Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include “The Megastar” LA Knight defending the United States Championship against Andrade, Giovanni Vinci looking to redeem himself against Apollo Crews, Bayley and Naomi battle WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax and “Miss Money in the Bank” Tiffany Stratton in a high-stakes match with loser leaves SmackDown implications and footage of a heated confrontation between Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns at Georgia Tech. Here’s our review and grades for the show, live from Sacramento, California’s Golden 1 Center.
WWE SmackDown results
United States Championship Match: LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade
Andrade offers Knight a handshake as the match starts, which he cautiously accepts. After a lock up, Andrade attempts The Message, but Knight escapes and almost hits his finisher, the BFT. Andrade avoids and rolls out of the ring to stop Knight’s momentum. Knight let Andrade know he was this close to meeting his end. After a break, Andrade and Knight are trading big shots, but neither man can maintain an advantage.
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The fight eventually spills out of the ring. Both men take turns bouncing each other’s heads on the commentary desk. This match is starting to break down. We have gone from handshakes to two men attempting to give each other a concussion. Knight eats the ring post after being kicked into it by Andrade. Andrade lands a beautiful moonsault off the top and to the floor. Andrade takes control and plays to the crowd before missing a meteora in the corner.
Knight lands a big DDT for near fall. Knight takes control, landing a flurry of big moves. Andrade won’t stay down. Andrade surprised Knight with a double jump moonsault, but Knight will not stay down. Knight eventually takes control and lands the LA elbow. Andrade avoids a BFT and lands a nasty feint spinning back elbow. Knight tries to jump up to the top rope but slips twice. Andrade misses a dropkick, which leads to Knight hitting the BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
Grade: B –
Andrade and LA Knight delivered a hard-hitting match that was strangely engaging without a strong storyline leading up to it (that is, unless you count the series of matches Andrade had to win to get the title shot to being with). It was an odd choice to have this match without any sign or interference from Carmelo Hayes, who has been on sight with Andrade for essentially weeks at this point. Both men had a solid match, save for Knight slipping on the ropes several times towards the end of the bout. Not every match can further a storyline, but it’s hard not to wonder if this was a one-and-done match or if it will lead to more between both men. Based on what we’ve seen, having these two lock up again would be good for the WWE Universe.
Backstage Segments:
Nia Jax tells Tiffany Stratton if she gets pinned tonight, Stratton may need to leave SmackDown.
Carmelo Hayes runs into a dejected Andrade. Hayes mocks Andrade for losing his title match tonight. Andrade takes a swing at Hayes. A huge brawl breaks out, and they have to be separated by referees and officials.
Grade: B +
This is how you further a storyline outside of the ring! Jax and Stratton’s interaction further teases the apparent tension between the two. Stratton and her totally fabulous Money in the Bank briefcase hangs over Jax’s head like the sword of Damocles. We all know it’s coming; it’s just a matter of when. Jax would be foolish not to know this, too.
And there is! As I noted above, it was a strange choice not to have Hayes present in the United States Championship match. Hayes made his presence felt after the match, channeling his inner Black Air Force energy and telling Andrade to put the fries in the bag. At that point, Andrade had to stand on business, and these two were clearly not done with each other. Considering the amazing matches they have managed to put together, it’s hard not to wonder what’s next for these two. Maybe a triple-threat match with LA Knight?
The Champion and The Tribal Chief Go Face-to-Face
Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes met on the middle of the football field at Georgia Tech Stadium. Reign asks Rhodes if he sees the ground he’s standing on. Everything Rhodes puts his eyes on here belongs to Reigns. Reigns shed blood, sweat, and tears on their field. This is his field, his stadium, his city. Reigns asks Rhodes what he’s done for Reigns’ city. Rhodes reminds Reigns that multiple generations of his family have bled for this city. Reigns may have played football here, and this may be Reigns’ field, but this is Rhodes’ home.
Reigns says Rhodes signed up for a losing situation. He’s dealing with people with nothing to lose. The Bloodline has taken everything from Reigns. They took Jimmy (Uso), his Wiseman (Paul Heyman), and his ‘Ula Fala. For the first time in a long time, Reigns has nothing to lose. Rhodes reminds Reigns that he told Reigns before WrestleMania that he would end up standing alone. Rhodes asks Reigns if he really has nothing left to lose. WWE has a Tribal Chief, but it’s not Reigns. There is a WWE Champion; it’s not Reigns.
Reigns asks Rhodes to tell him what he wants. Rhodes tells Reigns that he wants his word. The only way Rhodes can have Reigns back is if Reigns has his. Reigns gives Rhodes his word, with a warning: after this is done, Reigns is taking back what’s his. Reigns tries to walk away, but Rhodes steps in his way. Rhodes tells Reigns it’s not his to take. Reigns tells Rhode he’s in his way… in life. Reigns walks away.
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Grade: A
Are you not sports-entertained? That segment was electric; you could feel the animosity seeping through the screen as Rhodes and Reigns were forced to have a conversation that didn’t involve talking with their fist. Also, this segment served as a great introduction to new fans who may be watching the USA Network for the first time, as it summed up how we got to this point succinctly. As much as this hyped the Bad Blood tag team match against Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, it laid the groundwork for Reigns’ eventual rematch with Rhodes.
