WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - May 21st, 2021

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Apollo Crews to defend the Intercontinental Title in a colossal Fatal 4-Way

Apollo Crews puts his coveted Intercontinental Championship on the line against Big E, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, tonight


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– The post-WrestleMania Backlash edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX opens live with Michael Cole welcoming us to the ThunderDome at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee. Cole introduces a Parade of Champions on the stage. We see new SmackDown Tag Team Champions Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews with Commander Azeez, and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina Snuka. Cole hypes tonight’s Fatal 4 Way for the Intercontinental Title, saying it will be the main event.

Cole sends us to Sonya Deville in the ring. She welcomes us to an extra special SmackDown. She talks about the news that broke today on WWE leaving the ThunderDome to return to the road, back where WWE belongs, back to the fans. Deville says Adam Pearce is on the ground scouting locations for the tour. We see mainstream media coverage of today’s announcement. Deville hypes the Parade of Champions and introduces each champion but Crews calls for the music to be cut. He’s not happy about having to defend in a Fatal 4 Way tonight, but says he will retain and will unleash destruction on Big E, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Deville introduces Belair last among the champions on the stage.

Deville now calls on fans to welcome the WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. The music hits but out comes Paul Heyman to the stage instead. Fans are already booing. Heyman says the Parade of Champions is nice but it’s not a parade of champions, it’s a parade of title holders. He points at each champion and calls them a title holder, and says Reigns is not a title holder, he’s a champion, not just a champion, THE champion, the preeminent champions, of all of WWE, and all of sports entertainment. Heyman says when fans buy tickets to these upcoming events, they will do it with confidence that WWE is represented by a preeminent champion like our Tribal Chief. Heyman says Reigns will not be involved in this Parade of Title Holders, but there will be a Parade of Champion later tonight, at Reigns’ leisure. Heyman thanks Deville and heads back to the back to boos.

Deville says that’s the first surprise of the evening, but probably not the last. She calls on the fans to applaud the champions one more time. Bayley hits the ring to interrupt. She’s mad she wasn’t recognized for her title reign through the ThunderDome era. She takes a shot at Dominik first, for riding his dad’s coattails. She then knocks Natalya and Tamina, but says what’s up to Apollo and Azeez. She then addresses Belair and says she cheated at WrestleMania Backlash, calling her a criminal for stealing the title. Bayley wants Deville to strip Belair of the title. Belair comes down the ramp and hits the ring, and they have words. Bayley wants her rematch. Bayley goes to exit the ring but Belair is attacked behind by Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax. Natalya and Tamina run down to make the save but the heels get the upperhand. Bayley, Jax and Baszler stand tall as we go to commercial with fans booing.

Natalya, Tamina Snuka and Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler and Bayley

Back from the break and the match begins as Nia Jax splashes WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Tamina Snuka in the corner, then drops an elbow for a 2 count. Cole says this match is taking advantage of the quarterly Brand-To-Brand Invitational with Superstars working the opposite brand.

Shayna Baszler tags in and works over Jax in the heels’ corner. Cole points out how Reginald is not here tonight as he’s being treated after the ring post exploded at him on RAW. Baszler drops Tamina for another 2 count as SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair reaches for the tag. Bayley tags back in but Tamina fights her off from the corner. Bayley rams her back into the corner and works her over. Tamina finally nails a big suplex and in comes WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Natalya off the tag. Natalya with a snap suplex to Baszler, then Bayley. Bayley ends up countering and dropping Natalya. Baszler tags in and starts bending and stretching Natalya’s limbs. Jax tags in and slams Natalya for a 2 count. Belair tags in and dropkicks Baszler, then kips up. Belair takes Baszler to the corner for thrusts. Baszler counters and applies the Kirifuda Clutch but Belair gets free.

Belair ends up catching Baszler with a big Spinebuster for a pop. Belair goes to the top but Bayley and Jax pull Baszler to the floor to safety. Belair turns her direction and leaps to the floor from the top, taking down all three opponents with a crossbody. Belair sits up against the barrier and clutches her knee. We go to commercial with Belair selling a knee injury.

Back from the break and Bayley has Belair down in the ring, working on her hurt leg. Belair tries to scramble away but Bayley grounds her with a hold. Fans rally for Belair as she sends Bayley through the ropes to the floor. She comes right back in and stops Belair from tagging. Bayley knocks Natalya off the apron with a cheap shot. Belair dodges an elbow and tags in Tamina.

