Another epic grudge match between Prizefighter and Great Liberator!

SmackDown raises the stakes as we head for Money in the Bank! Will it be Kevin Owens or Sami Zayn as THE Last Man Standing heading for MITB?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Big E & Shinsuke Nakamura w/ Rick Boogs VS Baron Corbin & Apollo Crews w/ Commander Azeez; Big E & Nakamura win.
• Money in the Bank Qualifier Last Man Standing Match: Kevin Owens VS Sami Zayn; Kevin wins and advances to the Men’s MITB Ladder Match.
• Liv Morgan VS Zelina Vega; Morgan wins.
• Otis w/ Chad Gable VS Angelo Dawkins; Otis wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Edge is here again!

The Rated R Superstar made sure Roman Reigns knew he was back last week with that attack all around ringside, and now he’s in the ThunderDome again as he’s not set to face Roman for the WWE Universal Championship 1v1 at Money in the Bank! Edge gets a mic to say, “WrestleMania was supposed to be the culmination of a 10 year story. Winning the Universal Championship 10 years to the day after being forced to retire as the World Heavyweight Champion would’ve made for a hell of a story, wouldn’t it?” Edge envisioned it so much that he knew it’d happen. But then it didn’t. Edge didn’t see that coming, it wasn’t in his plans.

Full transparency, it rocked him. Edge took time to recover, and thinking it back in his brain, and even watching it back, something he never does. Roman likes to gloss over some key points that happened at Mania. Edge could complain about how his one fear of Daniel Bryan being involved would cost Edge came true. How Bryan stopped Roman from tapping out. How Bryan pulled the ref out after Edge hit a Spear. Roman was practically stapled to the mat, he wasn’t getting up. Edge could complain about Jey Uso stopping a Con-Chair-To. He could, he really could, and would be justified in doing so. 2006 Edge definitely would have.

But 2021 Edge understands that there will always be excuses and obstacles. Edge spent his entire career knocking down obstacles, or he wouldn’t be here right now! “I don’t stop.” But here’s the thing: Now that Edge has been in here with Roman 1v1, he knows he can win. More importantly, Roman knows it. They’re the only ones that know because Roman felt it as Edge felt it. Edge knows Roman won’t admit it, but here’s some proof: the picture of Edge getting Roman in the crossface with the chair crossbar in his mouth! Look at those bugged out, crossed eyes! Those eyes have fear! They’re in deep water, deeper than they’ve ever been in before

Now look at Edge’s face. That’s the look of a man who knows he lives inside the other man’s head! When you can make a man look like Roman does, you live in his head for life! When Roman heard Edge’s music, the look on his face solidified what Edge already knew. Roman knew deep down that no matter what the odds say non paper, Edge has Roman’s number. Edge vows to beat Roman, it’s just a matter of when. This is inevitable. Edge will be WWE Universal Champion! The Rated R Superstar is ready, but will he get revenge and redemption at MITB?

Paul Heyman watches this from the private suite.

Jimmy Uso walks over and says everyone obviously just heard that. Everyone knows Edge is talking about having Roman’s number, about how Roman’s gonna lose at MITB. Tell Jimmy Edge ain’t saying all that. Jimmy will tell Roman again that he’s got Roman’s back just like Roman’s got his. When Roman gets here, he and Jimmy will put Edge down and stamp the family flag right in the middle of Edge’s forehead. Heyman just stares at Jimmy, but will he advise Roman to follow Jimmy’s plan?

Rick Boogs rocks out!

“Hear ye, hear ye! Welcome to Friday Night SmackDown!” Boogs is here to rock with the one TRUE king of ALLLLL WWE~! #Kingsuke NakamurAAAAAAA~! The theme plays and here comes the King of Strong Style! Shinsuke goes to the ring and his rocking bard follows, and they continue to rock out. But now here comes Big E! The Powerhouse of Positivity is excited to be teaming with The King against their eternal rivals! Will Nakamura be able to #ThinkBig and take down the WWE Intercontinental Champion and the former Wolf King?

Big E & Shinsuke Nakamura w/ Rick Boogs VS Baron Corbin & Apollo Crews w/ Commander Azeez!

