Good evening Fight Fans, and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE Smackdown on FOX!
- We open tonight's show with the entrance of the Universal champion Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. Roman gets on the mic and says that he likes Kevin Owens, and respects him before saying that he cares about the well being and families of everyone on the roster. Roman says to blame Adam Pearce for what happened to Kevin before demanding Adam come out to the ring. Adam reluctantly comes out to the ring and Roman shows a recap of what happened is last week's main event between Jey and Kevin as well as the aftermath where Roman and Jey tossed Kevin off of the top of the Thunderdome. Roman tells Adam to take responsibility for what happened to Kevin since he granted him the match with Jey and that he threw Kevin to the lions.
Roman says that Adam is to blame for Kevin now not being able to provide for his family before reprimanding Adam for making a gauntlet match to find Roman's next opponent. Roman grabs Adam's jacket and nearly hits him before Paul talks some sense into him and calms Roman down. Roman then tells Adam that he's perfectly safe before Roman and company leave.
- We get a graphic for the Intercontinental Championship match between the champion Big E and the challenger Apollo Crews up next as we go to commercial.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Big E (c) vs Apollo Crews
Apollo immediately dropkicks E and nearly knocks him out with a boot for an early near fall before E comes back with a back elbow and a running splash on the apron. Back in the ring Apollo comes back with a trio of German suplexes for two before Apollo sends E out of the ring and hits a moonsault off of the apron. Apollo rolls E back inside for two before backing him into the corner and setting him on the top turnbuckle before hitting a superplex. The two then grapevine each other's legs for the double pin.
Winner: No Contest due to double pin, but Big E retains due to champions advantage.
- Apollo yells at E after the match before the referee restarts the match.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Big E (c) vs Apollo Crews
E immediately hits a belly to belly suplex before Apollo hits a dive off of the top for two before getting two off of a roll up. Apollo hits a spine buster into a standing moonsault for two before E rolls Apollo up for two and locks in a stretch muffler that Apollo kicks his way out of. Apollo then hits an enzuigiri before E counters a sit-out powerbomb into a uranage and The Big Ending for the pin and the win.
Winner: Big E retains his Intercontinental championship by defeating Apollo Crews via pinfall.
- Backstage Adam Pearce is on the phone before he ends the call and Sonya Deville shows up and says that she wants to have a new start in 2021.
- We get a graphic for the gauntlet match later tonight between Baron Corbin, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura later tonight as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a backstage interview with Bianca Belair who has declared for the Women's Royal Rumble match before she's immediately interrupted by Bayley. Bayley says that she's going to win the Rumble and main event Wrestlemania. Bianca then mocks Bayley for not being champion before leaving.
- We get this week's Progressive Match Flo recapping Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode attacking the Street Profits ahead of their tag title match up next as we go to commercial.
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match
The Street Profits (c) vs Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode
Dolph and Angelo start the match off with Angelo dropping Dolph for two before SP double up on Dolph for a second two count. Dolph then backs Ford into the corner and tags on Roode who focuses on his injured knee before Ford clears the ring as we go to commercial.
We come back to Angelo in control of Roode as we see Ford struggling to get onto the apron for the tag before Dolph gets the blind tag and dropkicks Angelo for two. Dolph chokes Angelo in the ropes before hitting a gator roll and keeping Angelo from Montez before Roode comes back in and hits a neckbreaker for two. Angelo sends Robert out of the ring and gets the hot tag to Montez after Montez fights off Robert from ringside. Ford clotheslines Dolph and hits Roode with a high angle back body drop before Roode comes back with a fisherman's suplex for a near fall. Ford then counters the Glorious DDT into an enzuigiri before Dolph and Roode hit a spine buster into the Zig-Zag for the pin and the win.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode defeat The Street Profits via pinfall to become the new Smackdown Tag Team champions.
- Backstage Adam and Sonya are interrupted by Paul Heyman who talks about Adam's accolades before saying that he pulled some strings and Adam is now in the match thanks to Roman as we go to commercial.
- Backstage Billie Kay walks up to the Riott Squad and tries to make their duo a trio, but Ruby and Liv reject her. Billie then starts crying before they reluctantly change their mind and she leaves happily.
Universal Championship Number One Contender Gauntlet Match
Rey Mysterio vs Sami Zayn
Rey starts the match off with Sami with Rey immediately dropkicking Sami into a 619 and a frog splash for the pin and the elimination.
Winner:Rey Mysterio defeats Sami Zayn via pinfall.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Rey Mysterio
We come back to Rey in control of Shin as Dom looks on from ringside before hitting a sunset flip bomb before Shin hits a sliding knee at ringside. Back in the ring Shin hits Bad Vibrations before hitting a running single leg dropkick for two before hitting a jumping knee for two. Shin sets Rey on the top turnbuckle before Rey counters a superplex and knocks Shin down before hitting a dive into a Samson Clutch for a near fall. Shin sends Rey out onto the apron before Rey hits a 619 and goes for a diving splash, but Shin gets his knees up. Shinsuke then submits Rey with an armbar for the elimination.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura defeats Rey Mysterio via submission.
Baron Corbin vs Shinsuke Nakamura
We come back to Corbin in control before Corbin goes shoulder first into the post and Shin drops him with a kick before Corbin drives him into the post at ringside. Back in the ring Corbin beats Shin down before Shin hits a roundhouse kick into a diving knee from the second rope for two. Corbin counters a Kinshasa into a Deep Six for a near fall before Shin locks in a triangle choke that Corbin powers out of. Shin then pins Corbin with a Kinshasa when Corbin runs at Shin for the elimination.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Daniel Bryan
Shin hits an exploder suplex before DB counters a Kinshasa into a half crab before transitioning into an ankle lock and a bridging German suplex for a near fall. DB kicks Shin in the chest repeatedly before Shin kicks DB and hits a flying armbar that Daniel counters into one of his own. Daniel locks in the Yes Lock before transitioning into a double armbar before Shinsuke gets to the ropes for the break. Daniel focuses on the arm of Shin before setting him on the top turnbuckle and Shin counters a frankensteiner into a diving knee for a near fall. Shin drives his knees into the ribs of DB before DB stacks Shin up when he locks in another armbar before dropping him with a roundhouse kick in the corner.
Daniel then hits several running dropkicks in the corner before Shin comes out of nowhere with the Kinshasa for the pin and the elimination.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura defeats Daniel Bryan via pinfall.
- After the match Shinsuke and Daniel shake hands out of respect before Roman, Jey and Paul come out to the ring as we go to commercial.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Adam Pearce
Before the match starts Jey gets into the ring and faces off with Shin before Jey and Roman beat him down and superkick Adam. Once the match starts they drape Adam across Shinsuke and form the referee to count the pin.
Winner: Adam Pearce defeats Shinsuke Nakamura to win the gauntlet and become the new number one contender for Roman Reigns' Universal Championship.
