Friday, April 9th, 2021 - Las Vegas, NV

The cameras were rolling as Friday Night SmackDown was shown live on FOX on this Friday night in April in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Intercontinental Champion stood inside the male locker room with the Intercontinental Championship that was resting in his locker while the Champion was taping up his wrist with white wrist tape. The Champion had a blank look on his face as he stood there clad in his black trunks with ring name and roaring lion head logo in silver on his trunks with his black boots and knee pads.

Ced was gearing up for his big-time rematch against the former Champion, Apollo Crews tonight. However, his concentration was momentarily disrupted when he heard someone walk into the locker room making him look up as a frown snaked its way onto his face. Jey Uso walked into the camera shot as the fans in the arena could be heard booing while Jey looked on in his "Right Hand Man" t-shirt.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Look man, I just came by here to say good luck on your match tonight. I'm gonna be seeing you at Backlash after I win tonight's Number 1 Contender's match," Jey Uso said making Ced chuckle as he looked down at his boots before looking back up into the eyes of Jey Uso.

"Jey, if you and I step foot in that ring again, I will kick your ass. And your cousin Roman is not gonna be there to save you this time," Ced said as he reached up and grabbed the Intercontinental title from his locker and took a step closer, getting in Jey Uso's face, "And I want you to deliver this message to him personally after I'm done with you, I'm coming for him and that WWE Championship."

Ced walked out of the camera shot making sure to bump Jey Uso on the way out as the fans were left cheering while Jey Uso stood there with a frown.

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"Icon" Hits

The lights in the arena started to go around in a frenzy of color as the fans cheered as they heard the music of the 4-time Intercontinental Champion. Ced walked through the curtain standing on the stage as the white and gold Championship strap around his waist as he looked down at the stage floor. He slowly raised his eyes and set his sights on the ring. He spit out his water in a mist like form and started to make his descent down the ramp as the fans cheered.

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is for the Intercontinental Championship. Introducing first, making his way to the ring, from Charlotte, North Carolina. Weighing in at 252 Pounds. He is the Intercontinental Champion: Ced!"

The man who defeated Apollo last week was looking to defend that same gold against the man he beat to win it. Once he reached the ringside area, he looked down taking a look at his Championship title prior to waking around to the steel steps. He walked up the steps and entered the ring, making a beeline for the corner. He hopped up onto the middle turnbuckle and unhooked his title to raise it in the air getting some cheers from the crowd.

He looked around at the crowd with a frown on his face as he jumped down and started to pace around the ring as he waited for Apollo to make his entrance.

APOLLLLOOOOOOO

"To The Top (Nigerian Royalty Remix)" Hits

The former Intercontinental Champion walked out onto the stage with his staff in hand. He looked out among the crowd in disgust with a frown on his face as they booed. The Champion walked down the ramp with his staff in hand looking on.

"And his opponent, making his way to the ring, from Benue State, Nigeria. Weighing at 240 Pounds. Apollo Crews!"

Once he made it to ringside, he walked around to the steel steps and walked up the steps onto the ring apron. He entered the ring and looked out among the crowd with his staff in hand. He threw his staff out on the outside and discarded his scarf as the music faded away.

The referee took the title from Ced and raised it up in the air as both men stared each other down with frowns on their faces.

Ding-Ding-Ding!

Big-time Intercontinental Championship rematch live on Friday Night SmackDown as the new Intercontinental Champion faced the former Intercontinental Champion. Ced and Apollo circled around the ring before locking it up in a collar elbow tie-up. Both men struggled as they both used their immense strength in this ultimate test of strength. Apollo was the one to get the advantage, backing Ced up into the corner. Apollo released the hold and tried to strike Ced with a punch but Ced ducked it and clocked Apollo with a quick jab, momentarily stunning the former Champ.

The 4-time Champion grabbed a hold of Apollo Crews, put him into the corner, and started to pile on a series of right hands before finishing off this onslaught with a right uppercut that rocked Apollo Crews. Ced grabbed a hold of Apollo and tried to whip him into the corner across the ring but Apollo reversed it sending Ced across the ring, crashing back first against the turnbuckle. Ced stumbled out of the corner only to be rocked with a dropkick to the jaw from "The Nigerian Juggernaut".

The 4-time Champion sat up with a hand on his jaw as his face told the story. Apollo pushed him down and hooked the leg.

1, Ced quickly powered out at 2 and sat up only for Apollo to quickly rise up and place a kick to the back of Ced causing him to hiss out in pain as he dropped back down to the canvas. Apollo took this chance and started to try to stomp down on the abdomen of the 4-time Champion before being pulled away by the referee. This gave Ced the space he needed to crawl towards the ropes and pull himself up to a knee. Apollo pushed the referee aside and grabbed Ced lifting him up to his feet before putting him flat on his back with a snap suplex.

