Smackdown 5/21/2021: Apollo Defends IC Title in Fatal 4 Way; Aleister Black Returns!
Here's what's on tap for tonight’s Smackdown:
Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship: Big E vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens vs. Apollo Crews (champ)
We're in the ThunderDome and kicking off tonight's show with Sonya Deville in the ring and all of the champions of Smackdown with the exception of WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns on the stage. Deville tells us that WWE will be leaving the ThunderDome!! They're going back on the road!! Deville introduces each champion: The Mysterios are WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions, Natalya and Tamina are WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, Apollo Crews is the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Crews interrupts her and asks why she's dishonoring him? Crews says the odds are stacked against him tonight where he doesn't have to be pinned or submitted to lose his title. Crews says he will unleashed destruction and still retain. Crews says when the dust settles, he'll still be champion. Deville pretty much ignores him and then introduces WWE Smackdown Women's Champion Bianca Belair. Deville then introduces the Tribal Chief and Head of the Table, ROMAN REIGNS!! They play Reigns' old music. Paul Heyman comes out instead. Heyman says how nice to have a parade of champions. Except it's not. It's a parade of title holders because Reigns isn't a title holder......he's a champion. THE champion! Reigns is THE champion of all WWE and all sports entertainment. Heyman says when someone buys a ticket to WWE events, they expect to see Reigns. Heyman says there will be a parade of champions tonight as Reigns leisure. Heyman says thank you very much and leaves. Deville says anyways, and asks for a round of applause for all the champs. BAYLEY INTERRUPTS!! Bayley is mad she hasn't been acknowledge and puts over her reign as women's champion. She carried the ThunderDome era. Bayley runs down all the champions on the stage except Apollo Crews. Bayley then run downs the Belair as Bayley still has her sights set on the title. Belair has heard enough and gets in the ring to confront Bayley. SHAYNA BASZLER AND NIA JAX ARE HERE TO ATTACK BELAIR ALONG WITH BAYLEY! NATALYA AND TAMINA COME DOWN TO HELP!! The heels stand tall as we go to a commercial.
Six Woman Tag Team Match
Bianca Belair (WWE Smackdown Women's Champion), Natalya, & Tamina (WWE Women's Tag Team Champions) vs. Bayley, Nia Jax, & Shayna Baszler
The match is already in progress after the break and Nia is taking it to Tamina. Nia with a near fall. Nia chokes Tamina across the middle rope. Shayna gets a cheap shot in. Nia backs Tamina into the corner and tags Shayna. Shayna continues to the attack and gets a near fall. Bayley tags in. Tamina tries to fight back with no luck. Bayley tries a suplex but Tamina blocks and hits a suplex of her own. Natalya gets a tag and snap suplexes Bayley! Another one! Bayley stops Natalya’s momentum and tags Shayna. Shayna works on Natalya's arm. Nia tags in and scoop slams Natalya for a near fall. Nia with a chin lock. Natalya creates separation with a jaw breaker. Tag to Belair. Drop kick by Belair to Shayna followed by a kip up. Shayna avoids a slam and tries the Kirifuda. Belair escapes and avoids Shayna. Spine buster by Belair!! Bayley pulls Shayna out of the ring. BELAIR TAKES OUT BAYLEY, NIA, AND SHAYNA WITH A CROSS BODY OUTSIDE!! Belair holds her knee as we go to a break.
We're back with Bayley working on the knee of Belair. Belair is able to send Bayley outside but Belair can't make the tag. Belair knocks Natalya off the apron. Belair is able to tag Tamina. Tamina unloads right hands on Bayley. Tamina knocks Nia and Shayna off the apron. Tamina with a power slam to Bayley and tag to Natalya who hits a basement drop kick. Natalya with a German to Bayley. Tamina tags in and hits Bayley with a super kick! 1...2....NO!! Natalya tags back in and misses a discus clothesline. Bayley tags Shayna. Natalya tries the Sharpshooter on Bayley but Shayna comes in to interrupt. Knee strike by Shayna but Tamina breaks up the pin with a head butt. Natalya tries a Sharpshooter on Shayna. Bayley comes in to stop that. Bayley looks for a Bayley to Belly on Natalya but Natalya blocks and hits a discus clothesline. Nia comes in and flattens Natalya. Tamina comes in and super kicks Nia. Everything is breaking down. BAYLEY PULLS BELAIR TO THE OUTSIDE AND HITS A BAYLEY TO BELLY!! NATALYS KNOCKS BAYLEY OFF THE APRON BUT SHAYNA GET NATALYA IN THE KIRIFUDA CLUTCH!! NATALYA TAPS OUT!!! Nothing bad here but nothing great either.
W: Bayley, Nia Jax, & Shayna Baszler via submission @ 10:18
Kayla Braxton is backstage with Big E. Big E is in a good mood. She asks him about the fatal four way tonight. Big E is says he's in the ring with dogs tonight. He's talking about future hall of famers and former world champions. This is his chance to prove he's amongst the very best. Big E says when he walks out of this arena, he will leave no doubt that he's the rightful WWE Intercontinental Champion. We go to a break.
Commentary hypes the return of the live crowd.
Aleister Black joins us for another tale. This is chapter 4: Beautiful Pain. He says pain is honest and and truth. Where would we be without this truth? Let's hear it for bleak desolate misery we use to hide our sins. There's an art to this. We live in a cesspool of sins and denial because that's all we are. It's our identity. To be loathsome and blind, we are sick and dying animals. It's time to separate the weak from the strong. It's time to cull the herd!
King Corbin makes his way to the ring. Cole makes bald jokes about Corbin since he doesn't have his crown. We see highlights of last week. Nakamura has rode around town with the crown. Corbin gets a mic and says he was going to come out and not say anything. But then he saw those highlights and that's the most disrespectful thing he's ever seen. Corbin says Nakamura may be the King of Strong Styles but he's not a real king. Corbin says none of us know what it's like to be king. A real king wears expensive watches, drives a Ferrari, and has lean dogs of war not fat cats. He's going to punish Nakamura tonight and take back his crown. He'll have it clean and polished before putting it back where it belongs.
King Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Rick Boogs plays Nakamura to the ring! The match is already started after a break. Nakamura beats down Corbin in the corner. Corbin reverses and Irish whip and sends Nakamura to the corner and then hits a clothesline. Nakamura hits some strikes but Corbin stops the momentum with a power bomb!!! Near fall for Corbin. Corbin with body shots to Nakamura in the corner. Corbin talks trash to Boogs outside the ring as he continues the beat down on Nakamura. Chin lock by Corbin now. Nakamura gets to his feet and gets free but runs into an elbow. Nakamura kicks out at one. Nakamura avoids a slam and hits a backstabber!! Sliding knee by Nakamura!! Nakamura with a take down for a near fall. Nakamura sets up for the Kinshasa but Corbin avoids it and hits a German! That wasn't pretty but it got a near fall. Nakamura counters a choke slam with a knee. Nakamura runs into DEEP SIX BY CORBIN!! Boogs plays Nakamura's theme to distract Corbin. NAKAMURA COUNTERS END OF DAYS AND CRADLES CORBIN FOR THE WIN!! Nakamura and Boogs celebrate while a pissed off Corbin watches.
W: Shinsuke Nakamura via pin @ 5:23
Jimmy Uso goes to talk to Sonya Deville backstage. He wants a tag match against the Street Profits next week alongside his brother Jey. Deville makes the match for next week but questions whether or not Jey is good with it.
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns makes his way to the ring along side Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. They take forever to get to the ring and we go to a commercial. We'll hear from him next!
We're back but Kevin Owens is backstage for a promo. He reminds us that he's a Prize Fighter. Owens doesn't care what it takes tonight but he plans on becoming Intercontinental Champion for the third time.
Highlights of the Reigns/Cesaro match at WrestleMania Backlash are shown.