Tamina unloads on Bayley, taking her to the corner with face-first turnbuckle shots. Tamina drops Baszler on the apron and powerslams Bayley. Natalya tags in with a basement dropkick and a German suplex to Bayley. Tamina comes back in and Natalya launches Bayley into a superkick from Tamina. Tamina covers but Bayley grabs the bottom rope to break the count. Natalya tags back in but Bayley dodges the discus clothesline. Natalya goes for the Sharpshooter on Bayley but didn’t see Baszler tag in. Baszler drops Natalya to break the hold. Tamina comes in and headbutts Baszler. Natalya and Baszler scramble. Bayley runs back in but ends up dropped with Natalya’s discus clothesline. Jax runs in but Tamina superkicks her. Baszler sends Tamina to the floor.

Belair drop Baszler but Bayley pulls her to the floor for a Bayley-to-Belly suplex on the floor. Natalya kicks Bayley off the apron to prevent her from coming back in. Baszler takes advantage and grabs Natalya from behind and drops her into the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission win.

Winners: Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax and Bayley

– After the match, Baszler and Jax stand tall together as the music hits. We go to replays. The babyfaces limp up the ramp as the heels stand tall in the ring.

– Kayla Braxton is backstage with Big E. He hypes tonight’s main event and says this is what he asked for, a chance to show he is the best among the very best. He will stand in the ring with dogs tonight and this will sharpen his iron. He goes on with the promo and says when he leaves the arena tonight, he will leave no doubt tonight that he is our rightful Intercontinental Champion and you’ve got to feel that. Big E keeps getting hyped up to end the interview. McAfee hypes tonight’s main event again.

– Cole talks about Roman Reigns’ win over Cesaro at WrestleMania Backlash. Reigns will be here later tonight. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and the announcers hype the upcoming 25-city tour that kicks off with Money In the Bank weekend.

– We go to another Aleister Black vignette. He reads from the “Tales From The Dark Father” book now and this is Chapter 4: Beautiful Pain. Father’s blessings are painfully etched on his body. His pain serves a purpose. There is no lying with pain, it is honest, it is truth. Where would we be without this truth, without this functional armor of agony? So lets hear it for the bleak, desert of misery we hide our deepest, darkest sins. Sins that you embody. Father always said there isn’t an art to being evil. This full of cruel thoughts and evil dreams. You all live proudly in your cesspool of sins and denial because it’s all you are, it has become your identity, to be lonesome and blind. You are sick and dying animals and it is time for me to separate the weak from the strong as father taught me. It is time to cull the herd. This vignette focused on tattoos and had Black showing off some of his ink, yelling out with fire/candles around him.

King Baron Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

We go back to the ring and out comes King Baron Corbin. Cole shows us how Corbin defeated Shinsuke Nakamura last week, but Nakamura stole his crown after the match. We also see Nakamura’s social media posts that show him wearing the crown while out & about this week. Cole and McAfee joke about Corbin’s bald head. Corbin takes the mic and says he was going to come out and not speak, to let his actions do the talking, but now he can’t help himself after seeing the video. That was the most disrespectful thing he’s ever seen. He says Nakamura calls himself the King of Strong Style but he is no king. All fan watching t home will not know what this is like but a real king wears $40,000 watches, drives a Ferrari, and owns mean dogs of war. Not some fat, shabby cat. A real king respects the crown, so tonight he’s going to punish Nakamura, grind his face into the canvas with the heel of his boot, then take back his crown and send it off to have it clean & polished, then put it back where it belongs, right on top of the head of the one true king of WWE. Fans keep booing Corbin as he calls Nakamura to the ring.

Music interrupts and it’s Rik Boogz (Rik Bugez, Eric Bugenhagen) from WWE NXT, playing an electric guitar. He introduces himself and says he came to rock with the real king of SmackDown, Shinsuke Nakamura. Boogz starts playing along with Nakamura’s theme as he makes his way out, wearing Corbin’s crown. We go to commercial with Nakamura heading to the ring.

Back from the break and the match is underway. Nakamura unloads on Corbin in the corner. We see Boogz with his guitar at ringside, hyping Nakamura up. Corbin levels Nakamura with a big counter in the ring. Corbin keeps control and works Nakamura around the ring now. Nakamura fights back with kicks and punches. Corbin catches him with a big powerbomb in the middle of the ring for a 2 count.

Corbin holds Nakamura down by his arm and puts a boot to his face as the crowd boos. Corbin takes it to the corner for body shots now. Corbin keeps Nakamura down in the corner as the referee warns him. Corbin does his own Good Vibrations in the corner now. Corbin picks Nakamura up and drops him with a knee to the gut. Corbin with a submission now, man-handling Nakamura as fans start rallying for him.