SmackDown returns as Apollo makes his entrance, Azeez following behind. Then Corbin makes his entrance, only reminded of his failure by his titantron still reading “King Corbin.” His beard is scruffy and his face is sullen, and then as if adding insult to injury, the ring announcer forgets to change back to announcing him as Baron Corbin. Corbin still joins Apollo at the corner and teams sort out. Apollo starts against #Kingsuke and they circle. They tie up, Nakamura headlocks, but Apollo powers out. They ram shoulders, and Apollo dares Nakamura to try again. Nakamura runs but Apollo reel shim in for a headlock!

Nakamura throws body shots, powers out but Apollo runs him over. Apollo tells Corbin to snap out of it, he needs Corbin in this match. Apollo turns around, ducks one kick but not the other! Nakamura gets Apollo up, whips him to the corner and back elbows! Nakamura hoists Apollo onto the top rope, rolls back and comes in for the TOP SHELF KNEE! Boogs rocks out as Big E wants to tag in. Nakamura gives him the tag, and together, they give Apollo GOOD~ Vibrations! Big E gets Apollo up and goes around with him for an abdominal stretch! Apollo endures, fights out but Big E CLOBBERS him with an elbow! Cover, TWO!

Big E gets Apollo up but Apollo throat chops! Big E runs in, Apollo elbows him away and tags in Corbin! Big E BLASTS Corbin, goes out after Apollo, but Corbin CLOBBERS Big E! Corbin throws Big E up and over the barriers and snarls as he backs off. Corbin’s anger might help him get through his depression while SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns and Corbin rains down elbows on Big E! Corbin puts on a half nelson chinbar and grinds Big E but the ThunderDome rallies up! Big E fights up, throws body shots, and runs, but Corbin elbows him down! Cover, TWO! Corbin drags Big E up, brings him over and tags in Apollo. They mug Big E, Apollo throws haymakers, then wrenches an arm to whip Big E to ropes for a BIG dropkick! Apollo grins and looms over Big E. Apollo wraps on a facelock and grinds Big E down. Big E fights up, powers his way towards his corner, but Apollo shoves him away to ENZIGURI! Big E ends up in the corner, Apollo runs in, but Big E sends Apollo out!

Corbin tags in as Apollo goes flying, and he gets ahead of Big E to whip him into buckles! Corbin DECKS Nakamura, scoops Big E and POWERSLAMS! Cover, Nakamura breaks it! Apollo is in and he GERMAN SUPLEXES Nakamura! Apollo chases Nakamura out, scoops but Nakamura slides off to ENZIGURI Apollo down! Corbin gives more elbows to Big E and has the half nelson chinbar again! Big E endures, but “Ladies and gentlemen, whoever is the rightful owner of a white Mercedes SUV with the license plate KING-CR-BN, it looks like your car’s being towed!” Corbin can’t believe it, but YES! His Mercedes-Benz is being repo’d!!

Corbin is devastated as his world just keeps going down the drain! Big E scoops him for a BIG ENDING! Cover, Big E & Nakamura win!

Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura & Big E, by pinfall

Corbin is hurting in more ways than one right now as the losses keep piling up in and out of the ring. What more can happen to the fallen king before he hits rock bottom?

Bayley heads to the ring!

The Role Model is back in a good mood because she pinned the SmackDown Women’s Champion last week! “You’re welcome, ThunderDome!” But will she still be in a good mood after having a face-to-face with Bianca Belair after the break?

SmackDown returns and Bayley has a mic already and says, “I’m not the type of person to come out here and brag and say ‘I told you so,’ but pff, I told you so!” Bianca Belair winning at Hell in a Cell was a fluke, and Bayley proved it winning last week, 1-2-3, ding ding dong! And the best was the look in Bianca’s eyes! A look of loss, despair, defeat, and questioning everything that she did wrong. We all know how strong Bianca is physically, but she’s mentally weak! Bayley made it look easy reigning for 380 days compared to Bianca’s just 80 days, but a loss like that this early is not a good sign! Bianca is clearly crumbling under the weight of our expectations.

