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Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown! While we weren't too crazy about how the episode finished, there was a lot that happened.
We began the build to WWE Fastlane 2021 - which is only three weeks away. We're not sure how the company plans to fill the card, but no official match was announced on SmackDown.
But there is one interesting direction that was directly hinted at on SmackDown, and that's where we will start this week:
#5 The direction for Fastlane was made clear on SmackDown
Roman Reigns opened SmackDown as he usually does, and he closed the show - as he usually does. Not that we're complaining, because this version of Reigns on SmackDown is the best that we've seen in over eight years of his time in WWE.
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The Tribal Chief kickstarted SmackDown by praising himself for stepping up and defending the Univeral Title when needed at the Elimination Chamber PPV. He even gave Edge the chance to back out of his Universal Championship opportunity at WrestleMania 37.
Instead, it was Daniel Bryan who interrupted the opening segment of SmackDown. Slamming Roman Reigns for praising himself, he challenged him to a Universal Title match on Fastlane.
Jey Uso told Daniel Bryan that he had to face him - the right-hand man, to earn a title shot at Fastlane. Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville made the match happen and booked it for the main event of SmackDown.
Edge, interestingly enough, didn't seem too happy. Despite being a babyface, we like the fact that he still holds that "self-interested" side of his persona from over 10 years ago. It's that kind of consistent subtlety in character that we enjoy - and Edge is a master of it.
Either way, Daniel Bryan vs Jey Uso ended in a double count out. As if the finish wasn't disappointing enough, Bryan fought back against the interfering Roman Reigns and got choked out to end the show. We understand the fact that Edge didn't come out - especially since Daniel Bryan told him to his face earlier on SmackDown that he didn't believe that The Rated-R Superstar could beat Roman Reigns.
Either way, we fully expect a Tag Team match featuring Edge & Daniel Bryan against Roman Reigns & Jey Uso at Fastlane - presumably in the main event.
#4 Has Apollo Crews finally announced his arrival on SmackDown?
We'll be the first to tell you that we thought Apollo Crews getting drafted back to SmackDown in 2020 would mean the end of his push. We're glad to see that we were wrong.
Apollo Crews introduced a new side of his character this week on SmackDown - and it's unlike anything he has done before. Now a full-fledged heel, the former US Champion came out sporting a new ring attire, and a white and green silk scarf to represent his Nigerian royal heritage.
He seems to be embracing his roots, declaring on SmackDown that he wasn't from the hood and that he comes from wealth and prestige. While we're not sure why he added a random African accent at the end of his promo, the rest of what he did was gold.
He faced and defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (after a pre-match attack), seemingly to indicate that he could be the next in line for the Intercontinental Championship on SmackDown. Is Apollo Crews going to be a breakout star in WWE in 2021? He had his biggest career success post-WrestleMania 36, and he could take it to the next level.
#3 Is Otis' heel turn costing The Mysterios on SmackDown?
Otis and Chad Gable are both officially heels on SmackDown now. While Gable has portrayed a bad guy before, this is new territory for Otis - who has been one of WWE's most beloved babyfaces over the last year.
We're not sure what made WWE go in that direction, but the Blue Collar Brawler now has a mentor on SmackDown, and they've been going at it against Rey and Dominik Mysterio. As usual, the Mysterios lost on SmackDown.
We're not too worried about how it will affect Dominik in the long run on SmackDown because he is still a rookie. But WWE seems to constantly use Rey Mysterio to get other Superstars over. We get the logic that he is an "underdog" figure and an easy target for heels to get heat on SmackDown, but it seems to have gone too far.
We understand WWE wanting to push the Otis-Gable alliance, with particular emphasis on the former MITB briefcase winner as a star, but Rey Mysterio deserves better than that.
#2 Cesaro's clash with Seth Rollins on SmackDown
Seth Rollins came out on SmackDown, and he was almost immediately confronted by Cesaro. It's an interesting retrun feud for The Messiah on the blue brand, especially since his impact after being drafted was minimal.
He was around SmackDown only for a short while, and he got brogue kicked out of programming at Survivor Series - taking paternity leave. Cesaro has been gaining more momentum than almost every Superstar on Friday Nights, and we're glad to see that he is set to face the former Universal Champion, presumably at Fastlane 2020.
While we would prefer the duo going at it at WrestleMania 37 instead, it's hard to predict. Either way, Cesaro gave Seth Rollins a taste of his own medicine as he took out The Messiah with his trademark Swing.
Seth Rollins is the perfect heel to Cesaro's newly-turned babyface character, and we hope that when they face-off, it's The Swiss Superman who ends up winning. We could understand WWE wanting Rollins to win, especially since he lost a lot in 2020.
#1 Bianca Belair made her choice on SmackDown, but was it the right one?
SmackDown star Bianca Belair was summoned to officially make her WrestleMania 37 decision. She had two options - RAW Women's Champion Asuka, and SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks.
Since Asuka vs Charlotte Flair is the rumored direction for WrestleMania 37, it only makes sense that Belair would choose the SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks. Reginald once again came out without Carmella and told Belair that she had an important decision to make, but he didn't believe that Sasha Banks was the right call - since she would lose.
The Boss came out, and the SmackDown Women's Champion told him to stop talking on her behalf. Eventually, she confronted Belair, who chose Banks as her WrestleMania 37 opponent.
She even pointed to the WrestleMania sign, which means that it's official. The second match of the WrestleMania 37 card has been announced, and both matches are from SmackDown. Will Sasha Banks' reign as SmackDown Women's Champion end at WrestleMania 37, or will she prove to be a step above Bianca Belair?
