WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights, Winners & Reactions For January 1, 2021

Welcome to Ringside News’ live results, highlights, winners, and reactions of WWE SmackDown on New Year’s Day!

Tonight’s SmackDown marks the first WWE show of 2021, and we’re only a few weeks away from the Royal Rumble! With that in mind, the WWE Universal Champion, the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns has special request for WWE Management tonight. That presumably means Adam Pearce and possibly a rematch with Kevin Owens at the Rumble, let us know below what you think!

As for matches, we know Sasha Banks will be teaming with Bianca Belair to face their respective enemies in Carmella and Bayley. And the only other known match scheduled for tonight is the new Intercontinental Champion Big E taking on King Corbin, although we reckon Sami Zayn might rear his ginger head.

And that’s all we know ahead of tonight’s SmackDown, but generally the blue brand is a solid show. We want to know what you’re excited about and maybe toss out some early predictions for this year’s Rumble. Remember to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and enjoy the show!

SmackDown

The first SmackDown of the new decade opens with a look back at the TLC main event two weeks ago, as well as last week’s cage match between Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns. Live in the ThunderDome, Roman Reigns makes his entrance alongside Paul Heyman and Jey Uso.

Roman says, as the face of WWE, he wants to wish everyone a happy new year. He says 2020 has been rough but when you’re the head of the table, it’s not that bad. He says he wears the golden glove because everything he touches turns to gold. And part of the reason why is because he surrounds himself with greatness. Jey is a prime example of what he can do for someone’s career; Jey just had to listen to Roman and he’s had the best year of his career. He knows who Jey is, he understood from day one how much talent he had and that he was main event worthy. As Roman is pouring praise on Jey, Kevin Owens interrupts.

Owens stands on the stage and Reigns tells them to turn the music off. Roman says nobody cares about KO, he’s just a cockroach that won’t go away but he had his moment in the sun. He says he was generous enough to give Owens a big payday and he hopes he spent it well, gave his family a good Christmas but it’s over. Roman says tonight isn’t about Owens, it’s about his family, so he needs to leave.

Owens says Roman should be embarassed because, try as he and his family might, he’s still standing. He should be embarassed that Jey had to pull him off of ladders at TLC, and embarassed that Jey had to handcuff him to the cage last week. He should be embarassed because it seems the big dog has been replaced by the “big bitch”. But Roman is right, tonight is about Jey. For all the times Jey has attacked him, KO is telling management that tonight he will fight Jey Uso and when he’s done, Roman’s family will have nothing to celebrate.

We see a lengthy replay of Big E vs. Sami Zayn last week, where Big E won the Intercontinental Championship. Big E makes his way to the ring, he’s taking on King Corbin after the break! What are you thoughts on Big E as Intercontinental Champion? Do you think he should be more serious? Let us know below!

*Commercial Break*

Big E Vs. King Corbin W/Knights of the lone wolf

Sami Zayn is on commentary for this match and he’s brought his Sami awards with him. The match gets underway and they lock-up, with Corbin powering Big E to the corner. Big E whips Corbin to the ropes and the King attempts a shoulder block but the Champion stands firm and shakes his hips. Big E drops Corbin with a shoulder but the King fires back with a big clothesline.

Corbin delivers repeated elbows to Big E on the mat, then a Kane-esque uppercut. Corbin throws E shoulder-first into the ring post and peppers him with right hands. Corbin with a back elbow for a two-count and Sami says the referee is counting slow. Big E sidesteps Corbin and tosses him to the apron, then runs for a spear but Corbin knees him. Corbin runs out and back in for a clothesline, but isntead Big E catches him with the Big Ending and covers but Sami Zayn attacks.

Winner vIA DISQUALIFICATION: bIG E

As soon as the bell rings, Corbin’s Knights run into the ring and help Zayn beat on Big E. Apollo Crews comes running down and helps Big E clear the ring.

