WWE SmackDown Flops and Hits: Brock Lesnar brutally exposes Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman cries on TV, bold prediction about Kevin Owens' future (1st October, 2021)
This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown could have been perfect if not for two glaring flaws. The Blue brand kickstarted this year’s Draft and picked several top talents from RAW, including Drew McIntyre and Charlotte Flair. Between big returns and top-notch matches, the show did well to follow up on a near-perfect episode of the Red brand.
Here, we look at the biggest flops and hits from WWE SmackDown this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#5 Hit on WWE SmackDown: Brock Lesnar confronts Roman Reigns, attacks The Bloodline
The BEAST. The MESSAGE.
#SmackDown #UniversalTitle @BrockLesnar @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle @WWEUsos https://t.co/KtpWkuI4SA
SmackDown’s opening segment confirmed that Roman Reigns would stay on the Blue brand while RAW picked Big E. Soon after that, Reigns and Paul Heyman walked out to the ring to gloat about The Tribal Chief’s recent triumph over “The Demon” Finn Balor at Extreme Rules. They were soon interrupted by Brock Lesnar, who arrived on the show to make a strong statement.
Lesnar and Reigns were involved in a physical altercation, and the Universal Champion was the first to attack his next challenger. The Beast Incarnate soon turned around the tables and hit Roman Reigns with multiple suplexes. He did the same to The Usos before subjecting them to devastating F5s as Reigns and Heyman looked on from the ramp.
Once again, another one of Roman Reigns’ challengers proved that The Tribal Chief wouldn’t take a blow to save his cousins from a brutal beatdown. This is bound to catch up with him and possibly account for a long-term story-telling on WWE SmackDown. But for now, he has to look out for Lesnar as he poses a huge threat to his championship reign ahead of their title match at Crown Jewel.
Honorable mention: Paul Heyman cries during a backstage segment
it's the smiling and laughing before and after 😭 https://t.co/UuqRBzGKQt
Later in the night, Brock Lesnar hijacked Jeff Hardy’s backstage interview on WWE SmackDown and used the segment to announce that he is now a free agent, courtesy of his “good friend Paul Heyman.” This didn’t sit well with Roman Reigns, who screamed at Heyman in a backstage segment, and the latter even cried in a desperate attempt to prove his innocence.
Lesnar is a fantastic athlete with a commanding presence, and Reigns has redeemed himself as one of the best heels in the business. Still, Heyman is arguably the best part of this storyline on WWE SmackDown.
His history with Lesnar and his current obligations towards Reigns have raised doubts about his loyalty, and Heyman is absolutely gold in selling the narrative. Viewers should keep a close eye on him in the weeks leading up to Crown Jewel.
For now, Roman Reigns has instructed Paul Heyman to ensure that The Usos are drafted to WWE SmackDown. He also told his cousins to leave “Heyman to die” on the Red brand if he couldn’t ensure that Jey and Jimmy Uso would stay on the Blue brand.
The story-telling has been fantastic so far, and Heyman deserves equal credit for playing an instrumental role in keeping things exciting in a feud that we have seen multiple times in the past.