Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Carmelo Hayes continuing the United States Championship Open Challenge, newly crowned WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will appear, four number one contender matches to help determine the next challenger for the WWE Championship, and so much more!
This afternoon’s WWE SmackDown will take place at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England.
WWE SmackDown Card
The announced card is as follows:
- Newly crowned WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will appear live
- United States Championship Open Challenge: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. TBA
- WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. The Miz
- WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa
- WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams
- WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
- More to be announced
WWE SmackDown Results:
This week’s episode of SmackDown kicks off with your standard fare of multiple WWE Superstars entering the building who will be competing on the show later this afternoon. A recap video airs of last week’s Three Stages of Hell main event for the WWE Championship between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre.
Live in the arena, bagpipe players play newly crowned WWE Champion Drew McIntyre to the ring. To the surprise of no one, McIntyre gets a great reaction from the live crowd.
Drew McIntyre says he prayed for this, and it happened. The crowd chants, ‘You deserve it!” McIntyre says it’s been a few rough years in the UK, but if anyone can bring everyone together, it’s him. McIntyre says the love he’s received in the past week has been incredible, putting over the crowd reactions and the messages he’s received. McIntyre says in response to all that, he just wants to say screw you.
Drew says he’s not doing a bad guy bit and says no one was there for him when WWE released him or when he was dealing with the Bloodline or CM Punk, and they were cheering for them instead. McIntyre says there was no hashtag for him when he got screwed, and the only person that he thanks is himself. The crowd chants, “Thank you, Drew!” Hilariously, the crowd is not playing along.
McIntyre addresses Cody Rhodes and reveals he had a clause added into the contract that states Rhodes doesn’t get a rematch, and he’ll have to work his way back up the ladder to get another title shot. This brings out Randy Orton.
Even without Rhodes, there are still plenty of challengers for Drew McIntyre
McIntyre says he assumes Orton is out there to congratulate him. Orton says everyone knows they don’t like each other one bit, so he’s not out there to congratulate him. Orton reminds McIntyre that he had the opportunity to Claymore his head through the commentator’s table, and he didn’t do it. However, Orton states that when he gets an opportunity to do the same, he will not hesitate.
This brings out Jacob Fatu, who isn’t here to speak; he’s here to fight! Fatu immediately attacks McIntyre, who immediately runs away through the crowd. While Orton watches this all happen, The Miz once again sneaks up from behind him. This time, he’s able to successfully hit him with a Skull Crushing Finale; their match… is next!
WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. The Miz
- The finish of the match saw Randy Orton hit The Miz with an RKO to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Randy Orton
Grade: B
Good match to start the show. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a match between Orton and Miz. They certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel, and there’s nothing wrong with playing the hits. I don’t think the winner of this match was ever in doubt.
Drew McIntyre is on the run
Backstage, we see Drew McIntyre frantically running away from Jacob Fatu. McIntyre is confronted by Ilja Dragunov, who makes it clear he intends to win his qualifying match tonight and head onto the Royal Rumble to challenge McIntyre for the title.
Drew McIntyre says he doesn’t care right now because a mentalist (Fatu) is after him. McIntyre says if Dragunov wins his matches, he’ll see him at the Rumble. McIntyre says he didn’t knock out Jacob Fatu’s teeth, but he’ll knock out Dragunov’s before storming off.
So McIntyre continues to proclaim his innocence of being the man who attacked Fatu last year on SmackDown.
We get a vignette from The Wyatt Sicks; it’s very clear they are upset about The MFTs stealing the lantern. Bo Dallas says they will not rest until the lantern returns home.
We get a recap of last week’s match between Alexa Bliss and Giulia. Backstage, Bliss wants to make sure that Charlotte Flair was really sick last week when she was left alone to get attacked by everyone. Flair promises she was really sick. The two make up, and Bliss leaves. This brings in Nia Jax and Lash Legend, who once again try to create a wedge between Flair and Bliss.
Flair says she doesn’t trust Jax and doesn’t want her unsolicited advice, making it clear the next time she tries to give her some, she’ll pay for it.
