Following a harsh spat on social media yesterday, Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defended the title against Roman Reigns to kick off things on Friday Night SmackDown.

The match was as physical as could be with both Superstars looking to wear down the other in pursuit of the coveted title. As the match began to rage on, though, The Big Dog garnered an incredible amount of momentum, and after surviving a perfectly applied Triangle submission hold from The King of Strong Style, it appeared that Reigns was closing in on victory. This, of course, worried Sami Zayn at ringside, who bolted from his position at the announcer’s table in an effort to distract Roman — but to no such avail. Reigns would connect with a clutch Superman Punch that seemed to be setting him up for surefire victory. However, before Reigns could connect with his signature Spear, King Corbin, who had exchanged words of his own with Reigns earlier in the day on Twitter, would bash The Big Dog with his scepter, leading to a disqualification.

Nakamura and Corbin would try to beat Roman down, but Reigns’ newfound ally Daniel Bryan would dart out in efforts to help. Bryan would get the opposition reeling for a few moments, but the numbers game became too great for him to overcome, with Zayn stopping Bryan short, allowing Nakamura to strike him with a ring-rattling Kinshasa.

Joined by Sasha Banks, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley absolutely unloaded on Miz TV regarding her drastic attitude shift last week on Friday Night SmackDown that led to her SmackDown Women’s Title victory over Charlotte Flair.

The Miz went in on Bayley, grilling her on the impetus for her change, with the SmackDown Women’s Champion finally explaining that she slashed her Bayley buddies last week because all those around her ever did was “take.” Bayley made it clear that she believed she had lapped the pack in the Women’s division and that the only inspiration she was willing to dish out these days was a simple message: “Life sucks and then you die.”

Nikki Cross and Dana Brooke would quickly hear enough though, both taking major issue with Bayley’s comments, ready to breakthrough by prevailing in the forthcoming Six-Pack Challenge and earn the right to challenge for the SmackDown Women’s Title.

Six members of the new SmackDown Women’s division looked to make an immediate statement as Carmella, Nikki Cross, Dana Brooke, Lacey Evans, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville collided in a Six-Pack Challenge where the winner would earn a future SmackDown Women’s Championship opportunity.

With SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and Sasha Banks watching on at ringside, every Superstar made a push towards victory, with a total flurry of activity happening outside of the ring.  However, in the clutch, the action gravitated back towards the ring where Cross was able to rise above the melee and ultimately defeat Mandy Rose to secure an opportunity at the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Following King Corbin and Daniel Bryan’s interjection in the Intercontinental Title Match that kicked things off earlier in the night, Bryan would now pair up with the man whose aid he had come to, the new captain of Team Hogan, Roman Reigns. Together they'd take on both Corbin & Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event.

The match would see Reigns & Bryan take the fight right to their assaulters, with Nakamura & Corbin trying to implement any shortcut they could to cut off their opposition at the pass. As the match wore on, Bryan and Reigns’ momentum would build, with, at one point, The Big Dog incredibly spearing King Corbin through the barricade on the outside and Bryan finishing WWE’s Rockstar off with the Running Knee for the main-event victory.