8 Things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown before Extreme Rules 2021: 2 stars to finally turn face for title challenge, Popular name to make in-ring return after 13 months

Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown before Extreme Rules 2021. It was an action-packed episode and a big improvement from last week.

Roman Reigns doesn't wrestle much on SmackDown, but he had a big main event against a potential future singles star. Dominik Mysterio teased a bit of dissent with his father Rey Mysterio, telling him that if he weren't at ringside, he would have beaten Sami Zayn.

All in all, a lot happened, and here's what WWE subtly told us on SmackDown ahead of Extreme Rules 2021:

---

#8 Roman Reigns and the story on SmackDown ahead of Extreme Rules 2021

This Sunday at Extreme Rules 2021, The Street Profits will challenge The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. They aren't expected to win the titles back, but Angelo Dawkins' absence two nights before opened up an interesting opportunity.

Montez Ford cut a good promo against The Usos and Roman Reigns on SmackDown, calling them "Bloodline b****s" - a comment that triggered Roman Reigns. Backstage, Roman Reigns told Paul Heyman to book a match against Montez Ford for the main event.

Paul Heyman questioned his decision to have a match two nights before his Extreme Rules main event against The Demon Finn Balor. But Roman Reigns insisted, and the match was soon booked.

This was interesting because Angelo Dawkins' absence may have had a bigger impact than first realized. Over a year ago, when Street Profits dominated the RAW Tag Team division, many WWE fans suggested that Montez Ford would be the benefactor when The Street Profits eventually broke up.

SmackDown without Angelo Dawkins was WWE's opportunity to test the waters with Ford as a singles competitor, and he passed the test with flying colors.

On an important side note, The Usos were seen backstage, and The Alpha Academy members Chad Gable and Otis teased a SmackDown Tag Team title match against them. This seems to be the next feud for The Usos post-Extreme Rules.

Chad Gable and Otis are likely to turn face for a SmackDown Tag Team title feud against The Usos.

As for the main event itself, Roman Reigns unsurprisingly won, making Montez Ford tap out to the guillotine. Post-match, Roman Reigns and The Usos began a post-match assault on the Street Profits member, sending him through a table.

Instantly, The Demon Balor appeared and took out Roman Reigns, standing tall before their bout at Extreme Rules 2021. It was a good segment ahead of The Demon's first possible loss.

#7 The Naomi storyline has a clear direction on SmackDown

We're happy to see the way things are finally playing out with Naomi on SmackDown. She's long been an underutilized superstar.

Naomi didn't want to wait this week on SmackDown. Itching to get back in the mix, Naomi decided to come out and challenge any woman on the roster to come out and face her.

Sonya Deville came out and prevented it, telling the former Women's Champion that she made the matches on SmackDown. Naomi then told Deville that she wanted to face her, to which the latter responded that she would chew her up in the ring.

It was a clear tease of a Naomi-Sonya Deville match. Deville hasn't had a match since SummerSlam 2020, where she lost to Mandy Rose. It's been well over 13 months since she has had a match, and Naomi looks like she'll be the first one to welcome her back on SmackDown.

So far, they've made a good storyline out of Naomi being underutilized on SmackDown.

#6 Bianca Belair stands tall on SmackDown, but it may not be enough for Extreme Rules

SmackDown opened with a segment between Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair. In their feud up until now, it's been the SmackDown Women's Champion who has gotten the better of Belair.

This week was nothing but a war of words between the champion and the challenger. Bianca Belair reminded Becky Lynch why she shouldn't be underestimated, and cut a good promo by holding her own.

It speaks volumes of her ability when she's able to get cheered over the already-popular Becky Lynch.

The segment ended with Bianca Belair hitting the KOD on Becky Lynch and standing tall on SmackDown ahead of their title match at Extreme Rules.

It was a good and effective segment, but it essentially revealed the possibility that Becky Lynch will be retaining the SmackDown Women's Championship at Extreme Rules 2021.

It's good that the segment played out the way it did because Lynch will likely win at Extreme Rules regardless. If Bianca Belair didn't, it would have been a worse look losing to Becky Lynch.

#5 Edge isn't going to be away from SmackDown for months

After Edge was written off in the SmackDown episode at Madison Square Garden, it was rumored that the angle was used to write him out for months. It was a bit deflating since the Edge-Seth Rollins feud still had steam on SmackDown.

Their second match wasn't as good as the first, but it was impressive regardless. Seth Rollins picked up the win in their second bout and assaulted Edge, with a match between them not happening at Extreme Rules 2021.

Regardless, Rollins was on SmackDown and continued to press for a match against Edge, citing unfinished business between the two. Edge was quick to respond on Twitter, telling the WWE Universe that he will appear next week on SmackDown.

However, there was an important line used on commentary, where they questioned how ready Edge would be following the beating he took a few weeks ago on SmackDown.

This killed the above-stated rumor, and Edge will, in fact, be returning sooner than expected.

#4 The bizarre decision to have Liv Morgan lose on SmackDown before Extreme Rules

We're not sure what the purpose of having Liv Morgan lose on SmackDown was. She's currently scheduled for a match against Carmella at Extreme Rules 2021, the only non-title bout on the card.

She faced Zelina Vega on SmackDown this week, assuming that it was a match to make Liv Morgan look good ahead of her second singles pay-per-view bout at Extreme Rules 2021.

Instead, a distraction from Carmella led to Zelina Vega defeating Liv Morgan, a decision that makes no sense. If WWE was trying to pull a surprise off by having Morgan eventually winning on Sunday, it still makes no sense the way things played out on SmackDown. It sums up WWE's struggle with creating babyface stars.

---

#3 King Nakamura is done with Apollo Crews

King Nakamura vs Apollo Crews seems to be done on SmackDown. The Intercontinental Championship hasn't been defended on pay-per-view since WrestleMania 37, where Crews won the title from Big E.

Since then, it's been a SmackDown exclusive title. Two nights before Extreme Rules 2021, a rematch was booked between Nakamura and Crews. It was a short-lived match, with Rick Boogs once again helping by taking out Commander Azeez.

The feud between King Nakamura and Apollo Crews appears to be done. Who will be next for the Intercontinental Champion?

#2 Happy Corbin has a hired gun on SmackDown

Happy Corbin hosted the first edition of "Happy Talk" on SmackDown, supposedly the happiest talk show in WWE history. Kevin Owens wasn't the originally scheduled guest, but he came out to crash the party regardless.

Last week on SmackDown, Happy Corbin attacked Kevin Owens before their match had even started. Perhaps anticipating this, Happy Corbin got a hired gun in the form of the returning Riddick Moss.

Moss attacked Kevin Owens from nowhere, instantly getting associated as Corbin's bodyguard on SmackDown.

---

#1 Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. quickly move on

Now that they're Women's Tag Team Champions, Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. are the only stars on the roster who can freely move between RAW and SmackDown.

Nikki A.S.H. faced Natalya on SmackDown and walked out victorious. While a tag team title rematch should ideally conclude the rivalry, WWE wasted no time in moving on. The relative newcomers Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackhart came out and even took a shot at the new Champions.

The next Women's Tag Team title feud seems clear. We expect variations of matches between Ripley, Nikki A.S.H, Nox, and Shotzi to take place over the coming weeks.