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WWE SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Apr. 30, 2021) with a show from the ThunderDome at Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash event scheduled for next month at the same venue.
Two big championship matches are set for the show. Big E gets his rematch against Apollo Crews, and will attempt to reclaim the Intercontinental title. Then in the main event, Daniel Bryan will be fighting for not only Universal champ Roman Reigns’ belt, but his place on the blue brand roster. If Bryan loses, he’s banished!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on FOX. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APR. 30
Take this too far so we can see if it is far enough, I should move slower but the last year has been kind of rough. Our pasts are checkered, I don’t care about that kind of stuff, I have to trust the optics of you as I liveblog this here pro wrestling show for these folks.
The show opens with a recap, and then into the intro video.
Bianca Belair makes her entrance and we get another recap.
She gets on the mic and introduces us to the hottEST show on Fox, Friday Night SmackDown.
She’s interrupted by the Dirty Dawgz, who claim to be the best around.
In turn, the Street Profits interrupt them, and then Bayley interrupts the Profits.
She just kind of cackles at Bayley, a brawl breaks out, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we’re informed that next week’s SmackDown will be a throwback show.
Bayley & Dirty Dawgz (Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode) vs. Bianca Belair & Street Profits (Mixed Tag Team Match)
The match is joined in progress, Bayley working Belair over but the EST gets a crucifix pin for two. Handspring, sidestep the dropkick, double axehandle, whip across, up and over, back handspring into a dropkick and Bayly rolls out of the ring! Tag to Dolph Ziggler, this brings Ford in, big tope con giro wipes the Dawgz out! Throwing Ziggler back inside, Bayley puts Bianca into the steel steps and Dolph nearly ends it with a superkick!
Keeping Montez isolated, big Rock Bottom from Roode! The heat segment rolls on, Ford with a desperation superkick of his own, the path is clear... TAGS MADE! Dawkins cuts Roode off, corkscrew uppercut, exploder suplex on Dolph, running bulldog on Robert sets up the Drill Bit... ZIGGLER BREAKS IT UP! Belair in the ring, fireman’s carry on Dolph, she drops him, Bayley runs in... KOD!
Angelo charges, Roode with the boot up, off the ropes, O’Connor roll but Bianca whips him with her hair to break it up! Dawkins with the spinebuster, tag made, Ford off the top...
Bianca Belair & Street Profits win by pinfall with the frog splash from Montez Ford on Robert Roode.
Daniel Bryan is interviewed backstage.
He says he’s at peace with his decision to put his SmackDown career on the line against Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship, and he’s confident he’s going to tap him out again tonight. And his first title defense if he wins, will be again somebody who’s waited far too long for an opportunity— Cesaro.
Seth Rollins gives his prediction on tonight’s main event, despite his history with Roman, he thinks Bryan’s going to win. But as far as Cesaro is concerned, he’s not making it past next week to get any match for the title.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Reginald run into an interview backstage.
They’re testy and defend their bonafides as tag team champions, complaining about disrespect as Natalya and Tamina blindside them and do a hit and run!
Natalya & Tamina vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
Tag champs with an early lead over Tamina, cutting her early flurry off and working her over at length. Finally Natalya gets a hot tag, discuss lariat on Baszler, German suplex follows it up but she can’t keep Shayna down! Sharpshooter denied, Jax with a blind tag, front kick, cover for two! Snuka in, Reggie running interference, Nattie goes for the Sharpshooter but Baszler throws her over the announce table!
Nia cuts Tamina off with a headbutt, tag to Shayna! Jockeying for position, Snuka knocks her down...
Natalya & Tamina win by pinfall with a Superfly Splash from Snuka on Shayna Baszler.
Booker T tells us he thinks Roman Reigns is winning tonight, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Shinsuke Nakamura says he thinks Daniel Bryan is going to win, but if Roman Reigns does, he’s coming for him.
Backstage, Rey and Dominik Mysterio are interviewed.
They’re excited about potentially getting a tag title shot.
We get another Aleister Black promo where he rambles cryptically about the true nature of man and reality.
A recap of Commander Azeez costing Big E the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania follows.
Big E is interviewed backstage.
He says he’s been around the world and it’s always the same song— how will you overcome the impossible odds of Commander Azeez? But tonight it comes to an end because he gets his baby back, sits her in the passenger seat and heads north with her.
Big E makes his entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial we get a hype reel for WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish.
Xavier Woods chimes in, picking Daniel Bryan to win tonight’s main event. Kofi Kingston goes the other direction, picking Roman Reigns due to Jey Uso’s presence.
Apollo Crews (c) vs. Big E (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
Collar and elbow, pushing each other around, Crews gets him in the corner and breaks clean at referee Ryan Tran’s behest. Waistlock, E reverses and pops his hips at him! Go-behind, standing switch, another takedown from Big! Apollo with the side headlock, shot off, drop down, leapfrog, E gets the Cobra Twist and applies a claw to the ribs briefly before clubbing away at him!
Off the ropes, back elbow, cover for two. To the apron, clubbing blows, big splash on the apron! Crews switches the momentum and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Crews is in control and raining punches down on E! Big to the apron, Apollo takes him out and drops him with the Asai Moonsault! Back inside, E recovers, belly-to-belly suplex connects, off the ropes, Big Splash... NOPE! Back and forth, Crews with a tight nearfall off a big boot, more grounded punches, E rockets back with a Rock Bottom for two!
