackDown: Edge and Seth Rollins cut scathing promos

Seth Rollins and Edge have been nothing short of brilliant during their ongoing feud on SmackDown. This storyline is as personal as it could get, allowing both superstars to deliver unforgettable matches and promos over the last couple of months. Things were the same on the show this week when both Edge and Rollins took turns cutting impressionable promos.

Edge finally addressed Rollins’ concern about being called “Edge-Lite” and said that the label was indeed wrong. However, he insisted The Architect should still pay for what he has done, especially for intending to harm The Rated-R Superstar’s family.

Later in the night, Seth Rollins addressed each of Edge’s comments and said that he was better prepared for the Hell in a Cell match scheduled for Crown Jewel.

He referred to his HIAC bout against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt that ultimately led to his heel turn and his current persona. This entire narrative has been exceptional in terms of story-telling and this week’s promos were no different. The only complaint could be why these two didn’t speak face to face on SmackDown.

However, fans are still excited to see what would transpire inside the “hellacious” structure at the upcoming pay-per-view.

#1 Flop/Hit on Supersized SmackDown: Naomi takes an underwhelming loss, potential reason to join The Bloodline?

Last week, SmackDown confirmed Sonya Deville’s in-ring return for a match against Naomi. There is no apparent reason behind the tension between the two of them but it was still good to see them back in action. Or at least, that’s what the company advertised. The match came with a twist on the show as Deville introduced Shayna Baszler and turned it into a two-on-one handicap match.

Naomi still went into battle but the odds were stacked against her. She could barely land an offense and even Deville took a step back, allowing Baszler to inflict most of the punishment. In the end, Naomi couldn’t withstand her blows and Deville put her feet on top of the opponent to win her first match in over a year.

While it was difficult to see a two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion take an embarrassing loss, it was not necessarily a bad thing. It will help draw more heat towards this feud that will ultimately work well in giving Naomi the attention she needs. It will also give her the opportunity to get the crowd’s support as the crowd progresses.

Moreover, this might finally prompt her to join Roman Reigns and The Usos on the Blue brand. The Bloodline have dominated the Friday night show and this would help them conquer the women’s division as well. That said, this angle will have its challenges as Naomi will have to match both Reigns and The Usos’ in-ringwork and persona.