Bianca better get her head in the game because in two short weeks, the WWE is back live in front of the fans! And Bayley would be so sad to see Bianca completely fall apart in front of all the little kids who worship her! It could happen. Bayley soaks up the heat from the ThunderDome fans but says, “Bianca ain’t nothing to Bayley! Never has, never will be!” But speaking of, here comes the EST! Bianca joins Bayley in the ring, gets herself a mic, and says, “Girrrl. What you need is a little crack in that mouth!” Bayley may want the title, but Bianca has the title. Bianca keeps beating Bayley over and over and over again but Bayley keeps coming back. It’s like Bayley is obsessed!

And Bayley thinks Bianca is in her head? No, Bayley knows it! Bianca can’t even look her in the eye! Bianca’s shaking in her boots, her nails are clacking together, she’s breathing heavy- Y’know what? Bianca admits Bayley IS in her head. No matter how many times Bianca wins, Bayley has excuses, so Bayley’s voice is always in Bianca’s head. The only way to end this is for Bianca to embarrass her to the point of no return. Bayley tries to laugh that off but Bianca says she is so OVER Bayley. Bianca thinks, and says if the officials will allow it, they will have a title match, in an I QUIT match!! Bayley says that has to be a joke. But Bianca’s serious! Bayley really did get in Bianca’s head!

Bianca knows Bayley well enough that Bayley’s never quit anything in her life! This is what she’s wanted to do her whole life, and she’s here, and has done everything she wanted to, more than anything Bianca ever could do. So if Bianca can make Bayley say “I Quit,” she’d quit SmackDown. No wait, she’d quit the WWE! And wrestling altogether! But hearing Bianca say those words wouldn’t surprise Bayley at all. We all know that Bianca is not the champion she portrays herself to be. Bianca has no chance, so Bayley accepts!

And now Bianca laughs at Bayley! What’s so funny? Bianca thought she was so sick of Bayley running her mouth, but Bianca just realized how excited she is to hear Bayley say those words, “I Quit.” Will Bayley eat her words here tonight after saying those two powerful words at MITB?

Heyman paces about in the private suite.

But he smiles as Jimmy returns. Is Roman here yet? It’s cool, because when Roman gets here, Jimmy knows Edge is waiting. Jimmy knows Roman doesn’t care about all that, but what is he waiting on? Wait, Jimmy’s got it! Roman’s waiting on Jimmy to step up! Jimmy says he’ll get this. He’ll go to Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville and tell them to save some space later tonight. #MainEventJimmy will call Edge out, then beat him up all over the place! Heyman smiles and Jimmy heads out. Will this initiative help Jimmy get in the Tribal Chief’s good graces? Will it also keep Edge from making it to MITB?

Money in the Bank Qualifier Last Man Standing Match: Kevin Owens VS Sami Zayn!

For two decades, these two have gone back and forth, from friends to enemies and back again, all over the world and in multiple promotions. But now, this could all end in a referee’s ten count! Will Kevin #JustKeepFighting to shut Sami up and go to MITB? Or will the “Champion of the People” triumph over the supposed Anti-Sami conspiracy and get the golden ticket?

SmackDown returns as Sami makes his entrance. The bell rings, Kevin dodges Sami to tackle him! Kevin rains down fists, stomps Sami in the corner, then runs corner to corner for a CANNONBALL! The ref starts a count as Sami flops out of the ring. The count is already 5 of 10 as Sami gets up, but Kevin is right after him! Kevin blocks a kick to kick real low and CHOP real hard! Kevin whips Sami into barriers, then stalks him around the way. Sami staggers towards the announce desk but Kevin whips him into more barriers! Kevin aims as Sami slowly drags himself up. Kevin storms back over to ROCK Sami with a right!

