Join 411’s Live WWE Smackdown Coverage

Keep Refreshing For The Latest Results

Hello everyone, it’s Friday so it’s time for WWE Smackdown. Well Sami Zayn’s reign of mediocrity and terror came to an end in just 9 days, should have been sooner, when CM Punk returned from vacation and claimed the WWE title on RAW. That puts the Punker on Smackdown now, and with SummerSlam coming up very soon he’ll need an opponent. Former champion Cody Rhodes would be the obvious choice, but they will need some kind of a plan for Sami, Gunther is always a main event threat as well. The Smackdown main event scene remains a little diminished overall but Punk’s addition is a definite boost. Still no update on women’s champion Rhea Ripley. Finn Balor will be taking on Tama Tonga tonight, with big ugly himself Talla Tonga likely to cost Balor the bout. Trick Williams takes on Carmelo Hayes tonight, non-title of course because these days the AAA cruiserweight title is the one that gets defended and has good matches. The US title has been languishing with Trick since WrestleMania, hopefully he and Hayes can reignite the fire around that belt. Damian Priest went to AAA to accept the challenge of the War Raiders for a winner take all style match on Smackdown, it’s not been made official yet but we could get Priest and R-Truth against the War Raiders tonight for all the marbles. If Gunther isn’t going to play into the WWE title picture then he and Smackdown GM Nick Aldis are headed for a violent clash, and we’ll see if Gunther can get the old Magnus magic out of Aldis. I mean it sells itself right, the man who kicked AJ Styles out of TNA vs. the man who actually retired AJ Styles. The women’s scene is a bit confused at the moment, without Ripley involved it’s kind of just everyone thrown together into a goulash with Alexa Bliss, Tiffany Stratton, Charlotte Flair, and Chelsea Green on one side against Jade Cargill and her lackeys of Michin and B-Fab. The other women’s issue is Blake Monroe aiming at both Giulia and Kiana James. Still no sign of Shinsuke Nakamura, Ilja Dragunov has been MIA since before WrestleMania, and we’re still waiting to see who Danhausen is bringing back to team with him. Last week was a bit of a dud episode, between not only being taped but taped right after RAW it never really had a chance. Hopefully tonight starts turning things around as we start moving towards SummerSlam.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett welcome us to Oklahoma City for tonight, then we get a recap of the WWE title stuff from Monday and CM Punk winning the WWE title.

Smackdown GM Nick Aldis is in the ring, he brings up getting physical with Gunther and while he was justified he acknowledges he played a part in that happening. But he’s reinstated and now it’s his pleasure to bring out CM Punk. Punk, sporting a black eye, heads to the ring and shakes hands with Aldis. Aldis then gives Punk a mic and the floor to speak his mind. Punk plays with the crowd and says he’s been negotiating a new deal during his time away and he’s now on Smackdown. A title shot fell out of the sky on Monday and Punk caught it, put his gear on in his house and drove to the venue, now he stands here as WWE champion. He promises to be the same kind of champion on Smackdown that he was on RAW, he is here to defend his title and invite anyone in the locker room to step up and try to take what he has. To that end, anyone back there can come find him and he will defend this belt with blood, sweat, and tears for the fans. He knows why Sami Zayn feels like he does, and if Sami wants a rematch Punk will give him one. Gunther, he might regret naming him but they both remember what happened last time they wrestled. Punk keeps asking the crowd who else there might be, oh there’s Finn Balor as well. Royce Keys, Damian Priest, Trick Williams, no real pop for any of these, but the cavalcade of names does finally bring out the obvious name he omitted in Cody Rhodes. Cody examines Punk’s messed up eye in a nice little nod to their prior interaction, then gets his own mic. Cody asks Punk how the eye is, Punk asks Cody what he wants to talk about. That leads to Cody bringing up their last interaction being a mirrored one of this, Cody brings up some title matches fall out of the sky while others build for years. Punk knows Cody is talking about them finally locking horns, maybe they’ve both been avoiding this subconsciously, they’re friends and Punk figured this would happen as a Mania main event. But they can’t avoid each other anymore. Cody reminds us he told Punk to just say when the last time they were together, Punk chimes in with “when” and Cody names SummerSlam. That’s the obvious route to go but that’s not a bad thing. The two men shake hands and Aldis thinks that’s a great main event for SummerSlam. I’m curious who winds up leaning heel between them, they don’t need to rush either guy to the dark side ahead of the event but Cody likely does need that kind of character wrinkle. Punk heads out to end the segment.

In the back Cathy talks with Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab. Jade will be stomping out Alexa Bliss tonight, she’s going to make Charlotte Flair’s life hell. Michin and B-Fab chirp but add nothing. Jade says she’s not responsible for what she does to Bliss, that’s on Charlotte.

Back to the ring, here comes Finn Balor. He’ll take on Tama Tonga after this break.

Post break here comes Tama along with Talla.

Match #1: Finn Balor vs. Tama Tonga w/ Talla Tonga

Almost 30 minutes before the first match, that’s pushing things just a bit. Balor immediately attacks at the bell and batters Tama in a corner. Tama cuts Balor off with a back elbow, Balor rolls through a Sunset Flip and lands a low dropkick then clotheslines Tama out of the ring. Balor lines up a dive, of course Talla trips him and Tama then jumps Balor from behind. Neckbreaker from Tama then a sliding clothesline. That seems to send us picture in picture, really odd layout as Punk and Cody must have gone long.

OFFICIAL RESULT:

Rating:
Thoughts: