The New Day finally put their merchandising money where their mouths are, making their long-awaited in-ring return to defeat the Colons on tonight’s SmackDown Live.
As previously noted, the record-setting former Raw tag team champions had been absent from the WWE since the weeks immediately following WrestleMania. In that time, they were traded to the blue brand in the Superstar Shake-Up, and their arrival teased out for months.
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The crowd favorite tag team have taken their time with that arrival, first appearing on Talking Smack several weeks ago, and finally appearing on the main SmackDown Live televised product just last week.
But tonight’s match against the Colons marked their actual proper in-ring return. And it was one worth the wait, as Xavier Woods and Big E Langston squared off against the former Shining Stars, Primo and Epico.
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First we got a preview taste of their signature humor, as the team appeared in Tyler Breeze and Fandango’s weekly hit “Fashion Files” segment, seeking any useful information from the sleuths of style that could be used against their upcoming Money in the Bank opponents and current SmackDown tag champs, The Usos.
Xavier and Big E made short work of the Colons, delivering a literal spanking to their opponents to the crowd’s delight and trombone-assisted chants of “New! Day Rocks!” Tagging back in to the action, Big E connected with a Big Splash and a Midnight Hour to secure the win for The New Day.
But their in-ring celebration was cut short by the appearance of their rivals The Usos. After cracking a few jokes at the New Day’s expense (including a solid burn instructing Xavier Woods to “Look Up, Then Look Down, and ask yourself ‘What are Those?!’”) they tell the longest reigning tag champs that they don’t stand a chance in the Uso penitentiary.
It will be interesting to see which team comes out on top and walks away from Money in the Bank with the tag belts. If it’s not The New Day, perhaps we’ll see them change paths and pursue singles runs, as long rumored.