WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
February 26, 2021
St. Petersburg, Florida (Tropicana Field)
Commentary: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Jey Uso making their way down to the ring. We see clips of the Elimination Chamber match which saw Daniel Bryan come out as the winner and losing to Roman Reigns in a match right after.
Roman says he doesn’t think it’s a secret, SmackDown needs him. And same thing can be said about the Elimination Chamber. It needed him and he answered the call. That’s what the head of the table and the tribal chief does. He says he defended his Universal Championship against Bryan. And what happened was he smashed Daniel Bryan, the most exciting ass whopping of the year, maybe the decade. Because that’s who he is in this life.
Reigns says anybody else in his shoes would have been bragging and had a celebration. But not him. He’s above that. He lives and operates in this ring at a higher level, something nobody else understands. If it’s not perfect, it’s not him. Roman says but it wasn’t perfect because of one man, Edge. Roman says Edge got one, he speared him in his ring, on his night. And then he pointed at the sign. He said he had to make it official. Roman Reigns vs. Edge in the main event of WrestleMania.
Roman tells Edge he doesn’t want it or needs it in his life. He will give Edge another opportunity to back out and go home. He says he has a beautiful family, he’s a father, a husband. He doesn’t want to hurt him. He likes what he stands for, he appreciates his legacy, the comeback, everything he represents. The impossible and all but he doesn’t want to hurt him. Roman tells him that’s why a man like Edge just doesn’t stand a chance against a man like him.
Daniel says nearly perfect. Bryan says Roman described his Universal title defense as nearly perfect. Bryan says he had to come out and say from his perspective, he 100% agrees. How nice of Roman to volunteer and defend his Championships against someone who just went through an Elimination Chamber match. He needs to be celebrated. But Bryan heard some rumblings about people who think that Roman coming out after the Chamber to defend his title was cowardly.
Bryan tells him to go after someone who went through a Chamber match and demand that the title match begins right after, isn’t a champion at all. But that’s not him. He’s just addressing some of the rumors from the other people. Bryan says what he wasn’t expecting was for the head of the table to defend his Universal Championship in the second match. He thought head of the table would be more of a main event spot or would that have given him too much time?
Out comes Daniel Bryan to the ring. Daniel says he was in it in his very first match in the WWE and he saw how talented he was from the beginning. And he knows Roman wants to be the head of the table and here’s a chance to prove the doubters wrong. To make sure there are no comparisons between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. He tells Roman to defend his Universal championship one more time. No qualifiers, nothing. Just one on one at Fastlane.
Up steps Jey Uso who asks him what he is doing out here. All he is hearing are a bunch of excuses. He tells Bryan he is in the back of the line. He tells him he will get him like he gets them all.
Roman goes face to face with Bryan and asks Bryan if he really wants him to hurt him again. Jey attacks Bryan from behind and throws him to the outside. He throws Bryan over the barricade as he, Roman and Heyman leave the ring.
Adam Pearce and Sonya are backstage. In comes Edge and tells them they need to talk.
-Commercial Break-
Jey apologizes to Roman backstage as Roman tells him not to apologize. There’s nothing to apologize for as long as he gets the job done. He tells Jey to handle it.
Edge, Pearce and Sonya are backstage and are all talking. Pearce tells him that if Bryan defeats Jey tonight, it’ll be Bryan vs. Roman at Fastlane instead of what was supposed to be Edge and Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns and Jey Uso. Pearce tells Edge he’s sorry but it’s a bigger attraction as Edge leaves unhappy.
Dominik and Rey Mysterio vs. Gable and Otis
We see a clip of last week where Otis attacked Rey after their match. Rey has his ribs taped up.
The bell rings and we are under way. Rey and Otis are in the ring. Otis runs into Rey taking him down. Otis with a jumping elbow drop. He lifts Rey up and throws him across the ring. He spears Rey into the corner followed by right hands. Gable breaks it up as he doesn’t want to get disqualified.
