WWE SmackDown Score (09/24/21): Extreme Rules Go Home
With Extreme Rules right around the corner, the go home SmackDown to the PG version of One Night Stand could only be in one place: The home of EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING!
Without further ado, let’s get right to what took place inside the Wells Fargo Center on Sept. 24, 2021 from 8–10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Roman Reigns (W/ Paul Heyman) Defeats Montez Ford, Then Meets a Demon
It’s rare when the “Head of the Table” competes on Friday nights, so when he does, you know it’s for a good reason. This week’s reason? Montez Ford.
Earlier in the night, with Angelo Dawkins out to attend a wedding, Ford cut a promo speaking to Kayla Braxton about how he and Dawkins are going to take back the tag titles from the Usos Sunday. Ford called the Usos and Reigns’ stable “Bloodline Bitches”, and that angered the Universal Champion, who was watching backstage from his locker room. He ordered his “Special Counsel” to go make the match between himself and Ford for the main event. Heyman didn’t want to risk Reigns’ health before his title defense against the “Demon”, but Reigns didn’t give a rip. Ford disrespected the family, and for that, Ford must acknowledge the “Tribal Chief”.
Heyman went to Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville, and they made the match official. During the main event, Ford gave Reigns everything he had. His unique offense threw the champ for a loop, including a sweet-looking backwards blockbuster. There was a spot in the match where Ford went for a dive off of the announce table, but the table just collapsed randomly, leaving Pat McAfee to cover for the botch by saying, “I THINK MY FAT ASS BROKE THE TABLE DANCING ON IT (Give this man a lifetime contract Vince!)”
The ending came when Ford went for his From the Heavens splash, but Reigns got his knees up and immediately locked in the guillotine for the win. Once victory was declared, Heyman counseled the “Head of the Table” to show his opponent Sunday the true definition of EXTREME. The Usos made their way to the ring, and the “Bloodline” dismantled one half of the Street Profits with a chair and put him through a table with a Uranage from the “Head of the Table”.
They continued to torture Ford until the lights went red, and then dark, in the Wells Fargo Center. When the lights came back, the “Demon” was standing on the top rope, and Philly POPPED. The “Demon” took out the entire “Bloodline”, beat the hell out of Reigns with a kendo stick and did a suicide dive to the champion to the outside as he was trying to escape. The “Demon” posed as the broadcast went off the air.
The match between Ford and Reigns was great. I thought the Alpha Academy, who locked horns with the Usos right before the main event, were going to save Ford, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, the “Demon” looked strong going into Sunday.
None of this changed my mind that Reigns is walking out of Columbus, OH still champion. Reigns’ championship challengers list will look even more impressive when he defeats an undefeated “Demon” in a match that will be the only match of the Pay-Per-View contested under Extreme Rules.
I am curious though if this angle with Ford was done, so the Usos can face the Alpha Academy on Sunday instead. With the draft looming next week, it’s possible Chad Gable and Otis move over to RAW. We shall see.
Bianca Beliar has had Enough of the “Man”
“Big Time Becks” welcomed us to SmackDown by letting us know that at Extreme Rules, she is going to show the whole world why she has been a champion every day in WWE as an active competitor since Wrestlemania 35. Lynch is sick and tired of all the complaining from Beliar about not being ready for her at SummerSlam, and she’s going to prove why she is THE women in the women’s division Sunday.
Beliar made her way into the arena and told the current champ that while she was away having a baby, she’s become a star, and she’s accomplished everything the “Man” has done in a quarter of the time. In less than a year, the “EST” has won the Royal Rumble, main evented Wrestlemania and became the SmackDown Women’s Champion (which is true, by the way!), and at Extreme Rules, she is going to prove to Lynch that she is the greatEST, the fastEST, the roughEST, the toughEST and the bEST.
Lynch offered to shake Beliar’s hand again, and the EST did show some compassion and tried to shake the champ’s hand, but Lynch slapped the taste out of her mouth, causing Beliar to lose it.
They had a scrum in the corner. Lynch got the upperhand and attempted a Manhandle Slam, but the EST countered and planted the champ with the Kiss of Death to look strong going into Sunday.
Next to the Universal Championship bout, this is the match I’m most looking forward to at Extreme Rules. Beliar is a natural babyface, fighting for the title she lost because she got caught by surprise. Lynch does make a good point that as champion, Beliar should have been ready for anything, but nobody expected Lynch to pull a cheap tactic like she did in Vegas. These two ladies are going to throw down in Columbus, and it’s going to be a treat. I’m still sticking to my guns Banks returns and sets up a triple threat between all three competitors sooner rather than later with the draft pending.
Happy Corbin Hosts “Happy Talk”
Happy Corbin is the latest WWE superstar to get their own talk show. Happy Talk made its debut in Philly, and Corbin said Happy Talk is going to be a talk show where superstars were uplifted, not brought down like they are on the KO Show, so the first guest on his show was going to be himself because he’s the happiest guy in WWE.
Corbin talked all about his expensive clothing. The Philly crowd wasn’t digging it and started chanting, “WE DON’T CARE!” McAfee once again pointed out that Happy Corbin is just “BUM ASS BARON CORBIN” but with money!
Kevin Owens saved the crowd by rushing out to the squared circle to get his revenge on Corbin for the sneak attack last week, but KO was blindsided by the returning Riddick Moss, who Corbin paid as his security in case someone tried messing up the debut of Happy Talk.
So, I’m gonna be honest. I completely forgot Moss was even in WWE. He was an afterthought in the 24/7 Title picture before participating in RAW Underground. When RAW Underground was no longer a thing, he completely disappeared from WWE.
