WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - July 2nd, 2021

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Edge to address Roman Reigns tonight

Following his shocking return last week, Edge will address Universal Champion Roman Reigns tonight. Plus, Kevin Owens once again takes on his former friend turned bitter enemy Sami Zayn in a Last Man Standing Money in the Bank Qualifying Match


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– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a look back at last week’s show, including the return of WWE Hall of Famer Edge. We’re live from the WWE ThunderDome at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee.

– We go right to the ring and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Edge to a pop from the ThunderDome crowd. Edge stops on the stage as the pyro goes off. He then marches to the ring as Greg Hamilton does the introduction.

Edge talks about how WrestleMania 37 was supposed to be the culmination of a 10 year story. He envisioned so much and just knew it would happen, but then it didn’t. He didn’t see that coming, it wasn’t in his plans. Edge says the loss rocked him, so he took some time off, but started to roll the match back in his brain, and even watched it, which he never does. He says WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns likes to gloss over a lot of points from that match. He goes on about how some of Daniel Bryan’s antics in that match prevented him from winning the title. Edge says he could complain about that, or Jey Uso’s interference, or other things, and he’d be justified in complaining, and while the 2006 Edge would’ve complained, the 2021 Edge has to understand there will always be excuses and obstacles. He’s spent his entire career knocking down obstacles or he wouldn’t be here right now. He does not stop.

Edge says he knows he can beat Reign. Fans pop. More importantly, Reigns knows Edge can beat him. Edge says they both felt it and he knows Reigns will never admit it, but he has some proof. We see stills of Edge applying the Crossface with a bar at WrestleMania. He goes on about how he lives in Reigns’ head rent-free for life. When his music hit last week and Reigns heard it, Edge knew that Reigns knew deep down. Edge says he’s going to beat Reigns, it’s just a matter of when. It’s inevitable that Edge will become the Universal Champion. Edge’s music starts back up as he stares straight ahead. Edge exits the ring and heads to the back. He stops on the stage and looks back at the ring, nodding his head.

– We see Paul Heyman watching backstage in the locker room suite of WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Jimmy Uso walks in and rants about what Edge was just saying. Jimmy can’t believe Edge said all that. Jimmy says he’s going to tell Edge what he told him last week – they are family and he’s got Reigns’ back like he has his. Uso says when Reigns gets h ere, they are going to put Edge down and stab the family flag in his heart. Heyman, arms crossed, just stares at Jimmy to end the segment.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Big E vs. Baron Corbin and WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews

We go back to the stage and Rick Boogs is on the stage with his guitar. He gives a grand introduction to King Shinsuke Nakamura, saying he came to party with the one true king of SmackDown, and then begins performing his entrance. Nakamura comes out with the crown on. They head to the ring together as we see recent happenings between Nakamura and Baron Corbin, including the Battle for the Crown and last week’s Coronation Ceremony. Out next comes Big E. He hits the ring and gets hyped up with Nakamura as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews with Commander Azeez. We see how Baron Corbin was sad in his interview with Megan Morant last week, due to the loss of his crown. Corbin comes out now and he’s still despondent, and a bit disheveled. Corbin slowly heads to the ring and takes his spot on the apron, still looking sad.

The match starts off with Crews and Nakamura going at it. They try to show each other up. Nakamura levels Crews and nails a running elbow into the corner. Nakamura places Crews on the top turnbuckle and delivers a high knee as Boogs looks on.

Big E tags in and stomps away while Crews is down in the corner as Boogs shreds at ringside. Big E with an abdominal stretch now. Big E slams Crews for a 2 c--t. Crews ends up tagging Corbin in. Corbin unloads. More back and forth for a few minutes until we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Corbin keeps control of Big E. Crews tags back in and works Big E over. Crews with a big dropkick. Crews stands tall and smiles as fans boo and Azeez looks on. Big E ends up fighting back but Corbin tags in and slams Big E for a big 2 count as Nakamura breaks it up. We get a big German before Crews and Nakamura go to the floor. Nakamura with an enziguri. Corbin grounds Big E with a submission now, man-handling him in the middle of the ring.

Boogs appears on the stage now, reading off a license plate number and says someone’s car is being towed. The camera shows a Mercedes G-Wagon on the big screen as it’s loaded up on a flatbed truck, apparently being repossessed. This is Corbin’s truck and he’s not happy. Big E takes advantage of the distraction and drops Corbin with the Big Ending for the pin to win.

