WWE SmackDown Live Results 23 July 2021: Cena Confronts Roman,
Welcome to the live blog for WWE Smackdown episode of 23 July 2021 which will air from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in parts.
John Cena has announced that he will confront Roman Reigns as they build up for SummerSlam. Bianca vs Carmella rematch is also announced to air from Rollins Stone Festival. More fallout from Money in the Bank PPV will be dealt with Edge vs Seth Rollins storyline and build-up for Summerslam 2021. Read more about this in our preview.
Join us as we bring the complete action, live results, updates, winners and highlights from WWE SmackDown 23 July 2021.
Show – WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Date – 23 July 2021
Location – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH, US & Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL, US
Time – 8 PM EST(24 June 2021 12 AM GMT/5:30 AM IST)
WWE SmackDown 23 July 2021 Quick Results
- Finn Balor defeted Sami Zayn in a singles match via pinfall.
- Angelo Dawkins(w/ Montez Ford) defeated Chad Gable(w/ Otis) in a singles match via pinfall.
- Bianca Belair(c)defeated Carmella to retain WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship via pinfall.
- Toni Storm defeated Zelina Vega in a singles match via pinfall.
- Dominik Mysterio vs Jimmy Uso
John Cena Calls Out Roman Reigns
John Cena kicks off the show from Cleveland. The crowd goes nuts as his music hits and he comes out to the stage. Cena makes his entrance to the ring and takes the mic. Cena works with the crowd as they continue to cheer for him. Cena says the surprise at Money in the Bank was so fun that he could not resist going to RAW next day. Cena says he is the only man left to stand in front of a megalomaniac like Roman Reigns.
Cena says someone has to protect a little bit what WWE stands for because WWE with Roman Reigns as champion is in a pathetic state. Cena says the fans deserve to be heard. Summerslam is not just a match for Universal Championship, but a chance for all of us to says what we believe in. He asks the crowd to choose between him and Roman. The crowd boo whenever Roman’s name or reference comes up. Cena calls out Roman and the fans cheer for Cena.
Roman does not come and the crowd boos. Paul Heyman comes out to the stage instead. He mocks the Cleveland crowd. Heyman says Cena had been all wrong and Roman could not see or hear Cena because he is not worth it. Heyman says Cena will get his answer when Roman decides to show up and answer. Heyman mimicks Cena’s theme as he exits. Cena’s music hits and he makes his exit.
Finn Balor vs Sami Zayn
We go to the commentary team who bring up the return of Finn Balor last week. We get the replay of Balor’s return last week. Balor’s music hits and he comes out for the match. Balor enters the ring as the crowd cheers for him.
Sami enters after the break. We get the replay of Sami winning the Intercontinental Championship at Clash of Champions last year. Sami gets in the ring and the bell rings. Balor goes for the waist lock but Sami hits a back elbow. Sami works on Balor’s shoulder. Balor goes for a leg sweep but Sami hits an arm drag and continues to be in control. Balor goes to the floor. Sami follows him and takes a big shot at him.
Back to the ring, Balor takes down Sami with double leg takedown and unloads. Balor gets up and the crowd cheers for him as he hypes up. Balor sends Sami to the floor and hits a suicide dive. We cut to a break.
Sami hits a clothesline as we return. Sami sent him into the steel steps during the break. The crowd starts “Sami sucks” chants as he put on a headlock. Balor decks him in the corner but Sami hits a DDT. Balor comes back with the sling blade. The crowd hypes up as Balor takes down Sami again. Balor goes for the shotgun dropkick but Sami catches him with the Michinoku Driver for a two-count.
Sami hits back elbows on the neck as the crowd chants Balor’s name. Balor fights back with big strikes. Sami counters another dropkick but Balor also counters with a sunset flip into a stomp. Balor hits back-to-back shotgun dropkicks and Coupe de Grace to get the pin.