*Commercial Break*

Big E & Apollo Crews Vs. sAMI zAYN & BARON CORBIN W/Knights of the lone wolf

We return to find this match udnerway with Apollo and Sami, and Crews catches the former IC Champ with a dropkick. Zayn delivers a sneaky back elbow and tags Corbin. The King tosses Corbin to the apron where Apollo tries to springboard back in but gets caught with an uppercut. Sami and Corbin make quick tags to isolate and beat down Apollo.

Zayn tags himself in and knocks Apollo out of the ring. Zayn goes out and slams Apollo into the apron, then gets in arguement with the Knights of the Lone Wolf. When Sami comes back in, Crews drops him and both men makes tags. Big E catches Corbin with two overhead suplexes and a belly-to-belly. Big E gets excited and hits the big splash, then claps and looks for the Big Ending but Corbin slides off. Corbin dodges Big E and catches him with Deep Six for a two-count. Zayn and the Knights are arguing on the floor again, which distracts Baron and allows Big E to tag Apollo.

Crews comes in hot with clotheslines to Corbin but Zayn gets the tag and attempts a Helluva Kick but almost hits Corbin. Zayn and Corbin argue after Sami knocks Crews down, then the Knights get on the apron to flank Corbin. Baron and his Knights leave Sami high and dry ad he yells that he doesn’t need them. Crews hits Sami with an enziguiri and a spin-out powerbomb for the win!

Winners: Big E & Apollo Crews

Kevin Owens approaches Adam Pearce backstage and explains that he’s going to fight Jey Uso tonight. Pearce says he’s getting demands and orders all over the place. Owens says this isn’t the Adam Pearce he’s fought in armories across the country. Pearce tells him he can have a match against anyone except Jey Uso and Owens says that’s fine, he wants Roman Reigns. Pearce asks why Owens is being difficult and KO says he should know why, he was his boss once and he knows everybody wants to see him beat Jey Uso. Pearce agrees to the match. This should be a fun match, would you want to see it be no disqualification? Let us know below!

*Commercial Break*

Big E and Apollo are walking backstage, discussing strategies when Kayla Braxton appraoches them. Kayla asks what we can expect from Big E this year and he says he’s had so many fans, big and ssmall, celebrate with him. And because of that he will be a fighting Champion, which is why next week he’ll be putting the title on the line. Apollo says he can consider that challenge already accepted and they have a tense laugh.

Billie Kay comes out to face The Riott Squad with her newest teammate but instead she’s going to be in the corner for Nattie and tamina.

The Riott Squad Vs. tAMINA & nATALYA w/ Billie Kay

The match begins with Liv Morgan and Natalya, and Nattie wins a lock-up but Liv catches her with a roll-up for two. Natalya drops Liv with a right hand and then gets distracted by Billie at ringside. Ruby tags in and they hit Natalya with a double-team dropkick. Tamina tags in and goes to work on Ruby, beating her down with an uppercut and kicks. Ruby fires back and knocks Natalya off the apron before jumping over Tamina and tagging Liv.

Morgan comes in with a flurry of offence against Tamina and quickly tags Ruby again so they can hit a double-team Russian leg-sweep for a two-count. Suddenly Billie Kay is in the corner of The Riott Squad trying to give advice but Ruby tells her to leave. Billie goes back to Tamina’s corner and attempts to give advice but she just distracts her. Tamina lifts Liv for a Samoan drop but gets rolled-up and loses!

Winners: The Riott Squad

After the match Natalya checks on Tamina while Billie attempts to leave with The Riott Squd but they ditch her.

We see replays of last week when Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair teamed-up and lost to Carmella. The SmackDown Women’s Champion makes her way to the ring for a rematch.

*Commercial Break*

sASHA bANKS & BIANCA BELAIR VS. BAYLEY & CARMELLA W/REGINALD

We start proceedings with Carmella and Bianca, and Belair slams her down from a lock-up. Carmella tries to fire in a cheap shot but Bianca fires back and lifts her up but Carmella drops down and tags Bayley. The Golden Role Mode runs right into a dropkick, then gets thrown out of the ring. Carmella hops on the apron as Bianca hits a handspring to knock her off, then Banks is tagged and they jump onto the heels at ringside. Banks gets Bayley back inside for a two-count.