Winners: Big E and Shinsuke Nakamura

– After the match, Big E and Nakamura celebrate as a very sad, distraught Corbin sits up in the ring. Corbin continues to have things go wrong in his life and he can’t take much more.

– We see how Bayley and Seth Rollins defeated Cesaro and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair in mixed tag team action last week.

– We go back to the ring and out comes Bayley. Pyro goes off on the ramp as she heads to the ring talking trash. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Bayley is in the ring for a face-off with SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. She starts ranting about Belair’s recent win being a fluke, then how she and Seth Rollins won last week. Bayley says we all know Belair is physically strong, but she’s mentally weak. She says Belair is clearly crumbling at our expectations, and she needs to get her head in the game before she falls apart in front of fans when crowds return in a few weeks. Fans continue to boo Bayley. A “you suck!” chant starts up now.

The music interrupts and out comes Belair. She says Bayley needs a crack in her mouth, because she has what Bayley wants. Belair goes on about how Bayley keeps coming for her, like she’s obsessed. This feels like the same promo we’ve had for the past 3 weeks. Belair says there’s only one way to end this – for her to embarrass Bayley to the point of no return. Belair offers to put her title on the line in an “I Quit!” match at Money In the Bank.

Bayley laughs at the idea of Belair making her quit, and says she’d probably quit SmackDown, or quit WWE, or quit competing altogether. Bayley goes on about Belair not being the champion she portrays, and says Belair has no chance to win. Bayley accepts. Belair ends up laughing at Bayley and Bayley wants to know what’s so funny. Bianca realizes how excited she was to hear the words “I Quit” now. They stare at each other to end the segment.

– Paul Heyman is backstage pacing when Jimmy Uso walks up. He asks if Roman Reigns is still here and he’s not. Jimmy tells Heyman to let Reigns know that Edge is still waiting for him and he’s ready to jump on him. Jimmy wonders what Reigns is waiting for and then it dawns on him – Reigns is waiting for Jimmy to act first. Jimmy goes on and says he will approach Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville so that they can save some time for him at the end of the show, to call Edge out. Jimmy walks off as Heyman watches.

Last Man Standing Money In the Bank Qualifier: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

We go back to the ring and out comes Kevin Owens for this Last Man Standing match, his first appearance since losing to Sami Zayn at Hell In a Cell a few weeks back. The winner will qualify for the Men’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and out comes Sami Zayn. Cole goes over the rules for this match. The bell rings and Owens tackles Sami in the corner and unloads. Owens stomps and then delivers a big corner cannonball. Sami falls to the floor and the referee starts counting. Sami is up at 6. Owens follows on the floor and beats Sami up some more. Owens with a few shots into the barrier. The referee counts but Sami is up at 4. Owens levels him with a huge forearm.

Sami counters and whips Owens into the barrier. The fighting continues at ringside. Owens dumps Sami over the barrier into the ThunderDome crowd. Sami slams Owens head-first into the LED boards. Owens turns it around does the same a few times. Owens drops Sami at ringside and we get a senton. Sami is up at 7 but Owens slams him on top of the announce table, then works him over.

Owens goes on top of the barrier but Sami grabs him and slams him hard on top of the announce table. The table does not break but Owens bounces off and falls to the floor. Sami takes a breather in an announcer’s chair as Owens gets back up at 7. Sami walks over to keep the attack on Owens as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Owens unloads in the corner with a dozen or so headbutts. Sami goes down and is dazed but he makes it back up at the 5 count. Owens goes right to work but Sami keeps getting back up and fighting. Owens pummels him some more and drops him with lefts and rights, and a big chop. Sami rolls to the floor as the referee counts. Owens follows and catches a punch, then rams Sami back into the ring post twice. Zayn is up at 7. They trade big strikes now. Fans pop and the referee counts as Owens opens two tables at ringside, and then stacks them on top of each other. Sami is up at 7.

Owens takes Sami to the top turnbuckle to put him through the two tables on the floor but Sami fights back, then stuns Owens over the top rope. Owens gasps for air around ringside. Sami runs the ropes and nails a big suicide dive. Owens is back up at 6 and Sami is frustrated. They bring it back into the ring and Sami mounts Owens with strikes from behind. Sami ends up delivering a big Exploder suplex into the turnbuckles. Sami is back up at 5, and Owens at 6. Sami takes Owens to the corner for a superplex as fans boo.

