WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - April 16th, 2021

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Ziggler & Roode and The Street Profits set for SmackDown Tag Team Title clash

The blue brand prepares for the fallout from WrestleMania as Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode look to defend the SmackDown Tag Team Titles against The Street Profits, Rey Mysterio battles Otis and more.


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– The post-WrestleMania 37 edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a video package showing how WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns retained over Daniel Bryan and WWE Hall of Famer Edge in the main event of Night Two of WrestleMania 37.

– We’re live from the WWE ThunderDome at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida as Michael Cole welcomes us to SmackDown. He’s joined at ringside by a newcomer to the announce team – Pat McAfee. Cole introduces McAfee, who says this is a dream come true.

– We go right to the ring and the boos start up as WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns comes out with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. Reigns stops on the stage and raises the title as pyro goes off. Greg Hamilton does the introductions.

Reigns smirks as he heads to the ring. He enters as the boos get louder. Reigns raises the title again in the middle of the ring as more pyro explodes. The music stops and a “you suck!” chant starts up. The boos get even louder as Heyman laughs. Reigns says they have put a lot of eyes on SmackDown, so for the new viewer, why don’t Paul tell him about the men he beat in the main event at WrestleMania? Heyman goes on with brief introductions for Daniel Bryan and WWE Hall of Famer Edge, mentioning their accomplishments and how Reigns stacked them for a pin at WrestleMania. Heyman says it was more like a Handicap Match and not a Triple Threat in the main event of WrestleMania. Fans boo some more.

Reigns says he took a page from Heyman’s playbook. He called his shot on last week’s SmackDown when he said he was going to smash them and stack them. Reigns said and then he was acknowledged. He goes on and says WWE will probably never book him in a Triple Threat again because of how he embarrassed Bryan and Edge. Reigns says no one wants to face him, no one wants him to do that to them. These are Hall of Famers but he smashed them, stacked them, pinned them 1-2-3 and then the Hall of Famers acknowledged him in front of the world. If he’s doing it to men like that, who would want to step to him now? No one wants to put their reputation on the line, it’s not worth it, no one is on his level. Reigns says they fulfilled the obligation, they opened his show, SmackDown, so now Heyman can tell them to cut the check. Let’s go. They go to leave but the music interrupts and out comes Cesaro.

Cesaro enters the ring and Reigns gets in his face, all business now. Cesaro stares back and then looks at the title on Reigns’ shoulder. Cesaro walks over and grabs a mic as Reigns, Heyman and Uso exit the ring, not concerned with what Cesaro has to say. Fans boo Reigns and crew. They go all the way to the back now while Cesaro’s music is still playing. Cesaro was left hanging and doesn’t get the chance to speak on the mic as we go back to the announcers with Cesaro’s music still playing.

– Still to come, a look at the single most impressive moment in WWE history, which Cole doesn’t name. We go to commercial.

– Back from the break and Sonya Deville is talking with Adam Pearce in the back. Cesaro walks up and asks if they saw what that son of a b---h Roman Reigns just did. He says Reigns thinks no one will step up to him, but he will. He doesn’t care if the title is on the line, he wants a match. Pearce goes to speak but Deville speaks up and says she will speak to Reigns and get back to him. Cesaro walks off and Pearce looks a bit surprised.

– Cole and McAfee show us Cesaro’s UFO move to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 37, apparently the single most impressive moment in history.

Otis vs. Rey Mysterio

We go back to the ring and out comes Alpha Academy for tonight’s first match – Otis with Chad Gable. Our Progressive-sponsored Match Flo video looks at Otis’ recent dominance and how Gable has transformed him in the feud with Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio. We get a Tale of the Tape graphic for Otis and Mysterio. Out next comes Rey to the ring. He gets a big pop and has Dominik with him.

The bell rings and Otis runs right over Rey. Otis clubs Rey back to the mat. Otis presses Rey high over his head and drops him for boos from the crowd. Otis goes on but Rey fights back from the apron, dropping Otis over the top rope. Rey goes to the top but Otis stops him, turning him upside down in a Tree of Woe and working him over in the corner.

