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Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown. It was another fun episode that went by quickly, and the build to Hell in a Cell began to take shape.
What we saw was a few Title challengers getting eliminated, while a few emerged - which is exactly what's needed for storyline progression.
A couple of negatives from SmackDown include Cesaro's absence, Seth Rollins' promo, and Aleister Black not showing up as well after making an impact on the blue brand last week.
Here is what WWE subtly told us on SmackDown this week:
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#5 The Usos are back on SmackDown and a big challenge awaits next week
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The highlight of SmackDown saw the legendary tag team, The Usos, reunite after over a year. There was a lot of reluctance on Jey's part, but his brother had booked the match against The Street Profits without consulting him.
All this seems to be an issue with Roman Reigns, but we'll get back to that later. The opening match saw The Usos take on The Street Profits, and it was a long but entertaining bout to watch.
Given the styles of both teams, it guaranteed fireworks. The Usos looked like they didn't even miss a beat, and picked up the victory. Jimmy Uso later requested to Adam Pearce that they get a title shot against the winner of the main event between The Mysterios and The Dirty Dawgs.
Adam Pearce accepted, but Roman Reigns seemed less than pleased. He once again tried to manipulate Jey Uso and put things in "perspective" by telling him that if he continues to reunite with his brother, then people will start making fun of him again.
Jey Uso seemed to agree, but the Title match isn't off. If anything, a bigger twist could be coming our way. But let's keep that aside for now.
The main event was The Mysterios vs The Dirty Dawgs, and for some odd reason, WWE decided to use the "injury" angle again, this time for Rey Mysterio. Dominik went out on his own despite protests, and Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode couldn't believe their luck.
While a Title change seemed to be coming, Dominik held his own, and his father Rey Mysterio finally came out. The distraction allowed Dom to pick up the victory singlehandedly on SmackDown.
While we weren't fans of the repeated storyline, The Usos came out post-match to hype up their showdown next week. This match will be pivotal, as Jey Uso could cost his team another SmackDown Tag Team Title win.
This will set in motion another interesting storyline.
#4 Kevin Owens gets a big opportunity on SmackDown, but will it be enough?
WWE had a weird way of establishing Kevin Owens as the next Intercontinental Championship challenger on SmackDown. It was clear that he would be the next in line since Big E was eliminated by Aleister Black and Sami Zayn isn't a babyface.
It was a Title match for KO tonight, but it ended in a DQ win for him after Commander Azeez attacked him as he was closing in on the win.
It felt like the match ended in a minute, and backstage, Kevin Owens was gasping for air. With little room to breathe, he demanded a Title shot against Apollo Crews with Commander Azeez being banned from ringside.
Adam Pearce agreed and booked the match for next week. Apollo Crews vs Kevin Owens will be for the title, and Commander Azeez can't be the difference-maker. But someone else can.
One name we didn't see pop up is Sami Zayn. Owens and Zayn have been crossing paths a lot recently, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the latter interfering next week on SmackDown, setting up a Triple Threat at Hell in a Cell 2021.
#3 Tamina and Natalya eliminate potential Title contenders on SmackDown
Tamina and Natalya seem to be done with Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler...or so we hope, based on the latest episode of SmackDown. This week, they faced potential new challengers in the form of The Riott Squad.
We were happy to see this match on SmackDown, even if it wasn't for the Title. It was meant to establish new contenders, but naturally, given the current pecking order on RAW and SmackDown, Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan weren't going to win.
It was a surprisingly fun match, with Natalya coming close to locking the sharpshooter on both women. Ultimately, The Riott Squad fell short and Tamina picked up the victory for the team.
What it means is that Ruby and Liv are instantly eliminated from title contention. They are ideal candidates to challenge the Champions on SmackDown, but we understand the decision of wanting to keep the Titleholders strong.
It will be interesting to see who challenges the Women's Tag Team Champions next. Even if the feuds aren't enthralling, at least they're getting regular screen time on both RAW and SmackDown
#2 The SmackDown Women's Title picture is now clear
Although WWE has been doing a lot of Triple Threat matches and multi-man matches, they eliminated one possibility on SmackDown. We had a fun singles match between Women's Champion Bianca Belair and Carmella.
The idea was similar to that of the Tag Team match. A win for Carmella would mean an instant title shot, potentially at Hell in a Cell. The longest-reigning SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley was at ringside helping the commentators.
She came to annoy Michael Cole, and the dynamic between them is always entertaining to watch. Bayley argued that Bianca Belair cheated to win at WrestleMania Backlash, which is why she deserved another shot.
When Michael Cole defended Belair, Bayley asked if he was getting paid by her to say what he was saying. Bianca Belair won this bout clean, effectively eliminating Carmella from the SmackDown Women's Title picture for now.
We could still see Carmella emerging as a challenger for Money in the Bank. But for now, Bayley is the woman who is next in line.
#1 Where will the crown feud on SmackDown culminate?
Shinsuke Nakamura came out on SmackDown, once again introduced by the newcomer Rick Boogs. Boogs wasn't as accurate with his guitar as he was last week, but it gave the King of Strong Style a good entrance nonetheless.
Shinsuke Nakamura has always known how to carry himself, and he looked like a big star on SmackDown. This is undoubtedly the best booking that Shinsuke Nakamura has received in years, and it shouldn't be surprising since the "no crowd" era has resulted in opportunities for some unlikely superstars.
This feud on SmackDown isn't high-profile by any means. It's a regular mid-card rivalry between two superstars who need screentime. This week on SmackDown, Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Chad Gable, but couldn't find his crown post-match.
It was King Corbin who took the crown, but Rick Boogs attacked him from behind, allowing Nakamura to "reclaim" the priced possession. It's a fun little feud on SmackDown that has been more entertaining than expected.
We can see it culminating at Hell in a Cell, but truth be told, it doesn't need a pay-per-view. This is the perfect TV feud on SmackDown, and that can be the end-all-be-all of it.
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