WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Roman Reigns vs. LA Knight contract signing set, brand clashes brewing

Reigns and Knight will put pen to paper next week on SmackDown for their Crown Jewel collision

LA Knight will not be denied. The superstar is brimming with confidence and looking every bit like a major player ahead of his match against Roman Reigns for the WWE universal championship.

Knight went toe-to-toe on the microphone with special counsel Paul Heyman in Reigns' absence, but The Bloodline's impact was felt throughout the show. Jey Uso sought revenge on Jimmy Uso after the latter cost Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes the undisputed tag team titles earlier this week. Jey Uso's surprise appearance also led to bubbling tension between new SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and Raw general manager Adam Pearce. John Cena's feud with the family also raged on.

Friday's episode of the blue brand also saw Rey Mysterio and Logan Paul exchange barbs, Iyo Sky defend the WWE women's championship against Charlotte Flair, an unexpected return and more.

CBS Sports was you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Everyone wants a fight on Friday night

Heyman kicked off the show by promising Knight's destruction at the hands of Reigns. Knight asked Heyman where his lippy threats were now that he and Knight were face-to-face. Knight promised to take the undisputed WWE universal championship off Reigns lickety split. Knight also revealed there would be a contract signing between him and Reigns next week.

Jimmy Uso caught up with Solo Sikoa and Heyman backstage. Uso patted himself on the back for costing his estranged twin brother the tag team titles on Raw. The arrival of Cena on the television monitor brought Uso's personal celebration to a screeching halt.

Cena hit the ring and revealed he was hit with a hard truth earlier today. The 16-time world champion said it's been 2002 days since he's won a televised singles match. Cena contemplated retirement but was compelled to turn it around. He welcomed the "idiot" willing to challenge him. His challenge was answered by The Bloodline's enforcer, Sikoa. Jimmy Uso ambushed Cena with a superkick but was rescued by a masked figure. The mystery man attacked Jimmy Uso before revealing himself as Jey Uso. Jey Uso sent his brother over the barricade with a superkick before being escorted backstage by security. Inside the ring, Cena ducked under a Samoan Spike and planted Sikoa with the Attitude Adjustment.

Backstage, new SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis fined Jey Uso $10,000 for invading SmackDown and attacking one of his superstars. Fellow authority figure Adam Pearce was present and argued that Jimmy Uso should also be fined for interfering in Raw's tag team title match on Monday. Aldis said that was Pearce's problem. Aldis asked security to escort Jey Uso out of the building. Pearce said that wasn't necessary and that he'd personally walk Jey Uso out. Aldis flexed his might and asked security to remove both Jey Uso and Pearce.

The two most interesting things coming out of SmackDown are the development of Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso and the new rivalry between general managers. An Uso vs. Uso feud was inevitable and it gives both brothers a big-stakes clash ripe for good storytelling. Aldis looks perfectly at home in his new WWE role and it's great to see the company giving him screen time. The brand vs. brand stuff has been done to death but I have faith in WWE's ability to execute with their existing creative team. Building tension between the authority figures is already more effort than the company has put into recent iterations of Raw vs. SmackDown. There wasn't a ton of development with Knight and Cena with this week feeling like a placeholder for next week's show. Grade: B+

What else happened on WWE SmackDown

• Montez Ford def. Santos Escobar via pinfall after a roll-up. Carlito saved Escobar from a post-match beatdown by The Street Profits.
• An ominous video package promoted Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn's pursuit of the WWE women's tag team championships.
  
• Rey Mysterio challenged Logan Paul to compete for Mysterio's United States championship at Crown Jewel. Paul accepted and the two shook hands.
• Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Cameron Crimes and Dragon Lee via pinfall after Theory hit A-Town Down on Grimes.
• Kevin Owens did a sitdown interview discussing his move to SmackDown. Owens was disappointed in being split from Sami Zayn but is looking forward to many first-time matches.
• WWE women's championship -- Iyo Sky (c) def. Charlotte Flair via pinfall to retain the title. Flair launched into a spear but collided head-first with the title that Sky had concealed by her waist. Bianca Belair returned post-match to save Flair from a Damage CTRL beatdown.