Friday Night SmackDown was highlighted by the return of Edge along with several names added to the Money in the Bank Ladder matches.
The main event segment of the show was promoted as Roman Reigns’ ‘State of the Universal Championship Address’, which included Paul Heyman running down all the names Reigns has defeated stating there is no one left. Edge interrupted and attacked Reigns, who was backed up by Jimmy Uso and later, speared through the barricade.
.@EdgeRatedR has RETURNED to #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/OeMnM9SS87
— WWE (@WWE) June 26, 2021
It was Edge’s first appearance since headlining the second night of WrestleMania 37 with Reigns and Daniel Bryan where Reigns stacked both men on top of each other to pin them and retain the Universal Championship.
In the men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying match, Big E. defeated Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews to qualify for the ladder match. Commander Azeez was ejected from the match and led to Big E. hitting the Big Ending for the win. Big E. joins Ricochet, Riddle, and John Morrison. This Monday’s edition of Raw will feature AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre to determine the final Raw participant in the match.
Next Friday’s edition of SmackDown is set to feature a ‘Last Man Standing Match’ between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in another Money in the Bank Qualifying match.
Carmella was added to the women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match after Sonya Deville simply added her. It was illogical and was called out by Liv Morgan, who recently beat Carmella and pinned her again on this show with the idea Deville would be impressed but didn’t officially add Morgan.
Earlier in the evening, PWinsider.com reported that two dark matches took place involving NXT talent. NXT Champion Karrion Kross returned for a match with Slapjack while Scarlett took on Shotzi Blackheart prior to SmackDown going on the air. Kross and NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed were both at Raw this past Monday and worked separate matches that aired on WWE Main Event.
