WWE SmackDown Results 07/23/2021: Reigns Accepts Balor’s Challenge

WWE Friday Night SmackDown results for the first blue brand show since the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. The extraordinary event saw the return of John Cena, who officially challenged Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship the following night on RAW. John Cena will be in the house for SmackDown. Fans will also see the debut of Toni Storm, plus Bianca Belair defending the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Carmella.

Tonight’s SmackDown will be airing from two venues. The first being in Cleveland and the second from the Rolling Loud Festival.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results – July 23, 2021

We are live, and we kick off with John Cena, who receives a thunderous ovation in Cleveland. The ‘Summer of Cena’ continues. Cena is fired up as the WWE Universe chant his name. Cena starts by talking about what a week it has been for him. Cena confirms he came back to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam.

Cena says we are just moments away from him and Reigns standing face-to-face in the ring. Cena also plays with the audience in Cleveland and says he changed his middle name to ‘Guardians’ in reference to the city’s MLB team changing its name.

Cena then shifts focus back to Reigns and says SmackDown with Roman as champion sucks. Cena says at SummerSlam it is a chance for everyone to stand up up for what they believe in. The WWE Universe once again start a Cena chant as he questions the audience which team will they be on. Cena wonders why Reigns hasn’t come out to the ring yet. Cena says at SummerSlam, Reigns is going to realise that the champ is here.

The fans start another Cena chant. Cena calls for Reigns to come out, but there is no sign of him, as the fans start to boo. Paul Heyman then makes his way onto the stage. Heyman says that Cena has it all wrong. He says Roman Reigns can’t hear Cena because Cena is simply not worth listening to. Heyman gives Cena his word that he will get an answer to his challenge only when Roman Reigns wants to come out. Heyman ends it by saying that Cena is going to realise ‘The Tribal Chief’ is here and leaves by comically mocking John Cena’s entrance music.

Michael Cole and Pat McAfee look back at Sami Zayn’s segment from last week which Finn Balor returned to SmackDown. We return to the arena with Finn Balor making his entrance, as he faces Sami Zayn next.

Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn

The match begins, which is Finn Balor’s first match on SmackDown in two years. They lock up and Finn immediately takes control, before Sami forces Balor down with a wristlock takedown into an armbar. Oddly, Pat McAfee mentions Balor may have some ring rust, even though he has been performing regularly on NXT. Both men are outside of the ring as Sami throws some right hooks to Balor. He then argues with a member of the WWE Universe on the front row. Finn then manages to get Sami back in the ring, fires up, and throws him out of the ring through the middle rope, before Balor flies over the top rope to take him out. SmackDown then goes to commercial.

Sami is in control as we come back from commercial. Balor tries to fight his way back into the match, but Sami delivers a DDT to firm his control. Balor again tries again to resume control. However, Sami delivers a Michinoku Driver, but Balor kicks out on the two count. Balor dropkicks Zayn into two ring corners, before delivering his finisher from the top rope. Finn Balor is back.

Winner: Finn Balor

We head backstage with Kayla Braxton who is with Baron Corbin. Kayla asks Corbin about Corbinfund.com. Corbin says he lost money on the venture, as the guy he paid to make the website ghosted him and stole his identity. Corbin says he then had to get the bus to the show. Corbin questions what’s happened to him.

Mr. Money in the Bank, Big E, makes his way to the ring as we take a look back at the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match from Sunday night. We hear from Big E next as we go to commercial. We return from commercial with Big E ready to speak.

The fans immediately start a ‘you deserve it!’ chant. Big E says Money in the Bank will be a night he will never forget. Big E is then interrupted by Apollo Crews with Commander Azeez. Apollo wishes Big E congratulations. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode then come out to the stage. They start to talk but King Nakamura enters the arena. Cesaro is next out and says enough talking. He tells Apollo it is swing time as they all begin to brawl in the ring. The segment ends with Cesaro giving the swing to Apollo as the heels retreat.

Michael Cole and Pat McAfee take us to Miami Gardens for the coverage at Rolling Loud. Wow, there’s A LOT of people there. Wale comes to the stage to hype up the audience in attendance. He introduces The Street Profits. The setting looks amazing outside the Hard Rock Stadium. The ring is set up on an actual festival stage. This is very unique. We go to commercial as Cole confirms they will be facing Otis and Gable next.

Angelo Dawkins w/ Montez Ford vs. Chad Gable w/ Otis

The match starts with Dawkins in control, putting on a show in front of the Rolling Loud crowd. Gable targets Dawkins shoulder which he took out a few weeks ago. Gable is firmly in control, using his wrestling moveset to keep Dawkins down. Gable looks for a moonsault, but Dawkins moves out of the way in time, as Dawkins attempts to build momentum. Dawkins plants Gable to pick up the win with ZERO reaction from the Rolling Loud crowd.

Winner: Angelo Dawkins

Immediately after the match, SmackDown Women’s Champion, Bianca Belair, makes her way out to the stage as she holds up her title and swings her hair. I believe the crowd noises are being piped in, as the Rolling Loud crowd does not seem that interested. We go to commercial. SmackDown Women’s Title is on the line next.

