It’s a new year folks. We made it by the skin of our teeth but we made it. And 2021 is heralded with another episode of Friday Night SmackDown. Coming off what turned out to be a major Christmas episode bolstered greatly by an NFL lead-in – and a really good show to boot – in theory they should really want to capitalize and keep the momentum up as best they can. We’ll see how it goes. Watch this space for the WWE SmackDown Recap!
The show begins with a video package recapping Kevin Owens’ and Roman Reigns’ TLC and Steel Cage matches. To open proper, Roman’s music hits and he comes out with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso in tow as the WWE SmackDown Recap begins.
A few hours later he’s in the ring.
He calls himself the face of WWE, says Happy New Year. Says 2020 was rough. But when you’re the Tribal Chief, you make it work. Says he’s got the golden touch and everything he touches turns to greatness. Says Paul Heyman was thrown into the deep end and he saved him. Calls him the most genuine and honest man he’s ever been with. Says Jey Uso has tons of potential. Says all Jey had to do was listen and he’s had the best year of his career. The man can’t miss now because he acknowledged him as his Tribal Chief. He knows who he is and understood since day one.
To everyone else it was “which one are you” but to him he’s always been Main Event Uso. He knocks it out of the park every time and that’s why he loves him.
Kevin Owens’ music hits as two straight losses aren’t enough to end the challenges I guess.
Roman cuts off his music and says nobody cares what he has to say. Says he was a social media sweetheart for a couple of weeks, now get out. He gave him a major payday and he hopes he invested it well and gave his kids a good Christmas, but this is embarrassing. This ain’t about him, tonight is about him and his cousin, get it through his thick head, nobody cares about Owens. Says this is Jey’s time, quit being selfish.
Owens agrees that him standing out here is embarrassing to Roman because it means his family failed. Says he tried to end his career, to end him, but here he is. He should be embarrassed that Jey Uso had to physically pull him from ladder after ladder and handcuff him to the cage. Says him standing here is proof that the Big Dawg has been replaced with a Big Bitch. But he agrees that tonight is about Jey. He’s not here to fight Roman but here to fight Jey. Says for everything they’ve done to him, Jey will pay because of his cousin.
He’s not asking, he is telling whoever he needs to tell that he will fight Jey Uso.
Owens with the micdrop as the opening segment comes to a close.
And now, opening match time.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E vs. King Corbin (Non-Title)
Lock-up. E shoots him off, Corbin with a shoulder block but E just takes it. Swivels the hips. Leapfrogs, back elbow from E. Cover for 1. Big E has a Brodie armband on tonight. Luke Harper-style Gator Roll for a 1 count. Looks for a back body drop but Corbin gets him with a boot, clothesline for 1. Driving elbows to the chest of Big E. E fighting back, takes him to the apron, wants a spear but Corbin counters with a knee to the head. Ring-around-the-ringpost spot starts but E counters with the Big Ending! Sami Zayn rushes right into the ring to attack E for the DQ.
Winner: Big E (By DQ)
And the Lone Wolves come in to help Sami out as well, until Apollo Crews comes out to make the save for reasons! Cutler and Blake get tossed quite haphazardly from the ring as the faces stand tall. Commercial break as the WWE SmackDown Recap rolls on.
Apollo Crews & Big E vs. Sami Zayn & King Corbin
This match began during the break. Heels have the advantage early. Sami deposits Crews and yells at the Lone Wolves to attack him but they don’t act on his word. So Sami goes out there and throws him back in. Waistlock. Spins him around for a forearm, Crews with a Short-Arm Powerslam! Simultags, E is tossing King Cobin around with Overhead Belly To Bellys, normal one to finish, hits the ropes twice, HIGH Running Splash!
E looks for the Big Ending but Corbin slips free, Deep Six for a nearfall! Crews with a tag as Corbin distracts himself with Sami. Crews takes over on Corbin, Sami tagss in for the Helluva Kick – Crews avoids it and he alllmost hits Corbin. Heels bicker. Corbin tells the boys to just go and they all bail leaving Sami alone. Crews hoists Sami up for the Spinning Powerbomb and that is that!
Winners: Big E & Apollo Crews
It has been a while since I’ve seen Apollo get a victory, pretty cool.
Adam Pearce on the phone backstage. Owens comes up to tell him quite politely that he’ll fight Jey Uso, says he’ll do it either way but it’d be nice if they made a match. Pearce says he only takes orders from Roman essentially. Kevin tells him he’s known him for 15 years and this isn’t him. Pearce says he needs to understand why he can’t give him Jey.
Offers to give him anybody else so Kev says Roman Reigns, and he’s exasperated. Kev says he used to tell people that the only folks that matter aren’t the guys back here but the people out there. Says he should understand, if Jey did all this to him he’d want his ass. Pearce concedes and gives him the match.
Big E and Apollo Crews talking backstage after their win.