Rey mounts some offense and hits a running knee but Otis hangs on. More back and forth now. Rey flies but Otis catches him in mid-air for a big slam in the middle of the ring. Otis goes to the second rope now. He goes for the diving headbutt but Rey rolls out of the way as Gable and Dominik cheer their partners from ringside. Otis gets up as does Rey.

Rey dropkicks Otis into position for 619 but Otis charges and gets dropped again. Rey hits 619. Rey goes to the top for the senton but Otis catches him. Rey counters and rolls Otis for the pin to win.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

– After the match, the music hits as Rey and Dominik celebrate. We go to replays. Rey and Dominik celebrate on the ramp now as Otis and Gable seethe in the ring.

– We see Paul Heyman backstage getting ready with Kayla Braxton. Apparently Heyman is about to answer Cesaro’s challenge for the match with Roman Reigns. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and the announcers briefly look at WrestleMania 37 Week.

– We go backstage to Kayla Braxton and Paul Heyman. Kayla asks if Roman Reigns will accept Cesaro’s challenge. Heyman goes on ranting and Cesaro is a joke, so let’s put an end to this joke now. Heyman says they will give Cesaro what he wants tonight, Cesaro one-on-one in the main event, against… “The Main Event” Jey Uso. Fans in the arena boo as Heyman walks off.

– Cole and McAfee discuss Cesaro vs. Uso and we get another look at Cesaro dominating Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 37.

– We go back to the ring and out comes Sami Zayn. We see highlights from WrestleMania 37 with Kevin Owens hitting a Stunner on Logan Paul after defeating Zayn. Sami takes the mic and says he sees all the highlights except the one that’s most accurate – Sami Zayn was once again screwed.

Zayn says WrestleMania was supposed to be his vindication, all the stars were aligned, including his special guest. He goes on ranting and says Paul’s mind was poisoned by everyone from Cole the corporate mouthpiece to the fans, and everyone else in between. Sami could feel it as soon as Paul arrived, he kept pulling back. Sami was distracted by this during the match and that is the only reason Owens was able to get a win over him at WrestleMania.

Sami will not be denied his vindication, his revenge. He knows Owens is in the back, and he wants Owens to come out and give him what he wants. Sami says nothing is here to distract him tonight, there’s no way Owens can steal a win. The music hits as Sami drops the mic. Out comes Owens. Back to commercial.

Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens

Back from the break and this WrestleMania 37 was made official during the break. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens face off as we get the bell.

The bell rings and Sami immediately retreats to the floor to stall. He runs back in as Owens slides out and the referee counts. Sami tries this again as Owens goes in but Owens attacks and slams him face-first into the announce table. Owens beats Sami back in and unloads with big chops. Sami looks to mount offense but Owens clotheslines him out of the corner.

Owens with a senton in the middle of the ring. Sami avoid a cannonball in the corner. Sami hangs Owens up on the top rope, then drops him with a shot to the back of the head. Sami mounts Owens with lefts and rights as some fans boo. Sami uses the ropes again as the referee counts. Owens tries to turn it around but Sami puts boots to him in the corner to keep him down. Owens fights back from the corner but Owens hits a jawbreaker. Sami with another chop and a kick. Owens levels him with a big clothesline. Owens bounces Sami off the top rope ribs-first.

Owens unloads in the corner now. Owens takes Sami to the top and chops away. Sami with elbows to the back of the head as Owens tries to climb up. Sami with the Sunset Flip Powerbomb for a close 2 count. Sami gets up and argues with the referee as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and they’re fighting up top in the corner again. Sami sends Owens to the mat and leaps but has to roll through. Sami runs right into a big superkick for a close 2 count. Owens goes back to the top and hits the big senton for another close 2 count.

Sami goes to the floor as the referee counts. Owens stops Sami from retreating up the ramp and sends him into the barrier, then into the ring. Owens with a knee to the gut. Sami blocks the Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens blocks a suplex and they tangle. Owens with a big neckbreaker over the knee for a 2 count. More back and forth on the outside as Sami tries to retreat.

