WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: The Usos make the first move in 'Civil War' vs. Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa
The Usos get the upper hand ahead of a family showdown at Money in the Bank
The Usos shined on WWE SmackDown as Roman Reigns' forces continue to recalibrate. Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso launched the first strike in a family feud dubbed The Bloodline "civil war."
Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso demanded respect in their declaration of war on Reigns, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman. The Usos got the upper hand on their estranged relatives on Friday night. Sikoa, absent the support of his "Tribal Chief," was at the mercy of his older brothers.
SmackDown also featured a women's tag team title unification match. WWE women's tag team champions Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler battled NXT women's tag team champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn to fuse the two title sets. Fan-favorite LA Knight and former champions Charlotte Flair and Rey Mysterio are among the other superstars featured on Friday night.
CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Lafayette Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The Usos strike first, Reigns is M.I.A.
The Usos kicked off SmackDown and received a raucous response from the Lafayette crowd. The twin brothers insisted they still loved their cousin Reigns, but said things broke down when "The Tribal Chief" stopped treating Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso with respect. The Usos said they could always forgive family, but they will never forgiive the "rat" and "snake in the grass" Paul Heyman. Jimmy Uso accused Heyman of driving a wedge between the family members.
Later backstage, an angry Solo Sikoa laid out Ridge Holland with a Samoan Spike in an unprovoked attack. Sikoa simply said, "I'm not in the mood tonight." Sheamus and authority figure Adam Pearce found Holland struggling to breathe. Sheamus demanded a match with Sikoa.
Sikoa vs. Sheamus ends in a no-contest after Sikoa barrelled Sheamus through the timekeeper's barricade. Sikoa and Sheamus fought a competitive, physically intense match on brand for the two heavy hitters. The referee ruled Sheamus incapable of continuing after Sikoa tackled him through the barricade.
After the match, Sikoa tossed around medical staff trying to attend to Sheamus. The Usos music struck before Sikoa could do further damage to his opponent. Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso laid out Sikoa with superkicks and punctuated the evening with an Uso Splash.
The fans' feverish ovation for The Usos was fantastic to see. The brothers have delivered week after week for months and deserved their time in the spotlight. Their appetite for respect was sound and their lingering love for their family was authentic. The first volley in The Bloodline "civil war" was a little bland and predictable. The audience has come to accept Reigns as a part-time performer, but it was foolish for Reigns to abandon Sikoa and Heyman just one week after The Usos split. What if Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso had done irreparable damage to Sikoa eight days before Money in the Bank? The Bloodline storyline has been so detail-rich that it can't hit a home run every week. This was one of those weeks. Also, WWE gets a thumbs down for scrapping not one, not two, but three advertised matches from Friday's show. Grade: B-
What else happened on WWE SmackDown?
- LA Knight def. Rey Mysterio via pinfall after planting him with BFT. Santos Escobar rescued Mysterio from a post-match beatdown.
- Women's tag team championship unification match -- Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (c) def. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn (c) via submission after Baszler caught Fyre in the Kirifuda Clutch to unify the WWE and NXT women's tag team titles. Liv Morgan returned from injury alongside Raquel Rodriguez to challenge Rousey and Baszler.
- Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson) were guests on "The Grayson Waller Effect." The duo hyped their upcoming tag team match against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
- Pretty Deadly def. Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) via pinfall after using the ropes to score a shady pinfall on Dawkins.
- Charlotte Flair def. Lacey Evans via submission after locking in a Figure Eight. Asuka attacked Flair post-match.
- Pearce banned Bianca Belair from being ringside at next week's WWE women's championship match between Asuka and Flair.
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