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WWE SmackDown Results – 1/22/21 (Intercontinental Championship match, Roman Reigns, more)

Roy Nemer
January 22, 2021
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WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
January 22, 2021
St. Petersburg, Florida (Tropicana Field)
Commentary: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com

SmackDown kicks off with highlights of last week’s show with Kevin Owens being named as Adam Pearce’s replacement.

In the arena, it’s Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman making their way down to the ring. Reigns says Owen mentioned that he would deliver a message today but he won’t. Reigns says we won’t see Owens tonight because he said so. And about last week, card subject to change. Reigns says it was clever. A lot of people made comments about how they were outsmarted but that way of thinking is beneath him. Card subject to change is how losers think.

Reigns says he doesn’t miss appearances, he shows up and puts in work. It took his health being at risk in a pandemic to keep him out of this ring. He doesn’t want to hear from anyone ever about him missing an appearance. But what if he did think like Adam Pearce? And he started saying my elbow and shoulder hurt. He doesn’t think anyone would doubt it because of the amount of work he puts in. He says his knees and neck hurt too along with his ankles. Reigns says his back hurts because he has been carrying this company for years now.

Roman asks Paul what if his back continues to hurt until next week, next Sunday? What if he can’t make the Royal Rumble. Out comes Adam Pearce who cuts them off. He gets in the ring and says this is out of control. Roman says Adam comes out and wants to talk about control. What’s out of control is that Adam would go against him. What’s out of control is that he favored Owens. That is out of control. Roman says Adam is Kevin’s bitch and if he is Kevin’s bitch, he is his bitch. Roman says Adam hasn’t had a match in 6 years and he will come out and complain about how his body hurts? Roman says he never complains, it never bothered him. He never stopped because he busted his ass for this place.

Reigns tells Adam he will complain about that? No wonder Pearce never made it to WWE. Heyman laughs as Adam asks him if he finds that funny. Pearce tells Heyman he will take the intimidation from Roman but not from him. Roman tells Heyman that Pearce is disrespecting him and if he disrespecting Heyman, he is disrespecting Roman. He tells Heyman he better straighten Adam up.

Heyman says Adam has disrespected Roman and Roman’s family. He has known Roman’s family since he was 15 and he can’t hang out with them and not be a man. He thinks he can’t handle himself? He’s from New York, he can handle himself. Both men stare down as Heyman says he may not be a lawyer but he comes from a Synagogue that’s full of them. Heyman says Adam Pearce vs. Paul Heyman, straight up, tonight on SmackDown. He extends his arm to Pearce and Pearce tells Heyman his verbal agreement is official as they shake on it.

-Commercial Break-

We come back from commercial and Sami Zayn has handcuffed himself to the barricade. He says he will compete in the Royal Rumble match and he cuts a promo about how he lost last week.

Charlotte Flair and Asuka vs. The Riott Squad with Billie Kay

The bell rings and we are under way. Flair and Riott in the ring. A head lock take down by Flair as Asuka is tagged in. A snap mare bu Charlotte as Asuka knocks Riott down. A head lock by Asuka and Flair is tagged back in. They double team Riott. Flair slams Ruby into the turnbuckle. Billie gets on the ring apron and distracts Flair as Morgan is tagged in. Flair throws Ruby to the outside. Flair grabs Billie Kay by the hair and Liv Morgan kicks Flair down. A cross body by Liv onto Flair.

-Commercial Break-

Back from commercial, Flair is stomping on Liv in the corner. Flair goes to pick Liv up but Liv with a huriccanrana and Riott is tagged in. Ruby slams Flair face first into the turnbuckle. She goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. Liv is tagged back in as they double team Flair. Ruby is tagged back in. They stomp on Flair in the corner and Liv is tagged back in. Flair with a kick and a right hand as she fights back. Ruby is thrown into the turnbuckle and a fall away slam on Liv.

