As another weekend of our lives approaches, so does the eWn’s live coverage of Friday Night SmackDown, brought to you by Tathya. WWE invades the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA, for the penultimate episode of the blue brand leading up to SummerSlam, with not much having been announced for the show.
We will see a new No. 1 Contender for Austin Theory’s United States Championship crowned tonight, as WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio takes on his protege, Santos Escobar, in the finals of the United States Championship Invitational Challenge. Also on tonight’s show, Karrion Kross will be in singles action against The OC’s Karl Anderson.
Finally, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his challenger for SummerSlam, Jey Uso, are also advertised for tonight.
That being said, all one really looks forward to on Friday nights is to be graced by the presence of LA Knight on our screens, even if it is a 30-second promo and a 5-minute squash loss… So, give me a “YEEAAAHH!” and let’s get this party started!
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Jey Uso is out to kick off Friday Night SmackDown! Before he can get in anything of note, he is interrupted by his former Tribal Chief, the Undisputed Champion, Roman Reigns. Reigns asks New Orleans to acknowledge him before getting down to business. As the crowd chants “Uce-O! Uce-O,” Reigns says that all the adulation Jey receives from the WWE Universe is because of him. Roman adds that he gets to open HIS show, not Jey.
Reigns asks Jey if he really wants to be the Tribal Chief. Jey replies that all he ever wanted was for them all to stick together as a family. Support one another. But now, he’s gotta do what he’s gotta do.
Roman says that the only reason Jey ever became “Main Event” Jey Uso was because Jimmy was injured. He says Jimmy loves and respects Roman more than Jey. The verbal sparring continues as Reigns says Jey CAN’T beat him at SummerSlam, while Jey vows to beat Roman Reigns at SummerSlam, because he HAS already pinned him.
Jey then gets in Reigns’ face and tells him face-to-face that at SummerSlam, he’s gonna do it again. Jey exits. AND SCENE!
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Following the commercial break, we shoot backstage as Grayson Waller is seen approaching Jey Uso. Waller mocks Jey and says that after he loses at SummerSlam, perhaps he’s need “The Grayson Waller Rub.” Jey decks him.
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#1. Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar – Winner: Santos Escobar (via referee stoppage)
A dive by Escobar to Mysterio to the outside saw Rey’s head smashed into the ramp. Medical personnel made their way to the ring to check on Rey. The referee then called it off per the doctors’ orders.
As Santos Escobar is called as the winner, he shows concern for Rey afterwards. Rey embraces him.
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Backstage Bianca Belair is being interviewed before Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green interrupt her. Belair challenges the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions to a triple threat match for later tonight.
Charlotte Flair appears and says she wants Belair at 100% going into SummerSlam and asks if she wants to team up tonight instead. Belair doesn’t really want to, but Charlotte says she’s going to Adam Pearce. We head to another break.
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Out next is LA Knight, and the megastar has them on their feet and cheering and chanting at the top of their lungs in New Orleans. Knight takes some shots at each member of Hit Row, even calling Top Dolla Uncle Phil, before the bell is rung shortly.
#2. LA Knight vs. Ashante “Thee” Adonis – Winner: LA Knight
Knight picked up a quick win here. Ballistic crowd!
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Backstage, Jey Uso is texting on his phone, as all the kids do these days, before he is interrupted by Baldy Adam. Pearce brings up his confrontation with Grayson Waller earlier in the show, making a match between the two official for tonight’s main event.
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In what seems like a post exclusive club, Bobby Lashley is with The Street Profits, sipping wine. Lashley mentions his conversation with Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams last week and says they had very positive things to say about the two.
Lashley addresses Angelo Dawkins and how he should be dressed. Lashley and Montez Ford look at Dawkins and laugh, since he’s wearing sweatpants. Lashley has a bunch of suits rolled in and asks Dawkins to pick one.
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#3. Charlotte Flair & Bianca Belair vs. Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green – Winners: Charlotte Flair & Bianca Belair
Charlotte blind tagged herself in after Bianca Belair hit the KOD on Deville and had her beat. Charlotte stole the pin, and Belair got into a brief argument with Flair as we cut to the break.
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Back from the break, Bayley mocks Charlotte and Belair arguing, calling it embarrassing. Iyo Sky walks in and asks why Bayley left her hanging last week.
Bayley tries sweet-talking Miss MITB but is distracted when she pulls a message from Shotzi out of her bag that says “See you soon” in cut-out letters like a serial killer. The two are freaked out before Asuka appears. The WWE Women’s Champion talks that Japanese s**t and gets into an argument with Iyo Sky, and the only thing that’s losing here is the English language.
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We learn about the “SummerSlam Battle Royal Presented By Slim Jim.” The match will feature Superstars from both Raw and SmackDown.
We now shoot backstage where LA Knight, speaking to Adam Pearce, demands a spot. Pearce obliges. Sheamus and The Brawling Brutes walk in. LA Knight vs Sheamus is made official for SmackDown next week.
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In gorilla, Karl Anderson asks The OC to stay backstage for his match against Karrion Kross. AJ Styles agrees, reluctantly.
#4. Karrion Kross vs. Karl Anderson – Winner: Karrion Kross
Kross quickly squashes Anderson, sending a clear message to AJ Styles. The OC check in on Anderson after the match is over.
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#5. Jey Uso vs. Grayson Waller – Winner: Jey Uso
Jey Uso looked dominant throughout the match before Waller took over briefly as Roman Reigns, flanked by Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa, made his way to the arena midway through the match.
Back from commercial, Reigns was sitting on a leather chair on the entrance ramp. Meanwhile, Jey Uso fought back from underneath before landing a Spear and an Uso Splash for the 1-2-3!
Solo Sikoa jums Jey Uso immediately following the match. Solo goes for the Samoan Spike, but Jey avoids it and takes him out with a Superkick. Reigns rushes toward Jey but is caught with another Spear! WOW! Jey heads to the top rope, but Solo takes him out.
Reigns recovers and signals for the “Samoan Spike-Spear” tandem maneuver. They take Jey Uso out. Reigns grabs his gold belt and mocks Jey before signaling for and landing the “Samoan Spike-Spear” again.
Reigns celebrates with his gold belt and grabs his tribal lay as SmackDown goes off the air.
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That’s it for tonight folks! I’ll see you tomorrow night for the best two hours of professional wrestling every week, AEW Collision!