They bring it back in but Sami dodges a Stunner and goes back out. Sami goes back out and rocks Owens as he tries to come through the ropes. The referee keeps counting as Sami stumbles up the ramp now. Owens recovers in the ring as Sami gets counted out.

Winner by Count Out: Kevin Owens

– After the bell, Owens’ music hits but he chases Sami up the ramp and rocks him. Owens brings it back into the ring and lays Sami out with a Stunner in the middle of the ring. Owens stands tall and plays to the crowd as his music hits, declaring that this is his ring.

– New WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews is backstage with Commander Azeez, who is standing tall with Crews’ large spear-like weapon. Crews laughs about his WrestleMania 37 title win over Big E and says he would give Big E a rematch tonight but he’s not here. He shows us why Big E isn’t here tonight and it’s a quick replay from their Nigerian Drum Fight. Crews introduces his Commander Azeez, saying he’s a former member of the Nigerian Elite Guard and if anyone dares to come for his title, they will be annihilated by the Nigerian Nail, apparently the new name for the weapon Azeez is carrying.

– We go back to the ring and out comes The Street Profits – Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins. The Solo cups fall as they head to the ring. We see balloons all over the ring area and Cole says these are here for new SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and her big celebration. We go back to commercial as Ford and Dawkins hit the ring.

Back from the break and we see more still highlights from WrestleMania 37. We go back to the ring and The Street Profits have mics. They get hyped up about doing some spring cleaning of the tag team division and taking the titles from Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler tonight. They’re also excited about some extra inspiration and motivation they picked up at WrestleMania 37 this weekend, a story that Ford will tell his grandkids about. They go on and send us to a video package on Bianca Belair winning the SmackDown Women’s Title from Sasha Banks as the main event of WrestleMania 37 Night One.

The Profits go on about how the party isn’t stopping. Ford gives a grand introduction to his wife and out comes Belair to a big pop. Fans chant for Belair as she hits the ring. She feels like she’s been floating since Saturday night. Her heart is full and she is blessed. Despite the struggles she never stopped believing this moment was possible. Belair goes on about never being apologetic, if you dream it, you can do it. Belair says it’s not just about her. It’s also about Sasha Banks. She thanks Banks and says there’s nobody she would’ve rather shared the spotlight with. Banks pushed her and they both made history. She says if Banks ever tries to forget it, she left her with something to remember her by… an apparent reference to the hair strike.

Belair says this was for all the little girls watching in person or at home. She says it was magic at WrestleMania but we are just getting started creating history. Ford asks for some love and they do a group hug. Belair takes the title off and says it’s time for The Street Profits to get back to the SmackDown Tag Team Titles because we only wear gold in this house. The Profits say they and Belair are up, and they want the smoke. They continue celebrating as Belair’s music hits. She exits the ring with the title in the air.

– Kayla Braxton is backstage with Sasha Banks. Braxton goes to speak but Banks hushes her and shows off a mark she has on her stomach from the hair strike. Banks is so angry she’s speechless. She stomps off, apparently looking for Bianca Belair.

– We go back to the announcers. Cole once again shows us Cesaro’s UFO move to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 37, calling it one of the most impressive moments in history.

– Kayla is backstage with Bayley now. She says Sasha Banks must want a rematch because she’s so angry she can’t put a sentence together. Bayley says while she was busy trying to save WrestleMania, Bianca Belair was crying before the main event even happened, and she was really crying because she thought she couldn’t win. Now she’s out there showboating and she’s arrogant. Is that the kind of champion we want? No. There’s only one way to fix this and it’s for Bayley to challenge Belair and take the SmackDown Women’s Title. Bayley walks off.

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SmackDown Tag Team Titles Match: The Street Profits vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler

We go back to the ring and out come the SmackDown Tag Team Champions – Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins of The Street Profits look on as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and the bell hits as Ziggler starts off with Dawkins. They tangle and trade holds, going to the ropes as the referee warns Dawkins as he backs off. Ziggler with a back elbow and a dropkick. Dawkins fights back with a big right. Ford tags in and hits a dropkick, then yells out and covers for a 2 count. Ford keeps control with another quick 2 count.

