This week’s WWE SmackDown featured Cody Rhodes chatting with Kevin Owens, LA Knight defending the US Title, and more.
It was SmackDown at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah with Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary. They are taping next week’s show as well.
Solo Sikoa made his entrance joined by Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and their WarGames ally Bronson Reed. When Solo told Salt Lake City to acknowledge him, the fans booed. Solo said we are one week away from WarGames and his crew is ready to dominate. Solo said while they are ready, Roman Reigns isn’t ready because he’s not even here yet. Solo said when Reigns gets here, he wants Roman to meet him in the middle of the ring right here tonight and he needs Reigns to accept the terms of surrendering. Solo said once Roman surrenders, Roman and his crew can finally acknowledge Solo.
Match #1: Women’s US Championship Tournament Quarterfinals – Chelsea Green defeated Blair Davenport and Bianca Belair by pinfall. While Belair was in control, a video was shown of Belair’s tag team partner Jade Cargill beaten up on the hood of a car. Belair ran to the back. Green beat Davenport with an Unprettier.
After a break, Bianca Belair was shown running out to the parking lot. Smackdown GM Nick Aldis was there along with Naomi, Bayley, and other staff. Belair went into the ambulance for a trip to the hospital.
Before LA Knight’s US Title match, a video aired featuring Shinsuke Nakamura saying that Knight is riddled with insecurities (the words appeared on the screen as he spoke in Japanese). Nakamura spoke about how Knight has fears and they are justified. Nakamura claimed that this was the beginning of his end.
Match #2: US Championship – LA Knight defeated Santos Escobar (w/Elektra Lopez) by pinfall. Shinsuke Nakamura arrived by the entrance area to distract Knight and Escobar nearly won. Knight hit BFT on Escobar to win.
After the match, Shinsuke Nakamura went into the ring to stomp on Knight. Nakamura sent Knight shoulder first into the ring post three times in a row. Nakamura hit a running knee to the back of the neck of Knight while was against the turnbuckle. Nakamura left while the fans booed him.
The WWE Tag Team Champions Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) were talking to Johnny Gargano backstage. Sabin said that Ciampa ruined their goal of being fighting champions. Gargano said that Tommaso Ciampa is an emotional guy, but he’s a good guy. Gargano wanted them to give #DIY a tag team title match. Motor City Machine Guns said that they felt The Street Profits deserved another shot. The Street Profits walked up with Montez Ford and said they got next. Angelo Dawkins said that Gargano’s tag team partner is bad news and some snakes hide in the grass. The Profits left as Gargano talked to MCMG some more.
Nia Jax, the WWE Women’s Champion, was asked by Smackdown GM Nick Aldis if she knew anything about what happened to Jade Cargill. Jax said no because she was helping Tiffany and Candice get ready for their tag team match. Jax left.
Nick Aldis went up to WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, who said he was going to the ring for his face-to-face with Kevin Owens. Aldis said that he advertised that, but he didn’t know if Owens was even there. Cody said he won’t fall for that because Owens wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was in the ring saying it was face-to-face time. Cody said that Randy Orton is not here and they are telling him that Kevin Owens isn’t there, but Cody doesn’t believe it. Cody called for Owens to come to this ring right now. Kevin Owens appeared in the back part of the arena and stood near the fans in the crowd. Owens was wearing a tuxedo tank top. Owens said that he was summoned here and wearing his best attire, yet Cody wasn’t wearing his politician-style suit. Cody told Owens to come to the ring right now. Cody left the ring, so security made Cody go back in the ring. Owens said that if you want to fight him, Owens wants Cody to know that all of this (including Randy Orton’s injury) is his fault. Owens made his way down to the ringside and stood on the commentary table. Owens said for four weeks, he fought The Bloodline. Owens said that they tried to end his career. Owens said that Roman Reigns tried to end his career more times than he could count and KO kept fighting. Owens said that he fought them alongside Cody. Owens said that he was in the ring at WrestleMania 39 to help Cody win and he was in the ring after WrestleMania 40 when Cody “finished his story.” Owens said then Roman Reigns needs a partner, so Cody teamed up with the guy who tried to end KO’s career. Owens said that Reigns tried to take Kevin’s livelihood away, Cody teamed with him and everything was Cody’s fault.
Cody Rhodes said that teaming with Roman Reigns had nothing to do with Owens. Cody teamed with Reigns because he was asked. Cody said that Owens thinks he has to have all the attention and said that nobody holds Owens down more than himself. Cody said that Owens is fixated on being the number one guy in WWE even though the reality is that it’s a team. Cody said that Owens has been with WWE for a decade, he’s a Grand Slam Champion, he’s one of the greatest superstars in recent memory and everybody knows it but Kevin Owens. Cody mentioned their match at Bash in Berlin when Owens didn’t pull the trigger when Cody had an injured knee. Cody said that you blamed Owens for that. Cody said that Owens finally did pull the trigger…just on the wrong guy. Cody said that Randy Orton is a legend who was KO’s friend and he did not deserve what Owens did to Orton. Cody said that Owens didn’t just bring back a move that has ended lives, he crossed a line. Cody said that it’s not going to end right here tonight or whether it’s at Survivor Series or at Saturday Night’s Main Event, it’s coming. Cody told Owens that the ball was in his court.