Kevin whips, Sami reverses, and Kevin hits barriers! Sami CLOBBERS Kevin as Kevin staggers over! Kevin stands but Sami fires off hands! Kevin hits back, they brawl against barriers, but Kevin ROCKS Sami! Kevin then tosses Sami up and over the barriers, then hurries after him. Kevin SMACKS Sami off ThunderDome screens! And again! And again! Sami staggers, and kicks Kevin in the throat! Kevin’s throat still can’t be 100% from taking Nigerian Nails, but Kevin headbutts Sami down! Kevin climbs the barrier to SWANTON BOMB to the floor! Sami writhes as the count begins again! Sami claws his way to the announce desk and uses it to stand at 6 of 10.

Kevin bounces Sami off the desk! Kevin sets Sami up on the table, throws hands, then climbs up the barrier again! But Sami gets to him first, to TOSS him onto the announce desk!! The table doesn’t break but Kevin’s back might’ve! Kevin writhes as the count begins again. Kevin drags himself up with the steel steps and stands at 7 of 10! Sami is frustrated but this will continue as SmackDown goes to break!

SmackDown returns again and Kevin RAMS into Sami in the corner again and again! And again and again! Sami flops over as Kevin finally lets off and a count begins. Kevin watches Sami as he flounders against ropes. Sami is up at 5 but Kevin brings him to his knees and on the ropes. Kevin kicks the rope to jack Sami’s neck up! Now Sami gasps and sputters as a count begins again. Sami manages to sit up and SLAP Kevin, but Kevin SLAPS Sami back down! Sami gets up, Kevin ROCKS him, and ROCKS him again! Then CHOPS him off his feet! The count begins again but Sami flops out of the ring at 3. Kevin goes out after Sami as Sami stands at 6, and then RAMS Sami into a post!

Kevin gets Sami up to POST Sami crotch first! Sami flops off the post and the count begins again. Kevin tells Sami to stay down but Sami refuses. Sami’s up at 7, but Kevin keeps him from getting to far into the ring. Sami ROCKS Kevin, Kevin ROCKS Sami back! Sami throws a haymaker, Kevin SLAPS him down! Kevin starts looking under the ring, and he brings out a TABLE! The ThunderDome likes that and Kevin sets the table up near the corner! Sami stands at 6 of 10, so Kevin gets a SECOND table! Sami flounders about, the count is going again as Kevin sets the second table on the first! Sami is back up at 6 for a second time, but Kevin brings him to the corner!

Kevin gets up top, drags Sami up with him, but Sami fights the suplex! Sami throws body shots, pulls a crossbar’s pad off, and then throws headlock punches! Sami HOTSHOTS Kevin as he jumps down! Kevin sputters again, the damage to his throat coming into play. Sami builds speed and FLIES! Direct hit and Sami feels like he’s already won! The count begins and Kevin sits up at 3. Sami shakes his head, wanting Kevin to stay down, but Kevin is up at 5. Sami pursues Kevin into the ring, sits him up and throws crossface forearms! Kevin slaps back, it is a brawl while Kevin is down on the mat! Kevin grabs hair, Sami ROCKS him! Kevin throws haymakers back!

Sami BOOTS Kevin, and gives him a CORNER EXPLODER!! Both men are down so the count is on both of them! The count is 5, Sami staggers up, but Kevin isn’t up until 6. Sami runs in to fire off haymakers, then he hoists Kevin up top. Sami climbs, tries to suplex but Kevin resists! SUPER FISHERMAN BUSTER!! But Kevin may’ve hurt his arm at the same time! The standing count is on both men again but Kevin walks on his knees to ropes. Sami is still down at 5 of 10, but he starts getting up. Sami drags himself up on ropes and is up at 8! Sami gets to a corner, Kevin heads that way, and SUPERKICKS Sami! Sami swings feebly but Kevin SUPERKICKS him again!

Kevin looks at Sami and Sami eggs him on. SUPERKICK number three! Sami stays up using the corner, so Kevin puts him up top. Kevin CHOPS Sami, climbs up to join him, but Sami slips under to SHOVE Kevin over! Kevin crashes through the tables!! The ref checks on Kevin but starts the count. Sami feels like he’s already won but Kevin is stirring at 5! Kevin drags himself to the ring, Sami can’t believe it! Kevin stands at 9.9!! Sami is in shock! Kevin staggers about as Sami argues the count, and SmackDown goes to break!