Bianca Belair vs. Carmella – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship

The match begins as both ladies immediately go for a roll-up, but both kick out straight away. Bianca starts to show off her amazing athletic ability. Carmella begins to get some control as the WWE cameras continue to show the Rolling Loud crowd who seem uninterested. Carmella almost snatches it but Bianca Belair kicks out at two. Belair delivers a KOD and Bianca retains her SmackDown Women’s Championship. She holds up her title as some pyro goes off behind her.

Winner and still SmackDown Women’s Champion: Bianca Belair

Backstage, Kevin Owens is trying to help Shotzi and Nox with their tank. He then bumps into Baron Corbin (still with ketchup stains on his shirt). Owens says he can’t be surprised if nobody feels bad for him. Corbin asks if Owens will forgive him. Owens gets out his wallet and gives Corbin some money. Owen tells Corbin not to be a jerk to people. Shotzi’s tank then fires into Corbin’s crotch, as Roode and Ziggler come by and take Corbin’s money. Owens returns to chase off Ziggler and Roode as he asks Corbin if he’s alright.

Back in Cleveland, Edge makes his way to the ring, as we see a recap of the Universal Title match from Money in the Bank. We go to commercial and Edge will speak next. We’re back and Edge is lapping up the reaction from the WWE Universe in attendance in Cleveland. Edge reminds us how hard he’s fought to get back to where he is right now.

Edge says he should be standing here as Universal Champion. He says there’s one reason why he’s not: Seth Rollins. Edge says it goes back to 2014 when they first met, when Rollins almost pulled the trigger on Edge to deliver a curb stomp. Edge says Seth has no idea what he has opened and the depths he is willing to sink to get the job done, and Rollins will find out.

Here comes Rollins. Rollins calls Edge ‘Grandpa Edge’ and laughs. Edge tells Seth to shut up. Edge invites Rollins down to the ring and promises he won’t put his hands on him. Rollins heads down to the ring. Rollins walks and down and says he despises Cleveland, and people like Edge and John Cena who come back and just take opportunities. Seth says he is thrilled Edge is here tonight.

He says Edge has been such a scumbag to him and nothing would make him happier than to crush Edge’s dreams. Rollins they aren’t going to talk about Edge’s Hall of Fame career, they are going to talk about the man that finished Edge’s career. The fans start to chant ‘you suck!’ at Rollins.

Rollins vows not to hesitate to pull the trigger when he has his foot on the back of Edge’s surgically repaired neck. Edge says he lied about putting his hands on Edge, and they begin to brawl. Rollins ducks out of the way just as Edge was about to deliver a spear. Overall, a great segment.

Next, it is the SmackDown debut of Toni Storm, as she faces Zelina Vega. It’s Toni time!

Toni Storm vs. Zelina Vega

Zelina is already in the ring, as Storm makes her entrance. Early on, the match heads out to ringside as Zelina sends Storm into the announce table head first. Back in the ring. Vega gets a two-count on Storm and controls the match to deliver a sunset flip to get another two-count. After building some momentum, Storm delivers Storm One, her finisher, to pick up the win against Zelina Vega on her SmackDown debut.

Winner: Toni Storm

The Uso’s make their way to the ring with their SmackDown Tag Team Titles. Jimmy Uso is in action next against Dominik Mysterio.

Jimmy Uso w/ Jey Uso vs. Dominik Mysterio w/ Rey Mysterio

Sadly, we didn’t get an odd time-travelling portal entrance from the Mysterio’s this time. Dominik Mysterio goes after Jimmy Uso as soon as the bell rings. Midway through the match, we see Jey try to get involved, so Rey jumps on him, as Dominik heads to the top rope to take out Jimmy outside of the ring. Shades of Money in the Bank, Jimmy Uso manages to steal a victory against Dominik. Roman Reigns’ music then hits as he makes his entrance.

Winner: Jimmy Uso

Michael Cole says the bloodline is draped in gold, as The Head of Table looks out into the Cleveland crowd before slowly making his way to the ring. Roman Reigns answers John Cena’s challenge next. Roman Reigns immediately tells Cleveland to acknowledge him.

He tells the WWE Universe at home to acknowledge him. He says John Cena has acknowledged him. Reigns says Cena came out at Money in the Bank putting on a nostalgia act, not something new. Reigns said all he needed to do to see that was to search 2005 John Cena on the internet. He compared Cena’s act to doing the missionary position every single night.

Reigns says we aren’t going to see Cena in the main event of SummerSlam, because he says no to Cena’s challenge. Surprisingly, Finn Balor makes his way out to the ring. Balor says if he’s not interested in Cena’s challenge, then maybe Reigns is interested in his. Reigns laughs and the fans chant ‘Yes!’. The fans also chant ‘Roman’s scared!’ as he looks out into the crowd. Reigns accepts Balor challenge. Wow, we certainly didn’t expect that!

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