WWE SmackDown Outcomes: Winners, Stay Grades, Response, Highlights Earlier than SummerSlam
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Credit score: WWE.com
Simply 24 hours earlier than an emotional and doubtlessly historic conflict with Undisputed WWE Common champion Roman Reigns, Jey Uso squared off along with his personal brother, Solo Sikoa, in the principle occasion of the go-home version of SmackDown.
The sibling showdown headlined a broadcast that additionally noticed the newest between WWE Girls’s champion Asuka and her high two contenders, Charlotte Aptitude and Bianca Belair, in addition to an look by the most well liked star within the business, LA Knight.
What went down and who constructed momentum of their remaining appearances earlier than {the summertime} spectacular?
Discover out with this recap of the August 4 Fox broadcast, dwell from Wright State College’s Nutter Middle in Dayton, Ohio.
Match Card
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- Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa
- LA Knight vs. Sheamus
- The ultimate cease earlier than Charlotte Aptitude and Bianca Belair problem Asuka for the WWE Girls’s Championship at SummerSlam
Introduced prematurely of Friday’s present had been:
LA Knight vs. Sheamus
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- The pop for Knight will get louder and extra passionate each week. He’s a megastar within the making and the time to tug the proverbial set off is drawing nearer with each passing week.
- Santos Escobar, The Miz, Grayson Waller, Karrion Kross (with Scarlett), and AJ Types (with Michin) all made their solution to the ring to get a more in-depth take a look at the motion as all are entered in Saturday’s Slim Jim Battle Royal. Positive, it shines a light-weight on the combatants however it’s removed from impressed reserving.
- It’s a testomony to how over Knight is that the group that Dayton was solidly behind him over the perennially widespread Celtic Warrior.
- Austin Concept attacked Escobar at ringside to construct hype for his or her United States Championship match subsequent week. Types and Kross heated up their rivalry at ringside and Sheamus delivered the ten Beats of the Bodhran.
- Knight took benefit of the distraction and scored the win.
Credit score: WWE.com
LA Knight continued his momentous 2023 with a signature win Friday night time, defeating Sheamus within the opening contest.
It was not with out controversy, although, as a number of of the opponents in Saturday’s Slim Jim Battle Royal made their presence felt at ringside, resulting in a distraction end that concluded with Knight delivering Blunt Drive Trauma for the win.
Quite than simply having guys concerned within the battle royal encompass the ring, there was not less than some effort put into presenting ongoing rivalries whereas highlighting Knight in what was a bodily bout with The Celtic Warrior.
The gang was red-hot for the self-proclaimed megastar and was behind him from begin to end. The response to his entrance right through the victory was the stuff of real stars and additional proof that WWE might very effectively have lucked right into a breakout star within the type of a man who has discovered success at each cease in his profession.
The time is now to take the leap of religion with Knight and, hopefully, create a brand new star that may hold the corporate’s red-hot run going robust.
Outcome
Knight defeated Sheamus
Grade
B
Prime Moments and Takeaways
The OC vs. The Brawling Brutes
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- This battle of babyface groups was the product of a backstage pull-apart. It felt fairly random however the tense staredown between Sheamus and AJ Types could also be a touch of a post-SummerSlam feud.
- Anderson taunted Holland, disrespectfully kicking his face earlier than the forby rugby participant fired up and fought him off. The depth was throughout Holland’s face right here. As soon as greener than you’d hope for from a foremost roster man, he has grown and discovered exponentially over the past 12 months.
- The Road Earnings’ Ford and Dawkins hit the ring, attacked the individuals and stood tall to a pleasant ovation from followers earlier than Bobby Lashley joined them, teasing the reformation of The Harm Enterprise.
The current teases of a enterprise relationship between The Road Earnings and Bobby Lashley paid off Friday as Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins interrupted a match pitting Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows in opposition to Butch and Ridge Holland.
The competition led to no contest but it surely was, in the end, secondary to the angle that performed out after the bell.
WWE @WWE
Is that… The #StreetProfits???
What’s going on?? 🫢 @AngeloDawkins @MontezFordWWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/NudBWxKAoL
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins instantly leveled up. They went from beloved, fun-loving babyfaces to a tag workforce that may threaten any workforce, particularly with the affect of The All-Mighty behind them.
It stays to be seen if the duo will flip heel within the coming weeks however one would suppose that interrupting a battle of babyfaces would place them in that position. If that’s the case, will probably be a refreshing change for 2 guys who’ve solely scratched the floor of what they’re able to within the rings of WWE.
Outcome
No contest
Grade
B+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
Paul Heyman Speaks
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- Heyman threw it to a video bundle that helped put over the Tribal Fight match at SummerSlam as one thing that’s not like something WWE followers have seen by highlighting the household legacy of the Samoan wrestling dynasty.
- “My household, I am bringing all of that tomorrow. The tradition, I am bringing all of that tomorrow,” Uso informed Heyman, placing over the gravity of the SummerSlam foremost occasion on the household.
- Uso warned Sikoa that Heyman and Reigns are enjoying video games with him, that they’re giving him orders and manipulating him like they did Jey and Jimmy.
- “Inform my cousin I will see him tomorrow night time however you’ll be able to inform my brother I will see his ass later tonight,” Uso informed the particular counsel to shut out the section.
Alejandro Salazar/PX Photos/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos
Jey Uso, Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa put the ending touches on the hype for Saturday’s with an in-ring section that may probably outline the subsequent chapter of The Bloodline saga.
Uso repeatedly identified to Sikoa that he’s at present the sufferer of the identical manipulation that Jey and Jimmy used to endure. When Heyman tried to denounce the declare, Sikoa stopped him with a single glare. Obvious dissension gave solution to a superkick from Uso, a teaser for the night time’s foremost occasion.