However, bringing him back as Corbin’s personal security I can get behind. It’ll be interesting to see if KO and Corbin stay on the same brand post draft to continue this feud, or if Owens moves on to RAW (hopefully) to begin a new chapter in his career. I really wanna see the man turn heel. He’s done everything possible as a babyface, and he’s a natural heel to me..
Naomi Wants a Match, Pisses off Deville
Naomi had enough of sitting in the back. The former two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion marched to the ring in her gear. Commentary made it very clear she wasn’t scheduled for a match.
Naomi demanded Deville give her a match. Deville said no. Naomi challenged Deville to a match. Deville said she’s no longer an active competitor, and she’s not going to give the women who feels the glow a match because she’s wasted every opportunity she’s had in WWE.
Naomi started yelling, and Deville instructed the production crew to cut her microphone. The crowd LOUDLY chanted, “Make the Match”, but Deville asked for security to remove Jimmy Uso’s wife from the building.
Deville pushed security as fast as they could to get Naomi out of Philly. Deville told Naomi she’s a waste of time, and she can go back to doing TikTok videos backstage because that’s all she’s good for. McAfee said the security guards were scrubs off the street, and Deville was abusing her power, and I agree.
I can’t wait till Naomi does not get drafted, and then she goes to her husband and the rest of the “Bloodline” for help. Fans are into this story and so am I. The plot thickens even further, and it’s becoming one of the focus points of the blue brand instead of just an afterthought. I love how the layers to the story grow slowly every week as we wait for the big payoff of Naomi vs Deville.
Zelina Vega (W/ Carmella) Defeats Liv Morgan
The only reason why this match is up as high as it is on the rundown is because Morgan has a match with Carmella on Sunday in one of the most random PPV matches in recent memory. Maybe WWE is using this to push Morgan a little?! It’s the only reason I can think of as she did have a great performance in the Fatal 4 Way №1 Contender’s match the Friday after SummerSlam. She did take the “EST” to the limit.
Anyways, Carmella posed on the announce table and distracted Michael Cole, McAfee and Morgan, allowing Vega to put away Morgan with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb. Morgan is going to look for revenge Sunday. We’ll see if she gets it. This is her chance to prove she can make it on her own after the release of Ruby Riott, who immediately as Ruby Soho got an AEW Women’s Championship match.
Shinsuke Nakamura (C. W/ Rick Boogs) Defeats Apollo Crews (W/ Commander Azeez) to Retain Intercontinental Championship
This match was definitely the worst match Nakamura and Crews have had, and it just felt like a way for Crews to get one more match before his split with Commander Azeez. McAfee went more insane than usual for the champ (hence the reason why the announce table broke during the main event), realizing this could be the last time BOOGSSSSSSSSSSS and Nakamura are on SmackDown. He even said he would poop his pants if they weren’t on SmackDown (Again Vince, give this man a lifetime contract now, please?!)!
BOOGSSSSSSSSSSS suplexed Azeez to the floor, distracting Crews long enough for Nakamura to execute a terrific Cross Arm Breaker roll up for the win. The “King of WWE”, his rockstar mate and McAfee celebrated as Crews looked distraught in the ring.
Crews’ heel turn is now dead. Crews needs to be repackaged. Either him or Azeez will likely head to the red brand in the draft.
Sami Zayn Tells Dominik to Trust his Instincts
Rey Mysterio and Dominik argued in the back about Dominik’s recent matches. The wiser Mysterio told his son he wasn’t listening to him, and Dominik pissed off his dad by telling him that if he wants to see him on his own, he needs to actually be on his own. Rey stormed off, and Zayn entered the locker room. He told Dominik he overheard the conversation, and he just wanted to tell him to trust his instincts. Every time they wrestled over the last three weeks, Dominik got better, even in defeat, and that he will be a successful superstar if he listens to himself just a little more, and the future Hall of Famer a tiny bit less.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like WWE is going to drag out this family tussle until Wrestlemania 38 like I had hoped. There is a possibility they go their separate ways in the draft and have a natural split, but I just don’t see it. Dominik is going to align with Zayn and turn on his dad sooner rather than later. Maybe before Angie and Aalyah make their return to TV to help smooth over the tension at home?! That would be an interesting element.
Seth Rollins Threatens Edge’s Life
The “Drip God” cut a promo in a dark room threatening to go to Edge’s house and beat him up in front of his wife — Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix — and his two children if he didn’t show up to SmackDown next week. Edge tweeted he will be in Baltimore. I smell a brutal one last battle between these two in Saudi Arabia!
The only reason this wasn’t higher up on the run down is because it took maybe five minutes of the whole show. That’s how quick Rollins’ promo was. He threatened Edge. Edge responded with a tweet. Here we go!
Simple storytelling WWE! I love it! This rivalry has gotten even more personal since MSG, and an angry Edge is an Edge you don’t mess with! Rollins is going to find that out next week.
Nikki A.S.H. (W/ Rhea Ripley) Defeats Natalya (W/ Tamina), Meets Shotzi and Nox
The new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions made their way to the blue brand for the first time as Nikki A.S.H. pinned Natalya pretty quickly with a roll up thanks to Ripley distracting the veteran by taking out Tamina. Then, Shotzi and Nox fired shots with their tank. They never got an opportunity at Natalya and Tamina, and they want a title match. The draft doesn’t affect the Women’s Tag Champions, so WWE can put this on whenever they so choose.
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There was nothing too special about this episode. It was a standard go home edition of a PPV. SmackDown tends to have a great build up to the PPV and then just let the go home edition sell you to tune in to the PPV instead of heavily starting something new, which I don’t mind. That’s what go home editions are meant for. They’re not meant to go all out.
Enjoy Extreme Rules this weekend! If you want to see my predictions for the show, click here.
GRADE: B-
