Roman Reigns interrupted Seth Rollins’ cheerful address

LAREDO, Texas — On the final Friday Night SmackDown before the second-longest-running episodic TV show in history moves to Thursday nights next week, former Shield members participated in a huge tag team showdown, The Usos put their WWE Tag Team Titles on the line in an action-packed Triple Threat Match and Bad News Barrett suffered a shocking upset.

Roman rains on Seth Rollins' parade.

Seth Rollins kicked of SmackDown from the Laredo Energy Arena in an especially joyous mood after The Authority’s impactful return to power on Raw. Unfortunately for Mr. Money in the Bank, Roman Reigns cut off his former Shield “brother’s” boastful display and quickly incited a full-blown assault on his former ally-in-justice.

Photos: Reigns sends Rollins scrambling | Full Story: SmackDown moves to Thursday nights



The powerhouse Superstar knocked “The Future of WWE” and J&J Security from the ring, sending the trio scurrying up the ramp before Kane and Big Show appeared on stage. WWE’s Director of Operations made a huge main event match for later in the evening, featuring Rollins & Big Show versus Reigns and a partner of his choice. Moreover, Corporate Kane made it clear that any Superstar who joined up with Reigns would attract the disfavor of The Authority.

Big E def. Adam Rose

Big E goes one-on-one with the resident party animal Adam Rose.

Cesaro & Tyson Kidd joined Adam Rose’s Rosebuds down at ringside, watching studiously as The New Day’s Big E defeated the leader of The Exotic Express with The Big Ending.

Photos: Big E vs. Adam Rose | Surprise Rosebuds

The Ascension def. Local athletes

The Ascension look to continue their path of dominance on WWE SmackDown.

Despite major social outrage over their controversial comments on Raw, The Ascension continued to verbally run down former tag team legends before making quick work of two local athletes via their devastating finishing maneuver: Fall of Man.

Photos: Dominating display | 50 greatest tag teams ever

Alicia Fox def. Naomi

Naomi looks to gets some much deserved retribution on Alicia Fox.

Naomi clashed with Alicia Fox in a hard-hitting showdown that saw the foxy new “Total Divas” star defeat the former reality show cast member when Fox leveraged her feet on the ropes to pick up the pinfall victory.

Photos: Naomi vs. Alicia Fox | Watch: "Total Divas" bonus footage

The Usos def. The Miz & Damien Mizdow and Gold & Stardust

The Usos defend their WWE Tag Team Titles against The Miz & Damien Mizdow, as well as Gold & Stardust.

The Usos faced not one, but two former tag team title duos as they were tasked with defending their WWE Tag Team Championships in a single pinfall Triple Threat Match against The Miz & Damien Mizdow and Gold & Stardust. The rules of this hectic contest allowed only two competitors in the ring at one time, but there was no shortage of chaos both inside and outside the ring.

Photos: The Usos soar above the competition | Top 25 Instagram photos

After Stardust kicked The Miz off the ring apron, Mizdow was left with no choice but to tag in one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions. The move proved costly after a frenzy of action erupted and Jimmy Uso hit a top rope splash on Goldust to pick up the victory.

Sin Cara def. Bad News Barrett

The high-flying Sin Cara uses his fast paced offense against Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett.

Bad News Barrett delivered what he considered good news before his match, rejoicing in the fact that Dolph Ziggler can no longer invoke his rematch clause for the Intercontinental Title now that he is fired, as well as announcing that he will be an entrant in the Royal Rumble Match on Jan. 25.

Photos: Stunning upset | Ziggler's message to WWE fans

Unfortunately for the new Intercontinental Champion, he got his own bad news when Sin Cara defeated him in the non-title match after hitting a tope rope Senton Bomb. After the contest, the irate British brawler attacked his masked opponent, nailing him with the Bad News Bull Hammer Elbow.

Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose def. Seth Rollins & Big Show

Former Shield members Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose face the combination of Big Show & Seth Rollins in the main event of SmackDown.

Only an unstable Superstar would choose to be Roman Reigns’ surprise tag team partner against Seth Rollins & Big Show after WWE’s Director of Operations Kane made it clear they would be doing so to the disfavor of The Authority. Enter Dean Ambrose.

Photos: Former Shield "brothers" reunite | Lesnar vs. Cena vs. Rollins preview

The Lunatic Fringe spent most of the match having his knee targeted by Mr. Money in the Bank & The World’s Largest Athlete, but after he successfully tagged in his former Shield “brother,” chaos ensued. Despite his battered knee that resulted from his vicious Ambulance Match on Monday’s Raw, Ambrose managed to take out Big Show, Kane and J&J Security outside the ring after delivering a top rope dive. This allowed his powerhouse partner to pick up the victory when he avoided The Architect’s Curb Stomp en route to hitting a Spear.

Don't miss Daniel Bryan's return to action next week on Syfy when SmackDown moves to its new night on Thursdays at 8/7 CT!