Nakamura fights up and out with gut punches. Corbin drops him with an elbow for a 1 count. Corbin slaps Nakamura around while he’s down, talking trash and taunting him. Corbin scoops Nakamura but he slides free and stuns Corbin with a big kick. Nakamura with a big knee and then the sliding knee. Nakamura waits in the corner now, catching Corbin with a takedown for a 2 count. Nakamura signals for the Kinshasa now as fans cheer him on. Corbin side-steps it and then nails a belly-to-back suplex out of the corner for 2.

Corbin gets up first and grabs Nakamura by the throat. Nakamura blocks the chokeslam with a knee strike but Corbin catches him with Deep Six for a close 2 count. Boogz starts playing Nakamura’s theme at ringside briefly. Nakamura blocks End of Days off the distraction and ends up rolling Corbin with a small package for the pin to win.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

– After the bell, Boogz joins Nakamura on the ramp and plays along with his theme as Corbin seethes in the ring. Nakamura poses with Boogz on the ramp to end the segment.

– Jimmy Uso enters Sonya Deville’s locker room and says The Usos are ready to get back together and move forward as the best tag team of the century. They are ready to do it big. She asks if he’s checked with his brother Jey Uso and he says he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t know Jey has his back. Jimmy says they want the smoke, they want The Street Profits. Deville makes the match for next week and Jimmy is all for it. He walks off.

– We go back to the ThunderDome and out comes WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Paul Heyman. Reigns stops on the stage and raises the title in the air as pyro goes off. They head to the ring as Greg Hamilton does the introduction. Reigns enters the ring and raises the title to more pyro as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Kevin Owens is backstage. He cuts a promo on the main event and goes on about how he plans on living up to the “Prizefighter” nickname tonight. Owens says when it’s all said and done, he plans on being a three-time Intercontinental Champion. We go back to the ring and Reigns has a mic. Cole leads us to a Progressive-sponsored replay from WrestleMania Backlash, showing how Reigns retained over Cesaro in the main event, plus what happened after the match with Cesaro and Seth Rollins. Fans chant “Roman sucks!” now amid the boos. Reigns sees himself as a humble man, and teaches his sons about humility. He doesn’t like to brag on live TV, so he’s going to take this chance to allow his Special Counsel to celebrate him. Fans boo louder.

Heyman takes the mic and says this is a unique surprise as he has a moment here to honor our Tribal Chief. Heyman goes on praising Reigns for being undefeated and conquering some of the opponents since returning to WWE, including “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, among others. He touts the stacked pin on WWE Hall of Famer Edge and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 37, and how Reigns sent Bryan into a Bella retirement. Heyman goes on with the praise and says Reigns’ wish is his command, then asks what else can he do for his Tribal Chief? Reigns orders Heyman to bring him his cousin. Heyman yells at the timekeeper to hit Jimmy Uso’s music. Cesaro’s music starts up instead.

Cesaro comes to the stage in a suit, wearing a sling on his arm. Reigns says to cut this bum’s music. Cesaro is in a bad mood tonight. He says he was in the back and all he heard was this annoying yapping in his ear. Reigns asks Cesaro what he’s going to do, and says he can break Cesaro’s other arm. Cesaro says that’s just a flesh wound and he’d fight Reigns with no arms. Cesaro proposes a match with Reigns at Hell In a Cell. Reigns asks if he really wants to do this again. Rollins suddenly runs down and attacks Cesaro, sending him into the barrier and then the steel ring steps.

Fans boo as Rollins unloads on Cesaro, stomping away and beating him up at ringside. Officials run down and order Rollins to the back. He goes up the ramp while referees help Cesaro up at ringside. Rollins runs back down the ramp and attacks Cesaro. Rollins grabs the hurt arm and slams Cesaro down to the floor by it. Rollins delivers a big Stomp at the bottom of the ramp. Cesaro clutches his arm as referee Charles Robinson checks on him. The other officials back Rollins away through the timekeeper’s area. Rollins jumps over the barrier, runs back over to the bottom of the ramp and this time delivers a Stomp to Cesaro on the steel. Fans boo him some more while Cesaro is laid out face-down. Rollins watches with a crazed look in his eyes. Medics bring a stretcher down the ramp for Cesaro as we go to commercial.

– Back from the break and we see what just happened with Cesaro and Seth Rollins. Megan Morant is backstage with Rollins. He says he doesn’t know what happened out there because he blacked out. Medics pushed Cesaro by on a stretcher and Rollins grabs him, yelling at him and blaming him for everything. The medics push Cesaro on ahead as Rollins repeatedly asks him when he’s going to learn.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Robert Roode

We go back to the ring and out come the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions, Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio. We get a Pizza Hut-sponsored replay of how The Mysterios won the titles from Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode at WrestleMania Backlash. Out next comes Roode and Ziggler.

