Lesnar vs. Reigns Set for Day 1, Tony Nese Impresses and More Friday Fallout

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Credit: WWE.com

With WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage airing on the same night for the past few months, Fridays have become the unofficial day for pro wrestling.

The blue brand advanced several storylines this week. Brock Lesnar made his return after his suspension was lifted last week, but he found out that Sami Zayn had become the new No. 1 contender in his absence. 

Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo continued to build momentum with a win over The Viking Raiders, and Cesaro and Sheamus squared off in a battle of former tag team partners.

Over on Rampage, Tony Nese received a TNT title shot against Sammy Guevara, and Pac teamed with Penta El Zero Miedo to face FTR in the main event.

Let’s look at some of the biggest moments from this week’s SmackDown and Rampage. 

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After his suspension was lifted last week, Lesnar opened Friday’s show with a promo. Before he could say too much, Sami Zayn came down to the ring.

He tried to tell The Beast that he was a fan, but Lesnar was not interested in hearing what he had to say and basically threatened to eat Zayn. 

After The Great Liberator informed him of his No. 1 contender status, Lesnar suggested that Zayn ask for his title shot tonight instead of at Day 1. He became quite insistent and convinced/forced Zayn to ask for the match, and he even promised to be in Zayn’s corner for the match. 

It looked like the main event would begin with about 30 minutes left in the show, but after a few video packages and a promo from Zayn, it became clear this title bout was not going to be a long, competitive contest. 

The Beast joined him in the ring and delivered several German suplexes and his F-5 finisher. Reigns came out and hit a Spear right away. He locked in a guillotine for the quick win to retain his title and officially set up his match with Lesnar at Day 1. 

This is the third match already booked for the January 1 PPV, so WWE is giving itself plenty of time to build up the rest of the card and strengthen these feuds. 

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Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza took on Erik and Ivar in a quick tag match this week, but they ended up having some company in the form of Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs.

While it looked like Nakamura and Boogs were going to cost Los Lotharios the win by distracting them with some sweet guitar riffs, they were able to score the win with a roll-up.

Erik and Ivar looked angry but they just ended up rocking out as Boogs played their entrance music on his guitar. The real story here is Carrillo and Garza finally getting a push.

Both men were called up to the main roster and languished on Raw after both of their initial pushes fizzled out. WWE finally saw the light and paired the real-life cousins together.

Now, the two ladies men are looking like prime candidates to get a shot at the SmackDown tag team titles in the near future. Whether that is against The Usos or another team who dethrones Jimmy and Jey remains to be seen, but it’s just a matter of time before Los Lotharios have gold in their sights. 

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Two former tag team partners and decorated champions went to war this week when Sheamus took on Cesaro in a singles match.

For years, these two dominated the tag team division and held the tag titles several times, but these days, they don’t see eye to eye on most things. While Sheamus still likes to bend the rules, Cesaro tries to win his matches honorably.

Both men are powerhouses who can brawl with the best of them, so they were aggressive right out of the gate. The strikes were flying and the submissions were wrenched in deep. 

Sheamus scored the win as Ridge Holland watched from backstage. WWE is still running this two-on-one feud without much indication of where it’s going, but it eventually has to lead to a tag match.

Holland and Sheamus could make a great addition to the tag division once WWE sets them on that path, but this program with Cesaro needs to finish up first. Since this doesn’t feel like a feud that will culminate in a pay-per-view bout, this will likely be over in a week or two. 

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Nese made his first in-ring appearance on Rampage this week with a big opportunity. He faced Guevara for the TNT Championship in what turned out to be a fantastic opening bout.

Most mainstream fans will know Nese from his time with WWE where he worked mostly on 205 Live and NXT toward the end of his run.

During that handful of years, Nese established himself as a gifted high-flyer, a great technician and a reliable opponent who can take care of the people he is facing.

While he did not come away with the title, Nese did earn himself a contract. Tony Khan announced on Twitter earlier in the day that Nese was officially All Elite, so we will be seeing a lot more of him.

Where he goes from here is the question. Will he align with somebody else to form a tag team? Will he join and existing stable? What can he do to stand out from all of the other talented wrestlers on the roster?

If his first few matches are any indication, Nese will make a great addition to the roster and help produce some fun and memorable matches. 

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Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Pac teamed up with Penta to take on FTR in the main event, but it’s what happened with Malakai Black at the end of the match that matters most.

As it looked like Pac and Penta were preparing to get the win, Black came out of nowhere and spit mist into the good eye of The Bastard, costing him the match and blinding him temporarily.

While FTR dealt with Penta, Black proceeded to gouge at the eye of Pac until his hand came away with blood on it. It was a gruesome sight for those with a weak stomach.

Setting up Pac and Black to feud is smart. These are two guys who have similar paths in this business, but more importantly, they are both great at what they do.

With the Winter is Coming episode of Dynamite coming up in two weeks, it feels like the perfect opportunity to put these two in the ring together and let them fight it out.

Both SmackDown and Rampage had their highs and lows this week, but Nese and Guevara probably took home the Match of the Night award.