WWE Friday Night Smackdown results, recap and highlights: January 1, 2021

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Bengaluru, January 2: WWE started production of TV content for 2021 with this week’s episode of SmackDown where the Women’s Champion Sasha Banks was seen in tag team action.

Also on the New Year's day show, the Intercontinental Champion competed in a singles contest while the Universal Champion continued his feud with Kevin Owens at the Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay, Florida.

WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns kicked off SmackDown with talk about the greatness he achieved last year. He also thanked Jey Uso for his sacrifices. Kevin Owens expectedly interrupted the segment to mention the reason why Roman still has the belt around his waist. So he intended to finish that option by fighting Jey and then coming after Reigns again.

Next up, the Intercontinental Champion Big E competed in the first match of SmackDown in 2021 against King Baron Corbin who was accompanied by The Knights of The Lone Wolf - Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler.

Sami Zayn was also sat at ringside for commentary. E hit Corbin with the Big Ending quickly, but Sami attacked him to stop a pinfall win. The heels attacked E, but Apollo Crews ran down to the ring to neutralize the scene for the IC champ.

Later, a tag team match went down on SmackDown as Big E and Apollo Crews teamed up to take on Sami Zayn and King Corbin. Sami had a miscommunication with Corbin as he almost hit a Helluva Kick.

Corbin, however, chose to leave the ring with his knights leaving Sami alone in the ring. Crews took advantage of this distraction and caught Sami with a step-up Enziguri followed by a sitdown powerbomb to get the win.

Next up, the Riott Squad competed in a match against Natalya and Tamina Snuka while Billie Kay was also present at ringside to cheer for both the teams apparently. This provided a distraction as Riotts knocked Nattie off the ring. Tamina hit back with a Superkick on Riott, but Liv came from behind and rolled Tamina up for the win.

SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks teamed up with Bianca Belair to take on the team of Bayley and Carmella. Banks applied the Bank Statement submission hold on Mella when the sommelier named Reginald pulled Mella by her legs out of the ring.

Banks focused her attention on Reginald which let Mella to deck her with a Superkick. The Untouchable One then hit a Mella-buster on Banks to get the pinfall victory.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits was in a celebratory mood on New Year's night which was ruined by Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. The heel duo attacked them from behind with steel chair shots. Dawkins was sent over the barrier to be taken out of the equation.

Roode held Ford's leg against the ring post when Ziggler smacked it with a chair to put it into the steps. Ford seemed hurt, legit as Roode and Ziggler left the scene.

The third tag team match of the night came with the lineup of Otis and Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura. Otis delivered his pendant Caterpillar on Cesaro, but missed the Vader Bomb as Nakamura tagged himself into the match. Bryan also tagged in only to be trapped with an armbar.

Otis made the save but received dual Superkicks in the face. Bryan put down Cesaro with a Running Knee and applied the YES Lock on Nakamura for the submission win.

In the main event, Kevin Owens targeted Jey Uso's legs and got a quick win via a Stunner within a few minutes. Once the match was over, Owens handcuffed Uso to the ropes to rain down Superkicks and Stunners on him and called out Roman Reigns.

The Tribal Chief finally came out and attacked Owens from behind. He freed Uso from the lock as a two-on-one assault followed on Owens. Reigns sent Owens into the LED boards and then through debris from a high platform to stand tall as the show came to an end.