Suicide spear blocked with a knee, Apollo gets him up... DEATH VALLEY DRIVER ON THE APRON! Back inside, up top, frog splash... E WILL NOT STAY DOWN! Olympic Slam blocked, Big with a schoolboy for two, gets him up... BIG ENDING HITS BUT COMMANDER AZEEZ PULLS HIM OUT OF THE RING! RYAN TRAN HAS TO CALL IT!
Big E wins by disqualification, presumably.
Post-match, Kevin Owens runs in and beats Azeez down! E saves KO from the Nigerian Nail! SAMI ZAYN IS HERE TOO WHY NOT? HELLUVA KICK LAYS OWENS OUT!
Zayn has a tense moment with Crews and tries to beg off but Commander Azeez lays him out with the Nigerian Nail!
The Miz weighs in on our main event, picking Roman Reigns.
We see Paul Heyman being solicited for an interview as we go to break.
Back from commercial, Cesaro accepts Seth Rollins’ challenge for next week and predicts that Daniel Bryan will win tonight, and then he’ll beat Daniel Bryan.
We see Roman Reigns getting ready for our main event.
A video package follows.
Paul Heyman is interviewed and mostly complains about hearing about Daniel Bryan.
Bryan makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Baron Corbin picks Roman Reigns just because he wants Daniel Bryan to go home for good.
Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (c) (WWE Universal Championship)
BRYAN WITH THE BUSAIKU KNEE OUT THE GATES INTO CORNER CHEST KICKS BUT REIGNS CUTS HIM OFF WITH A RIGHT! Side headlock, shot off, shoulder block, off the ropes, drop down, Bryan with a Lou Thesz Press, looking for an early LeBell Lock but Reigns breaks for the floor! Wrecking ball dropkick sets up a diving knee off the apron and the American Dragon is in control as we go to break!
Back from commercial, Bryan is in control and working Reigns’ arm over! Roman manages to knock him loopy with a lariat and takes a breather before covering him for one. Putting boots to his challenger, reverse chinlock applied, whip across, backflip up and over, off the ropes, duck a lariat, Reigns lays him out with a back elbow and covers him for two!
Jawing at Bryan, drawing him up for a straight right hand, Dan fires back with chest kicks in the corner, setting him up top and climbing to meet him, but Roman blocks the Frankensteiner... AVALANCHE POWERBOMB CAN’T KEEP DANIEL BRYAN DOWN BUT IT CAN SEND US TO BREAK!
Back from commercial, Reigns is in control and hammering Bryan with knees in the corner until referee Dan Engler warns him off! Headed up top, jockeying for position, Dan slips out and crotches the Big Dog on the turnbuckles! Climbing back up with him... THE BACK SUPERPLEX IS YOUR FIVE MINUTE WARNING! ROMAN KICKS OUT OF THE COVER!
Chest kicks countered with the Samoan Drop, kicks to the injured arm, shoulder armbreakers, Roman fights him off briefly, Dan sends him to the floor and dives... WHERE ROMAN COUNTERS WITH A BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX! CHARGING IN... BRYAN SIDESTEPS AND ROMAN SPEARS THE BARRICADE TO SEND US TO BREAK!
Back from commercial, Bryan gets a tight nearfall off the diving headbutt! Reigns lands a Superman Punch, lying in wait, spear... COUNTERED INTO A SMALL PACKAGE FOR TWO! OFF THE ROPES, BUSAIKU KNEE, ROMAN GETS HIS KNEE ON THE ROPES! Wrists clutched, Bryan stomps his head in Ring of Honor style! Transitioning, omoplata applied, and now the full LeBell Lock!
Wrenching back, Roman counters to a pin to break it! Charging in, spear... THE AMERICAN DRAGON KICKS OUT! Drawing him up, Reigns locks the guillotine choke in, Bryan flags but doesn’t fail, rolling his hips to slip out of the hold and shift himself over into a cross armbar for a submission of his own! Rolling over it into the omoplata, wrenching it int, the LeBell Lock is back in!
Roman fights, desperate, crawing for the ropes but Dan traps his far arm and rolls him back into the middle of the ring as he reapplies the LeBell Lock! Wrenching, praying, knowing this is his last chance, but Reigns turns around and rains forearms down! POWERBOMB! Roman takes a second to collect himself before going back to mount and laying elbow after elbow after elbow into the back of Daniel Bryan’s head!
Another powerbomb right in the middle of the ring! Reigns pulls him up, he wants the guillotine again but Dan blocks, Roman shifts arms and applies the guillotine choke on the other side! Bryan goes limp, Engler checks his arm... IT’S OVER!
Roman Reigns wins by referee stoppage with the guillotine choke to retain the Universal Championship and force Daniel Bryan to leave SmackDown.
Post-match, Reigns gets some chairs and looks to take Bryan out for good but Cesaro makes the save! Charging uppercuts into grounded punches on the floor! Uppercuts, throwing Roman back in the ring but Jey Uso cuts the Swiss Superman off and lays him out with a superkick! He throws Cesaro back inside, where Jey ties him up in the ropes!
ROMAN HITS THE CON-CHAIR-TO ON BRYAN!
Cesaro stares him down from Jey Uso’s chinlock, furious.
That’s the show, folks.