Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for September 17, 2021

Paul Heyman, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) and Roman Reigns show up to start tonight's show. It is announced that Roman Reigns will face Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel on October 21st. Roman tells the fans of Knoxville, Tennessee to acknowledge him, then asks Heyman to educate the fans on how to properly acknowledge him. Heyman proceeds to put Roman on a pedestal, saying he takes no sabbath and gets it done mega-event after mega-event, for Roman fears no man, beast and demon, which all fear Roman Reigns. He also asks why Finn Balor taps into his inner demons if he does not fear Roman Reigns, and says that Brock Lesnar - whom he has known intimately on a professional basis and more than his family - also fears Roman. As Heyman continues to speak, Big E suddenly shows up. Both Roman and Big E raise up their respective titles, then Finn Balor appears.

Big E and Finn Balor beat The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) in a WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Contender's Match.

Backstage, Roman Reigns asks Paul Heyman if there is something that he needs to tell him about. Heyman says he could not know that Lesnar was coming to SummerSlam, and that Lesnar fears Roman. He says that Brock fears Roman because he made a false narrative that he knew about him showing up, and that for the first time in his life, Brock is experience fear and is dealing with it through a false narrative. Roman asks if Brock Lesnar will show up at Extreme Rules. Heyman says no, as Brock fears Roman, but Roman tells Heyman he pays him to know things in advance.

Rick Boogs beats Robert Roode. After the match, Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez attack Rick Boogs and King Nakamura at ringside. Apollo Crews says that if Nakamura is the fans' king, then he has made a mockery of the Intercontinental Championship. He then demands a rematch for the title.

Backstage, Megan Morant interviews Kevin Owens, who says he does not want to hear another word about Happy Corbin and that he is mad and furious after what Happy Corbin did to him on The Kevin Owens Show and after helping him. Tonight, he will use his anger as fuel to turn his frown upside-down, and instead of Happy Corbin, there will be "Happy Kevin." Before the match can begin, however, Happy Corbin ambushes Kevin Owens from behind and slams him into the ring apron.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton scares Paul Heyman half to death before interviewing him. Heyman says he is no longer Brock Lesnar's advocate and a sapiosexual lust for him instead of sources. Heyman then runs into Big E. He congratulates Big E on becoming WWE Champion and said he would have never successfully cashed in on Roman Reigns and picked the more vulnerable champion. Big E says they will see at Survivor Series, then asks if his boy will be Roman Reigns or Lesnar, then entertains the idea of Finn Balor becoming Universal Champion before being superkicked and assaulted by The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso). The Usos tell Big E to go back to Raw before Roman Reigns walks by and The Usos follow him.

Seth Rollins heads to the ring. Seth says he had one of the greatest matches of his career when he beat Edge last week, and says that what happened to Edge was unfortunate, unnecessary and scary, and when he stomped Edge in the neck, he heard it break. He then says it is like stepping on a cockroach without knowing it is a cockroach and hearing the crunch, then says he cannot do it justice before showing the footage of what happened in last week's match again. He says it is difficult to watch and that he understands why the fans are booing, then asks the fans what they thought was going to happen, as it was one of the greatest wins of his career and he couldn't enjoy it due to everyone judging him. He even says that WWE stated that he went too far, and the fans agree, even though he used an illegal move in a legal match, and says Edge took it too far because he was a family man and knew the risk and consequences, yet still got in the ring with him. Rollins says that the fans are to blame for what happened to Edge, for they goad Edge into goading him, then says he is not done with Edge by a long shot, then asks Edge, who is at home recuperating, if he is physically and emotionally capable of returning. He says he saw the look in Edge's eyes when he was loaded into the ambulance and called it a look of fear, and for one second, he felt sorry for Edge when he wanted to move on. Rollins says he cannot move on unless he either beats Edge up in front of his family or Edge crawls back into the ring so they can dance one more time, and says that for his own sanity, he has to finish Edge one way or another.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Becky Lynch. Becky says momentum is a tricky thing, as it keeps moving until meeting an opposing force. She says that Bianca Belair had momentum until he met her, and says Extreme Rules will end the same way. After saying tonight is Bianca's night, she says that she has never been to a homecoming and that she might have to check it out.

Toni Storm and Liv Morgan beat Zelina Vega and Carmella after Liv Morgan inadvertently breaks Carmella's nose after launching her face-first into the turnbuckle. After the match, Liv Morgan says she is not sorry for breaking Carmella's nose after Carmella runs her mouth and then runs away. She then challenges Carmella to a match at Extreme Rules and threatens to make her as hideous on the outside as she is on the inside.

Backstage, we hear from The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford). Montez Ford hypes up Bianca Belair's homecoming, and that Shotzi and Tegan are even bringing the tank. Angelo Dawkins says The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) are scared of them and losing their tag team titles.

Backstage in the trainer's room, Carmella's nose is revealed to be fine. Carmella says it is one thing to be jealous, but another thing to ruin her face. Carmella then accepts Liv Morgan's challenge, and Zelina Vega says Liv will have to go through her first.

Backstage, we hear from Finn Balor, who says that he was born from a family of railroad workers and was not born into a business that he should be in, then says that the demon is inside of him and contains a rage that cannot be controlled. He says that The Demon summons him, not the other way around, and the fire inside him burns brighter than those around him, and that Roman will see the face of The Demon and The Universal Champion before suddenly transforming.

Backstage, Naomi demands a match from WWE official Sonya Deville, saying she has been more than patient and respectful and she has done more than Sonya has, and says she does not know what she has against her, nor does she care. She says that Sonya acting like she does not deserve to be here is pretty bizarre, then tells Sonya that she does not quit and that one way or another, she will get her match. All the while, Naomi backs Sonya against a wall.

Rey Mysterio guests on commentary for the next match.

Sami Zayn beats Dominik Mysterio after getting the knees up on the top rope splash during the 619. During the match, it is announced that Naomi has been fired for insubordination for her actions towards WWE official Sonya Deville.

We see Bianca Belair return to her high school in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Knoxville, Tennessee Mayor Glenn Jacobs - aka Kane - heads to the ring for Bianca Belair's homecoming. Kane introduces Bianca Belair to the ring. Bianca says that everything in your past shapes your future, and that Knoxville, Tennessee made her into "The EST," and says that her father that if someone starts something with her, she had better finish it. She says that she has always clawed and fought her way back to the top when she faltered, and at Extreme Rules, she will take back the SmackDown Women's Championship. Kane says that she could come back after winning the title so they can have a parade in her honor. Kane awards Bianca Belair with the key to the county, and Bianca Belair thanks the local fans before saying that she wants to celebrate Knoxville by leading a sing-along of "Rocky Top." Becky Lynch shows up during the sing-along, then says Kane lied to her and that she will not be the SmackDown Women's Championship even though she is "Knoxville's champion," but Bianca has none of it. Becky says she is not here to steal Bianca's thunder and that tonight is Bianca's night, and extends her hands as she says she came here to show respect and shake her hand. Bianca takes her hand, but does not let go. Becky goes for a clothesline, then escapes the K.O.D. before hitting the Manhandle Slam in the center of the ring.

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