Reigns, Heyman, and Uso are in the ring. "Roman sucks" chants from the crowd. Reigns says he's a humble man. Reigns says he takes every opportunity he can to teach his sons about humility. Reigns doesn't like to brag on live television so he's taking this opportunity to allow his special counsel to celebrate him. Heyman takes the mic and says this is a unique surprise. He puts over Reigns recent accomplishments. Heyman says Reigns beat Cesaro at his own game with no help from anyone. Heyman calls this a career highlight for himself as he acknowledges and recognizes Reigns as the preeminent champion in all of sports entertainment. Heyman says Reigns wish is his command and asks what else can he do for Reigns? Reigns wants his cousin. Heyman demands the ring announcer bring Jimmy Uso out. CESARO INTERRUPTS! Reigns says he's not his cousin and Cesaro says he knows. Cesaro says he was in the back and couldn't find Seth Rollins but heard the special counsel out here yapping. Reigns asks what he's going to do with one arm? Cesaro says he would fight Reigns with no arms and suggest another match at Hell in a Cell. Reigns laughs it off and SETH ROLLINS ATTACKS CESARO!! Referees come out to break it up and Rollins is sent to the back. Referees check on Cesaro and Rollins comes back to continue the attack!! STOMP ON THE FLOOR BY ROLLINS!! Referees and officials pull Rollins back but ROLLINS GETS FREE AND HITS ANOTHER STOMP!!! They bring the stretcher out as we go to a break.
Megan Morant is in the back asking Rollins what happened out there and he doesn't know. He says he blacked out out there. They wheel Cesaro by him on the stretcher and Rollins gets in his face and screams at him for making him do this.
The Mysterios head to the ring. Dominik will be in action against Robert Roode. We see highlights of the Mysterios winning the tag titles at WrestleMania Backlash. Roode comes out with a mic and tells Dominik to not let the win go to his head. Roode says Rey did all the work and Dominik reaped the benefits. Bring your son to work day is over. Roode will prove Dominik doesn't belong.
Dominik Mysterio w/ Rey Mysterio (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions) vs. Robert Roode w/ Dolph Ziggler
Roode takes Dominik to the corner right away and shoulders to the midsection. Suplex by Roode and then another one! Dominik blocks a third suplex and cradles Roode for a near fall. Roode sends Dominik hard to the corner and puts him on the top turnbuckle. Rights by Roode and Roode goes up with him. Dominik fights back and pushes him off. FLYING CROSS BODY by Dominik for a near fall. Dominik catches Roode with an elbow. Dominik tries a tornado DDT but Roode pushes him away. Roode tries a power bomb but a rana by Dominik. Ziggler grabs the leg of Dominik. Rey takes out Ziggler on the outside. Roode charges in the corner but misses. DOMINIK HITS A 619 IN THE CORNER!! DOMINIK HITS A FROG SPLASH FROM THE TOP TO WIN!! Not much to write about here but it appears their feud is continuing.
W: Dominik Mysterio via pin @ 2:42
Jey Uso is walking backstage when he runs into Jimmy Uso. Jimmy tells him they're facing the Street Profits next week. Jey isn't pleased that he wasn't asked first. Jimmy reminds Jey of everything he's accomplished without Reigns. Jey says he'll be there for it but he owes it to Reigns to at least tell him about it. We go to a commercial.
We come back to Jey telling Reigns about the tag match next week. Jey attempts to sell Reigns on the idea. Reigns asks who's the "we" of this equation. Reigns says the "we" is the Tribal Chief and the Right Hand Man. Reigns tells Jey not to forget that and hugs him.
Promo time for the Street Profits now. They know Smackdown is the blue brand but not that kind of blue. They mock Jimmy and Jey. They mock Jimmy for thinking he can trust Jey. They think it's funny that their names are just now coming out of the Uso's mouth. They definitely want the smoke!
Kayla Braxton is with Sami Zayn in gorilla. He says he will regain the Intercontinental Championship and end the persecution. Sami heads to the ring and the main event is next!
Commentary tells us that Natalya and Tamina will defend the women's tag titles against Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler on Raw. Also, the Uso's vs. the Street Profits is made official for next week.
Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens vs. Big E vs. Apollo Crews (champ) w/ Commander Azeez
Owens immediately goes after Zayn. They go to the outside and Big E squares off with Crews. Crews takes Big E to the corner and right hands by Crews. Owens and Zayn go over to the announce table. Big E catches Crews with an elbow. Owens comes back in to hit Big E with an enziguri. Zayn comes back in to attack Owens. Zayn in control at the moment as he chokes Owens across the middle rope. Big E gets on the apron and throws Zayn out to the floor. Big E pounds on Zayn on the apron. Big E with a shot to Crews as well and he puts him next to Zayn on the apron. BIG E SPLASHES BOTH CREWS AND ZAYN ON THE APRON!! Owens dives over the top rope to take out Big E as we go to a break.
We're back with Big E working on Crews but Big E runs into a drop kick. Big E and Crews go the outside where Crews sends Big E into the steps. Owens is here to send Crews into the steps as well. Crews turns it around and bounces Owens off the steps. Crews with a moonsault off the apron onto Big E. Zayn attacks Crews. Crews turns that around and sends Zayn into the barricade but Zayn hops on it and moonsaults onto Crews. Owens attacks Zayn and puts him back in the ring. OWENS WITH A SWANTON ONTO ZAYN!! 1...2...Big E breaks it up. Big E and Owens trade blows. Owens blocks a belly to belly but Big E with a big clothesline. Crews is back to stun gun Big E over the top rope. Crews with a German to Big E!! Another! A third German from Crews to Big E! 1...2...Owens breaks it up with a senton. Zayn with an exploder to Owens in the corner Zayn sets up for the Helluva Kick but Owens blocks and tries a stunner. No luck there. ZAYN WITH A MICHIKINOKU DRIVER TO OWENS!!! 1...2...NO!! Zayn and Owens go to the top rope. OWENS WITH A FISHERMAN BRAIN BUSTER FROM THE TOP!! 1...2...Crews breaks it up. Big E tries to spear Crews off the apron but Crews with a knee. CREWS HITS OWENS WITH A DEATH VALLEY DRIVER ON THE APRON!! That allows BIG E TO HIT THE SPEAR THROUGH THE ROPES SENDING CREWS TO THE FLOOR AS WE GO TO ANOTHER BREAK!
Back from the break, Crews is beating on Big E, Crews with a snap suplex on Big E for a near fall. Crews with a kick to Zayn and Owens to keep them out of the ring before hitting Big E with stiff right hands. Big E counters and belly to belly throws Crews. One for Zayn too! Another one for Crews. Big E runs into a boot by Zayn. Owens tries the Pop Up Power Bomb but no luck. Zayn wants a half and half but Owens with a pump handle neck breaker. Owens goes to the top but Crews cuts him off. Crews whips Zayn across the ring. Crews wants an exploder on Zayn and Big E GERMANS him while he does the exploder. OWENS WITH A FROG SPLASH TO BIG E!! 1...2...NO!! Owens with a clothesline to Crews and cannon ball to Zayn. One to Big E and Crews too. Zayn attacks Owens and hits the BLUE THUNDER BOMB!! 1...2...NO!! Zayn heads to the top but Crews cuts him off. Zayn comes off the top and rolls through. Big E wants the Big Ending to Zayn but he's super kicked by Owens. OWENS WITH THE POP UP POWER BOMB TO CREWS!!! 1....2.....NO!! Zayn pulls Owens to the outside. Everyone brawls outside. Owens with a kick to Crews. Owens throws Crews win. ZAYN HITS OWENS WITH HALF AND HALF ON THE OUTSIDE!! Back in the ring, Zayn looks for a Helluva Kick on Crews in the corner but Big E catches him with a uranage!! BIG E HIT CREWS WITH THE BIG ENDING!!! 1...2....Commander Azeez pulls Big E out of the ring!! Big E sends Azeez into the ring post. Big E gets back in the ring and THE LIGHTS START GOING CRAZY. THERE'S MIST AND SMOKE AND ALEISTER BLACK IS HERE!! Black and Big E have a stare down. Crews grabs the leg of Big E and BLACK HITS BIG E WITH BLACK MASS!! CREWS COVERS BIG E FOR THE WIN!! Pretty entertaining match and they were given plenty of time. I'm interested to see where this goes from here.
W: Apollo Crews via pin @ 21:54
Crews celebrates to end the show!
Next Week:
The Usos vs. The Street Profits
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!