Apollo floated over with the cover as the official went for the count.

1, Ced quickly lifted the shoulder up not giving Apollo the satisfaction of a 2 count. Apollo quickly popped up to his feet and grabbed Ced by the head and neck lifting him up to his feet. Apollo popped Ced right in the jaw with a punch that had the Intercontinental Champion reeling. Apollo popped him in the jaw again, making him stumble back into the ropes. Apollo grabbed a hold of Ced by the wrist and attempted to whip across in the ropes with an Irish whip but the Intercontinental Champion reversed it sending Apollo to the ropes instead.

As Apollo came off the ropes, he was caught by surprise when Ced picked up and spun him around before dropping him back-first across the knee with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker momentarily taking "The Nigerian Juggernaut" out. Ced dropped down to a knee looking out at the crowd as he took a chance to catch a breather for a sec.

"Black Leone" had plans to continue his offense as he rose up to his feet and bent down grabbing Apollo by the leg, dropping an elbow on the knee trying to limit Apollo's offense. Ced figured that if he took Apollo's legs out early on in the match it would limit his offense and perhaps take out his high-flying ability.

Ced stood up to his feet, grabbed that same leg once again, and dropped an elbow across the knee, making him scream out in agony. The Intercontinental Champion rose up to his feet and grabbed a hold of his leg dragging him over to the ring post. Ced exited the ring keeping his eyes on the former Champion as the referee started the count.

The Champion continued his offense, slamming Apollo's leg into the ring post and damn near wrapping his leg around the post making Apollo scream out in pain. The man they call Ced was determined to make sure that he walked out tonight with his Intercontinental Championship and he had to take control and slow down the match in order to make sure that happened.

The referee's count was at 3 as Ced grabbed a hold of Apollo's leg once more and slammed his leg into the LED Post! Apollo screamed out in agony as Ced looked on with a frown on his face. Ced grabbed a hold of Apollo's leg once more looking to attack the leg again but Apollo had other ideas and managed to pull Ced into the LED Post making Ced grunt as his face collided with the post.

Ced dropped down to a knee as he checked his nose for bleeding while Apollo rolled away from the LED Post trying to get some much-needed separation from "Black Leone". The Champion got up to his feet and rolled into the ring breaking the count at 7 as Apollo had rose up to his feet limping due to the offense by the current Intercontinental Champion.

Ced walked towards Apollo looking to continue his offense but Apollo had other plans and tried to kick Ced in the gut but The Champion caught the leg. The Champion continued to target the leg and put Apollo down with a dragon screw. "The Nigerian Juggernaut" continued to scream out in agony as Ced held onto the leg and tried to hook on a Figure 4 Leglock, shades of the legendary 16-time World Champion but Apollo had other plans. Apollo waited till Ced had his back to him as he tried to lock on the hold and kicked him in the back causing him to land shoulder-first into the LED Post with a thud!

Apollo saw this and took this as his opportunity, crawling over to Ced and hitting him with a school-boy roll-up.

1...

2, Ced powered out at 2 and managed to roll through to his feet. Ced backed up into the ropes allowing Apollo to make up to his feet quickly and clock Ced in the jaw with a bicycle kick making Ced stumble back into the ropes. Apollo swung at Ced for a clothesline but Ced ducked it and hit the ropes again. And this time when he popped off the ropes, he clocked Ced with a spear!

The fans cheered as Ced quickly popped back up to his feet, he bent down grabbed Apollo and put him on his shoulders. Ced looked out into the crowd before he put Apollo down flat on his back into the center of the ring with a Deathbomb!

Ced quickly hooked the leg.

1...

2...

3...

Ding-Ding-Ding!

"Icon" Hits

"Here is your winner and still the Intercontinental Champion: Ced!"

The fans cheered as Ced rose to his feet with a smile as he looked out into the crowd. The WWE Official grabbed the title from a member of the stage crew and handed the title to its rightful owner in Ced. The Champion grabbed a hold of his title and raised it in the air as the referee raised his arm in victory.

Unbeknownst to Ced, Jey Uso had come through the crowd and hopped over the barricade. He ran into the ring, slid under the bottom rope, and stood behind the young champion waiting for him to turn around. Ced turned around was clocked with a superkick straight to the jaw making him drop down to the mat staring up at the ceiling.

And with that kick Jey Uso just sent a message to Ced: Letting him know he was a marked man but one question remained. Is Jey Uso ready for Ced?