Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include B-Fab and Michin taking on Kiana James and Giulia, Sami Zayn’s United States Championship open challenge continues, and WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton defending in a triple-threat match against Jade Cargill and Nia Jax. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- WWE Women’s Title Triple-threat Match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill vs Nia Jax
- B-Fab and Michin vs. Kiana James and Giulia
- Sami Zayn’s United States Championship Open Challenge
WWE SmackDown Results:
The Oracle
Heyman mocks WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and asks the crowd what they want to talk about. The crowd boos. Heyman goes on and on. And eventually mentions Brock Lesnar. Rhodes interrupts. Rhodes gives Heyman his due, and asks Heyman about Lesnar. Heyman smirks. Rhodes throws to the truck, who puts up a still image of Heyman and Lesnar from WWE Wrestlepalooza. Rhodes wants to know if he’s talking to an oracle, a wiseman, or an advocate. Heyman quips that Rhodes is talking to a goat. He respects that Rhodes is confronting him about Lesnar. Heyman notes that Lesnar isn’t here this evening.
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed appear and surround Rhodes. Rhodes says he guesses it’s about time this happened. Rhodes tells Breakker and Reed that no one can trust Heyman, including them. Who is Heyman loyal to? The one thing Rhodes can guarantee is that it isn’t Breakker or Reed. Breakker bows up and rips off his shirt. Rhodes says this isn’t the smartest decision, but to hell with it. Rhodes takes a swing at Breakker and a brawl breaks out. Breakker and Reed are on their heels. Rhodes sets up Crossroads on Reed. Breakker breaks it up with a clothesline. Breakker and Reed beat down Rhodes. Randy Orton hits the ring and makes the save.
Grade: B-
This opening segment was fine, but it’s likely just a mechanism to get to a tag team match between these four. Sarcastic yay.
Number One Contender’s Match: The Street Profits vs. Carmelo Hayes and The Miz
Ford and Dawkins are in control early, double-teaming Hayes and clearing the ring. Dawkins sets up a poince outside the ring, but Miz and Hayes trip him up. After the break, Hayes and Miz are working over Ford. Hayes sets up Nothing but Bet Net. Miz tags himself in. Hayes grabs Miz’s hand. Miz and Hayes argue. Ford manages to tag in Dawkins. Dawkins drops Miz with the Annointment. Ford crushes Miz with From the Heavens. Hayes has a chance to break up the pin, but doesn’t. Ford pins Miz.
Winners- The Street Profits
After the match, The WWE Tag Team Champions The Wyatt Sicks are on the commentary desk staring down the Street Profits.
Grade: C+
Standard stuff here, which is sad. There could have been more here, and even the bit with Hayes and Miz came off a bit forced.
B-Fab and Michin vs. Kiana James and Giulia
Michin crushes James in the corner with a senton. James tags in Giulia. Giulia floors Michin with a dropkick. Michin sends Giulia flying with a rana. The fight spills out of the ring. B-Fab takes out James with a clothesline. Giulia launches Michin over the commentary desk. Michin dropkicks Giulia off the commentary desk. After the break, Giulia eventually hits the Snow Plow on Michin for the win.
Winners- Kiana James and Giulia
Grade: C
The definition of paint-by-numbers stuff here. Still waiting to see the Giulia everyone told me we were getting when she signed. Haven’t seen it yet.
Drew McIntyre
McIntyre is wearing walking boot and complaining about not winning the championship. Cody Rhodes got lucky and got help from a referee who protected him. McIntyre doesn’t blame the referee. The referee has a mouth to feed. SmackDown GM Nick Aldis walks out on the ramp and notes that the boot McIntyre is wearing didn’t come from WWE medical. McIntyre calls them the “Cody Rhodes” medical team. Aldis gets frustrated and walks away. Jacob Fatu‘s music hits.
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Fatu joins McIntyre in the ring. Fatu snatches the mic from McIntyre before he can speak. The crowd cheers while Fatu tells him to shut his @$$ up and to stop B*tch. Fatu reads McIntyre up and down before telling him to sit his peg leg @$$ down. McIntyre snatches the mic from Fatu and says if he wasn’t hurt right now… Fatu snatches the mic back and dares McIntyre to do something. McIntyre headbutts Fatu. Fatu lays out McIntyre and hits him with his own walking boot.
Grade: B
This started off like your standard McIntyre promo, but finished strong. WWE teased McIntyre and Fatu a while back, so it’s nice that they are doubling back to it. This is going to be a massive challenge for Fatu, so it will be interesting to see how it goes.
Sami Zayn’s United States Championship Open Challenge
United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Je’Von Evans
NXT Josh Briggs is in the crowd watching the match. After a series of arm drags, Zayn wins out. Zayn helps Evans up. After a lock up, Evans forces Zayn into the corner. Evans lights Zayn up with a chop. Zayn responds with a flurry of chops. Springboard clothesline by Evans. Bouncy rana by Evans. After the break, Evans lands a dive.
Evans avoids a blue thunder bomb and lands a bouncy kick for a near fall. Zayn goes up top. Evans lands a top rope rana. Evans runs into an exploder into the corner. Zayn tries the Helluva Kick, Evans avoids it, and hits the OG Cutter. Zayn kicks out. Evans misses a springboard and eats a Helluva Kick. Blue Thunder Bomb by Zayn for the win.
Winner and STILL United States Champion, Sami Zayn!
Grade: B
Hell of a showing by Evans tonight. These open challenge matches are the ultimate showcase for getting over new talent. Zayn is doing for Evans what John Cena did for him years ago. Evans made a ton of new fans here tonight. This was a good piece of business.
WWE Women’s Title Triple-threat Match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill vs Nia Jax
Jax tosses Stratton into Cargill. Jax slams Stratton on top of Cargill. Stratton dropkicks Cargill and Jax at the same time. After the break, everyone is brawling. Cargill drops Stratton with a pump handle facebuster. Jax breaks up the pin. Stratton counters a sleeper from Cargill into a pin. Jax breaks it up with a leg drop off the second rope. Stratton crushes Jax and Cargill with a swanton. Stratton and Cargill superplex Jax off the top. Everyone is down. Stratton tries to hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Cargill and Jax simultaneously.
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Cargill rolls out of the way while Stratton lands on Jax. Cargill breaks up the pin. Stratton sends Cargill into the corner. Cargill reverses a handspring elbow from Stratton into Jaded. Jax pulls the referee out of the ring. Cargill rolls out and gets sent into the steps by Jax. Jax tries to suplex Cargill on the ring steps. Cargill counters with a Samoan drop on the ring steps. Cargill’s head is busted open. After an awkward sequence, the referee holds the count even though Jax doesn’t kick out. The crowd boos. Stratton lands the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Jax for the win.
Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Champion, Tiffany Stratton!
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer walks to the ring and argues with Stratton.
Grade: C
What are we even doing at this point? Is anyone clamoring to see Stephanie Vaquer destroy Stratton in the ring? Who is this for? The sad part is, Stratton will probably go over, which is laughable. At this point, this writer has no idea what WWE is going for.
WWE SmackDown Review:
Tonight’s show happened. That’s the best way to describe two hours of running in place. Match of the night was Zayn vs. Evans, and Tiffany Stratton is still the WWE Women’s Champion. What did you all think of the show? Let us know in the comments!
Rating: C
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