*Commercial Break*

Back livea and Bayley is choking Belair on the mat. Bayley runs at her but eats a boot, then Belair jumps over, only to get caught with a forearm in the face. Bayley gets in Sasha’s face, then Bayley goes to work on Bianca’s right arm. Carmella gets the tag and she stomps on Bianca in the corner, then targets the arm as well. Bayley tags in again and applies a submission but Belair quickly fights out and hits a vertical suplex.

Carmella tags in to prevent the tag to Banks, then taunts Belair. Carmella applies an armbar but Belair lifts her with one arm! Belair gets the tag to Banks, who comes in with trash talk, then knocks Carmella into the corner and stands on her. Banks hits double knees, then a running face wash. Banks hits a shining wizard but Bayley breaks the pin attempt with a knee. Banks tosses Bayley outside and looks to tag Belair, but Bayley pulls Bianca by the hair. Belair yanks Bayley into the steps, then hits a suplex on the floor.

Meanwhile in the ring, Carmella rolls-up Banks for a two-count. Carmella connects with a superkick but misses a bronco buster in the corner and Banks applies the Bank Statement. Reginal slides in and pulls Carmella out of the ring, then does an acrobatic flip out of the ring. Carmella sneaks back in and hits Banks with a Mella Buster for the win!

Winners: Bayley & Carmella

Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, and Paul heyman are standing backstage and Roman is aghast that Jey has to face Owens tonight. He says, after all he’s done for WWE, someone still doesn’t respct him. He tells Jey to go find out who doesn’t respect him.

The Street Profits make their way to the ring to ring in the new year. Let us know below what you want from WWE in 2021, starting with the Royal Rumble winner!

*Commercial Break*

Sonya Deville is back and she is walking backstage, getting looks from everyone she passes.

The Street Profits are in the ring for the New Year’s Smoke-Tacular. They dance along to some music, then Dawkins tells 2020 it needs to get to stepping but Ford says it wasn’t all bad. Ford reminds us that they beat The New Day and won two Slammy Awards. Dawkins says 2021 is going to be evern better for them and they reveal a drumset in the ring. Dawkins takes a seat and starts drumming as Ford makes some predictions for 2021.

Montez says not everyone has the skills to become high-class fashion icons but they predict the shirt the made for Sami Zayn will be the best-selling WWE shirt of the year. The second prediction is that Dolph Ziggler will steal another thing from Shawn Michaels, and don the nickname: The Heartache Kid. He’s about to make a prediction about Bobby Roode when Ziggler and Roode attack the Profits. Roode grabs a chair and hits Dawkins, then throws him over the barricade. Roode whips Ford’s leg around the ring post, then hits his leg with the chair. Roode hits ithe leg again and they berate Ford. Dawkins crawls back over to check on Ford as Roode and Ziggler bounce.

*Commercial Break*

Kayla Braxton interviews Ziggler and Roode backstage and asks why they attacked the Profits. Ziggler says they had the audacity to compare him to a washed-up loser like HBK. Roode says everything is a joke with the Profits but they aren’t having fun now. Ziggler says the Profits are a joke but they are two pros, two aces who are what real Champions look like. And what they want is the SmacKDown Tag Team Championships.

Daniel Bryan, Gable and Otis make their way to the ring. We see a video from earlier today of Bryan training with Gable and Otis. Cesaro and Nakamur appear and ask what they’re doing and Bryan says they’re helping him train by lowering his centre of gravity. The heels make fun of them before leaving.