Roode says Dominik shouldn’t let the title win go to his head because his dad did all the work and he just reaped the benefits, like he has his whole life. Roode goes on and says tonight he will prove once and for all that Dominik does not belong here. Dominik just raises his title in the air in his face. The bell rings and here we go. Roode powers Dominik into the corner with thrusts.

An aggressive Roode nails a suplex, then another in the middle of the ring. Dominik counters another suplex and rolls him up but Roode kicks out at 2. Roode ends Dominik into the corner and charges in with a big shoulder. Roode takes Dominik to the top and works him over. Roode climbs up but Dominik fights back, sending Roode to the mat. Roode runs back up but gets shoved right back to the mat. Dominik nails a crossbody from the top but Roode kicks out at 2. Roode runs into an elbow in the corner.

Dominik goes for the tornado DDT but Roode shoves him out of mid-air. Roode goes for the powerbomb but Dominik fights out and sends Roode into position for 619. Ziggler jumps on the apron for the distraction to prevent the 619. Ziggler gets sent to the floor and then looks to superkick Rey but Rey sends his leg into the steel steps.

Dominik and Roode tangle in the ring with Roode kicking out of a counter at 2. Dominik sends Roode shoulder-first into the ring post, then hits 619. Dominik goes back to the top and hits a Frogsplash for the pin to win.

Winner: Dominik Mysterio

– After the match, Rey and Dominik celebrate in the middle of the ring as the music hits.

– Jey Uso is walking backstage when Jimmy Uso approaches to tell him about next week’s match against The Street Profits. Jey isn’t happy his brother made a tag team match without telling him first. Jimmy says he’s looking out for his brother after Roman Reigns said he doesn’t need him. Jimmy points to how capable Jey can be on his own, including his Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal win. They go on back & forth, and Jey says he still needs to tell Reigns about the tag match. He walks off and Jimmy looks disappointed. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and the announcers hype the return to touring in July.

– Roman Reigns is backstage with Paul Heyman when Jey Uso walks in. Jey tells him about next week’s match against The Street Profits, and says he had nothing to do with it. Reigns asks who “we” is and goes on about Jey being selfish. Reigns says this is “we” and everything “we” do represent the family. Reigns hugs Jey and says something in his ear. Reigns pulls away and has an angry look on his face. He walks away to end the segment.

– The Street Profits are backstage now. They mock The Usos with Montez Ford doing an impersonation of Jimmy Uso last week. Angelo Dawkins says it won’t be pretty what they do to The Usos next week. They go on getting hyped up for next week’s tag team match and declare that they want the smoke.

– Sami Zayn is with Kayla Braxton now. Sami cuts her off and accuses her of filling his head with bad thoughts right before he goes out to the ring. He calls her a corporate hack and propagandist, and says he knows what she’s up to. He goes on about the alleged conspiracy against him and says his documentary is coming out soon. Sami says no matter what anyone says, he will win back his Intercontinental Title tonight. The persecution of Sami Zayn will end tonight, he says. Sami exits the Gorilla Position.

:ic:

Fatal 4 Way for the WWE Intercontinental Title: Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens vs. Big E vs. Apollo Crews

We go back to the ring for tonight’s Fatal 4 Way main event as Sami Zayn makes his way out. Kevin Owens is out next. Owens hits the ring fired up and Sami goes to ringside. Owens taunts him from the ring as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and announced for RAW is a rematch with Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler challenging WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina Snuka. We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event and out comes Big E. Out next is WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews with Commander Azeez. The bell rings and Big E goes at it with Crews while Owens attacks Sami. Owens and Sami brawl to the floor while Big E and Crews fight into the corner.

Crews beats Big E down in the middle of the ring. Crews runs the ropes but Big E drops him with an elbow to the face. Owens comes back in and hits an Atomic Drop and an enziguri to Big E. Sami drops Owens from behind and beats him down to boos. Sami keeps Owens down with knees and more strikes. Sami chokes Owens with the middle rope but Big E pulls Sami to the floor. Big E beats Sami up at ringside now, then places him on the apron for big forearms to the chest. Crews runs into Big E’s right hand at ringside.

