WWE Smackdown Results: A night of returns, reunions and heel turns

The first episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown on Fox Network of 2020 saw a series of surprising returns, potential heel turns and jaw-dropping reunions. The first big return of the night was four-time World Champion Sheamus, who made an emphatic statement. He has been away from the squared circle since Wrestlemania 35 in April last year. A series of vignettes since last month suggested that Sheamus’ return is on the horizon, and fans were eager to see the Celtic Warrior make a comeback in the ring.

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In this week’s episode of Smackdown Live, Sheamus came back to deliver a vicious Brogue Kick to Chad Gable, after the ‘Shorty G’ defeated Dash Wilder to start his new year with a win. The fans had been wondering for a month if Sheamus would be returning as a heel or a face, and his actions suggest that he might be a heel this time around. 

There was another potential heel turn later on, after The Miz suffered a defeat at the hands of former World Heavyweight Champion Kofi Kingston. After suffering the loss, the A-Lister kicked Kofi and laid him down on the mat, before walking off. Just moments after, Cathy Kelley knocked on Miz’s door backstage to get an explanation on the attack, and surprise, surprise... John Morrison came out of the room. 

In a few words, the former tag-team champion told Cathy that Miz has nothing to say on the attack. The WWE had confirmed in December that Morrison has re-signed with WWE, but there were still doubts regarding which brand he would be joining - Raw, Smackdown and NXT. For now, those doubts have been dispelled as clearly, Morrison is brand blue for now. The segment suggests that he might be forming a heel tag-team with The Miz going forward, considering the two had been involved in a high profile tag team back between 2007 and 2009.

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But the surprises were far from over. Daniel Bryan paired up with Roman Reigns to take on Dolph Ziggler and King Corbin in the main event of the night. The match resulted in a no contest after The Fiend Bray Wyatt attacked Bryan and laid him down on the ringside. Afterwards, Corbin and Ziggler attacked Reigns and tied him down to the ring. They attempted to shower him once again with dog food, but there was a twist in the tale - The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) made an emphatic return to help out their Samoan cousin.

The trio took out the competition and stood tall in the ring, reunited once again, as lights went out on this week’s episode of Smackdown. The return of Usos might provide the falling standards of tag-team division in WWE a huge lift going forward. But for now, it seems that they might be involved in an angle with Reigns and King Corbin. There are some rumours that a Samoan faction could also be formed going forward.