Winner – Finn Balor
We cut to Kayla Braxton backstage. She is with Baron Corbin and asks him how much money did he make with his crowdfunding website. Corbin says he lost money as the guy he paid to build the website stole his identity and took away him money. He had to ride a public bus which was a horrible experience for him.
The Brawl
We cut to Big E making his entrance to the ring. We see the recap of how Big E won the Money in the Bank Ladder match.
Big E takes the mic and the crowd chants “You deserve it!” Big E says 18 July was a big day for him and he thanks the crowd for the chants. Soon enough, Apollo Crews interrupts. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler follow. Rick Boogs cut them off as Shinsuke Nakamura makes his entrance. Cesaro is the last one to enter. Cesaro says he wants the title and it’s swing time in Cleveland. A brawl has already started in the ring.
Big E and Apollo are going at it. Roode & Ziggler are fighting against Nakamura. Cesaro gets in the ring and fights off Ziggler and Roode. Big E sends Apollo to the floor. Commander Azeez is attacking Big E in the corner. Cesaro and Nakamura attack Azeez. Azeez goes for the double chokeslam but they fight back. Big E sends him out to the floor. Big E, Cesaro and Nakamura stand tall in the ring. Apollo shouts not today as he faces off with the babyfaces from the floor.
Angelo Dawkins(w/ Montez Ford) vs Chad Gable(w/ Otis)
We cut to the Rolling Loud Festival. WALE hypes up the crowd with “We want the smoke” chants for the Street Profits. Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford come out and join WALE. We cut to a break.
Chad Gable enters after the break. The match starts and Gable unloads on Dawkins. Dawkins fights back. Gable counters a suplex. Gable counters in the corner and uses the triangle on the rope to hurt the injured shoulder. Gable hits a clothesline from the top. Gable starts to work on the arm.
Gable hits a belly-to-back suplex with Dawkins’ arm put on behind. Gable hits a German suplex next for a two-count. Gable goes to the top but misses the moonsault. Dawkins sends Gable out of the ring and runs him over with a clothesline when he comes back. Dawkins with a punch, another clothesline and more quick moves. Gable takes him in a backslide for a two-count. Dawkins plants Gable to the mat for the pin and the win.
Winner – Angelo Dawkins
The Street Profits’ music hits after the match. It is quickly cut off for Bianca Belair’s entrance.
Bianca Belair vs Carmella – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship Match
They start with a couple of rollups before coming to a stalemate. Carmella with some attack now. Bianca shows off some acrobatic skills with a moonsault and a big dropkick. Bianca swings Carmella as she tries to go for the head scissors. Bianca hits a big shoulder tackle and more attack. Carmella brings her down from the apron. Carmella puts on a headlock.
Bianca gets back to her feet and hits a backbreaker. The crowd at Rolling Loud started the chants of
“We Want Party.” Bianca continues with the attack. Carmella hits a jawbreaker. Bianca tries to counters a vertical suplex but Carmella hits a bulldog instead. Carmella keeps up with some attacks but Bianca hits the KOD to win the match.
Winner – Bianca Belair(retains SmackDown Women’s title)
Bianca celebrates her win as her music hits. The fireworks go out as Bianca walks down the ramp.
We cut to the arena in Cleveland again. Kevin Owens watches as Shotzi and Tegan try to fix Shotzi’s mini tank. Owens walks down and Baron Corbin is there. Corbin talks about his situation and is looking for some help. Owens suggests him to not be a jerk to people and hands him some money. Owens walks away now. Shotzi’s tank fires a projectile and it catches Corbin in the groin. Corbin is down and Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler snatch the money from him. Owens comes back with a steel chair but Roode & Ziggler run away.
Edge vs Seth Rollins Promo
We cut to the stage as Edge makes his entrance. We see the recap of how Seth Rollins cost Edge the match against Universal Champion Roman Reigns. We cut to the break.
Edge starts his promo after the break. He says he has got a lot of history and how hard he has fought. He should have be the Universal Champion right now, but that did not happen due to Seth Rollins. He had Mysterios watching his back against the Usos. But he didn’t see Seth Rollins coming. But then he realized that this goes back to when they first met, in 2014, and Seth refused to finish the job then.
