Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for January 29, 2021

Daniel Bryan is already in the ring at the start of tonight's show. Daniel says he can feel the excitement boiling inside of him, as he has accomplished a lot in WWE but has never won a Royal Rumble match and went on to WrestleMania, and nobody knows how life-changing it is more than him. He says that to do it one more time means to outlast and eliminate 29 other men, then admits he does not know how many WrestleMania moments he has left before saying he must win the Royal Rumble match to make it to WrestleMania one more time. As Daniel says that Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) has made him ready for anything and everything in the Royal Rumble match, "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and Omos show up. Styles says he will be the one tossing 29 other men over the top rope to earn his rightful spot at WrestleMania, then Daniel Bryan asks Styles what he is doing. Omos says it is "the quarterly brand-to-brand invitational" before Styles says he is "the gatekeeper for Raw." Styles says that as he has gone to Raw, others have tried to follow in his footsteps, but they have to go through him first, and he has crushed all of their dreams. He then says Daniel Bryan is not dressed for the ring and has "one foot out the door." Daniel says he does not have one foot out of anything, then challenges Styles to a match. Styles says he has gotten ready for Sunday by beating everyone on Raw and would love to have one more warm-up with Daniel Bryan on SmackDown before shoving Daniel. When Daniel gets back up, Omos stands directly in front of him, and Daniel tells Styles that if he was a real man with any guts whatsoever, he would show up for their match without Omos, then says he will stick kick Styles' ass with or without Omos.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Bayley. Bayley says that Bianca Belair was writhing in pain after she shoved her into the basketball hoop last week, then says she saw her WWE Chronicle episode and says she is proud of her before saying she ran from her problems for half of her life. Bayley says she will beat Bianca Belair again and send her crawling back to the "dark-EST hole of her life."

Bianca Belair beats Bayley despite Bayley targeting her left arm during the match. After the match, Kayla Braxton interviews Bianca on the stage. Bianca says she will never apologize for being herself, and while Bayley is not her role model, she admits she is good, and that beating her after all that has happened is the biggest win of her career. She says that the only thing better than beating Bayley is winning the women's Royal Rumble match and bringing the "EST" to WrestleMania.

Backstage, Cesaro is seen talking with "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and Omos.

Dominik Mysterio attacks King Corbin before the next match, and Rey Mysterio guests on commentary.

King Corbin beats Dominik Mysterio. After the match, Corbin grabs Rey Mysterio as he is about to check on Dominik, but Rey fights back.

Backstage, Big E tries to bribe Sonya Deville with one dollar to see what his Royal Rumble number is when The Miz and John Morrison show up looking for Adam Pearce. Big E asks Miz and Morrison what they are doing here, and Miz and Morrison say that they are playing the smart game. Sonya leaves, and as Big E is about to leave, Miz and Morrison mock him before Big E tells them they have no chance of winning the Royal Rumble. This starts a brawl that is quickly broken up.

Tomorrow at 8 PM Eastern on WWE Backstage, there will be a match between Natalya and Tamina, with the winner entering the women's Royal Rumble at #30.

Backstage, Sasha Banks is welcomed by Kalisto before running into Reginald, who is carrying a bottle of wine as he says that he coms in peace with gifts from Carmella, saying the wine goes best with her losing the SmackDown Women's Championship. Sasha flirts with Reginald, asking if he freelances before asking what the best wine is for Carmella when she has a broken jaw, then gives the wine back before telling Reginald he could use a drink.

Backstage, Shinsuke Nakamura is met by Sami Zayn, who thinks that members of Raw being on tonight's show is suspicious, then asks what went wrong between him, Nakamura and Cesaro before asking for Nakamura's help in dealing with the powers that be. Sami says that everything that Nakamura has accomplished in WWE is because of him, and when he asks for Nakamura to watch his back, Nakamura says he appreciates what he has done for him before telling him to go to Hell.

Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens have a side-by-side interview. Kevin says Roman has won twice because of his family, but says that Sunday is Last Man Standing and that there is nothing Roman or his family can do to keep him from standing up and be last man standing. Paul Heyman tells Owens he will not address Roman in a disrespectful and irreverent manner, then Owens asks Roman if he will let Heyman "rehash the same crap he has done for everyone else." Roman, deciding to see what makes Owens tick, asks him about his family, and asks him about his father. Owens says his father is a great man, then tells Roman to watch where he is going. Roman asks if he is a smart man, to which Owens says yes. Owens then tells Roman to watch where he goes next, then Roman says he wants to understand why Owens does not see his own limitations before saying that his father did not teach him, stating that Owens is just a pawn and is not bred for the business while he is a king. Roman says Owens is un-equipped and inferior and not Universal Championship material, and that Owens' family is to blame. He says that Owens is a fool for thinking he has a chance, and if Owens is a fool, so is his father and his father's father. Owens says his parents and grandparents are and were important to him for being there in his career since the beginning, and again tells Roman to watch where he goes next. Roman says that Owens still does not understand, and that when he meets his grandparents again, he will know. Roman then calls Owens a disgrace to his family. Owens says the only thing his parents and grandparents would want him to acknowledge Roman as is a pretentious jackass who only wants to hear what he wants to hear, while he sees himself as what his family really sees him as. Roman then turns the monitor on his side of the discussion off as Owens says he will be last man standing.

Before the next match, Omos shows up to accompany "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles at first, but then lets Styles head to the ring alone.

Special Olympics athletes are seen on the Thunderdome screens before the next match.

Cesaro guests on commentary for the next match.

Daniel Bryan beats "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles by disqualification. During the match, Sami Zayn shows up and complains about not being on tonight's show, and says that he will not be silenced. Later on in the match, Big E shows up and clotheslines Sami Zayn and throws him into the announce table. Cesaro gets up and shoves Big E before hitting him with a big boot, then Daniel Bryan hits Cesaro and Sami with a tope suicida. Sami Zayn then gets in the ring and attacks Daniel Bryan ending the match, and this starts a brawl with everyone around the ring. Shinsuke Nakamura then shows up and joins in, and he ends up cleaning house with Big E and Daniel Bryan.

Daniel Bryan, Big E and Shinsuke Nakamura beat "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Cesaro and Sami Zayn by disqualification after The Miz and John Morrison show up and get involved, ending the match after attacking Big E. Suddenly, Otis runs into the ring and takes out Miz and Morrison.

Sheamus shows up during Daniel Bryan, Big E, Shinsuke Nakamura and Otis vs. "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Cesaro, Sami Zayn, The Miz and John Morrison, making the next match a proper ten-man tag team match.

Daniel Bryan, Big E, Shinsuke Nakamura, Otis and Sheamus beat "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Cesaro, Sami Zayn, The Miz and John Morrison. After the match, Sheamus is ganged up on, then a slimmed-down Braun Strowman shows up for the first time in weeks and wreaks havoc in the ring, laying out Cesaro with a running powerslam.

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Talking Smack: Daniel Bryan, Otis and Chad Gable show Paul Heyman it's all in the hips.