Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 5, 2021

Michael Cole interviews Daniel Bryan in the ring to start tonight's show. Cole announces that Daniel Bryan was supposed to team with Edge to face Roman Reigns and Jey Uso at Fastlane, but Daniel Bryan says nobody even asked him to be in a tag team match with Edge. He says that everyone expects him to roll with the punches and get to work and that Roman does not want to defend the WWE Universal Championship, but that he is changing how he does things and that while others want to see "Attitude Era vs. Thunderdome," he does not. After a video package of what happened at Elimination Chamber, Daniel says he has lost a lot and gotten beaten up a lot in his career, but when Edge Speared Roman and pointed at the WrestleMania sign, he felt like such a failure. Daniel says he does not have a lot of ambition, but he felt he has never had to work a day in his life for the last 21 years, and while he has put other people to the forefront while becoming more of a full-time dad, he failed himself that night. Daniel says he should be in the main event and not Edge, because he loves professional wrestling, and in the last three weeks, he has wrestled more than Edge and Roman Reigns have in the last three months. Daniel says that when he put himself on the backburner, he did a disservice to himself and what he could be: the very best. Tonight, he plans to beat Jey Uso on the road to what could be his last chance at the main event of WrestleMania. Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Jey Uso show up. Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Jey Uso show up. After the commercial break, Roman says he is looking at the same guy, but Daniel Bryan does not sound like the same guy, which is confusing both him and the audience, but Roman says that Daniel is not ambitious and is just the guy who waits for an opportunity. He also says that Daniel needs, not loves, wrestling and that love is based off need, not service, and says that he loves SmackDown because everyone needs him, including Daniel, and that Daniel will know that he needs him and will acknowledge him. Jey Uso takes the microphone out of Daniel's hand and tells him that this is the closest he will get to the Universal Championship, and instead of locking Roman out, he has locked him in. As Jey dances around, Daniel tosses him out of the ring.

Before the next match, Sami Zayn says that The Street Profits' (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) previous victory was a fluke, but King Corbin tells Sami that they are not tag partners or teammates and that he refuses to team with him, for he is a singles competitor and demands a singles match. Ford entertains the idea of a singles match, and Dawkins wants dibs on Sami Zayn, but Sami Zayn says this is not how this works. Nevertheless, the singles match is made.

King Corbin beats Montez Ford following the distraction from Sami Zayn and his documentary crew. After the match, Sami Zayn asks Corbin to re-pay the favor in the next match, but Angelo Dawkins pushes Sami off the apron and into Corbin, causing Corbin to walk off.

Angelo Dawkins beats Sami Zayn after Montez Ford acts out in front of Sami's documentary crew, distracting Sami. After the match, Sami Zayn realizes that one of his crew members is not a guy that he hired and attacks him.

Backstage, Carmella calls Reignald a snake for being around Sasha Banks all the time, then shoves his tray of wine out of his hands and fires him.

Dominik Mysterio beats Chad Gable with an inside cradle, then Rey Mysterio hits Otis with a seated senton on the announce table before headbutting the camera on the way to the ramp.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Seth Rollins, who says that Cesaro swung him around because he is afraid of him and wanted to embarrass and humiliate him. Rollins says he will not forget, then Murphy is suddenly next to Rollins. Murphy then tells Rollins he can assist him in his Cesaro situation, but Rollins tells him to get out of his sight.

Reginald trails behind Sasha Banks as Sasha makes her way to ringside for the next match.

Bianca Belair beats "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler after Bianca shoves Reginald into Nia Jax, causing Nia to charge at Reginald only to hit Sasha Banks instead. Bianca then hits a distractes Shayna with the K.O.D. for the win. After the match, Sasha slaps Reginald and tells him to stay out of her business.

Backstage, Roman Reigns tells Jey Uso that if he loses, he will embarrass him and the family, and tells him not to embarrass the family.

Seth Rollins guests on commentary for the next match.

Cesaro beats Murphy with the Sharpshooter.

Backstage, Reginald knocks on Sasha Banks' dressing room door on his way out, but Sasha wants nothing to do with him. As Reginald leaves, "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler threatens to beat him up, but Nia Jax thinks that Reginald is "kinda cute."

Next week: Big E returns!

Apollo Crews comes to the ring with a spear in his hand and two men dressed like soldiers. Apollo speaks in a Nigerian accent as he says that "this is not the new Apollo; this is the real Apollo" and that this is how he has always been. He says the two soldiers are party of a Nigerian elite guard who has protected his royal family for generations. He says that he always wanted to fit in, but people - even so-called friends - only mocked and made fun of. He says that anyone who attacks his family will be haunted for generations, and says that Big E's disrespected made him hear his ancestors telling him to claim his birthright.He says that anyone who attacks his family will be haunted for generations, and says that Big E's disrespected made him hear his ancestors telling him to claim his birthright. He also says he is happy that Big E is returning, as he is not the man he once was. He demands a rematch for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, and says he will leave Big E a broken man for the rest of his life.

Backstage, Natalya and Tamina confront Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville for not getting a shot at the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships at Fastlane, but cannot get in the match.

Backstage, Daniel Bryan attacks Jey Uso during an interview.

Backstage, Bayley reads tweets that put her in a positive light, but when she gets to the last one, she finds out it is not so positive and walks away.

Before the next match, Corey Graves is inside the steel cage talking about the steel cage before saying that Daniel Bryan and Jey Uso will leave a piece of themselves in the ring tonight.

Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns show up to watch the next match from ringside.

Daniel Bryan beats Jey Uso in a steel cage match with the Yes Lock to face Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at Fastlane.