WWE ushered in a new era of SmackDown Friday on Fox with a new roster and the same Universal champion that has reigned over the brand since August of 2020. .

Roman Reigns survived his battle with Brock Lesnar Thursday at Crown Jewel, but the wedge between he and special counsel Paul Heyman grew larger, thanks to some questionable actions on the part of the godfather of extreme?

Roman Reigns celebrated day number 417 as Universal champion by kicking off SmackDown, the commentary team recapping his victory over Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel along the way.

"I'm the greatest Universal champion of all time?

"I whooped Brock Lesnar so bad, he's tweeting now!" Reigns laughed off The Beast's latest threat.

He refused to leave the ring until Lesnar met him there so he could whoop him the second night in a row.

He brawled with Reigns before sending him into the ring steps.

Lesnar obliterated Reigns with the stairs, demolished The Usos and manhandled everyone from crew members to his fellow WWE Superstars.

After forging a path of destruction, Lesnar stood tall, the Universal Championship held high overhead.

After the second break of the night, Adam Pearce indefinitely suspended Lesnar for endangering the wellbeing of the WWE crew, to which Brock responded with an F-5.

It keeps that eventual rematch alive but allows Reigns to move onto someone else, presumably Drew McIntyre or another new face to Friday nights.

While some will argue about an entire quarter of television being devoted to such an angle that probably could have been condensed into half of that time, there is no denying that the fans responded, Lesnar solidified himself as a badass babyface and Reigns further established himself an insufferable ass.

Drew McIntyre hit the ring and issued an open challenge, caring not who answered, only whose ass he would kick.

Sami Zayn answered and the former intercontinental champion reminded both McIntyre and the WWE Universe that he is the longest-tenured SmackDown Superstar.

Zayn controlled the match coming out of the break but McIntyre fought back, delivered a neckbreaker and appeared poised to deliver Claymore.

McIntyre fought out, delivered the Glasgow Kiss and followed with Claymore from out of nowhere moments later for the win.

This was a fun sprint of a match that saw McIntyre look like the Scottish Warrior that captured the attention of fans prior to his WrestleMania run a year ago.

He will eventually challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship, it will be fantastic and it will serve as a reminder of how utterly great he has been since his rise to the WWE Championship two springs ago.

Zayn was the perfect first opponent for him, the loudmouth heel who fans cherish the opportunity to see silenced.

From there, Dustin Lawyer and Daniel Williams provided the opposition for Scott and Top Dolla in a squash match.

Top Dolla and Scott defeated Lawyer and Williams!

Top Dolla is a charismatic big man, Scott is a talented and respected in-ring worker while both B-Fab and Adonis have a wealth of potential and star qualities

With the weight of the world on their shoulders following weeks of hype and anticipation, Scott, Top Dolla, Adonis and B-Fab excelled

The heel capitalized on it and delivered End of Days inside the ring for the pinfall victory

The Madcap Moss character has go-away heat rather than the type you would want a heel to have, with fans more eager for him to just walk away than to get his ass kicked by a beloved babyface

SmackDown women’s champion Becky Lynch and Raw women’s champion Charlotte Flair joined Sonya Deville in the ring for a special Championship Exchange Ceremony, the idea being that they would simply swap the titles and go to their new, respective brands