Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Women’s Tag Team Champion Brie Bella taking on Fatal Influence’s Lainey Reid, Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, and Chelsea Green teaming up to take on Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin, AAA’s El Hijo del Vikingo challenging Rey Fenix for the AAA Cruiserweight Championship, and the new Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn celebrating his championship win. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn Returns
- AAA Cruiserweight Championship match | Rey Fenix (c) vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
- Brie Bella vs.Lainey Reid
- Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, and Chelsea Green vs. Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin
WWE SmackDown Results:
Highlights featuing Sami Zayn‘s Undisputed WWE Championship win at Night of Champions airs as the show kicks out.
And NEW!
The new Undisputed WWE Champion, Sami Zayn, thanks the fans for believing in him and more. This whole thing is really kinda funny since for the last six months he’s been getting booed out of the building. Those are the same fans who begged for him to become champion three years ago. Zayn could be petty and tells those fans to kiss his you know what… but he won’t. Why? Because he’s a good guy. He has the championship now, and he did it his way; the right way, without changing who he is. Today, they are here to celebrate him. Zayn will now be known as one of the greats. Till the day he dies and beyond, he will be known as a WWE Champion. No amount of booing or noise will ever take that away from him.
The former champion, Cody Rhodes, inturupts. Zayn asks Rhodes what he wants to talk about. Rhodes notes that he remembers when he won the championship, the first person to congratulate him was Zayn. Rhodes wants to return the favor. Zayn looks confused. Rhodes offers congratulations and extends a handshake to Zayn. Zayn eventually accepts. Rhodes tries to leave, but Zayn tells him to come back. He knows Rhodes didn’t just come out here to congratulate him. Zayn wants to know why Rhodes is really out here. Jey Uso‘s music hits. Jey powerwalks to the ring.
As the crowd cheers, Jey gives Zayn a hug. Zayn and Jey do their handshake. Jey puts Zayn over, but admits he is here for Bloodline business. This is Zayn’s warning shot. Jey needs to bring the title back to the Family. Rhodes cuts in and asks why Jey is running errands for Roman Reigns? They were just talking about Rhodes’ rematch. Zayn says they aren’t going to do this. Rhodes and Jey had their time. It’s Zayn’s time now. As far as Zayn is concerned, the championship is STILL in the Family.
In Closing
GM Adam Pearce walks out on the ramp and tells Zayn they are going to decide on his challenger. Zayn says as champion, he should have a say in who he faces at SummerSlam. Pearce says who said anything about SummerSlam? If SmackDown GM Nick Aldis didn’t get himself suspended, Aldis would probably give Zayn what he wants. That’s not how Pearce operates. Jey will face Rhodes tonight in a number one contender’s match. The winner will face Zayn for the championship on Raw this week.
Grade: B
This one ran a bit long, but was well done. Zayn’s stealth heel turn has been handled to perfection. All signs point to Zayn’s reign being brief, but the more interesting outcome is letting this
Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, and Chelsea Green vs. Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin
Stratton is in control early. Michin goes low and traps Stratton in the corner. B-Fab tags in and lands a flurry. Stratton manages to get a tag and clears the ring, including booting Cargil off the apron. After the break, Cargill and Co are working over Flair. Falir manages to tag in Green. Green lands a flurry. Everyone invades the ring and hits a big move. Green lands on her head after a rope walk rana. After a distraction from B-Fab, Cargill drops Green with Jaded for the win.
Winners- Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin
Grade: C+
Standard fair here. Glad Green didn’t break her neck on the rana spot. That looked nasty.
AAA Cruiserweight Championship match | Rey Fenix (c) vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
Vikingo sends Fenix flying into the ropes wth a corkscrew hip toss. Vikingo mocks Fenix. Fenix lands a high crossbody for a near fall. Vikingo avoids an Animo kick, but eats a disgusting handspring cutter. Fenix tries a dive, but Vikingo traps Fenix in the ring apron. Vikingo baseball slides Fenix while he’s tied up in the apron skirt. Arabian press by Vikingo. After the break, Vikingo lands a top rope poison rana for a near fall. Vikingo tries a springboard 450, but Fenix moves out of the way. Fenix hits the Mexican muscle buster for the win.
Winner and STILL AAA Cruiserweight Championship, Rey Fenix!
Grade: B-
Fun match. Vikingo matches always put this writer on edge; every move that dude makes feels like a step away from disaster. Amazing stuff.
Brie Bella vs. Lainey Reid
After some back and forth, Brie takes control after firing up. After a distraction from Fatal Influence, Reid gets the win after a knee trembler.
Winner- Lainey Reid
Grade: C+
Solid TV match. Can we just get to the tag title match already?
Number One Contender’s Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Jey Uso
Jey tries a superkick. Rhodes avoids it and almost hits Crossroads. Jey escapes. Both men trade shots. Rhodes lands a few strikes. Rhodes slips off the apron. Jey lands a dive. After the break, the fight spills out of the ring. Rhodes tosses Jey over the commentary desk. Jey trips Rhodes on the desk. Rhodes blocks a dive by Jey and sends him into the timekeeper’s area. Rhodes sends Jey back into the ring, leading to a double clothesline. Both men are down. After the break, Jey and Rhodes are fighting up top.
Jey pushes Rhodes to the mat and lands a Uso Splash! Rhodes kicks out. Rhodes lands a Cody Cutter. Jey kicks at two. Rhodes tries a disaster kick. Jey counters with a suprkick. Spear by Jey! Rhodes kicks out! Rhodes surprises Jey with a Spear! After a nasty Crossroad, Jey somehow manages to kick out again! Rhodes goes up top. Jey gets his knees up during Rhodes’ splash. Rhodes and Jey trade punches. Jey traps Rhodes in a sleeper. After an awkward series of reversals, Rhodes lands a Crossroads for the win.
Winner- Cody Rhodes
Grade: C-
This one didn’t get out of the gates. Several spots seemed odd, and it looked like they redid the finish after whiffing during the series of reversals leading to the finish. This was a double-taping, so the crowd is rightfully exhausted, and they had little energy to give this one.
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