SmackDown returns again and Sami is setting up tables of his own! Sami throws the announce desk hood at Kevin’s bad arm and Kevin writhes in pain. Sami moves the hood aside to then drag Kevin up by his hair. Kevin hits back but Sami fires off haymakers! Sami drags Kevin up the steel steps and aims for the table he introduced, but Kevin resists by holding the post! Kevin punches back then SMACKS Sami off the post! Kevin gets some space, storms back over and brings Sami around the way to throw into barriers. Sami boots back and kicks the bad arm! Sami CLUBS Kevin to the apron, Kevin climbs the apron but Sami joins him, only for Kevin to BOOT him!

Kevin kicks but Sami blocks the Stunner! Sami half nelsons, for an APRON HALF ‘N’ HALF!! Kevin flops to the floor but the count is on both men as Sami rolls into the ring. Sami sits up at 4, Kevin stirs at 5, and somehow Kevin is up at 7?! Sami is furious as Kevin gets back in the ring, but Sami runs corner to corner for a HELLUVA KICK!! Kevin flops over, the count begins again and Sami talks trash. Kevin pushes himself up at 5, glares at Sami, and stands at 7 again. Sami runs corner to corner again to HELLUVA KICK! But Sami keeps Kevin up this time, because “this is karma! For everything you’ve ever done!” Sami runs corner to corner again for a THIRD HELLUVA KICK!

Kevin drops, the count begins, and Sami leans on ropes as he catches his breath. The count is 5, Kevin slowly rolls, but Sami thinks he’s already got this. Sami never learns because Kevin rolls out to stand at 9!! Sami argues with the ref but that’s just physics for you! Sami goes out and runs around the way, to DAREDEVIL DIVE into a SUPERKICK! Kevin kicks Sami in midflight, then gets in as the count begins. Kevin drags Sami up because he’s not done, whip and POP-UP POWERBOMB!! Sami is down again for another count, and yet Sami stirs at 5! Sami pushes up at 7, stands at 8, but Kevin hits a STUNNER!! Sami flops to the apron and to the floor!

Kevin goes out after Sami, and Sami begs for mercy! Kevin doesn’t care, he drags Sami up. Sami asks, “How did we get here?” And Kevin says KARMA! POWERBOMB through the announce desk! Then a POWERBOMB through Sami’s table! Then a POWERBOMB to the apron!!! Things are full circle for these two as a new standing count begins! It’s 5, then 7! Sami can’t get up, Kevin wins!!

Winner: Kevin Owens (advances to the Men’s MITB Ladder Match)

The Prizefighter finally finishes the Great Liberator, and now he’s going for the briefcase! Will KO #StunTheWorld when he faces a stacked field at MITB?

Backstage interview with Edge.

What does he make of Jimmy’s plan to call him out near the end of the night? Megan Morant, is it? Well, Edge knows she’s new here, but even in her time she has to understand there’s some kind of trap set. Yes, it does seem suspicious. Of course it is! Jimmy is putting on a good show saying Roman isn’t here, but Jimmy has it wrong. Roman knows that Edge knows what’s coming. They’re trying to pull one over on the Ultimate Opportunist, which is interesting. Edge could beat up Jimmy, but then the supposed Tribal Chief shows up for a 2v1, but Edge knows that. And he doesn’t care. Edge is tired of Roman, of Roman’s family, and of excuses.

They can set a trap for Edge, because they’ll be facing an “angry, vindictive son of a bitch.” The Rated R Superstar sees through the schemes, but will Roman have something up his sleeve Edge doesn’t see coming?

Rick Boogs finds Baron Corbin backstage.

Boogs says he was talking to the guys in the locker room about getting something to eat, and he feels Corbin should join them. They’ll get chicken a la king. Okay, okay, sorry, but Corbin will probably feel a lot better about this after a good night’s sleep. On a king sized bed. Okay, okay, okay, honestly, honestly! Nakamura said the funniest thing last night. They were playing Checkers, and he said… “King me!” Boogs is obviously amused with himself but Corbin isn’t. Is it fun kicking a guy while he’s down? Well here’s what Corbin has to say to him and everyone else: screw you. Will Corbin be able to get past the past and look to a brighter future?