This was extra great things. Even the shorter, extra subdued promo segments are nice. This didn’t want Reigns to perform what it did, with Uso planting the seed that The Enforcer could be realizing what video games The Tribal Chief is enjoying.
It is going to be fascinating to see what followup happens later within the present when brothers Uso and Sikoa sq. off in the principle occasion.
Grade
B+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
Cameron Grimes vs. Austin Concept
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- Graves scored an awesome near-fall off the Cave In early within the match however Concept lucked out, his foot catching the underside rope and breaking the pin.
- Escobar attacked Concept after the match, gaining a measure of revenge after the sneak assault from earlier within the night time.
Credit score: WWE.com
Austin Concept narrowly escaped his match with Cameron Grimes with a victory Friday night time however instantly fell prey to an assault from Santos Escobar, who he’ll defend his United States Championship in opposition to on subsequent week’s present.
The beating from Escobar resulted from Concept’s personal sneak assault from earlier within the present and escalated a rivalry that might go a good distance in heating up a title that has felt stagnant and rancid for months now.
The in-ring motion must be robust. How the competition is booked and if there may be any high quality follow-up will in the end resolve how efficient this feud has been within the rejuvenation of the US title.
Outcome
Concept defeated Graves
Grade
C+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
The Grayson Waller Impact with Bayley and Iyo Sky; Zelina Vega vs. Sky
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- Moments after Waller tricked Bayley into pondering Shotzi was coming after her, The Ballsy Badass truly did come for The Position Mannequin, chasing her out of the ring with a pair of hair clippers. Zelina Vega revealed herself to have been in Shotzi’s tank, setting her up for a one-on-one match with Sky.
- Beginning Vega and Sky in the course of the break might assist with the timing of the present however it would do nothing to climate the current criticisms of the utilization (or lack thereof) of the ladies’s division.
Credit score: WWE.com
Moments after Shotzi continued to terrorize Bayley by chasing her off the set of the Grayson Waller Impact and thru the group to the locker room space, Iyo Sky battled Zelina Vega in singles competitors.
WWE @WWE
YES! @ShotziWWE is again AND SHE BROUGHT CLIPPERS! 😱✂️
Run, @itsBayleyWWE! RUN!! #GWEffect #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/UBfzd7tpUI
A stable match between Vega and Sky culminated with the re-emergence of Shotzi and Bayley from backstage, leading to a distraction and victory for the primary woman of the LWO.
The Shotzi-Bayley stuff is refreshing if solely as a result of it’s recent and provides the previous one thing to do. She has a novel look, a brand new edge and if dealt with correctly, could make a star out of probably the most unique lady the roster has seen in years.
Vega’s renaissance since Backlash has been nothing wanting improbable. A vastly underutilized performer for too lengthy, she has lots to supply the ladies’s division and it’s past time that she has this chance.
WWE @WWE
Whereas @ZelinaVegaWWE seems to be to get a HUGE win tonight over Ms. #MITB @Iyo_SkyWWE, @itsBayleyWWE and @ShotziWWE‘s battle continues on the doorway ramp! 🫢👀
What has gotten into Shotzi? #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/qLfEks0myQ
The query now’s whether or not Sky shakes off this loss to Vega and cashes in her Cash within the Financial institution briefcase throughout Saturday night time’s premium dwell occasion, maybe making the most of an exhausted Charlotte Aptitude, Asuka or Bianca Belair.
Outcome
Vega defeated Sky
Grade
C+ for the entire thing
Prime Moments and Takeaways
Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa
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- Sikoa’s timing is so significantly better now than it was when he made the bounce to the principle roster final September. Like Holland earlier on the present, he’s one other younger star that benefited exponentially from working with veteran opponents in high-profile spots. It is not all fairly however he’s getting there.
- Uso delivering the spear to place Sikoa down was a beautiful spot. It taunted Reigns, not solely proving he can win, however he can do it utilizing strikes he discovered from The Tribal Chief himself.
Credit score: WWE.com
If there have been any considerations about Jey Uso not wanting robust sufficient coming into SummerSlam, they had been erased by present’s finish Friday night time after he defeated Solo Sikoa clear and within the heart of the ring, utilizing Roman Reigns’ personal spear to place down his brother and construct extra momentum forward of the largest match of his profession.
The gang was scorching, the chemistry was apparent and Uso vs. Sikoa is a match WWE will probably revisit down the road.
And rightfully so.
Even in defeat, Sikoa seems to be robust in that it took an surprising finisher to stun him and the top-rope splash to place him away.
Tribal Fight goes to be one thing magical, one other expertly booked little bit of drama that may both put a bow on one of many biggest storylines in WWE historical past or propel it ahead as Reigns continues his run atop the business.
Both approach, the principle occasion of SummerSlam looks like vacation spot viewing.
Outcome
Uso defeated Sikoa
Grade
B
Prime Moments and Takeaways
General Grade
8 of 8
WWE did a very stable job of placing the ultimate touches on the hype for SummerSlam with this go-home episode of SmackDown.
Jey Uso was prominently featured, the reserving shined a light-weight on the battle royal combatants and the Triple Menace Match for the WWE Girls’s Championship was featured properly in three totally different, distinctive video packages that includes Charlotte Aptitude, Asuka and Bianca Belair in numerous settings.
It didn’t settle only for hyping Saturday’s present. This broadcast featured angles involving AJ Types and Karrion Kross, Shotzi, Bayley, The Road Earnings, Austin Concept and Santos Escobar that may function past {the summertime} spectacular and have an effect on the blue model.
WWE Artistic walked a superb line and delivered a robust, entertaining night time of tv forward of a present that might form the subsequent a number of months of its programming.
Grade: B+