Gable is tagged in and he lifts Rey up and slams his knee into Rey’s ribs. He throws Rey in the corner. He runs towards Rey but a boot to the face. Rey tries to make the tag but a fireman’s carry as Rey lands on his feet. Rey with an enziguri and Dominik is tagged in. Dominik knocks Gable down. He slams Gable into the second turnbuckle. Dominik with a tornado DDT off the second rope. He goes for the cover but Gable kicks out.
Dominik tags Rey in as they double team Gable. Rey knocks Otis down and Gable is on the second rope. They hit the 619 on Gable. Rey on the top rope and the frogsplash. He goes for the cover but Otis breaks it up. In comes Dominik but Otis knocks him down. Otis is tagged in. Rey jumps off the top rope but Otis catches him and slams him into the mat.
Otis on the top rope and a big splash onto Rey. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Otis and Gable
-Commercial Break-
Apollo Crews makes his way down to the ring wearing white and green. He grabs a microphone and says a lot of people have been wondering what has been going on with him lately. Why the sudden change, that’s not the Apollo Crews that they know. Crews says the thing is they don’t know anything about him. He says he has always been humble and respectful and he doesn’t get the same back. He says he’s not from the hood, he’s from Nigeria.
Crews says he has a real African American. This is who he is. This is the real him. His ancestors are Nigerian royalty, his great grandfather ruled and controlled some of the richest lands in Nigeria. He spent his days draped in gold and at night with his five wives. Crews says his word was law and his power was feared. And this is what he represents and what he stands for. He says these colors mean wealth, dominance and power.
Apollo says that Big E found that out last week. If your enemies defy you, you show them the steel is what his great grandfather says. Big E told him to go back to catering but he went back to his roots. Crews says then speaks in a different accent and says Big E will not disrespect him again. Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hits as he cuts him off.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Apollo Crews
Apollo attacks Nakamura before the referee rings the bell. He throws Nakamura to the outside and grabs the steel steps.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial and the match is under way. Crews slams Nakamura into the turnbuckle. Crews goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. A head lock by Crews in the middle of the ring. He gets to his feet and goes for a German suplex but it’s botched as Nakamura lands on his feet but on his head at the same time. Nakamura with a kick knocks Crews down.
Nakamura places Crews on the top rope and kicks him knocking him down. A knee to the face by Nakamura as he goes for the cover but Apollo kicks out. A head lock by Nakamura but Crews reverses it and hits Nakamura with two German suplexes. He lands a third. He goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. He sends Nakamura to the ropes but Nakamura with a kick to the head. Nakamura places Crews on the second rope and a release German suplex.
Crews slides out of the ring as Nakamura was going for the Kinshasa. Nakamura follows him to the outside as Crews slams him into the steel steps. He throws Nakamura back into the ring. Apollo lifts Nakamura up but Nakamura lands on his feet and gets a sleeper hold on Crews but Crews grabs his scarf for leverage and slams Nakamura into the top turnbuckle. Apollo with a kick to the back of the neck followed by the Angle slam. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Roman Reigns is sitting backstage as Heyman tells him that if Bryan defeats Jey tonight, he gets a match at Fastlane for the Universal championship. Roman tells him that means the tag team match is scrapped and Heyman tells him only if Bryan wins tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Tamina with Natalya vs. Liv Morgin with Ruby Riot
The bell rings and we are under way. Morgan with right hands followed by a hurricanrana. She runs towards Tamina but Tamina with a kick to the face. Tamina slams Liv in the corner. She throws Liv around the ring. Tamina goes for the cover but Liv kicks out.
