Tonight’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown is live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. WWE announced a segment and two matches for the tonight’s show.
WWE announced that SmackDown Women’s Champion will face Naomi in singles match, Kofi Kingston will face Madcap Moss and also The Usos will acknowledge the dominance of Roman Reigns as Universal Champion.
– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opened with The Usos, who are already in the ring. They say they are here for reason only to acknowledge the longest-reigning WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, who has been champion for 508 days. They continued that there have been a few big names to hold the Universal Title but not that long – not Kevin Owens, not Seth Rollins, not current WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, but there is one – the Head of The Table, the Tribal Chief.
Now, the SmackDown Tag Team Champions gave the grand introduction for their cousin, Roman Reigns. Music hits and here comes Roman Reigns. The Universal Champion Roman Reigns takes the mic and tells Nashville to acknowledge him. The Usos put him over and send us to a video package begins with Reigns winning the Universal Title at WWE Payback 2020. The video includes more footage from Reigns’ 508-day reign.
Roman Reigns smiles and starts to speak but the music interrupts and here comes Seth Freaking Rollins. Rollins asks what kind of party would this be without him. He gives Usos props for the video package and congratulates Reigns. Rollins says we should celebrate the fact that a title reign will be ending soon, and for Reigns making a man out of him last week.
Seth Rollins continued about how Reigns took what he said literally, and sent his cousins to Raw to speak for him. Now Rollins says we should be celebrating the longest-reigning SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos. Rollins further says that The Usos are the cornerstone of Reigns’ success, and all of this wouldn’t be possible if Roman Reigns didn’t have them and tries to get a chant going for The Usos.
Now, Roman Reigns says Seth Rollins came out here to makes the same excuses. He wonders if John Cena wrote that promo because he’s saying the same thing. Further, Roman Reigns promises their Royal Rumble match will be one-on-one and he will win. Rollins tells Reigns to put his money where his mouth is – Rollins offers to find a partner to face The Usos and if they win, The Usos will be banned from ringside at The Rumble. The Usos agree and say we’ve got a main event.
Now, The Usos say Seth Rollins is crazy, and he won’t be able to find anyone in the back to deal with him so they’re good. Rollins says they have a point but music interrupts and here comes Kevin Owens. He joins Seth Rollins on the stage. Roman Reigns calls for this stupid music to be cut. He says nothing is official until The Tribal Chief approves.
Now, Reigns says when Rollins loses tonight, that means he will also lose his Royal Rumble title shot and then Reigns is going on vacation until WrestleMania 38. Reigns asks if they have a deal. Seth Rollins thinks and finally accepts the challenge. Seth Rollins’ music hits as The Bloodline looks on from the ring.
– Kofi Kingston (w/Big E) defeated Madcap Moss (w/ Happy Corbin) via pinfall. After the match, Big E joins Kofi Kingston to celebrate but Baron Corbin acts like he wants to come in. Then, Big E tells him to jump if he feels froggy. Corbin decides not to step in as Moss gets back to his feet. Big E drops Moss with a Big Ending in the middle of the ring as Corbin looks on from the floor.
– Aliyah defeated Natalya via disqualification. After the match, Samantha Irvin announces Aliyah as the winner. Natalya seethes and stomps Aliyah until the music interrupts and here comes Xia Li, The Protector. Natalya looks a bit nervous. Xia Li hits the ring and Natalya goes to attack but Li strikes her and knocks her out of the ring. Li checks on Aliyah as a shocked Natalya looks on from ringside. Natalya walks to back as Li and Aliyah stand together in the ring.
– Charlotte Flair defeated Naomi via submission with Sonya Deville as special guest referee. After the match, Flair didn’t break the submission applied on Naomi as Deville looks on and smiles. Now, Flair makes her exit. Deville kneels down and talks some trash to Naomi, who is down Deville laughs and exits the ring.
– Kayla Braxton at backstage with Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens. They talk about the high stakes for tonight’s tag team main event. Now, Kevin Owens says it’s all about fighting for his friend. Owens further says that he would be the longest-reigning Universal Champion if it weren’t for The Usos. Rollins says the stakes are high but worth the reward and says he knows he can beat Roman Reigns one-on-one.
– Sami Zayn makes his way to the ring. Micheal Cole says Zayn has promised to out-do the prank that originally made Jackass star Johnny Knoxville famous. We are ready for another In-Zayn stunt segment with Sami Zayn. He says he has several self-defense items on a table and says he will be using them on himself to prove that anything Knoxville can do, Sami can do better.
Sami Zayn has a livestock stun gun first, with 3 levels. Sami shocks his leg with the first level of voltage and it surprises him. The second level really shocks him. Now, music interrupts and here comes Knoxville. He says Sami was so worried about Knoxville making a mockery of his profession, he’s doing the same to his now. Knoxville says he’s been around these weapons and something doesn’t seem right.
Knoxville revealed that Sami Zayn forgot to turn the stunner on. Sami says it was on, but it was turned off just now. Knoxville turns it on and shocks Sami, sending him to the mat. Knoxville helps Sami up and leans him against the ropes. Knoxville says Sami is a good guy, and he will see him at the Royal Rumble. Knoxville throws Sami over the top rope to the floor. Then, he celebrates and exits the ring.
– WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff is with Adam Pearce in his office. Bischoff is talking to Pearce about being a leader and Sonya Deville walks in. Pearce introduces them and says what happened just now with Naomi was a case of Deville going over the line and stepping over her bounds.
Pearce says he talked it over with Bischoff and they believe the feud with Naomi is affecting Deville’s leadership abilities. Pearce says he’s going to suggest to WWE officials that Deville vs. Naomi happens next Friday Night SmackDown. Deville says OK, and for Pearce to let her know what officials say. Deville walks off. Bischoff says now that was leadership. Pearce thanks him.
– Rick Boogs is walking with WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. Now, WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett appears and gives props for the guitar work, and Boogs does his “Rick… Boogs!” intro, which Jarrett also liked.
– Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens defeated The Usos via disqualification. At the closing moments, Seth Rollins goes for stomp on Jimmy Uso but suddenly Roman Reigns attacks Rollins with Superman punch for disqualification.
After the match, Roman Reigns exits the ring telling at Rollins. Kevin Owens and Rollins are announced as the winners by disqualification and Cole confirms that The Usos will be banned from ringside at the Royal Rumble. Seth Rollins’ looks on and smiles while Reigns heads to the ramp and SmackDown goes off the air.
