WWE SmackDown Flops and Hits: Finn Balor attacks Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch refuses title rematch (27th August, 2021)
WWE SmackDown once again delivered a solid show this week with very little room for complaint. We saw a former Universal Champion return intending to reclaim the world title, a popular duo potentially teasing a split, and a top champion’s official heel turn. It was also confirmed that Naomi had been moved to the Blue brand.
Here, we look at the biggest hits and flops from WWE SmackDown tonight. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#5 Hit on WWE SmackDown: Finn Balor challenges Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship
The main event of WWE SmackDown witnessed a family celebration. Roman Reigns and The Usos walked out for a glorious ceremony after successfully defending their respective championships at SummerSlam. The crowd really went all out to cheer for Jey and Jimmy Uso when Paul Heyman described them as "undisputed champions."
The boastful celebration was quickly halted after Finn Balor's music sent the crowd into a frenzy. The Prince arrived on the scene and demanded a shot at the Universal Championship, just as he had promised. He was originally supposed to face Reigns at SummerSlam, but he was wrongfully taken out of the equation by Baron Corbin during the contract signing on WWE SmackDown.
The following week, Roman Reigns and The Usos attacked Balor after the main event and forced him to stay out of action. Tonight, The Prince returned on with a vengeance on his mind. He said he would eventually deal with John Cena before challenging Reigns for the title next week.
Finn Balor was booked very well on WWE SmackDown this week. The creative team capitalized on his genuine popularity among the fans without compromising his persona. The subtleties involved in this segment also accounted for good storytelling. The Usos doubted Paul Heyman’s intentions throughout the show, but Roman Reigns referred to him as “family.”
Additionally, the last time Balor challenged Reigns to a title match, The Tribal Chief threw his mic at the returning superstar. This time, The Prince returned the favor on WWE SmackDown. Balor immediately attacked Reigns and rocked him with a solid elbow to the face instead of showing typical babyface naivety.
Soon after that, The Usos took over, and Finn Balor was outnumbered, but that wasn't the case for long. The Street Profits walked out to help even out the odds and helped Balor in brutalizing Jimmy Uso. A frustrated Roman Reigns looked on from the end of the ramp but walked backstage instead of helping his cousin.
The crowd rose to its feet in support of Finn Balor, who sent a strong message to The Tribal Chief and the rest of the WWE SmackDown roster.
The Universal title match between Reigns and Balor was made official for next week's show. We hope they will extend their feud on the Blue brand, eventually leading to a big match at a big pay-per-view.
But for now, Reigns is most likely to feud with either Edge or Brock Lesnar ahead of Extreme Rules. Before that, he has to keep an eye out for Finn Balor. There's also a looming threat from Big E, and even Seth Rollins to an extent.
The main event was quite entertaining, and Kevin Owens' expert comments at regular intervals only served as an icing on the cake. The Universal Championship picture now looks very exciting on WWE SmackDown, and we wonder why RAW doesn't borrow a page or two from the show when it comes to booking a world title.