This week’s WWE Smackdown featured Roman Reigns-Jey Uso in the main event, plus a Fatal 4-Way US Title Invitational match.
SmackDown took place at the Amway Center in Orlando. It aired on FS1 in the US instead of Fox due to the United States playing Vietnam in the Women’s World Cup airing on Fox.
Match #1: Rey Mysterio won a US Title invitation match over Sheamus, LA Knight and Cameron Grimes. – Rey hit a hurricanrana on Grimes for the pinfall win. The fans wanted LA Knight to win.
The win by Rey Mysterio means he’ll face Santos Escobar (last week’s winner) next week on Smackdown with the winner getting a US Title shot.
During the above match, US Champion Austin Theory broke up a Rey pin and sent him into the steel steps. Santos Escobar ran out to ringside to go after Theory. That led to Theory asking WWE Official Adam Pearce for a match with Escobar.
There was a lengthy video package about the Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar rivalry from WWE Raw.
Match #2: Charlotte Flair defeated IYO SKY – Flair won clean with a Natural Selection neckbreaker. Bayley was at ringside supporting Sky, but then a Shotzi video aired to scare Bayley, who went to the back.
After the match, WWE Women’s Champion Asuka attacked Flair with a German Suplex, running kick and armbar on the right arm.
The new NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley were interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton. Butch showed up looking for a match when NXT’s boss Shawn Michaels interrupted and said he thought it would be a great idea.
Match #3: Santos Escobar defeated Austin Theory – Escobar won clean with a Phantom Driver. Theory’s US Title was not on the line.
Bobby Lashley was shown backstage talking to NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams.
Match #4: Dominik Mysterio defeated Butch to retain the NXT North American Championship. – Rhea Riley did a chop block to Butch that the referee didn’t see. Dominik sent Butch into the ring post and got the pinfall win.
The main event was Rules of Engagement between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and cousin Jey Uso. It looked like it was a contract signing with Roman signing it, but Jey ripped the contract up. Jey told Reigns they didn’t need a contract because they were going to Tribal Combat. Jey told Reigns that means an Anything Goes Match with Jey telling Reigns about the weapons he will use. Reigns was wearing a Lei around his neck and he put it on the Undisputed WWE Universal Title meaning the match was for Roman’s title and the Tribal Chief role in the family.
Roman Reigns and Jey Uso shook hands as well as touching their foreheads to show respect. Solo Sikoa tried to attack Jey, but Roman stopped him and Jey superkicked his brother Jey out of the ring. Reigns backed away, so he didn’t touch Jey.
After the segment in the ring, Reigns backed away. There was a graphic shown confirming the Roman Reigns-Jey Uso match at SummerSlam.
Next week on SmackDown:
* Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar in the US Championship Invitational Finals.
* Karl Anderson faces Karrion Kross.
These are the matches that are official for SummerSlam on August 5th.
* Tribal Combat Match (Anything Goes Match) For the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso
* Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes
* World Heavyweight Championship: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor
* WWE Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair
That was it for this week’s SmackDown episode.