Ford works on the arm now and tags in Dawkins. Dawkins comes off the middle rope with a double axe handle to the arm as Ford twists it. Dawkins works on Ziggler’s arm now. Ford tags back in for another shot to the arm as they keep Ziggler near their corner. Ziggler gets the tag but the champs collide and both go down as Ford keeps control. Dawkins tags back in and they dominate the champs. Ford sends Ziggler to the floor as Dawkins runs wild on Roode. We go back to commercial with Ford and Dawkins getting hyped up after clearing the ring, yelling at the camera.

Back from the break and Dawkins levels Roode with a shoulder. They run the ropes again and Dawkins hits the corkscrew elbow. Roode dodges a corkscrew in the corner but runs into a back elbow. Dawkins knocks Ziggler off the apron but he’s distracted, allowing Roode to hit a big Spinebuster for a close 2 count. Ziggler tags back in and takes over. Ziggler with a a neckbreaker to Dawkins for a 2 count in the middle of the ring.

Roode comes back in for some quick double teaming. Roode kicks Dawkins around now and hits a suplex for a 2 count. Ziggler tags back in as they continue to keep Dawkins near their corner. Ziggler taunts Ford and goes to dropkick Dawkins but it’s blocked. Dawkins launches Ziggler face-first into the turnbuckles. Ziggler and Dawkins are both down as their partners rally from the apron.

Roode and Ford tag in at the same time. Ford with clotheslines. Ford pulls Ziggler in from the apron then dropkicks Roode, then dropkicks Ziggler. Ford with a Blockbuster to Roode. Ford clotheslines Ziggler for a pop. Ford counters a suplex from Roode, then hits the back suplex for a kip up and a standing moonsault. Roode kicks out just in time. Roode and Ziggler are on the floor now. Ford runs the ropes and leaps out, taking them both down.

Dawkins comes in and hits the big Spinebuster on Roode in the middle of the ring. Ford tags in and goes to the top for the big Frogplash but Ziggler breaks the pin up just in time. Dawkins comes in but Ziggler clotheslines him to the floor. Ford knocks Ziggler off the apron after he hung on from the clothesline to Dawkins. Ford unloads on Roode in the corner now. Ziggler tags in and Ford doesn’t see it. Ziggler comes from behind and drops Ford with a Zig Zag for the pin to retain.

Winners: Robert Rode and Dolph Ziggler

– After the match, Roode and Ziggler recover and take the titles as we go to replays. The music plays as Ziggler and Roode celebrate at ringside.

– Cole shows us Cesaro’s UFO to Seth Rollins once again and keeps calling it the single most impressive moment in WrestleMania history. Kayla is backstage with Cesaro now, asking about Paul Heyman’s negative comments from earlier. Cesaro thinks Heyman is right – Cesaro has buck teeth, a slack jaw, and he’s not the smartest person in the world, he does look like a neanderthal, but Heyman is wrong about one thing – Cesaro does belong in the ring with Roman Reigns. He’s going to prove that tonight by beating Jey Uso.

– We see Roman Reigns backstage talking to Paul Heyman and Reigns looks annoyed. Jey Uso paces behind them. Reigns tells Jey to teach Cesaro a lesson tonight. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and we see more stills from WrestleMania 37.

Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler

We go back to the ring and Natalya is already out. Tamina Snuka is at ringside. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax are also out already. Jax watches from ringside as Baszler faces off with Natalya.

The bell rings and they immediately go at it. Natalya ducks a clothesline and applies a waistlock. Baszler fights free and goes to work but Natalya blocks and goes for an early Sharpshooter. Jax drags Baszler to safety as fans boo. Tamina comes over and yells at the champs as the referee counts.

Baszler comes back in and Natalya takes her down. They trade more holds now. Natalya turns it around but Baszler takes her back to the mat for more back & forth. Baszler works on the arm now. Baszler goes to stomp the arm but Tamina pulls her partner to safety. Jax comes over and faces off with Tamina and Natalya. Natalya comes back in but Baszler levels her with a knee for a 2 count.