Sonya Deville heads to the ring.

After naming Carmella to the Women’s MITB match for SmackDown last week, the WWE official is ready to name a second! Will Liv Morgan’s win last week have made an impression? Or does Sonya have someone else in mind? We find out, after the break.

SmackDown returns and Sonya is honored to name the second SmackDown participant. One of the most dynamic and driven WWE superstars today… “Please welcome Zelina Vega!” La Muneca is back and is jumping right into a major opportunity! SmackDown’s field is now halfway filled, and Vega gets a mic to say hi to Sonya. And yes, it is nice to see her. Clearly it IS Sonya’s honor to announce Vega’s return, just like it’ll be Vega’s pleasure to grab the MITB contract and, at the right moment, with whoever the champion is and when they’re vulnerable, that is when Vega will be cashing in HER Ms. MITB Contract to achieve her goal of becoming a Raw, SmackDown or even NXT Women’s Champion!

But wait, here comes Liv Morgan again! “No no no nonono.” What is this? It is bad enough to just put Carmella in the match without her even earning it, but Liv still feels she belongs! Now Sonya is rewarding Vega with a spot? Vega says she’s that good. Oh yeah, she worked so hard, huh? But Vega doesn’t deserve this, she hasn’t competed all year! How is this fair? Vega mocks Liv and says it is fair because Vega has competed in this ring for years! She is one of the most popular female competitors in WWE history! And she can run circles around Liv, embarrass her, and will show how Liv is just an amateur. So that is why Vega is in the MITB match!

Liv SLAPS Vega! “Prove it!” Liv wants to have a match with Vega now! Sonya thinks it over, and says alright. Another match for the determined and hungry Liv Morgan, but will this finally be what convinces Sonya?

Liv Morgan VS Zelina Vega!

SmackDown returns and Vega already has Liv caught in an Iron Octopus! Liv powers out, but Vega throws Liv down by her hair! Vega swaggers about, runs at Liv on the ropes and tiger feints to a DRAPING CRUCIFIX! The ref counts, Vega lets off, and Mella is watching backstage as Vega bulldogs Liv down! Cover, TWO! Vega is annoyed with Liv and she slaps her to a corner! Vega runs, in Liv goes up and over and comes back, but into a clothesline! Cover, TWO! Vega is frustrated with Liv now, and she bumps Liv off buckles. Vega gets in Liv’s face before she BOOTS her, then kicks her down! Vega runs to KNEE Liv down! Cover, TWO!

Vega throws a bit of a tantrum, but Liv gets her for a ghost pin! TWO, Vega kicks but Liv blocks to spin and O’Conner Roll! TWO, Vega has the tights! The ref sees that, stops counting, and Liv rolls Vega with tights!! Liv wins!!

Winner: Liv Morgan, by pinfall

Turnabout is fair play! Vega is furious about it, but will Sonya give Liv her chance at MITB?

Sonya talks with Adam Pearce.

But then Seth Rollins walks in and is very polite as he says hello and introduces himself, then lists off his accomplishments. Pleasure to make their acquaintance. They know who he is, Seth… Yes, right, they do! Because he is sure they’d forgotten since they gave Edge the match at MITB! They promised that match to Seth, remember?! Sonya says they never promised him anything, they were just going to take it under advisement. But they said they were inclined to agree with Seth! Pearce says Edge deserves this opportunity. Yes, yes, Edge deserves it. But do you know who else deserves it? SETH FREAKIN’ ROLLINS!!

Pearce says Seth can’t pretend Edge doesn’t have all the same accomplishments he does. But the difference is that Edge won the 2021 Royal Rumble match, but he did not get his 1v1. Oh is that Rollins’ fault? No it’s not! You nincompoops did that to him! Well, the decision has been made, and Rollins gets his opportunity to win the Men’s MITB ladder match so he can use the contract to cash-in. That is, if Rollins beats Cesaro in a qualifier. Rollins takes a deep breath to keep calm, and then smiles, and even laughs. Is the Architect not taking the Swiss Superman seriously enough given the golden ticket is on the line?