Giulia and Kiana James vs. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair
- The finish of the match saw Alexa Bliss hit Kiana James with Sister Abigail to score the pinfall victory for her team.
Winners: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair
After the match, Nia Jax and Lash Legend and attack everyone, but are mainly focused on Flair and Bliss. Giulia takes exception to the shot and gets in Jax’s face, but James holds her back.
Grade: B
Perfectly good tag match. I think Kiana might have been in the ring longer than I would have liked, but it was still a good match regardless. I’m not sure what WWE is doing when it comes to Giulia’s booking. Yes, she holds a title, but her overall booking is very confusing. I just don’t get why they aren’t using her in a way to showcase what she’s truly capable of.
We get a response from Solo Sikoa and the MFTs based on the earlier vignette from the Wyatt Sicks. Sikoa makes it clear that if they want the lantern back, they need to give them a shot at the WE Tag Team Titles. Sikoa says the lantern will be with him later tonight when he takes on Damian Priest.
Cody Rhodes responds to Drew McIntyre
Former WWE Champion Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring to speak to the audience. Rhodes says the crowd sounds a bit different, and that’s okay because everything was becoming a little too episodic, and asking people what they wanted to talk about. The crowd chants for Drew McIntyre.
Rhodes says they are going to discuss WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. Rhodes explains that the idea of what do you want to talk about was to bring the audience with him as a team. Cody questions if he got too comfortable or if McIntyre is that damn good. Rhodes declares for the Royal Rumble later this month.
Rhodes shifts his attention to Jacob Fatu and puts the man over. Cody says Fatu is a veteran, and he understands what a receipt means. Rhodes says Fatu has a huge receipt coming his way, and he can come out there right now and get it, or he’ll come find him and beat his ass.
Matt Cardona is Alwayz Ready!
Matt Cardona is backstage with Cathy Kelley. Cardona admits he’s disappointed that Cody Rhodes lost the WWE Championship match last week because he was looking forward to facing his buddy to figure out who the best man is, but now it has to be Drew McIntyre.
Matt Cardona reminds everyone that he was McIntyre’s first WWE opponent, and all three men had to leave the company to figure out who they were before coming back. Cardona says he’s back to be the WWE Champion.
WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams
- The finish of the match saw Trick Williams hit Matt Cardona with the Trick Shot to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Trick Williams
After the match, Kit Wilson attacks Matt Cardona.
Grade: B+
This was a lot of fun. Williams and Cardona work surprisingly well together. I’m not sure what WWE’s plans are for Cardona this year, but it’s clear they have some big plans for Trick Williams.
Whatever it takes…
Damian Priest is backstage with Cathy Kelley. Priest explains the importance of his match tonight with Solo Sikoa and getting to face Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. Priest says he’ll do whatever it takes to win tonight.
Back from commercial break, Kit Wilson is still in the ring running his mouth after the commercial break and is laid out by Jacob Fatu. Fatu says if Cody Rhodes has something to say to him, bring your punk ass out here right now. This brings out Cody Rhodes, and the two men start brawling in the center of the ring.
Security quickly rushes into the ring to separate the two men. Nick Aldis tries to keep the peace, but nothing works as Rhodes breaks free and attacks Fatu as the show goes to another commercial break.
A match between Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu is announced for Saturday Night’s Main Event next week.
WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa (w/ The MFTs)
- The finish of the match saw the Wyatt Sicks appear and attack the MFTs. Uncle Howdy tries to reclaim the lantern, but Solo Sikoa attacks him. When Sikoa returns to the ring, Damian Priest hits him with South of Heaven to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Damian Priest
After the match, Uncle Howdy reclaims the lantern before eating a big boot from Talla Tonga, who takes the lantern back.