Interviewer asks what to expect from the IC Champion in 2021. Big E with a ton of references to Brodie Lee, mentioning Rochester and the Toronto Maple Leafs as he promises to be a fighting champion. And so he’s beginning an open challenge. Apollo quickly puts his name out there and points out that he technically helped him win the title in the first place… they share a tense laugh.
WWE SmackDown Recap continues, Billie Kay introduces her partner as Tamina… and Natalya. Looks like it’s a bit of a swerve and she’s just the manager instead.
Ruby Riott vs. Tamina & Natalya
Liv and Natalya. Liv with a springing arm drag, Wheelbarrow Victory Roll for 2. Billie yelling at her team and they aren’t happy about it. Tamina and Ruby tag in. Riott avoiding shots and nailing her with forearms, feint punch leads to a footstomp! Hits the ropes but Tamina shoulder blocks her. Riott escapes out of the corner, tag to Liv who comes in with quick brawling. Shoved away but Riott tags in, Double STO for a nearfall!
Suddenly Billie Kay is over on the Riott Squad’s side. They take umbrage too. Tamina knocks them both away, Superkick totally misses Ruby Riott but she has to sell it anyway. Liv rolls her up for the win.
Winners: The Riott Squad
Billie celebrates afterwards, somehow taking credit for the win. Pretty funny.
Got another women’s tag now.
Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair vs. Bayley & Carmella
Honestly Corey does allusions to his relationship with Carmella so often that they might as well just make it an actual part of the show. Also Bayley comes out with a huge explosion of pyro. Carmella and Bianca start. And she has a Brodie armband as well. ‘Mella with a waistlock, Bianca reverses for a takedown. Lifts her up by the hand, Carmella howls and escapes to tag Bayley. Belair with a dropkick on the way in! Bayley tries to laugh it off, charges but Belair deposits her!
Takes Carmella out too, handspring sends her to the floor, Sasha tries a Meteora but it’s ducked and she lands on her feet, Belair with an assist taking Sasha up to the apron for a flying arm drag!
Commercial break as the WWE SmackDown Recap continues.
We come back to see Bayley’s taken over on Bianca, clothesline for a 2 count. Bayley with a hammerlock wrapping Bianca’s arm around the middle rope. Tag to Carmella, pummels her, cover for 2. Belair powers Carmella into the corner, Bayley tags herself in, roll up for 2. Chickenwing attempt. Pulling her, Belair reverses a suplex with one of her own! Carmella tags in, gets between her and the corner for a Front Facelock.
Turns around with a forearm taking Sasha to the floor. Belair with a sudden cradle for 2, Carmella with a Thrust Kick. Belair with a bodyslam attempt, Carmella slips free but Sasha tags in. Sasha and Carmella staring down, Banks taken to the apron but she gets her with a high knee, takes her to the corner, stepping on her face! Pulls herself in for Meteora #1! Hits the ropes, Basement Dropkick nailed, pulls her in for a running knee for a nearfall, Bayley breaks it up!
Belair throws Bayley to the floor. She wants to let Sasha grab her hair but Bayley stops her, grabbing it herself only to get sent into the post! As Belair deals with her, Carmella slams her into the steps then gets Sasha with a Thrust Kick! Still Sasha gets her into the Bank Statement until Reginald slips into the ring and pulls Carmella free. Reginald into the ring mocking her, avoids a punch with a back tuck out of the ring. Continues mocking her with a backflip off the apron! Carmella attacks from behind. Sasha with a kick, Jacknife for a clooose nearfall, nails Reginald this time but Carmella attacks and hits the X-Factor which they finally named as the Mella Buster, and that’s the match.
Winners: Carmella & Bayley
Solid match for sure. Looks like ‘Mella’s getting one more shot.
Roman Reigns backstage is incensed that somebody dared make that match between Owens and Jey. Says somebody doesn’t appreciate him. Tells Paul to find out who it is.
Street Profits make their entrance. Sonya Deville is walking backstage! Wow it’s been a longass time. Everyone seems to be taking note of her as she walks by. We’re then casually told on commentary that she’s been reinstated. Aight. Well it’s nice to see her again regardless.
WWE SmackDown Recap continues and it’s ow time for the New Year’s Smoketacular.
Angelo Dawkins tells 2020 to get to steppin’. Ford says in 2020 they did pull the trifecta and won ALL the tag team championships, beat the best tag team of all time in the New Day. Dawkins says 2021 will be even bigger as they’re about to hit us a with a big reveal. They pull off a curtain to show off a drumset. Dawkins bangs the drums as Ford introduces the 2021 predictions.
Ford says we all know not everyone has the skills to become high class fashion designers but they predict the I WAS Intercontinental Champion shirt should become the top selling shirt of the year. Ford says the Simpsons don’t even have predictions like them! Says for years, over a decade, Dolph Ziggler has been stealing the show and also stealing HBK’s style. So they predict that he will get the nickname he deserves, the Heartache Kid.
Starts to give a similar caliber put down to Robert Roode but Roode & Ziggler attack from behind and lay the champs out.
Roode takes a chair to Dawkins. They wrap Ford’s leg around the ringpost and nail it with the chair! Commercial break as the WWE SmackDown Recap commences.
