7 Things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown: Face turn canceled, former champion loses his push again?
The go-home episode of SmackDown to SummerSlam 2021 was a big one. With SummerSlam's main event and many marquee matches from SmackDown, it was clear that this episode was going to be a big one.
The stakes of the main event were raised significantly, and a lot of storylines will culminate at the biggest party of the summer. Here are a few things WWE subtly told us on the SmackDown before SummerSlam:
#7. Baron Corbin's story on SmackDown doesn't involve much redemption
While we're still curious to see how the storyline plays out, the likeliness of a Baron Corbin face turn seems lesser now than before. While the initial part of the storyline on SmackDown signalled a face turn and a redemption arc, we've only seen Baron Corbin get more desperate about getting money back.
Unfortunately for him, this meant various methods - like asking Drew McIntyre for $100,000, trying to sabotage Finn Balor and attempting to secure the main event spot at SummerSlam, and most recently, stealing the Money in the Bank briefcase from Big E.
He lost to Kevin Owens last time on SmackDown and lost the chance to win a $1000. However, he stole Big E's Money in the Bank briefcase, and it came back to bite him this week. He faced Kevin Owens in an attempt to get a "winners cheque" from WWE.
However, the match on SmackDown ended in a DQ after Big E attacked Corbin. The latter managed to get away with the briefcase anyway, signalling that their story is far from over.
However, the possibility of Corbin turning face on SmackDown seems slim.
#6. Is Apollo Crews sliding down the card again?
Apollo Crews has lost a lot of steam in recent months. He had momentum on his side during WrestleMania season, and it culminated with an Intercontinental title win over Big E. However, that was as hot as his 2021 has been.
His Intercontinental title reign was ok at first, but it seemed as though WWE began to give up on him again. He cooled down considerably by the time crowds came back, which is a shame since he was an important star for WWE during the pandemic era.
This week on SmackDown, he teamed up with Commander Azeez to take on King Nakamura and Rick Boogs. It was Boogs who ultimately ended up pinning Crews, signalling the end of his push on SmackDown.