Smackdown 1/1/2021: Big E defends IC Title against Corbin; Owens vs. Uso main events!
Here's what's on tap for tonight:
Bianca Belair & Sasha Banks (WWE Smackdown Women's Champion) vs. Bayley & Carmella
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: King Corbin vs. Big E (champ)
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns makes special request of WWE management in wake of his Universal Title win over Kevin Owens
In memory of Jon Huber "Luke Harper" 1979-2020.
We're in the ThunderDome at Tropicana Field for the first Smackdown of 2021!! We see highlights of last week's cage match between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens. We're starting this tonight with......
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, and Paul Heyman make their way to the ring. Reigns has a mic and says as the face of WWE, "Happy New Year!". He says 2020 has been a rough year but when you're the head of the table and the Tribal Chief, you make it work. He wears the gold glove because everything he touches turns to greatness. He has surrounded himself with greatness. Reigns hypes Heyman and says he's one of the best he's ever done business with. Jey Uso is prime example of what Reigns can do. Uso listened to Reigns and had the best year of his career. Reigns understand "since day one" when everyone else "which twin are you?". Reigns new he had main event potential. Reigns loves Uso! HERE COMES KEVIN OWENS TO INTERRUPT!! Reigns demand his music be turned off! Reigns says no one cares about Owens. Reigns calls him a roach that won't die. Reigns says he gave Owens a pay day so he hopes his family had a great Christmas. Reigns says it's not about them and it's about his family tonight. Reigns says it's Jey Uso's night now. Owens says him standing out here should embarrass him because they failed. Owens says Reigns and company have tried to end his career but failed. Owens says the big dog is long gone and got replaced by a giant bitch! Owens doesn't want anything to do with Reigns tonight but he wants a piece of Jey tonight!! Owens says he will pay because he will demand a match with Uso tonight! Owens says when he's done with Uso, they will have nothing to celebrate!
Commentary wishes us a Happy New Year and talk about what just happen. We transition and see highlights of Big E defeating Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship on Christmas.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Big E (champ) vs. King Corbin w/ Knights of the Lone Wolf
Sami Zayn joins commentary. They lock up and Corbin gets the upper hand with a head lock. Big E sends Corbin off the ropes and they collide with neither man budging. Again and this time Big E drops Corbin with an elbow. Big E gator rolls Corbin on the mat. Corbin comes back with a boot and a clothesline. Corbin works over Big E on the mat by delivering a series of elbows to the shoulder region. Big E fights to his feet but Corbin catches him in the throat with a right before throwing Big E shoulder first into the ring post. Another back elbow by Corbin for a near fall. A right hand by Corbin but then Big E sends Corbin to the apron. Big E tries his spear through the ropes but Corbin was ready for it. Corbin runs under the ring post and comes back in ONLY FOR BIG E TO CATCH HIM AND HIT THE BIG ENDING!!! 1...2...SAMI ZAYN COMES IN TO ATTACK FOR THE DQ!! Too short to mean much of anything.
W: Big E via DQ @ 2:50
Post match, the Knights of the Lone Wolf and Zayn attack!! APOLLO CREWS COMES DOWN TO MAKE THE SAVE!!
Big E (WWE Intercontinental Champion) & Apollo Crews vs. King Corbin & Sami Zayn w/ Knights of the Lone Wolf
Back from a commercial and we have this tag match! Apollo and Sami go at it. Apollo gets the upper hand which makes Sami tag Corbin. Corbin throws Apollo the the apron. Apollo fights back but gets decked by Corbin. Sami tags himself back in. Punches and elbows by Sami and Corbin tags back in. He sends Apollo to a corner and hits a big clothesline before sending Apollo to the outside. Corbin draws Big E in distracting the ref allowing the Knights of the Lone Wolf to attack Apollo outside. Sami tags back in. Sami fights Apollo on the outside and Sami argues with the Knight of the Lone Wolf. Back in the ring, Apollo catches Sami with a big powerslam! Big E and Corbin both tag in. Belly to belly to Corbin! Again! Another big belly to belly to Corbin! SPLASH!! Corbin avoids the Big Ending and HITS DEEP SIX!! 1...2...NO!! Sami continues to argue with the knights outside! Apollo is in and he takes over on Corbin. Sami blind tags in. Apollo avoids a Helluva Kick where Sami almost hit Corbin! SAMI AND CORBIN ARGUE!! CORBIN AND THE KNIGHTS DECIDE TO LEAVE!! Apollo with an enziguri on Sami!! TOSS POWER BOMB BY APOLLO ON SAMI AND IT'S OVER!! Good win by the faces as Sami's mouth continues to get him in trouble.
W: Big E & Apollo Crews via pin @ 5:20
Adam Pearce is on the phone backstage when Kevin Owens approaches him. Owens wants a match with Uso. He plans to fight him regardless whether or not there is a match. Pearce asks what he wants because he has Reigns giving him orders. Pearce says he can't do it and Owens knows why. Pearce said he can have anyone else in a match. Owens asks for Reigns. Pearce can't do that. Owens says give the people what they want. Pearce gives in and gives Owens the match against Uso.