Grade: B+
I enjoyed the match, but I don’t love how this lantern story is playing out. This feels like a recycled version of the Ula Fala storyline between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa. I didn’t like that, and I fear I’m not going to like this either. Hopefully, today was just a one-off, and it will be different next week. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
Sami Zayn wants his shot at Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre runs into Sami Zayn backstage. McIntyre says he heard what Zayn said last week, and it’s lucky that he’s not a betting man or he would have lost as usual. Zayn says he’s happy McIntyre won last week because he’s going to go out there against Dragunov tonight, and he’s going to win. Then he’s going to Saturday Night’s Main Event in his hometown of Montreal, and he’s going to win. And then he’ll be coming after McIntyre at the Royal Rumble.
McIntyre says he’s beaten Zayn 11 times, and he hasn’t beaten him once. McIntyre declares that if they face each other at the Royal Rumble, nothing will change. Zayn says we’ll see.
TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater answers Carmelo Hayes’ open challenge.
WWE United States Championship: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Leon Slater
- The finish of the match saw Carmelo Hayes hit Leon Slater with a top rope Cutter to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: And still WWE United States Champion, Carmelo Hayes
Grade: A
This match freaking ruled. As bad as last night’s episode of iMPACT was, Slater got to shine brightly today on SmackDown. I’m not sure how much more time he has left on his contract with TNA, but he’s clearly WWE-bound the second that deal expires.
Tama Tonga’s got next
We see Shinsuke Nakamura backstage watching the monitor and the aftermath of the United States Title match. He’s approached by Tama Tonga, who tells him he had his shot at the title and he blew it. Tonga says that after the MFTs take the Tag Titles from the Wyatt Sicks, he’s coming after the United States Championship. Tonga tells Nakamura to stay out of his way. Nakamura responds in Japanese.
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are seen walking down the hall together with Axiom’s mask. Axiom appears and asks for his mask back. Gargano says he doesn’t have it as he hands it to LeRae, who walks away. Gargano tries to leave, and another Axiom appears and knocks him on his ass. This Axiom is revealed to be Nathan Frazer, who tells Gargano he has a match with him next week.
We get another vignette for former NXT Champion Oba Femi.
Chelsea Green (w/ Alba Fyre) vs. Jordynne Grace
- The finish of the match saw Jordynne Grace hit Chelsea Green with a carthweel driver to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Jordynne Grace
After the match, Grace gets on the microphone and addresses Jade Cargill, who was watching the match from ringside. Grace says it’s good Jade came out to see who’s coming after her and her title. Grace challenges Cargill to get in the ring right now. Cargill gets on the apron, and Green tries to attack Grace from behind, but Grace moves and Green hits Cargill. Grace holds up the WWE Women’s Championship before tossing it at Cargill.
Grade: B
Fun match to build up Grace for her eventual match with Cargill that I’m guessing will happen at the Royal Rumble. I don’t expect a title change, but it’s been nice to see Grace booked like a threat on the main roster compared to what we saw in NXT.
Trick Williams talks too much
Trick Williams is backstage with Cathy Kelley talking about his big win tonight against Matt Cardona. Williams takes the time to mock Randy Orton and Damian Priest, who are two of his opponents in the fatal four-way at Saturday Night’s Main Event. He’s confronted by Priest, who tells him he talks too much and that they can settle it in the ring next week on SmackDown.
WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
- The finish of the match saw Sami Zayn hit Ilja Dragunov with a Helluva Kick to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Sami Zayn
The fatal four-way at Saturday Night’s Main Event will officially be: Randy Orton vs. Trick Williams vs. Damian Priest vs. Sami Zayn
Grade: A-
After the match, Trick Williams lays out Sami Zayn with a Trick Shot as WWE SmackDown goes off the air.
WWE SmackDown Review:
Another good episode of SmackDown. I don’t think it was as good as last week’s show, but I still thought it was a very good show. We got a lot of good in-ring action and a peek into what’s next for Cody Rhodes as he begins his path to regain the WWE Championship.
While Leon Slater and Carmelo Hayes easily stole tonight’s show, I don’t believe there was anything bad from an in-ring perspective on the broadcast.
Grade: B+
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What did you think of this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown? What was your favorite match or segment? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
