WWE Friday Night Smackdown recap, results and highlights: July 2, 2021

A Last Man Standing match was there on the show to determine the next Men’s MITB Ladder Match participant. Also, a surprise return was in-store on the show that took place at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

Check out the recap, and results from the July 2 episode of SmackDown:

– Edge came out in a huge pop to kick things off with a promo mentioning how he never got the one-on-one opportunity for a title match at WrestleMania 37. Now that he will get the match at Money in the Bank, he’s more than ready to take the Universal Championship from Reigns. Backstage, Jimmy Uso wasn’t happy after hearing those words as he planned to take out Edge when Roman Reigns would arrive at the building.

– Shinsuke Nakamura and Big E vs. Baron Corbin and WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews was the opening match lineup for SmackDown.

As Corbin was in control of the match, Rick Boogs appeared on the stage to show footage of a Mercedes G-Wagon on the big screen as it’s loaded up on a flatbed truck for re-possessing. This was Corbin’s truck and he’s not happy. Big E took advantage of the distraction and dropped Corbin with the Big Ending for the pin to win.

– Footage was shown of how Bayley pinned Bianca Belair on last week’s SmackDown during a mixed tag team match also featuring Cesaro and Seth Rollins. Due to that pinfall win, Bayley demanded a rematch against Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Title.

Bianca arrived at the ring to accept that challenge but added that she wants this match at Money In The Bank, an I Quit Match. Bayley seemingly agreed to that match.

– Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn in a Last Man Standing Match and qualified for the 2021 Men’s Money in The Bank Ladder Match. The match was filled with multiple brutal spots in one of which Zayn threw Owens off the top rope through a table all the way to the ringside barricade.

Sami went for a Tornado DDT but Owens caught him with a Superkick. Owens then put him through the Pop-Up Powerbomb through the announce table followed by another powerbomb through another table. Zayn suffered the third and final powerbomb on the ring apron as he failed to respond to the referee’s ten-count to lose the match.

– Sonya Deville announced the returning superstar Zelina Vega (who was released from WWE last year in October) would be the next entrant in the Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match. Vega made her way to the ring, cutting a promo on how she will fulfill her destiny to become fulfill her destiny of becoming the WWE NXT, RAW, or SmackDown Women’s Champion.

Liv Morgan interrupted and mentioned that she’s upset over the fact that Carmella and Zelina were just added to the match without qualifying. Vega stated that Liv was just an amateur to receive a hard slap from her. Liv wanted to prove her potential by competing in a match against Zelina. Sonya Deville made the match, official.

– Liv Morgan defeated Zelina Vega in the latter’s first match since returning with Carmella watching it from the backstage area. Vega connected with knees to the face but Liv kicked out.

Vega then rolled up her opponent but Liv kicked out, again. Vega got into an argument with the referee as Liv rolled her up from behind using a handful of tights to get the pin to win. It appears Liv is yet to qualify for the 2021 Women’s MITB Ladder Match.

– Seth Rollins gave a visit to WWE Officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville complaining about Edge getting a Universal Title match against Roman Reigns instead of him. Sonya Deville defended the decision and said that Seth will have to defeat Cesaro, next week, to be added to the Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match.

– Otis defeated Angelo Dawkins in dominant fashion. After leveling Dawkins with a clothesline, Otis headed to the second rope to hit a big splash. Otis hit the second rope, again, this time for a Vader Bomb to get an easy win.

– Jimmy Uso called out Edge in the main event segment of SmackDown. Edge confronted him by saying that Jimmy should know better than anyone that Roman Reigns will just use him the same way he used his brother Jey Uso in the recent past just to keep the Universal Championship intact on his shoulders.

Jimmy eventually attacked Edge as the two got into a brawl. Jimmy got the early advantage with a Superkick but Edge locked in the Crossface submission. The Rated R Superstar waited for Jimmy to get up as he followed up with a huge spear.

Edge then grabbed the steel bar from a chair and applied a Crossface, much like he did to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Jimmy was shouting in pain in that submission maneuver as the show went off the air.