Tamina with a suplex. She goes for the cover but Liv kicks out again. Both women on their feet as Liv hits her with a step up enziguri. Right hands by Liv but Tamina throws her in the corner. A kick to the face by Liv as she loves a dropkick from the second rope. She goes for the cover but Tamina kicks out. Liv runs towards Tamina but Tamina moves out of the way and hits her with the Samoan drop. Tamina grabs Morgan and slams her onto the mat. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Tamina
-Commercial Break-
Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville are in the ring as they introduce Bianca Belair to the ring. Out comes Bianca to the ring. Bianca says it’s been 3 weeks, 5 days and change since she won the Rumble. Sonya asks her if Bianca has selected Asuka or Sasha Banks for her WrestleMania match.
Bianca says the choices you make define who you are. And her choice is clear. Out comes Reginald to the ring. He laughs and tells her that this choice will define her legacy in WWE. Last week, she made a brlliant choice to team with Sasha Banks, she saw first hand what she can do in the ring. How she thinks, attacks and counter attacks. He says Bianca was elevated due to her genius.
Reginald says Bianca’s journey has been inspiring for so many. He says Bianca is special and we are all in awe because she is living her dream but he knows that if she picks Sasha, that dream will turn into a nightmare. And when she is on the mat, broken, defeated, haunted by her bad choice, she will that the choices you make will define you. And now she is nothing but a loser.
Out comes Sasha Banks to the ring. She tells Reginald that she told him never to speak for her. She tells Bianca enough of this. She says she is the standard and if Bianca wants to make history, then she would select her. Bianca calls herself the EST of WWE, Sasha doesn’t think she is because Sasha is the best, she’s number one which makes Bianca second best.
Bianca tells her no. Sasha has a lot to say but she will make her eat her words on the grandest stage of them all because she will take her title and show the world that she is the strongest, fastest, roughest, toughest, quickest, greatest, the EST of WWE. Bianca points at the WrestleMania sign and tells Sasha it’s on.
Corbin is backstage and in comes Sami with his crew. He asks Sami why are they a tag team tonight. Sami says that was his idea. They had great chemistry a few weeks ago and he could really use a big win right now. He tells Corbin if they work together, they can beat the Street Profits and become tag team champions. With his strategic ability and Corbin’s strength, there is no topping them. They can be called the new Can-Am connection or the Kingdom of Liberty. Corbin tells him to stop. They could win tag team gold but don’t ever tell him what to do.
-Commercial Break-
The Street Profits vs. Sami Zayn and King Corbin
The bell rings and we are under way. Ford and Sami are in the ring. Sami with a kick followed by a right hand. A chop to the chest by Sami but a hip toss by Ford takes Sami down. Ziggler and Roode are backstage watching the match.
Dawkins is tagged in as is Corbin as he hits Dawkins with a shoulder block. Both men run to the ropes and Dawkins with a drop kick. Both men back up, Corbin slides to the outside as he tries to slide back in for a clothesline but Sami’s crew are in the way. Corbin gets angry at them and gets in the ring as the Street Profits double team him.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Corbin and Sami double team Ford in the ring. Sami slams Ford in the corner as Corbin is tagged in. A knee to the midsection by Corbin. He runs towards Ford but Ford with a big boot. Sami is tagged in but Ford makes the tag. Dawkins knocsk Sami down. Dawkins with the bulldog. He goes for the cover but Sami kicks out. In comes Corbin but Dawkins with a dropkick and he throws Corbin to the outside. Sami hits Dawkins with the DDT. He goes for the cover but Dawkins kicks out.
Sami’s crew are filming Corbin as Corbin pushes them away. Sami argues with Corbin as Ford flies over Sami and lands on Corbin on the outside. Dawkins attacks Sami from behind as Ford hits Sami with a frogsplash from the top rope. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: The Street Profits
Kayla is backstage with Daniel Bryan as she asks him about his match. Bryan since he has to get the win vs. Jey tonight and the win vs. Roman at Fastlane. He says his chances of beating Roman are probably better than Edge’s chances of beating Romaan. He says Edge has done a lot but he doesn’t know if Edge has what it takes to beat Roman. In comes Edge.