Afterwards they’re asked backstage why they did this. Ziggler says the Street Profits have been provoking them for months. Says they compare the washed up HBK to him! Says Shawn isn’t on his level, Roode is. Roode says they have something they want and deserve. Ziggler says they strut around with their titles and Slammy’s waving them in their faces. Says you’re looking at two pros, two dirty dogs who do what they want when they want and what they demand is a rematch for their SmackDown tag team titles in 2021. They will not stop until they get what they want.
Daniel Bryan comes out with Chad Gable and Otis, Bryan and Otis are teaming tonight.
Daniel Bryan & Otis vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro
As Nak and Cesaro are making their entrance we see footage of Otis and Gable helping Bryan train for the Rumble match. Nak and Cesaro saw this and mocked them. The faces start a chant of “hips”. Cesaro and Bryan start out, Cesaro with a side headlock takedown. Cesaro is another one with a Brodie armband, Bryan as well. Bryan with a Monkey Flip, Nakamura tags himself in, side headlock. Bryan counters with a Waistlock Takedown. Daniel ducks a line and tries a Suicide Dive but Cesaro counters with a Pop-Up Uppercut. Otis is chasing them around ringside as they cut to break far more abruptly than usual. WWE SmackDown Recap will continue!
Shinsuke dumps Bryan from the ring as we come back. Cesaro slams him into the announce table, takes Bryan into the ring, elbow drop for 2. Cesaro with the Sidewalk Slam in honor of Brodie for a nearfall! Nak with a knee to the face from the apron, pulls him into the ring and up to the second rope. Enziguri nails Bryan in the head! Bryan reverses a whip and sends him to the floor!
Bryan makes the tag, Otis running wild over Cesaro, tosses him big time!
Hits the ropes, Discus Lariato for Brodie~! Avalanche, Cesaro falls. And there’s the Caterpillar! Nakamura pulls him off the cover. Vader Bomb evaded, Nakamura tags in but they collide. Otis tags Bryan, he goes for a corner charging dropkick but eats a kick. Looks for a Crucifix but Nakamura counters it into a Cross-Armbreaker only for Otis to break it up. Heels double team to send Otis to the floor, Bryan pulls Nakamura into the LeBell Lock for the tap!
Winners: Daniel Bryan & Otis
Faces with a hip dance after the match.
Paul Heyman informs Roman Reigns that Adam Pearce booked the match. Roman says they’re trying to take everything from them, tells Jey not to let ’em. Demands he show him that he’s Main Event Uso.
WWE SmackDown Recap continues now with the main event!
Jey Uso vs. Kevin Owens
Owens batters Jey into the corner, stomps him to the mat. Takes him outside, drops him with a big lariat! Half senton! Takes him inside for a cover, 2 count! Kev with a kick to the injured leg of Jey Uso. Jey fights up, forearm but Kev gives one back and he falls. Owens takes the leg onto the bottom rope, comes crashing down onto it. Kev takes his lower body to the apron, smashing his leg repeatedly into it.
Back in the ring Owens says the worst part is it’s not even Jey’s goddamn fault. Pulls him to the corner and nails him in the face, kick to the leg drops him. Tells him his family is doing this to him, Jey fires back with a couple of uppercuts. Kev with a kick to the gut, KICK but no WHAM STUNNER as Jey counters with a thrust kick to the gut. Owens rolls to the floor, Jey runs across ringside and leaps off the steps – Owens with a Superkick out of the air!
Throws him over the announce table and starts demanding to see Roman as we go to our last commercial break, WWE SmackDown Recap concludes soon!
We come back Kevin takes Jey up top for a superplex. Jey sends him to the floor and tries an Uso Splash but Owens avoids it, Jey tries to land on his feet but the injury gives way, KICK WHAM STUNNER and that’s the match.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Not every day you see the match end immediately after commercial break like that.
Owens immediately with a second KICK WHAM STUNNER, then goes over to commentary to demand that Roman come save him. He grabs the handcuffs and cuffs him to the top rope. Superkick sends him to the mat, stomps at his ankle. Owens again demands Roman come out, have some goddamn pride. He punches him repeatedly, unlocks the cuffs and cuffs his hands together instead. He starts pulling Jey up the ramp to come to Roman but Jey escapes, Owens chases him down and tosses him into the ThunderDome!
Superkick sends Jey onto the table. He again yells for Roman as she scales the ThunderDome. Says “this is on you” as he backs up for a big dive but Reigns attacks him from behind! He stops to check on Jey. Owens manages to fight back, Jey has somehow climbed up there in handcuffs. Roman tosses him to the next level of the ThunderDome. Roman and Jey pick up chairs and repeatedly nail him with them. Jey strangles him with the handcuffs! They knock him towards the edge of the ThunderDome, repeatedly bashing him into the LEDs. Kev is bleeding now. Roman sends him off the ThunderDome and he falls through a table!
Owens is dead as the heels stand tall and hilariously the graphic pops up with “Happy New Year!” as the show fades.