SmackDown Results: Huge Title Change; WWE official competes for the first time in 6 years
Roman Reigns kicked off SmackDown with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman and said that he liked Kevin Owens and respected him. He said he didn't want anything to happen to him but he put Roman in a tough spot and he 'had to do what he had to do.'
Roman said that people were blaming him and that it was Adam Pearce who was really to blame. Heyman made the producers call Pearce out before he came out to the ring and asked what he could do for Roman.
Reigns showed us footage of Adam agreeing to the Owens-Uso match last week which led to KO being sent to the hospital by Roman. Reigns asked Pearce to 'take responsibility', before yelling at him for scheduling the gauntlet match to pick Roman's opponent tonight.
Reigns grilled Pearce for a moment before going on about respect and the family. Roman was about to attack Pearce but Heyman calmed him down before Reigns left him in the ring with a veiled threat on SmackDown.
Big E (c) vs. Apollo Crews - Intercontinental Championship match on SmackDown
Crews hit a big boot right off the bat and got a near fall before Big E managed to take back control and hit a splash on the apron. Crews hit some splashes in the corner and some suplexes before hitting a moonsault from the apron to the outside.
Crews got another near fall and hit a superplex that ended in a double pinfall. Both men technically got a pin so the referee said that they had to resume the match. Big E took Apollo down with a Uranage Slam before connecting with the Big Ending, picking up the win on SmackDown.
Result: Big E def. Apollo Crews to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Match rating: B+
Sonya Deville was backstage on SmackDown with Adam Pearce, who she will be working for going forward.