Daniel Bryan, Otis W/Chad Gable Vs. Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura

We start proceedings with Daneil Bryan and Cesaro. Cesaro pins Bryan down but the Yes man leaps up and holds onto Cesaro for a monkey flip. Nakamura tags in and Bryan takes a waistlock. Cesaro gets the tag but Bryan knocks him off the apron and leaps at him for a suicide dive but gets caught and thrown up to get hit with a European uppercut. Otis comes running around ringside to knokc the heels down as we head to the break.

*Commercial Break*

Back live and the hels are beating on Daniel Bryan around ringside. Cesaro gets Bryan inside and applies a rear chinlock. Bryan fights up but Cesaro slams him for a two-count, then tosses him out of the ring. Nakamura gets a tag and puts Bryan back in the ring. Nakamura continues the beatdown until Bryan throws him out of the ring. Bryan wants to crawl to Otis but Cesaro puts Nakamura in the ring and tags himself in.

Otis does get the tag and he tosses Cesaro directly overhead, then knocks him inside out with a big clothesline. Gable tells Otis what to do next, and the big man hits the Caterpillar for a near-fall thanks to Nakamura breaking the pin attempt. Otis looks to hit the Vader Bomb but Cesaro rolls out of the way and tags Nakamura. Shinsuke looks to hit Kinshasa but Otis catches and slams him. Bryan gets the tag and hits a sunset flip to Nakamura for two.

Bryan flips over Nakamura in the corner but runs into a kick. Nakamura catches Bryan with a rolling armbar but Otis hits a diving headbutt to break the hold, Cesaro tries to put Otis over the top rope but can’t get him, so they kick him out of the ring together. Bryan hits Cesaro wtih a running knee that knock shim to the floor, then applies the Yes Lock to Nakamura for the submission win!

Winners: Daniel Bryan & Otis

We see Heyman, Reigns and Jey backstage. Roman is not happy and he instructs Jey to go out and teach Kevin Owens a lesson.

*Commercial Break*

Jey Uso Vs. Kevin Owens

The bell rings and Owens with a double-leg takedown and some ground and pound. Jey turns him over and unlaods but Owens quickly turns it back. Owens slams Jey into the buckles, then out of the ring and dives onto him. Owens puts Jey back inside and starts targeting his left leg. Jey fires back with a right hand but KO drops him and jumps on his leg.

Owens continues the beatdown until Jey catches him with a superkick and he rolls outside. Jey gets on the apron and jumps at Owens but he gets caught with a kick in mid-air. Owens tosses Jey over the announce desk, then rolls back into the ring and poses as we head to the final break of the night. Let us know if you think the tribal chief is going to get involved!

*Commercial Break*

We return to find them struggling on the top rope. They both drop off and Owens hits a Stunner out of nowhere for the win.

Winner: Kevin Owens

Owens looks into the camera and asks Roman where he is. KO lifts Jey and hits him with another Stunner. Owens looks to the stage but Owens isn’t there. Owens goes out and takes a headset from Corey Graves to call Roman a “bitch”. Owens grabs handcuffs from under the ring and then cuffs Jey to the ringtop rope and kicks him over and over. Owens kicks the handcuffed arm, then stands on Jey’s leg and screams for Roman to come out.

Owens batters Jey on the mat with right hands, then pulls the key from his kneepad and unlocks Jey. Owens says he’s going to take the fight to Roman and drags Jey up the ramp. Jey pulls away but Owens throws him into one of the fan screens. A table is nearby and Owens superkicks Jey onto it. Owens climbs up onto the fan screens and is about to leap onto Jey, when Roman attacks him! Jey helps Roman beat Owens and dump him over the screens onto a higher platform.

Jey grabs a couple of chairs and they beat Owens with them. Reigns chokes Owens and berates him for not giving up. Owens tries to fight back but he gets slammed into the LED screens aand punched over and over. Roman tosses Owens off the platform through the table some ten feet below! Roman poses above Owens to end the show.

That’s it for this week’s SmackDown. What did you think? Is Roman the best in the business right now? Let us know your thoguthts below and we’ll see you back here tomorrow for more wrestling news. Until then, stay safe!