Otis w/ Chad Gable VS Angelo Dawkins!

This match was meant to happen a week ago, but the Alpha Academy’s top (and only) student bulldozed Dawkins before the bell ever rang! Will Dawkins bring the #CurseofGreatness down upon Otis and make him pay for what he’s done to the Street Profits? Or will Otis just bulldoze Dawkins after the bell rings this time?

SmackDown returns and Dawkins makes his entrance. The bell rings this time, Dawks fires off haymakers but Otis shoves him. Dawkins dodges and back elbows but Otis stays up! Gable is on the apron, Dawkins DECKS him, but Otis CLOBBERS Dawkins! Otis drags Dawkins up, hammerlocks the bad arm and RAMS it into buckles! Dawkins scrambles away but Otis is on him in the other corner. Otis hammerlocks the arm again for the FALL AWAY SLAM! Dawkins writhes and flounders while Gable tells Otis to stay on him. Otis throws the headbands away and then gets Dawkins up. Otis whips Dawkins hard into buckles, then CLOBBERS him again!

Gable cheers Otis on as his “Number one guy,” and Otis goes to a corner. Otis climbs, aims, and DOZER SPLASHES!! But Otis doesn’t cover there, he wants to make Dawkins suffer! Otis drags Dawkins closer to the corner, climbs up again, VADER BOMB!! Cover, Otis wins!

Winner: Otis, by pinfall

Gable celebrates with Otis, who is truly a human wrecking ball! Will the Alpha Academy soon steamroll their way to the SmackDown Tag Team Championships?

BREAKING NEWS!

The last two SmackDown Men’s MITB qualifiers have been made! We already know about Rollins VS Cesaro, but now Nakamura VS Corbin has been added! Will Corbin get a semblance of payback on #Kingsuke by denying him this next prize?

Jimmy talks with Heyman at gorilla position.

Where’s Roman? Jimmy heard Edge talking all that about Roman being motivated by fear and stuff. Roman needs to know about this, Uce. Heyman says they both know how Jimmy’s cousin is. The Tribal Chief operates on Tribal Chief time. Everything that Roman does, he does for the family. He does for those who do for him. All Jimmy has to do is go out there and be #MainEventJimmyUso! Jimmy likes the sound of that and says he will! Jimmy will do it for Roman! Jimmy makes his entrance and goes to the ring, but is he the one falling for a trap?

SmackDown returns again and Jimmy asks, “Where you at, Edge? Cuz I’m right here, Uce!” Where’d Edge go? Looks like it’s just them tonight. No Roman here tonight, Edge. To be real, Jimmy doesn’t need Roman. He can handle Edge all by himself! So where you at? Seems to Jimmy that Edge ain’t man enough to get back here and be face to face with him. This isn’t a trap, Jimmy promises. This is just Uce calling Edge out! Let’s go! Jimmy paces, and gets fired up. “Bring yo’ ass out here right now!” Edge makes his entrance, has a mic, and says, “You think you’re smart? All jacked up, acting all bowed up, because you’ve got your cousin waiting in the wings?”

Does Jimmy not see it? Roman is using Jimmy like he uses the entire family! Just look w hat happened to Jey! Roman beat the hell out of Jey until Jey acknowledge Roman as Head of the Table! Jimmy knows, he was there! And then when Roman was done with Jey, he moved on to Jimmy. What happened to Jimmy’s backbone? What happened to #NobodysBitch? Now you are one! And here’s what Jimmy doesn’t realize: Roman laid the perfect trap, but not for Edge. This is a trap for Jimmy. Edge goes to the ring, Jimmy looks around, and no Roman. Jimmy rushes Edge but is sent into a corner! Edge POSTS Jimmy in another corner!