Baszler runs into a back elbow. They tangle and Natalya levels Baszler with a discus forearm. She goes for a Sharpshooter but Jax distracts from the apron. Baszler with a kick to the mouth but she can’t get the Kirifuda Clutch. This all leads to Natalya rolling Baszler up for the pin to win out of nowhere.

Winner: Natalya

– After the match, Jax comes in to attack Natalya but Tamina levels Jax with a superkick. Tamina and Natalya stand tall as Jax and Baszler regroup at ringside.

– We actually get Cole giving us one more look at Cesaro’s UFO to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. You know, the single greatest moment in history that they have been hyping up all night. Jey Uso is backstage with Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman now. Uso taunts Cesaro and says he’s going to show him tonight why the call him Main Event Jey Uso. Uso heads out as Reigns shows him respect. Reigns leans into the camera and says Cesaro heard Jey, now Jey is going to show him. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and announced for Talking Smack tomorrow with Paul Heyman and Kayla Braxton are SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews, and SmackDown Tag Team Champions Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler.

Jey Uso vs. Cesaro

We go back to the ring and out first comes Jey Uso for tonight’s main event. He stops at the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy at ringside as Cole sends us to a Pizza Hut-sponsored highlight video on last Friday’s Andre Battle Royal. Cesaro does the Andre pose at ringside as the music hits and out comes his opponent, Cesaro.

The bell rings and Cesaro charges for a takedown. They run the ropes and Cesaro catches Jey in mid-air for a backbreaker. Jey kicks out at 2. Cesaro sends Jey into the ring post but Jey fights back from the apron. Jey uses the turnbuckles and ring post to soften up Cesaro’s arm. Uso goes for a superkick from the apron but it’s blocked and Cesaro sends him to the floor. Cesaro runs the apron and leaps off but Jey superkicks him on the way down. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Jey has Cesaro tied up by his arm. Cesaro fights out but Jey catches him with a Samoan Drop in the middle of the ring. Cesaro kicks out at 1. Uso rocks Cesaro’s arm and works him into the corner. Jey goes for a suplex but Cesaro overpowers and hits a big suplex of his own. Fans cheer Cesaro for his strength.

Cesaro charges into the corner but get sent to the apron. He rocks Jey and goes to the top. Cesaro with a big flying crossbody from the top but Jey hangs in. Jey with more offense for another close 2 count. Uso levels Cesaro for another pin attempt. Jey goes back to the top but Cesaro gets up and dropkicks him, sending him to the apron. Cesaro goes to the second rope but Jey knocks him off with body shots. Cesaro with a big uppercut. Cesaro climbs back up and hits the Gutwrench superplex for another close 2 count.

Cesaro goes for the Neutralizer in the middle of the ring but it’s blocked. Cesaro with a cartwheel into a corkscrew uppercut off the ropes. Jey still kicks out at 2. Cesaro looks for the Cesaro Swing but Jey kicks him from the mat. Cesaro with an uppercut. Jey ducks a strike and drops Cesaro with a neckbreaker for another close 2 count in the middle of the ring. Jey shows frustration now.

Jey rocks Cesaro while he’s on his shoulders. Jey with some trash talking and a big slap. Cesaro fights back from his knees and unloads, beating Uso into the corner. Cesaro with a lariat for another close 2 count. Cesaro calls for the Swing and this time he hits it in the middle of the ring as fans count along. Seth Rollins suddenly attacks in the middle of the Swing and pounds on Cesaro for the disqualification as fans boo.

Winner by DQ: Cesaro

– After the bell, fans boo louder as Rollins exits up the ramp. Cesaro slowly gets up as Rollins stops on the ramp and looks back at the ring, yelling about Cesaro embarrassing him. Rollins yells that Cesaro got lucky one time and this isn’t over, nothing is over until Rollins says it’s over. Fans continue booing Rollins as we go to replays. Rollins continues screaming from the stage as Cesaro looks on from the ring. The post-WrestleMania 37 edition of SmackDown goes off the air.