Asuka is tagged in and a knee to the face. She goes for the cover but Ruby breaks it up. In comes Flair with a big boot on Ruby and Liv knocks Flair down. Asuka grabs Liv by the leg and turns it into a German suplex. Asuka goes for the Asuka lock but Ruby tags herself in. Ruby goes for the rollup cover but Billie distracts the referee. Liv gets Kay off the ring apron, Asuka with the hip attack onto Liv knocking her down onto Billie. Asuka knocks Ruby down and tags Flair in. Flair with the Natural Selection. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winners: Asuka and Charlotte Flair

-Commercial Break-

Billie is backstage apologizing. Ruby says she didn’t mean to stop her from pinning Asuka or their opportunity at the Women’s Tag Team Championships? Liv says maybe she should add that to her resume. Billie says all good teams have to overcome obstacles. She has good news. She spoke to Sonya and both Liv and Ruby are in the Royal Rumble match. Ruby tells her there is no us, maybe the Squad was better when it was just her and Liv.

Out comes Daniel Bryan to the ring with Sami Zayn still handcuffed to the barricade. Bryan talks about the Royal Rumble match. He says it’s the uncertainty of what number you will draw. It’s watching the countdown, the buzzer to hit, the music to play. It’s the exhilaration of competing against 29 other superstars in a match that could go over an hour. He says to him, it makes him feel alive because despite all of the pain, it is absolutely worth it because the winner gets to face the Champion of their choosing in the main event of WrestleMania.

Bryan says he is very proud of his career, he has accomplished a lot. But one thing he has never done is win a Royal Rumble match. Out comes Cesaro to the ring. Cesaro says he thought he beat some sense into him last week but here he is again talking about how he will win the Rumble. Cesaro says he could have explained the rules of the Rumble match better and in 5 different languages too. He says Bryan is not winning this year’s Royal Rumble, he is.

Cesaro says as the first ever winner of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, he is an expert at it. Bryan says instead of talking, they can put the microphones down and fight. Cesaro says how about no. He tells Bryan he is sick and tired of proving himself doing the same thing every week. He already beat him and he will issue an open challenge instead. Dolph Ziggler’s music hits.

Ziggler says they are talking Royal Rumbles? He has been in the second most Royal Rumbles, ever. His stamina is unmatched, he can go all night long and to ask anybody. There is no one in that locker room that can go toe to toe with him, except Cesaro. Ziggler says he wants to win the Rumble and go to WrestleMania and get paid. He tells Bryan to leave the ring and for Cesaro to consider that challenge accepted.

-Commercial Break-

Cesaro vs. Dolph Ziggler

Daniel Bryan is on commentary. We come back from commercial and the match is already under way. Cesaro grabs Ziggler but Ziggler holds onto Cesaro’s leg and reverses it but Cesaro reverses that. Ziggler grabs the ropes and a back elbow onto Cesaro. A sleeper hold by Ziggler as Cesaro slams him into the turnbuckle. Cesaro grabs Ziggler by the legs and swings him around the ring. He slams Ziggler and goes for the cover but Ziggler kicks out.

Cesaro runs towards Ziggler but Ziggler moves out of the way and Cesaro hits shoulder first onto the ringpost. Ziggler goes for the cover but Cesaro reverses it. Ziggler reverses that. Several reversals by both men and Ziggler hits him with the Zig Zag. He goes for the cover but Cesaro kicks out. Ziggler with another sleeper but Cesaro gets out of it. Ziggler runs to the ropes but Cesaro catches him with the Neutralizer. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Cesaro

-Commercial Break-

Sasha Banks vs. Reginald with Carmella

The bell rings and we are under way with Carmella joining the commentary team. Reginald offers Sasha a rose. He asks Sasha for a kiss as she tries to slap him, he blocks her arm but she slaps him with the other hand. Sasha tries to flip Reginald but he lands on his feet. Carmella distracts Sasha as he goes for a waist lock. He lifts Sasha up but Sasha reverses it into a waist lock. Reginald gets out of it and acrobatically rolls out of the ring. Sasha with a baseball slide onto the barricade.

Sasha tries to throw him into the ring steps but he jumps off it and flips landing on his feet. He runs into the ring as Sasha goes for a sunset flip, he lifts her up but she slams Reginald into the mat. Sasha goes for the double knees but Reginald moves out of the way. He goes for an elbow but Sasha moves out of the way. Sasha goes for the cover but he moves out of the way.

Reginald grabs Sasha but Sasha with an arm drag. Sasha on the ring apron as she hits him with a knee to the face. Sasha on the top rope and a cross body but Reginald catches her. He flips Sasha but she reverses it into an arm drag. Reginald to the outside and the meteora by Sasha. She slaps the champagne away from Carmella. Reginald gets back in the ring and Sasha goes for the Backstabber but Reginald lands on his feet.