Edge goes out to the apron, drags Jimmy up and POSTS him on yet another corner! Jimmy flops down, Edge pulls steel steps apart and brings the base over, but Jimmy SUPERKICKS him down! Jimmy snarls as he gets back up and gets Edge to the steps. Jimmy SMACKS Edge off the steel, puts Edge back in the ring, and then drags him to center. Jimmy rains down furious fists and then looks around. No Roman still, so Jimmy rushes Edge again. Edge BOOTS Jimmy down! Edge returns the ground ‘n’ pound from all sides! Edge drags Jimmy into the CROSSFACE! Jimmy has the same look of shock and fear as Roman did, and he TAPS OUT!

Edge lets Jimmy go, but he’s not done with him! Edge aims from a corner, watches Jimmy gasp and sputter while getting to his feet, and then runs in to SPEAR Jimmy down!! Edge still isn’t done, and he goes out to get chairs! We all know what Edge does with those, but then he breaks off a crossbar! Edge wants to truly recreate WrestleMania 37 with Jimmy in Roman’s place! Crossface with the crossbar!!! Jimmy really does have the same look of fear as Edge shouts, “LOOK, ROMAN!! LOOK IN HIS EYES, ROMAN!!” Jimmy taps but it doesn’t matter as Edge keeps going! “I’M COMING FOR YOU, ROMAN!!!”

Edge finally lets Jimmy go to stare into the camera, and shouts “I. Don’t. STOP!” Will Roman choose to stay away until the last possible moment? Or is Edge playing right into Roman’s heartless game of chess?

My Thoughts:

Another great SmackDown, and it is pretty wild how Roman wasn’t actually on the show tonight, yet the story still had great progress. Edge does make a good point that Jimmy’s sudden flip in character seems a little too quick, but it also still feeds into everything. Jimmy is another pawn, Roman let him take that beating as part of a twisted test of loyalties, while also having Edge get himself so fired up that he might mess up at MITB. At a certain point, this has to push even Jimmy to where he realizes what’s happening and the Usos reunite while standing against Roman. And I still don’t see Edge coming out Universal Champion, even if MITB is the first WWE PPV in front of fans since Mania.

It was obvious with last week’s win that Bayley was going to challenge Bianca for the title again, but an I Quit match is going to make this insane! The live fans are going to eat that up so it is a great choice for MITB. The promo segment setting this up could have been a bit better, something still seems off when Bianca and Belair talk to each other, but it’s a minor thing compared to the action. Seth Rollins had a good segment with Sonya and Pearce to set up his newest rematch with Cesaro, and making it an MITB qualifier on top of it is good. It at least gives us reasons why Rollins doesn’t go after Edge directly, and I wonder if Rollins wins MITB to then try a NEW Heist of the Century.

The Last Man Standing match between Kevin and Sami was incredible! I’m sure they made sure it wasn’t the main event match so that it could have time to breathe, and that made it all the better for it. When was the last time any promotion anywhere gave us a table tower spot? Kevin winning makes all the sense, from how he has to get past Sami to go back after Roman and the Universal Championship, and this fits how Kevin has been telling Paul Heyman on Talking Smack that he’d get the MITB contract so that Roman won’t have a choice in facing him again. However, a lot of that likely means Kevin isn’t winning so that he has to fight his way back.

We got a good tag match out of Big E, Nakamura, Apollo and Corbin, but boy WWE loves to kayfabe dump on Corbin sometimes. His car being towed as a distraction so Nakamura & Big E could win seemed a match too soon. Boogs poking fun at him also seemed too much. Isn’t Corbin still a Heel? I get that bad things happening to bad people is on some level gratifying, but we shouldn’t have someone verbally bullying the Heel and still be a Face. Nakamura VS Corbin again in a qualifier next week is surely so Corbin can get back to winning on some level, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they used it to just pile on him more.

Zelina Vega returning is quite the shock, given all the things that happened between her and WWE. And it’s anyone’s guess if this helps get Aleister Black/Tommy End back. Vega VS Liv was a good match but of course Liv won because she’s going to keep in this until it comes down to the fourth and final spot. Otis getting the last match of the night, essentially the main event, is great for him. He manhandled Dawkins far more than I expected, and at this rate, he might bypass the tag titles to go for the Intercontinental Championship. The Mysterios still need to make a kayfabe physical recovery, but they might not stand a chance in a rematch with this Otis.

My Score: 8.4/10