WWE Smackdown Results (08/01/21): Huge Gauntlet Match
A huge number-one Contender’s Gauntlet Match was the main event of SmackDown with the lineup of Rey Mysterio vs. Sami Zayn vs. King Baron Corbin vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Adam Pearce. Interestingly, Roman Reigns himself inserted Pearce into the contest although he’s not a full-time wrestler.
Rey Mysterio quickly eliminated Sami Zayn with a 619 and a Frogsplash. He missed another Frogsplash attempt on Nakamura who applied the arm-bar hold, forcing Rey to tap out. Nakamura then eliminated Baron Corbin with his pendant Kinshasa move to get Daniel Bryan. Bryan was rolling with his corner drop-kicks but Nakamura suddenly connected with the Kinshasa to get the pinfall win.
Roman Reigns suddenly walked out with Jey Uso to deliver a beatdown on Nakamura. Adam Pearce walked out as the last contestant of the Gauntlet to run into a huge Superkick from Jey Uso. Reigns ordered to signal the bell before placing Adam Pearce on top of Nakamura so that Pearce could pick up the win. Pearce became the number-one contender by the end of SmackDown as he will now face Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble for the Universal Title.