Backstage, Kevin Owens is watching Reigns and Rhodes interact on a monitor. Byron Saxton asks Owens what he thinks of all of this. Owens looks at Saxton and walks away.
Giovanni Vinci vs. Apollo Crews
Vinci hilariously walks to the ring without his standard ring jacket. After losing his re-debut match, he gets distracted and takes off his ring jacket. As soon as the bell rings, Vinci is all over Crews, stomping him and landing several strikes. Vinci tries a powerbomb, but Crews reverses it into a roll-up for another quick three-count. Vinci is stunned… again. After the match, Vinci attacks Crews.
Winner- Apollo Crews
Grade: D
It’s always nice to see Apollo Crews on TV, but everything about this is baffling. Losing when you are debuting on a new brand twice doesn’t help anyone. Crews gets two hollow wins, and Vinci looks like a scrub. Who does this help?
Kevin Owens Speaks to the WWE Universe
Owens wants to explain how he feels seeing Rhodes and Reigns together, but he’s quickly interrupted by Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu. Tonga says last week, Reigns and Rhodes disrespected their Tribal Chief. The Bloodline is going to take care of Reigns and Rhodes later, but tonight, they are going to take care of Owens, by orders of THE REAL Tribal Chief. The Bloodline attacks Owens. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa make the save. Security and officials hit the ring to separate everyone. SmackDown GM Nick Aldis storms down to the ring and books a six-man tag match between everyone tonight.
Grade: C
Though it’s easy to understand why they would prolong the reveal of where Owens stands on the Rhodes/Reigns partnership, dragging this out to build to a six-man tag match it feels like we have seen more than once recently is less than thrilling.
Tornado Tag Match: WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax and Miss Money in the Bank Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi and Bayley
The stipulation for this match is if Bayley and Naomi defeat Jax and Stratton, the person who receives the winning pinfall will be named Jax’s challenger for Bad Blood. Naomi or Bayley will be forced to leave SmackDown if they get pinned. Bayley and Naomi beat down Stratton and Jax. Naomi and Bayley land a double clothesline on Jax and go for a double pin. Jax kicks out. Jax quickly takes over, tossing Naomi in the air for a flapjack.
Stratton and Jax hit a Samoan drop/blockbuster combo. Naomi manages to kick out. After a break, Bayley lands a diving elbow on Stratton while Jax flattens Naomi with a leg drop off the second rope. Both women kick out. Jax and Stratton set up a doomsday device. Naomi counters with an X-Factor. Stratton dives off the top and accidentally lands Jax. Stratton is mortified. Naomi and Bayley hit the 1D on Stratton. Bayley and Naomi roll up Jax for the double pin win!
Winners- Bayley and Naomi
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Grade: B
This match was fun and got us to where we needed to be: a triple threat between Nia Jax, Naomi, and Bayley. The best part is all of this is Tiffany Stratton’s fault which will lead to even more tension between the champion and our resident Miss Money in the Bank.
Backstage, The Bloodline attacks Gargano and Ciampa. The Bloodline hits the ring, but before they can attack Owens, The Street Profits make the save.
Kevin Owens and The Street Profits vs. The Bloodline
The Street Profits and Owens take control early. Loa tags in Fatu, who dominates Dawkins and Ford. Fatu destroys Dawkins with a superkick to counter a splash in the corner. BME by Fatu. The Bloodline controls much of the match until Owens gets the tag. Owens clears the ring. Loa pulls Owens out of the ring to break up the pin after Owens lands a high fisherman’s buster off the top. Owens hits the Stunner. Loa pulls Owens out of the ring again and tosses him into the steel ring steps. The referee disqualifies The Bloodline.
After the match, Loa, Fatu, and Tonga destroy The Street Profits and Owens. The Bloodline set up a table powerbomb on Owens, but Gargano and Ciampa try to make the save. Fatu takes them both out. Cody Rhodes’ music hits, and he runs down to the ring with a chair. Rhodes clears the ring and manages to drop Fatu with a Cody Cutter. Owens picks up the chair and thinks about hitting Rhodes with it. Rhodes turns around. Owens drops the chair, and they embrace.
Winners- Kevin Owens and The Street Profits
Grade: B
This was an average to good SmackDown match, but the chaos that ensued after is the real story. The addition of the Street Profits was a welcome change, as it was the natural follow-up to The Bloodline, costing them the NXT Tag titles last week. The best thing about this main event is how many storylines it developed further in such a short period. They further tease an eventual rift between Owens and Rhodes.
Rating: B-
SmackDown continues on an upward trajectory. The heavy storyline focus makes it easy to fall into the world WWE is striving to build on a weekly basis. Though the night wasn’t without a few head-scratching moments (justice for Vinci), there was a fair amount of solid in-ring action, precisely the LA Knight vis Andrade match, which was the show’s highlight. Every match tonight furthered storylines heading into Bad Blood, and for a penultimate episode, that is all you can hope for.
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