Sasha with the double knees. Sasha with the Banks Statement as Reginald taps out.

Winner: Sasha Banks

Reginald is thrown to the outside after the match.

Heyman is backstage with Roman and he tells Roman we got it. Roman tells him he told him to speak to cut him to shreds verbally, not to challenge Pearce to a match. He tells Heyman he has to do this, he didn’t hire a punk to do his counselling, he hired a man. Heyman represents Roman, he has to represent him. He tells Heyman to be a man and handle his business.

-Commercial Break-

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – Big E (c) vs. Apollo Crews

The bell rings and we are under way. Big E with a belly to belly. Crews on the ring apron and Big E with the big splash on the ring apron. Back in the ring, Big E runs towards Crews but Crews with a back elbow followed by a boot to the face. Kicks by Crews followed by a moon sault. He goes for the cover but Big E kicks out. Crews with a German suplex and a second German. He goes for a third but Big E gets out of it. Crews runs towards Big E but Big E slams him into the mat. He goes for the cover but Apollo kicks out.

Crews rolls to the outside. Big E follows him to the outside but Crews on the ring apron with a moonsault. He throws Big E back into the ring and he climbs the turnbuckle. Big E gets to his feet and a right hand onto Crews. Big E on the second rope but Apollo knocks him down. Sami Zayn takes the handcuffs off. Crews with a drop kick off the top rope. Sami gets in the ring and hits Crews with the Helluva Kick as the referee calls for the bell. Sami hits Big E with the Helluva Kick.

Winner: Apollo Crews by disqualification

A promo of Kevin Owens in his car airs. He says he showed up to the arena earlier and they told him Roman Reigns won’t allow him to enter the building. He cuts a promo talking about his family and how they fought through illnesses. And if they did that, how could he stop fighting, he won’t.

-Commercial Break-

The Street Profits are backstage holding a gift basket. They see Ziggler and Sonya as they tell Sonya it’s been two weeks since they lost their Tag Team Championships. They would like their rematch but Sonya mentions not yet.

-Commercial Break-

Obstacle Course – Bayley vs. Bianca Belair

Michael Cole is on stage with them as Bayley tells him to leave. Bayley explains the obstacles that are around the ring as Chad Gable is at ringside who will also play a role in the obstacles.

Bayley flips over a 400 pound tire and goes through the obstacles at ring side. She gets Chad Gable into a fireman’s carry and goes through the obstacle. She makes a basket and her time is 1:12, which is what Bianca has to best.

Just as Bianca is about to start her course, Bayley asks to customize the course as they make the obstacles more difficult for her. Bianca flips the tire and goes through t he obstacles. Out comes Otis from under the ring and she has to get him in a fireman’s carry which she does through the obstacle. Bianca grabs the basketball and tells Bayley to defend her, she goes through Bayley and dunks to beat her with 17 seconds left.

Winner: Bianca Belair

Bayley attacks Bianca after the match.

Rey Mysterio is backstage with Dominik as he gives him a pep talk. Rey tells him if something goes wrong, they will do it his way next time.

-Commercial Break-

Baron Corbin vs. Dominik Mysterio

The bell rings and we are under way. Corbin pushes Dominik away but Dominik with a drop kick. A take down by Dominik and Corbin to the outside. Dominik jumps over the top rope as Corbin moves out of the way and he knocks Dominik down. He throws Dominik back into the ring. He goes for the cover but Dominik kicks out. Corbin slams Dominik into the opposite turnbuckle. Corbin goes for End of Days, Dominik reverses it with a drop kick. He goes for the 619 but Corbin blocks it and a right hand by Corbin.

He gets Dominik up and hits him with the End of Days. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Baron Corbin

-Commercial Break-

Adam Pearce vs. Paul Heyman

Pearce is already in the ring and as Heyman is making his way down, he can’t make it up the ring steps. Heyman tells him card subject to change as Roman’s music hits.

Reigns gets in the ring and hits him with the Superman Punch. Pearce rolls to the outside. A low blow by Reigns as he throws Pearce over the barricade. Roman places Pearce near the LED boards. Kevin Owens attacks Roman Reigns as both men fight into the ring. Reigns goes for the Superman Punch but Kevin Owens hits him with the Stunner. WWE officials run to the outside as Owens hits him with another Stunner. Kevin Owens with the pop up powerbomb through the table.

Winner: No contest

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