We see the Money In the Bank briefcases hanging high above the ring. Owens blocks the superplex and slams Zayn to the ring with a big Fisherman’s Brainuster as fans pop. Owens is up at 5, Zayn at 8. Owens with a big kick to the face, then the superkick to daze Zayn again. Owens with more offense in the corner. Owens climbs back up but Sami slips free, then knocks Owens from the top turnbuckle, crashing through both of the stacked tables at ringside. Everyone is shocked at the huge bump. Owens makes it back up at 9 and Sami can’t believe it.

Fans pop big for Owens as Sami has words with the referee. Owens recovers as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Zayn dominates Owens at ringside, while setting up a table. Owens counters and sends Zayn face-first into the ring post. Owens rams Zayn into the barrier. Sami kicks Owens away and fights him back to the apron. Owens fights back with kicks on the apron. Sami blocks a Stunner on the apron. Sami with a huge Full Nelson suplex on the apron. Owens lands hard and falls to the floor. Owens makes it back up at 7 and Sami can’t believe it.

They come back in and Sami levels Owens with a Helluva Kick. Owens is up at 7 as Sami yells at him. Sami with another Helluva Kick. Sami holds Owens up and talks trash in his face, telling him this is karma for everything Owens has ever done. Sami runs and delivers a third Helluva Kick. Owens rolls out of the ring to land on his feet at the 9 count. Sami seethes, yelling at the referee. Sami goes to the floor and runs for his big tornado DDT through the bottom rope but Owens meets him in mid-air with a big superkick. Sami is out but Owens comes in to deliver a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Sami gets up but Owens drops him with a Stunner. Sami rolls to the floor. Owens follows, grabs him and talks some trash, then puts him through the announce table with a big powerbomb. Owens immediately grabs Zayn and puts him through the other table with a powerbomb. Owens drags Zayn by his beard, to the edge of the apron, then slams him on the apron with another powerbomb. Owens waits as the referee counts. Zayn is unable to get back up.

Winner: Kevin Owens

– After the match, Owens’ spot for Money In the Bank is confirmed. The music hits as Owens stands tall as ringside, then looks down at Zayn. Owens hits the ring and stands under the briefcases as fans cheer him on. Owens joins Big E as the only confirmed SmackDown entrant for the Men’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match. RAW entrants are Ricochet, Drew McIntyre, Riddle and John Morrison. We see a dazed Zayn trying to recover on the mat to end the segment.

– Megan Morant stops Edge backstage and asks him about Jimmy Uso calling him out later. Edge talks about how he knows he’s walking into a trap tonight, and that Roman Reigns will be nearby waiting. Edge doesn’t care – he’s tired of Reigns, tired of their family, tired of excuses. He goes on and says if they want to set this trap, that’s fine because they’re going to get an angry, vindictive son of a b---h. Edge walks off.

– We go back to the ring as Sonya Deville makes her way out. We see how she named Carmella to the Women’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match last week. Deville will name another participant tonight. She waits in the ring as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Deville is in the ring. She says it’s her pleasure to announce the next entrant into the Women’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match – Zelina Vega. The music hits and out comes Vega making her return to the company.

Vega says hello to Deville and says yes, it’s nice to see Vega. Vega says it’s Deville’s pleasure to announce her return, as it will be Vega’s pleasure to capture that briefcase. She goes on about how she will wait until the chosen Women’s Champion is beaten and down, then she will cash in and fulfill her destiny of becoming the WWE NXT, RAW or SmackDown Women’s Champion.

The music interrupts and out comes Liv Morgan. She’s still upset about Carmella being put into the MITB Ladder Match, when she feels like she deserves a spot, and now Vega is being given an opportunity. Liv enters the ring and goes on about how Vega doesn’t deserve to be in the match, saying she hasn’t even competed on SmackDown all year. How is that fair? Vega says she’s competed in rings like this one for years, and is one of the most popular WWE Superstars in history, and can run circles around Liv, embarrassing her and showing what an amateur Liv is.

Liv smacks Vega and tells her to prove it. Liv asks Deville is Liv can prove it in a match right now. Deville apparently makes the match as we go to commercial with Liv and Vega arguing.

Liv Morgan vs. Zelina Vega

Back from the break and Liv Morgan vs. Zelina Vega is underway. They go at it early on and Vega tries for a move on the middle rope. We see Carmella watching the match from backstage.

