Daniel Bryan arrived on SmackDown LIVE and still insisted to the WWE Universe that Erick Rowan was his friend. But Rowan was not having it. He wasted no time interrupting and reiterated that he would no longer be disrespected by Bryan. In response, Bryan dared him to do something about.

Bryan’s words, though, quickly turned into a 2-on-1 assault by Rowan and the recently returning Luke Harper, and the two massive Superstars overwhelmed Bryan with a massive barrage.

In response, Roman Reigns made a beeline to the ring to jump into the brawl. The Big Dog emerged to bring the fight right to Harper & Rowan, but the numbers game was too much. Erick & Luke mowed down a sea of security before ripping a ring barrier free and decimating the former Universal Champion with it. They then drove Bryan through the announce table and left the blue brand completely destroyed.  

Was this the new future of SmackDown LIVE?

Baron Corbin proved to be the ultimate buzzkill for the WWE Universe on Monday night when he defeated Chad Gable in the final round of the King of the Ring Tournament, but Chad Gable returned the buzzkill vibes tonight.

King Corbin was basking in his newfound royal glory with a crown and scepter, but his first royal decree backfired in spectacular fashion. After summoning Gable to the ring, Corbin had ample insults toward the Superstar he defeated in the final.

In response, Gable unleashed a destructive attack on the new squared-circle monarch, jumping all over Corbin like a spider monkey and wailing on him with the scepter. The fired-up competitor cleared Baron from the ring and destroyed his crown, cape, throne and everything else in sight to leave Corbin livid. 

Scheduled to rekindle their iconic rivalry, Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks squared off in one-on-one action, as the longtime rivals were each looking to make a statement after both failed to leave WWE Clash of Champions with a title around their waist.

And did they ever.

Bitter animosity fueled a fierce showdown between the two combatants from the opening bell, with Bayley acting as more than an impartial bystander, to say the least. When Charlotte locked Sasha in the Figure-Four, Bayley attacked, ending the action in a disqualification and lighting the fuse a post-match 2-on-1 assault. From out of nowhere, however, Carmella soon hit the scene to even the odds. Mella, clearly fed up with Bayley’s recent actions, helped Flair fight off the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. 

Looking for payback after losing to Ali several weeks ago, Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura emerged to face him in a return contest. However, the match was not meant to be. When Sami Zayn grabbed Ali’s leg during a pre-match rant, Nakamura took full advantage of the distraction and ruthlessly ambushed Ali, punctuating the assault with a wicked Kinshasa. 

Erick Rowan defeated Roman Reigns in a No Disqualification Match at WWE Clash of Champions following the shocking return of Luke Harper. With the spotlight of the WWE Universe shining brightly on him, Rowan sat down for an exclusive interview to discuss his recent reign of carnage.

Rowan proclaimed that he was a true leader, not a follower, and that he was far superior to Daniel Bryan in every way. Rowan made it clear that no one would ever disrespect him again. 

WWE Champion Kofi Kingston retained his title against Randy Orton at WWE Clash of Champion, but his New Day brethren fell to The Revival, who secured the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. With animosity still strong, Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E teamed up to take on Orton & The Revival on SmackDown LIVE.

The action was non-stop as each side looked for redemption, and after The New Day took the upper hand during a wild scramble, the coast was clear for Kingston to blast Scott Dawson with Trouble in Paradise for the win.

After the match, though, the WWE Universe was stunned silent by the sudden reemergence of Brock Lesnar! After the gutsy WWE Champion asked Big E and Woods to clear the ring so that he could stand alone to meet The Beast, Paul Heyman issued a challenge on behalf of his client. Lesnar wants to face Kingston in a monumental WWE Title Match at the FOX premiere of SmackDown LIVE on Friday, Oct. 4. Once Kingston accepted without hesitation, Lesnar added the exclamation point with an earth-shattering F-5.