Big E and Apollo Crews walk and talk backstage when Kayla Braxton shows up to talk. Braxton asks what he can expect from the Intercontinental champ in 2021. Big E appreciates the love and affection. Big E will be issuing an open challenge next week!! Apollo says he already accepts!! Crews says he helped Big E and now he will take his title! Both men laugh.
The Riott Squad vs. Tamina & Natalya w/ Billie Kay
The match starts with Liv and Natalya. Natalya takes down Liv with a shoulder block. Each lady blocks a hip toss. Liv rolls through a slam and gets a near fall. Natalya and Tamina argue with Billie. Double drop kick by the Riott Squad on Natalya and Tamina tags in. Tamina hits Ruby with a big uppercut. Ruby fights her way out of the corner. She knocks Natalya off the apron and avoids Tamina to tag Liv. Strikes by Liv. Ruby back in and they double Russian leg sweep Tamina. Billie Kay goes over to the Riott corner now. Liv in back in and Tamina takes out Liv with a kick. Tamina takes out Ruby with a kick. LIV ROLLS UP TAMINA FOR THE WIN!! Billie Kay celebrates the win but the Riott Squad doesn't want anything to do with her.
W: The Riott Squad via pin @ 2:23
Highlights of the women's triple threat tag match from last week. Banks/Belair vs. Bayley/Carmella is next!
Sasha Banks (WWE Smackdown Women's Champion) & Bianca Belair vs. Carmella & Bayley w/ Reginald
We start with Carmella and Belair. Belair quickly takes down Carmella but Carmella avoids a slam and tags Bayley. Bayley charges and Belair sends her to the outside. Carmella is knocked off the apron with a kick from Belair. On the outside, Banks and Belair hit some tandem team work. Back in the ring, Carmella hits a super kick to Belair's arm as we go to a commercial.
Back from the break, Bayley is in control of Belair. Bayley runs into a boot in the corner. Belair rolls through but eats a clothesline from Bayley. Bayley taunts Banks as Banks takes a swing and misses. Bayley ties up Belair by the arm in the middle rope. Carmella is back in and gets a near fall. She continues the arm work on Belair in the corner. Tag to Bayley who rolls up Belair for a near fall. Bayley prevents Belair from making a tag. Belair counters a suplex with one of her own. Carmella tags herself and stops Belair from a tag before hitting Banks off the apron. Belair gets a a cradle for a near fall but Carmella then super kicks her in the midsection. Carmella talks trash. Belair tries a one armed slam but can't. BANKS TAGS IN! She talks trash with Carmella. To the apron they go and Banks catches Carmella in the face with a knee. DOUBLE KNEES BY BANKS IN THE CORNER!! A drop kick by Banks to Carmella's face. Running knee by Banks!! 1...2...Bayley breaks it up. Bayley grabs Belair by the hair but Belair sends her into the steps. Carmella rolls up Banks for a near fall. Super kick by Carmella to Banks!! Carmella misses a broncobuster!! BANKS GETS CARMELLA IN THE BANK STATEMENT!! REGINALD REACHES IN TO BREAK IT UP!! REGINALS GETS IN THE RING! Reginald distracts Banks. It's unsuccessful but then he distracts Banks again!! CARMELLA HITS BANKS WITH THE MELLA BUSTER FOR THE WIN!! Good back and forth here with Carmella getting a much needed win. Banks looks alright with the loss.
W: Carmella & Bayley via pin @ 10:01
Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso is made official. Roman Reigns is with Uso and Heyman backstage and he can't believe the match was made. Reigns say after all he has done for WWE, he's not appreciated. He tells Heyman to find out who doesn't appreciate them.
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions the Street Profits make their way to the ring as we go to a break.
SONYA DEVILLE IS WALKING BACKSTAGE!! Graves says she's been reinstated.
Back to the Profits in the ring. Oh baby they're ready!! This is the Street Profits New Year's SMOKE-TACTULAR!! Dawkins tells 2020 to get the hell out of here. Ford says easy now because they had a great 2020. They defeated the GOAT of tag teams at Survivor Series when they beat the New Day. They won two slammys! They have a big reveal! IT'S A DRUM SET!! Dawkins starts playing. Ford says now it's time for the Street Profits 2021 prediction! They say the IC shirt they made Sami Zayn will be a best seller in 2021. They talk about Dolph Ziggler and how he tries to be like Shawn Michaels. They show comparisons on the tron. They call Ziggler the "Heartache Kid". DOLPH ZIGGLER AND ROBERT ROODE ATTACK THEM FROM BEHIND!! Roode hits Dawkins in the back with a chair before throwing him over the barricade. Ziggler and Roode wrap Ford's leg around the ring post. ROODE HOLDS FORD'S LEG SO ZIGGLER CAN HIT IT WITH A CHAIR!! MORE CHAIR SHOTS TO THE LEG! Dawkins crawls to check on Ford as Ziggler and Roode back off.
Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode are walking backstage when Kayla Braxton asks them about the attack. Ziggler says the Profits have been provoking them for months. Ziggler does says HBK isn't on his level. They are tired of the fun and games. Roode says they want the tag titles. Ziggler says they are what champions look like. Ziggler says they demand a rematch for the tag titles. They won't stop until they get them.
Daniel Bryan & Otis w/ Chad Gable vs. Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura
This came about because Gable and Otis were helping Bryan train for the Royal Rumble when Cesaro and Nakamura interrupted. We start with Bryan and Cesaro. Cesaro takes Bryan down right away. Back to their feet and shoulder block by Cesaro. Bryan monkey flips Cesaro but Cesaro backs him into the heel corner. Nakamura tags in and grounds Bryan. Bryan escapes and takes down Nakamura. They battle to the ropes but Nakamura catches him with an elbow and tags Cesaro back in. Bryan dives to the outside by Cesaro catches him and SHOOTS BRYAN INTO THE AIR BEFORE HITTING HIM WITH AN UPPERCUT!! We go to a commercial.
We're back with Nakamura delivering kicks to Bryan. Nakamura throws Bryan out of the ring and Cesaro bounces Bryan on the announce table before throwing him back in. Cesaro is legal now and gets a near fall. Bryan comes off the ropes but Cesaro catches him with a side slam. Bryan is thrown out of the ring again and Cesaro tags Nakamura. Nakamura with a kick to the head of Bryan and he gets a near fall back in the ring. Nakamura puts Bryan on the top turnbuckle and hits an enziguri! Bryan turns the tide and throws Nakamura to the outside! Cesaro helps Nakamura back in. Cesaro and Otis both tag in! Otis goes wild! Belly to belly over head suplex by Otis to Cesaro followed by a clothesline! Splash in the corner! OTIS HITS A CATERPILLAR ON CESARO!! Nakamura breaks up the pin!! Otis misses a Vader Bomb and Nakamura tags back in! Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa but Otis slams him. Bryan tags in and comes off the top with a sunset flip for a near fall. Bryan comes off the ropes but eats a boot! Bryan avoids a slam but Nakamura rolls through to put an arm bar on Bryan. Otis breaks it up but eats an uppercut from Cesaro. Running knee by Bryan sends Cesaro to the outside. Nakamura rolls up Bryan but BRYAN COUNTERS INTO THE YES LOCK!! NAKAMURA TAPS OUT!! Pretty solid with the right team winning. Cesaro and Nakamura feel like they're on quite a losing streak.
W: Daniel Bryan & Otis via submission @ 10:02
Roman Reigns is in the back with Jey Uso and Heyman. Reigns says they are trying to take everything from us. Reigns tells Uso to go out and show them why he's main event Uso.
Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso
Owens takes Uso don't immediately and delivers a series of punches. They roll around the mat pounding each other. Owens begins stomping Uso. Owens throws Uso in the corner and stomps him Stone Cold style. Owens takes Uso to the outside to continue the beat down. Senton by Owens! Another senton back in the ring by Owens for a near fall. More stomps to the leg of Uso this time. Owens targets the left leg of Uso. Owens slams Uso's leg on the apron multiple times. Owens says "Uso is going to pay and the worst part is that it isn't Uso's damn fault". Owens talks more trash and Uso fires back with right hands. Owens goes for a stunner but Uso blocks and hits a super kick! Owens rolls out of the ring. Uso follows and leaps off the steps BUT OWENS SUPER KICKS HIM!! OWENS THROWS USO ACROSS THE ANNOUNCE TABLE AS WE GO TO A COMMERCIAL!!
We're back with both men on the top turnbuckle. Uso knocks Owens to the mat. Owens avoids a splash and HITS A STUNNER!! BALL GAME!! Sudden finish after a commercial.
W: Kevin Owens via pin @ 7:17
Post match, OWENS STUNS USO AGAIN!!! Owens calls for Reigns to bring his ass out here. OWENS HAND CUFFS USO TO THE TOP ROPE!! SUPER KICK BY OWENS!! Owens continues to stomp Uso! Owens calls for Reigns to come out but no Reigns yet as Owens continues to kick Uso's ass!! Owens pulls a key out and unlocks the hand cuffs. Owens says he'll come to Reigns. Owens beats the hell out of Uso near the stage. ANOTHER SUPER KICK AND USO LANDS ON A TABLE!! OWENS GOES TO SPLASH USO THROUGH A TABLE BUT REIGNS IS HERE TO ATTACK!! Both men are brawling and USO IS BACK TO HELP!! They brawl through the rows of fans (trons). BOTH REIGNS AND USO GET CHARIS AND BEAT DOWN OWENS!! Reigns talks trash to Owens as the beat down with chairs continues. Owens tries to fight back but REIGNS BOUNCES HIS HEAD OFF THE LED SCREENS MULTIPLE TIMES!! REIGNS THROWS OWENS OFF THE LEDGE AND HE CRASHES THROUGH THE TABLE!!! End show.
Next Week:
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Apollo Crews vs. Big E (champ)
Thanks for taking the time to read this!! If you enjoy what you've read, don't hesitate to follow our Facebook page and get updates when new content is posted! Also, any comments or feedback is greatly appreciated!