He tells Bryan that if they face each other at WrestleMania, who wins that match? Bryan says he will keep that to himself. And that means nothing unless he beats Jey tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Seth Rollins is in the ring. He says he has incredible news. The letter he sent to WWE management got a huge response on social media. Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, ClubHouse, it was trending. Out comes Cesaro to the ring. Rollins says they have to discuss things.
Cesaro gets in the ring as Rollins tells him to hear him out. He says they go back a long way and to give him a chance, what happened was an accident. He didn’t call Cesaro a loser last week and to give him a chance to hear him out. Rollins tells him to stay in the middle of the ring like the star that he is.
Rollins says who says Cesaro can’t crack that glass ceiling. He says Cesaro is a star. He’s strong, powerful, pound for pound probably the strongest to ever step foot in WWE. He says Cesaro has it all. But why is it that Cesaro always seems to come up short? What is it that he is missing? Rollins says it is called killer instinct. He has it and he can give it to Cesaro. He came back to SmackDown to lead it into the future and he will start if he lets him by leading him.
Seth says he has shattered the glass ceiling, he has accomplished everything in WWE that Cesaro has only dreamed of and he wants to give that to him. Imagine them working side by side on SmackDown, they would be unstoppable. As a matter of fact, if Cesaro had listened to him two weeks ago, they wouldn’t even be having this talk. Cesaro would have won the Chamber match, beat Roman and be Universal champion. But Cesaro turned him down and walked out on him but it’s never too late. All he has to do is embrace the vision.
Rollins tells Cesaro to think it over. A week, two weeks, they’ll be waiting. Cesaro grabs Seth and spins him around the ring. Seth gets to his feet as Cesaro hits him with an uppercut.
-Commercial Break-
Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso: If Bryan wins, he faces Roman Reigns at Fastlane for the WWE Universal Championship
The bell rings and we are under way. Right hands by Jey followed by a shoulder block taking Bryan down. Jey runs to the ropes but a hip toss by Bryan takes Jey down. An arm bar by Bryan followed by a kick but Jey with a right hand. Bryan with an uppercut. Bryan runs to the ropes and a clothesline knocks Jey down.
Bryan with kicks onto Jey in the corner. He places Jey on the top rope. Bryan with a hurricanrana off the top rope. He goes for the cover but Jey kicks out. Bryan stomps on Jey’s arm as Jey rolls to the outside of the ring. Bryan goes for a suicide dive but Jey kicks him knocking him down. Bryan on the outside as Jey slams Bryan’s knee onto the announce table. Jey grabs Bryan and slams his knee into the ring post.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Jey keeps attacking Bryan’s knee and a Samoan drop by Jey. He goes for the cover but Bryan kicks out. Jey goes for a splash off the top rope but Bryan moves out of the way. Bryan with the Yes kicks in the middle of the ring. He throws Jey to the outside of the ring. Bryan with a running knee to the outside off the ring apron. Bryan throws Jey back into the ring.
Bryan on the top rope as he jumps but Jey moves out of the way. Jey throws Bryan into the turnbuckle. Jey attacking Bryan’s knee and a half crab in the middle of the ring. Bryan rolls out of it as he kicks Jey away. Bryan with a kick to the head. He goes for the cover but Jey kicks out. Bryan runs towards Jey but Jey catches Bryan as he attacks the knee. He goes for the cover but Bryan kicks out.
Jey climbs the top rope but Bryan trips Jey up on the top rope. Bryan on the top rope and a double underhook suplex off the top rope. He gets the Yes lock but Jey gets the ropes as Jey rolls to the outside. Bryan goes to the outside but Jey throws Bryan into the steel steps. The referee counts to 10 and rings the bell.
Winner: Double contest
Jey rolls Bryan into the ring but Bryan gets the Yes lock. In comes Roman Reigns who attacks Bryan. Roman looks over at Jey as Bryan grabs Roman and gets him in the Yes lock. Jey with a superkick onto Bryan. Roman spears Bryan and gets the guillotine on Bryan.