Roman Reigns Triumphs, Braun Strowman Wins Gold, More WWE SmackDown Fallout

With the Royal Rumble behind it, WWE SmackDown set out to wrap up its longest-running storyline while providing a show that advanced others and paid off one Superstar's long journey to championship glory.

Roman Reigns got one over on King Corbin, humiliating the heel in a scene eerily reminiscent of one fans witnessed not all that long ago and bringing an end to a monthslong program that kept The Big Dog busy as he prepared for the Road to WrestleMania.

Braun Strowman captured his first singles title, Bayley found out who her next challenger will be and Mandy Rose agreed to a date with Otis on Valentine's Day to wrap up what was a jam-packed Fox broadcast.

Dive into each of those happenings with this recap of Friday's episode.

Turnabout Is Fair Play as Roman Reigns Brings King Corbin Feud to an End

Roman Reigns effectively ended his rivalry with King Corbin on Friday night, defeating the hated heel and showering him in dog food to close out the night's broadcast. It represents the end of one program and the beginning of The Big Dog's march to WrestleMania.

It was also logical booking that paid off months of storytelling.

We had seen Corbin and Co. humiliate, beat down and annoy Reigns for so long that the payoff needed to be more than the babyface beating him at Royal Rumble. He had to repay the favor, and he did just that Friday.

With Corbin exorcised from his journey to the biggest show of the year, Reigns is free to set his sights on "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt and the Universal Championship, a title he never really lost.

Otis-Mandy Romance a Bright Spot on Friday Nights

The budding romance between Otis and Mandy Rose has quietly become one of the highlights of WWE SmackDown.

It's a good, old-fashioned love story reminiscent of WWE programming in the Golden and Attitude Eras, when everyone from the top star to those at the bottom of the card had some semblance of a story for their characters to participate in.

The program is not only a slice of wholesome fun straight out of a bygone era, but it also highlights some talented and charismatic performers who otherwise may not have the opportunity to enjoy the television time they are receiving.

Otis is a star in the making, an energetic big man as funny as he is punishing between the ropes. Rose is the archetypal dream girl every guy would fall head over heels for in a Hollywood high school comedy. Throw in tag team partners Tucker and Sonya Deville, and a program that started innocently enough has earned everyone involved an opportunity to enjoy some screen time.

The Valentine's Day date should be tremendous fun and a nice little draw on a night when ratings are almost guaranteed to drop. Hopefully WWE officials do not try to reinvent the wheel, allowing the personalities to do the heavy lifting and shine through instead.

Braun Strowman Finally Wins Singles Gold...but Is It Too Late?

Braun Strowman won his first singles title in WWE on Friday, defeating Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship.

The emotion painted on Strowman's face following the win was indicative of a long and winding journey. The Monster Among Men has jumped from heel to face and back again, been at the mercy of a creative team far more interested in spotlighting Brock Lesnar than him and watched as others got opportunities he appeared ready to seize.

The IC title win represents the culmination of four years of growth, both as a worker and a character, and the payoff for the fans that necessitated his babyface turn and have stuck with him even when management appeared to have lost interest in the idea of making him a top star in WWE.

The question is, though, is Strowman's win too late to be the spark he needs to jump him to the top of the card and keep him there?

That it was the storied midcard title and not the company's ultimate prize suggests that may be the case.

Has Strowman, once an unstoppable force and a character seemingly destined to hold either the WWE or Universal Championship, peaked as a talented big man, and is he now stuck permanently in the middle of the pack?

One can hope not because if the fans' reaction to his monumental victory was any indication, they are still all-in on Strowman. It is time for management to meet them there.

Naomi vs. Bayley Is the Latest, Most Sensible Choice for Women's Title Feud

Naomi's return at the Royal Rumble came with another one of her showstopping near-eliminations, some quality action with Charlotte Flair and a warm welcome back from the fans. It also sparked a run at the SmackDown Women's Championship that began Friday night via her confrontation with Bayley.

Naomi reminded the titleholder that she has not beaten her, fended off a sneak attack and left Bayley lying on the arena floor to close out the segment.

Given the lack of depth on the SmackDown women's roster, the result of the company's unwillingness to build anyone to the level of a believable contender, Naomi is the most logical choice to step up and challenge Bayley next.

She is a two-time women's champion, as charismatic as the day is long and brings a raw athleticism that should complement the titleholder's ground-and-pound heel style.

While their match may not feel like a WrestleMania program, it will at least get the brand through Elimination Chamber while the creative team tries to figure out exactly what it wants to do with Bayley and her title on The Grandest Stage of Them All.