Vega charges and takes Morgan down for a 2 count. Vega takes Morgan to the corner and works her over, putting her back down. Vega charges and delivers a running knee to the face for a 2 count. Vega shows some frustration now. Liv rolls Vega for 2. They trade roll-ups again.

Vega tries to use a handful of tights but the referee catches her and yells at her. Liv takes advantage of the distraction and rolls Vega up, also using a handful of tights, for the pin to win.

Winner: Liv Morgan

– After the match, Vega seethes as Liv celebrates while her music hits. Vega keeps trying to go for Liv but the referee stops her. Liv heads up the ramp, taunting Vega.

– Seth Rollins interrupts Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville backstage. He reminds them of his accomplishments and re-introduces himself. Rollins is not happy about Edge getting the WWE Universal Title shot at Roman Reigns. They argue but Deville and Pearce defend their decision. Deville tells him if he beats Cesaro next week, he will earn a spot in the Men’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match.

Otis vs. Angelo Dawkins

We go back to the ring and out comes Alpha Academy – Otis with Chad Gable. Fans boo as they march to the ring. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and announced for Talking Smack on Saturday are Zelina Vega, Bayley and Kevin Owens. Kayla Braxton and Pat McAfee will host. We go back to the ring and a Progressive-sponsored replay shows of some of Otis’ recent dominance and The Street Profits. Angelo Dawkins makes his way out next as they talk about Otis injuring Montez Ford a few weeks back.

The bell rings and they go at it with Otis running right over Dawkins with a clothesline. Gable taunts Dawkins as Otis dominates, launching Dawkins across the ring. Otis whips Dawkins hard into the corner and then levels him with another clothesline as fans boo and Gable rants.

Otis continues to dominate. He goes to the second rope and hits a big splash. Otis goes back to the second rope and delivers a Vader Bomb, then covers for the pin to get the easy win.

Winner: Otis

– After the match, Otis stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Gable praises Otis and shows him off to end the segment.

– There was an earlier backstage segment with Rick Boogs taunting Baron Corbin with “king” jokes. Corbin calmly knocked Boogs for making fun of people and said that’s not funny. A sad and somber Corbin told Boogs to screw himself, then walked off.

– Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman are backstage. Jimmy is hyped up and saying Edge is asking for it tonight. He still wonders where his cousin is. Heyman says Roman Reigns operates on his own time but he does do for those who do for him. Heyman tells Jimmy to be “Main Event Jimmy” and go out there, and do what he needs to do.

– We go back to the ring and out comes Jimmy Uso to call out WWE Hall of Famer Edge. He hits the ring and we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Jimmy is in the ring with a mic, taunting Edge. Jimmy says he doesn’t need his brother Jey Uso or anyone else tonight because he can handle Edge all by himself. Jimmy says it seems like Edge isn’t man enough to step into the ring and face off with him. Jimmy goes on about how this isn’t a trap, it’s just Jimmy calling him out. Let’s do this. The music finally hits and out comes Edge to a pop as pyro goes off on the stage.

Edge asks Jimmy if he thinks he’s smart, acting all tough with his cousin waiting in the wings. Edge goes on about how WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is using Jimmy and the rest of his family. Edge asks what happened to Jimmy and “Nobody’s B---h” because now he’s just another one of Roman’s b---h. Edge says this is a pretty good trap, but not one for Edge, one for Jimmy. Edge marches to the ring as Jimmy paces and looks around.

Jimmy attacks Edge as he enters the ring at the apron. Edge fights back and launches Jimmy into the ring post. Edge drops Jimmy again and goes to take the steel ring steps apart. Jimmy comes out and drops Edge with a superkick. Jimmy beats Edge up and brings him back into the ring. Jimmy mounts Edge with right hands in the middle of the ring as fans boo. Edge turns it back around and applies the Crossface in the middle of the ring, making Jimmy tap out.

Edge finally lets go of the submission. Jimmy gasps for air as Edge waits for him to get back up. Edge delivers a big Spear in the middle of the ring. Edge ends up going to ringside and breaking a steel chair. He grabs the steel bar from the chair, like he did at WrestleMania, and brings it back in the ring. Edge uses that bar to pull back on a Crossface, like he did to Reigns at WrestleMania. Jimmy yells out and taps. Edge finally breaks the hold and drops the bar.

Edge lets up off Jimmy and addresses the camera to send a message to Reigns. Edge yells, “I don’t stop!” SmackDown goes off the air as Edge send the warning to Reigns, who did not appear all night.