Edge says he’s learned from the most evil minds in this business as he was in the Brood and the Ministry of Darkness. He tells Seth that he has no idea of the depths he will sink to in order to get the job done. Seth Rollins comes out now. Seth asks if somebody said his name. Edge tells him that he is embarrasing himself and invites him to come down to the ring. Edge promises not to lay his hands on him. Seth says he was gonna come out here, talk about how much he despises Cleveland and people like Edge and John Cena who want to jump the line and take opportunities from people who have earned them, but instead he’s thrilled that Grandpa Edge is in the ring.
Nothing would make him happier than to be the man to put an end to Edge’s fairytale comeback story, and if he keeps pushing, they’re only going to talk about Seth freakin’ Rollins, the man that ended his career. Edge says he lied about not putting hands on him and starts punching Rollins. Seth fights back but Edge hits the killswitch. Rollins runs away before he can hit the spear. Edge poses for the crowd as the segment ends.
Toni Strom vs Zelina Vega
Back from the break and out comes Toni Storm comes out on her SmackDown debut. Zelina Vega is already in the ring for the match. They lock up and then trade kicks. Storm hits another kick and then a running clothesline while Vega was down. Vega rolls out to the floor and slams Toni’s face into the announce table when she follows.
Back in the ring, Vega stomps on Toni in the corner and shows off a bit. Vega hits a running knee in the corner. Storm comes back and hits a big headbutt. Both women are down now. Storm hits a rear splash in the corner and a German suplex for a two-count. Vega counters with a Destroyer for a two-count. Some back and forth before Vega pulls Storm’s belt off. Storm drops Vega right away with Storm one for the pin.
Winner – Toni Storm
After the match, Storm stands tall to celebrate as her music hits.
Dominik Mysterio vs Jimmy Uso
Dominik starts to unload as soon as the bell rings. Jimmy hits a big shoulder tackle. Dominik comes back with a hip toss and more strikes. Jimmy trips him at the ropes. Jimmy is in control of the match now. Dominik is whipped to the corner. Dominik tries to fight back but Jimmy hits an enziguiri for a two-count.
Dominik gets to his feet after being put in a chin lock. Dominik kicks at Jimmy and drops him on the ropes for the 619. Jey pulls him out of the ring. Rey ends up taking Jey out with a seated senton on the floor. Dominik hits a suicide dive on Jimmy as we cut to the break.
Dominik hits a neck breaker and rakes Jimmy’s face on the ropes when he is sent to the apron with a back body drop. Dominik goes for the three amigos but Jimmy hits another enziguiri. Dominik trips him and goes to the top. Jey runs an interference which gives Jimmy the chance to hit a superkick. They counter each other a few times. Jimmy gets Dominik in a sit-out pin and Jey assists for the three counts. The referee did not see that.
Winner – Jimmy Uso
After the match, The Usos leave the ring immediately as Rey hits the ring. The Usos celebrate on the ramp. Roman Reigns’ music hits and he makes his entrance.
Roman Answers to Cena’s Challenge
After the break, Roman takes the mic. Roman asks the crowd to acknowledge him. He stares into the camera and asks us to acknowledge him. He says everyone is acknowledging him. Cena did it at Money in the Bank, and at RAW, and tonight. Roman mocks Cena for Hollywood doing a paint job on him but Cena has not changed at all. Cena is like the missionary position – the same thing every single night.
The Tribal Chief does not get motivated and inspired by that. Roman says he is not going to see him in the main event of SummerSlam, because his answer to his challenge is no. Roman tells Heyman to hold up the title. Prince Balor’s music hits and he comes out. Roman asks Balor if he is there to acknowledge him. Balor says he is not, and if he is not interested in Cena’s challenge, may be he would be in his challenge. The crowd chants “Holy Shit.” Roman lets it stew for a minute before accepting Balor’s Challenge. The show goes off the air.
