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WWE Smackdown Review 9/3/2021: Two DQs and a Little Snooze
With AEW All Out happening on Sunday, WWE nevertheless pressed forward with another episode of WWE Smackdown. Who called who on the phone? What normally acceptable moves resulted in DQ this week for no reason? What's Logan Paul up to? Find out here, folks!
Due to climate change, Takeback Season has been extended to last basically all year long, so the Street Profits faced Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos in a non-title match. The match weirdly ended with a disqualification because Jey Uso threw Montez Ford into the ring post twice, even though that's a thing that happens at minimum half a dozen times in every single WWE match. Yes, Jey wasn't the legal man, but when has that mattered either? Montez Ford got revenge by nearly killing himself with a flip over the top rope to the outside to break up a beatdown on Dawson.
Backstage, Roman Reigns wasn't pleased with the last match and dispatched Paul Heyman to fetch the Usos for him. On his way to do so, Kayla Braxton stopped him for an interview, which was just to set up Heyman getting a phone call so we could learn that Brock Lesnar's music is his ringtone. Heyman called Braxton garbage for needling him about it, though this doesn't make sense. Does Heyman only get phone calls when he's not in Roman's presence? Would Roman know by this point that Heyman has Lesnar's theme as his ringtone? Or did Heyman change it between when Reigns dispatched him and he ran into Kayla Braxton? It's probably best not to ask too many questions, but, well, too late.
Becky Lynch came out to cut a promo on Bianca Belair and then dodge a challenge from Belair for a title match, but the crowd doesn't care and Becky will never successfully turn heel.
Backstage, Dolph Ziggler tried to hit on Toni Storm, but she was like, dude, you're fifty. Ziggler faced Rick Boogs in a one-on-one match, which Boogs won in about a minute. At least it was short.
Backstage, Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville booked Becky vs. Bianca for Extreme Rules. It seems silly for an official in WWE to book a match that far in advance.
Seth Rollins faced Cesaro in a match that ended in disqualification when Rollins used a chair. Typical WWE time-waster. The theme of the match was Rollins using Edge's moves, so at least I'll give Vince credit for furthering that feud without having the two face each other in yet another match.
Backstage, Paul Heyman told Roman Reigns that Brock Lesnar has been watching the show and will be at MSG next week. Reigns wondered how many appearances Brock is contracted to do the calculus on whether he needs to be worried about an attack tonight.
Backstage, Baron Corbin arrived at the building. Then Edge challenged Rollins to a match next week.
Kevin Owens brought out Baron Corbin for the KO Show. Corbin credits Owens refusing to help him as the catalyst for his good luck lately. Corbin brought out his buddy Logan Paul, and they both heeled it up on Owens and then jumped him.
This happened.
Dominik Mysterio got squashed by Sami Zayn again, so obviously WWE is building Dominik up for a huge babyface run.
Sonya Deville once again says creative has nothing for Naomi this week. Naomi is understandably worried given all the cuts lately.
In the main event, Roman Reigns choked out Finn Balor after cheating with a low blow, ending an otherwise solid but unremarkable match. The lights nearly go out but Brock Lesnar does not appear.
In the grand scheme of WWE programming, WWE Smackdown isn't bad, but it's not great either. Too many DQ finishes and a general lack of direction hamper some legitimately good characters and angles. But the Reigns/Lesnar stuff and the Baron Corbin stuff remain above the fray.