Big E places Apollo next to Sami, on their backs, and unloads on both with forearms. Big E runs the apron now and delivers the big splash to both men. Owens runs the ropes and leaps out to the floor, taking Big E down at ringside. Owens stands tall and yells out about this being his ring. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Big E is unloading on Crews in the ring. Crews with a big dropkick. Big E rolls to the floor to regroup. Crews sends him into the steel steps as Azeez looks on. Owens kicks Crews but Crews block a shot into the steps, then slams Owens’ face into the steel. Crews nails a moonsault to Big E off the edge of the apron. Sami runs over and attacks Crews, working him over against the barrier. They trade offense into the barrier. Sami nails a moonsault from the top of the barrier. Owens runs over and levels Sami. Owens brings Sami back in the ring and goes to the top. Owens nails a Swanton Bomb but Big E breaks the pin up at 2.

Big E and Owens go at it now in the middle of the ring. Owens blocks a belly-to-belly with a headbutt. They collide and Owens goes down. Apollo attacks Big E and slams him over the top rope, then nails a German suplex. He holds it and delivers another German, and a third German. Big E kicks out at 2 as Owens breaks it up with a senton. Owens charges at Sami but Sami delivers an Exploder suplex into the turnbuckles. Owens dodges a Helluva Kick. Sami blocks the Stunner. More back and forth. Sami with a Michinoku Driver but Owens kicks out just in time. Sami works Owens in the corner now, taking him to the top. Sami climbs up for a superplex but Owens counters and hits the super Fisherman’s Brainbuster.

Apollo and Big E rush in to break the pin up just in time. Big E runs to Spear Apollo off the apron but Apollo gets a knee up and Big E hits hard. Owens goes to deliver a Stunner to Crews on the apron but Crews blocks it and drops Owens on the edge of the apron with a DVD. Big E runs and hits a Spear to knock Crews from the apron to the floor. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Crews works Big E over in the middle of the ring. Crews with a suplex for a 2 count as Azeez looks on. Crews stomps Sami as he rolls back in, then stops Owens from coming in. Crews hits Big E, then Sami again, then goes back to mounting Big E with lefts and rights. Crews talks some trash and goes back to Big E but Big E nails a big overhead throw. Big E then tosses Sami over his head. Big E with a belly-to-belly on Crews. Big E runs the ropes for a splash on Crews but Sami intercepts him with a big boot.

Owens comes in but Sami dodges a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens and Sami trade offense. Owens drives him neck-first into the mat for a close 2 count. Owens goes to the top but Crews crotches him. Owens fights back from the top turnbuckle, knocking Crews down. Sami with a Jawbreaker to Apollo. They tangle but Big E comes over and nails a huge German suplex to Sami and Apollo at the same time. Owens follows up from the top with a big Frogsplash to Big E for a close 2 count.

Everyone is down now. Big E rolls to the floor for a breather. Apollo slowly gets up next. Owens is up next. Owens clotheslines Apollo into the corner, then delvers a Cannonball to Sami. Big E runs in but Owens nails a German on him, then a Cannonball to him. Sami levels Owens with a double underhook, and then delivers a Blue Thunderbomb for a close 2 count. Sami can’t believe he kicked out. Sami drags Owens over and goes to the top. Crews grabs his leg from the apron but Sami fights him off. Big E gets kicked away by Sami also. Sami leaps and rolls trough but Big E grabs him for a Big Ending. Owens superkicks them both. Crews runs in but Owens catches him and nails a Pop-Up Powerbomb for a close 2 count in the middle of the ring.

Sami brings Owens to the floor and sends him into the barrier. Owens sends him into the timekeeper’s area. Apollo comes over but Owens drops him. Sami stops Owens from re-entering the ring again, then drops him on his head on the floor. Sami comes in for a Helluva Kick but Big E catches him with the Uranage. Big E and Crews tangle now. Big E nails a Big Ending for a close 2 count as Azeez pulls him to the floor and sends him into the edge of the apron. Azeez goes to drive Big E into the ring post but Big E counters and sends Azeez into the post.

Big E comes back into the ring but the lights are suddenly low. Fog fills the ramp area now. Aleister Black suddenly appears. He takes his robe off and enters the ring. Crews grabs a distracted Big E’s leg, allowing Black to nail Black Mass to Big E, dropping him. Crews takes advantage and pins Big E for the win to retain.

Winner: Apollo Crews

– After the bell, Black looks on from the stage and exhales. Crews starts to celebrate as his music hits. We go to replays. Crews stands tall over Big E, raising the WWE Intercontinental Title in the air as Azeez stands behind him. Black looks on from the stage as Crews poses in the corner to celebrate. The post-WrestleMania Backlash edition of SmackDown on FOX goes off the air.