Kevin Owens told Cody that you’ll get the match when KO says it is happening. The fans booed so Owens said it’s definitely not happening tonight. Owens said when it happens, he’s doing his job and he’s doing what Cody asked him to do. Owens said that Cody was right saying that KO crossed the line with Randy Orton. Kevin said he loved Orton, but he hated Cody. Owens walked away through the crowd. Cody Rhodes told Kevin that he didn’t hate him, Kevin hated himself. Cody said that whenever you decide that they do have this match, just know there isn’t a single line that he won’t cross either. Cole said he can’t remember the last time he’s seen Cody this pissed off.
Roman Reigns was shown in the dressing room with The Usos and Sami Zayn. They were all seated in the ring. They spoke about what Solo said. Zayn said he was out of ideas for a WarGames tag team partner. Jey suggested Cody Rhodes as a partner. Reigns said no and said that’s old news because Reigns has moved on. Zayn said they could try Seth Rollins one last time, but Reigns didn’t want to do that. Zayn wondered what they should do. Reigns said that this is all they need. Reigns said if they go out there together then they are good. Reigns said if they are not, then they die and they die together. The Usos both said yeah and Zayn said he’s in, but what’s the plan? Reigns admitted he didn’t know the plan.
Cody Rhodes was shown walking backstage when Carmelo Hayes was talking to Giovanni Vinci and somebody else. As Cody walked by, Melo said that Owens was telling the truth and nobody was telling the truth louder than Randy Orton’s neck. Cody shoved Melo. Nick Aldis showed up to break up the fight. Cody told Nick it’s time to re-evaluate your first round draft pick. Melo was cool with that and he left.
Match #3: Naomi & Bayley defeated Tiffany Stratton & Candice LeRae (w/Nia Jax) by disqualification. Jax attacked Naomi for the DQ.
After the match, Nia Jax, Candice LeRae & Tiffany Stratton attacked Bayley and Naomi. Iyo Sky made the save. Jax tried to toss Sky from the ring, but Sky hit a springboard dropkick. Raquel Rodriguez and Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan went down to ringside as well, so the five heels worked together. Rhea Ripley ran down to the ring wearing a mask and she had a kendo stick. Ripley nailed Raquel and LeRae with kendo stick shots. Ripley hit Raquel two times with the kendo stick. The heels retreated while Ripley helped up the faces.
Match #4: Montez Ford defeated Tommaso Ciampa by pinfall. Ford went for a leaping attack off the turnbuckle, but Ciampa blocked it with a knee smash. Ciampa went for a lifting move, Ford countered it with a sunset flip and Ford sat on top for the pinfall win.
Tommaso Ciampa attacked Montez Ford after the match. Angelo Dawkins went down to the ring to fight Ciampa. Johnny Gargano went into the ring and he pulled Dawkins off Ciampa. Gargano confronted Ciampa, who shoved Gargano on his ass. The Motor City Machine Guns went to the ring, so Ciampa bailed. Ciampa was asking Gargano: “Whose team are you on?” Ciampa left alone.
Solo Sikoa was in the ring with Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and their WarGames partner Bronson Reed. Before Solo could speak, there was an interruption. The Original Bloodline’s Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso & Sami Zayn made their entrance. Reigns and The Usos had OG Bloodline shirts while Zayn wore a “Sami Uso” shirt. They got into the ring with Solo’s group. Solo said that he was not there to fight Roman. Solo said that he loves Roman and he loves all four of them. Solo said that if they join Solo’s Bloodline then they can run this company for decades. Solo said that you don’t have a fifth man or a Wise Man, so they had no choice. Solo told them to surrender and join Solo’s team or the four of you will die where you stand. The fans chanted “OTC” for Reigns.
Paul Heyman was back: “Ladies & Gentlemen!” The fans popped huge for the return of the Wise Man. Heyman said forgive him because he’s been put through a table at Madison Square Garden, so maybe his math is a little off. Heyman said there’s no way to do WarGames 4 vs. 5. Heyman said that math does not commute to your Wise Man. Heyman said it won’t be 4 vs. 5. Heyman said it’s going to be 5 vs. 5.
CM Punk made his entrance to a huge ovation. Punk walked down to ringside while taping his fists and Punk got into a fight with Solo’s version of The Bloodline. The fans were going crazy as Punk fought alongside the OG Bloodline. The babyfaces cleared the ring of Reed with superkicks, a Superman Punch by Reigns and Punk/Zayn hitting a double clothesline. The Usos and Zayn hit dives over the top onto the heels on the floor. Tama and Loa were in the ring, so Punk nailed Tama with a GTS. Reigns hit a Spear on Loa. Roman Reigns stared at eachother in the eyes while Paul Heyman stood on the apron in the background. The rest of the OG Bloodline stood behind Reigns in the ring. Punk pointed at Heyman as if to say that he was doing this for him. Reigns and Punk kept on staring at eachother. That was the end of the show.
WWE Smackdown Next Week
Here is what WWE is advertising for Smackdown next week.
* Cody Rhodes vs. Carmelo Hayes
* Michin vs. Piper Niven vs. ??? – The third woman was supposed to be Jade Cargill, but she was taken out.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading.