wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s WWE Smackdown Review 4.28.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Well everyone, it’s another Friday so it’s time for WWE Smackdown. Tonight is super special, because we’re having another Draft to separate the brands. And they’re really, really, super serious about it this time, pinky promise. My cynicism aside the Draft can be a fun enough episode of TV. Much like last year WWE has separated the talent into two different draft pools, the list of eligible talent to be drafted tonight goes something like this:
Becky Lynch
Bianca Belair
Bobby Lashley
Candice LeRae
Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville
Cody Rhodes
Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai)
Dexter Lumis
Dolph Ziggler
Drew McIntyre
Edge
Hit Row (Top Dolla and Ashante “Thee” Adonis w/ B-Fab)
Imperium (GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci)
Lacey Evans
Matt Riddle
Maximum Male Models (Mace, Mansoor, and Maxxine Dupri)
Mustafa Ali
Natalya
Omos (w/ MVP)
Shinsuke Nakamura
The Bloodline (Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa)
The Miz
The O.C. (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson and Michin)
The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins)
Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar w/ Valhalla)
Select NXT Superstars
So keep in mind who’s available and who’s being held off because the second half of the Draft will take place on RAW this coming Monday. Keep in mind that teams can be separated, though of the available teams here I imagine only Damage Control is in serious danger of being split up. Also keep an eye on where the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns winds up, because WWE has created a second tier title that will wind up wherever Roman isn’t and serve as the World Heavyweight title until they give that to Roman too at some point around Survivor Series. But we also have some wrestling tonight, the big match is a rematch for the undisputed WWE tag team titles when champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens defend against Jimmy and Jey Uso. Zelina Vega got a title shot for Backlash, so she gets a showcase bout tonight against Sonya Deville. Shinsuke Nakamura and Karrion Kross have a budding feud to keep an eye on, but they’ve kept this week pretty mysterious in terms of what we can expect. Anyway that’s the preamble, let’s get to the action.
Up first, here comes Triple H. Trips will be announcing the draft picks and we’re starting with some of those. First, some rules. Everyone can be swapped to another brand, but we’ve split the roster in half for Smackdown and RAW drafts. Trips also reminds us that “select” NXT stars are viable, and the official rosters go into effect right after Backlash. He’s got the first round of picks in hand, so here we go.
#1 Smackdown: The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, and Paul Heyman) well that was to be expected.
#2 RAW, now home of the losers world title: Cody Rhodes
#3 Smackdown: Bianca Belair
#4 RAW: Becky Lynch
That’s it for the first round. Here come the Usos with mics to kill some time. Jey reminds us that they Bloodline is in this particular city. They give love to Roman Reigns for once again being the number on draft pick. Roman’s at home watching, and they promise to bring the gold back to the Bloodline. Jimmy and Jey bring up how they’ve basically been cut off since Mania, but will dedicate the win tonight to Roman. They’re cut off by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, both of whom have mics as well. Everyone goes face to face on the entrance stage, Sami is here to talk sense, he’s said everything he could say but there’s just one thing he wants to mention. He brings up how Roman treats them badly yet again, and Sami brings up that Roman was drafted with Solo and Heyman, not the Usos. Sami isn’t too bright, because the Usos aren’t up until Monday. Jey cuts off Sami telling him he’s not walking out with anything tonight. Once they beat Sami and Owens then Owens is going to turn his back on Sami just like always. Owens interrupts, he’s sick of this crap, he doesn’t care about Jimmy and Jey or Roman, all he cares about is beating the crap out of the Usos tonight and keeping the tag team titles.
The Brawling Brutes are here next, Butch will be in action after this break.
Post break we see doors with the RAW and Smackdown logos taped on them, allegedly people are inside planning the draft. Sure.
Bianca Belair with a prerecorded video, she’s excited to be coming back to Smackdown and be Smackdown women’s champion again.
Back to the ring and here comes LA Knight. Pretty good pop for Knight still.
Match #1: Butch w/ Sheamus vs. LA Knight
Knight with strikes right away then they hit the ropes and Butch lands a clothesline. Butch goes for the fingers of Knight then stomps the arm. Knight fights back with an elbow but Butch with some clubbing blows to the chest then jumps for a kimura but Knight uses the ropes to break the hold then slingshots Butch into the ropes neck first. On the floor Knight with a back suplex onto the apron and we head to break.
Post break Knight is landing strikes but Butch fights back with a gamen giri then a knee drop to the arm and a stomp to the hand. Knight rolls out of the ring and looks to reset but Butch moonsaults off of the apron then sends him back into the ring. Butch climbs the ropes but Knight clocks him with a right hand and climbs up there with Butch. More finger work from Butch to counter though and Knight drops down then jumps up for a top rope superplex that gets a 2 count. Butch flips out of a Torture Rack and lands an enziguri but runs into a boot from Knight. Knight tries the Blunt Force Trauma but Butch counters into a Fujiwara armbar and tweaks the fingers as well before Knight gets under the ropes. Knight posts Butch, Blunt Force Trauma connects and Knight actually gets the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: LA Knight won
Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: The commercial break kind of gutted this one, but Knight and Butch are both solid workers. Nice to see Knight pick up a win.
In the back the Usos hype themselves up, with Heyman helping them out and reminding them that they either get drafted to the Island of Relevancy or the Ocean of Obscurity. Tonight the Usos come back as tag team champions, because one way or another tonight is the night. Heyman delivered that last bit to Solo Sikoa, who then taped up his thumb.
Elsewhere in the back Rob Van Dam and Michael Hayes walk out of the brand doors to deliver the next set of pics after this break.
Post break here comes RVD, followed by Michael Hayes. Almost no reaction for Hayes. Anyway they’ll be delivering the next picks.
#5 Smackdown: Street Profits, nice that Ford and Belair will be together.
#6 RAW: Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci) well crap, that means Theory is coming over here.
#7 Smackdown: Edge
#8 RAW: Matt Riddle
The Street Profits show up, we’ve got a match featuring them. They have mics and kill time in the ring with some talking, first by playing with the crowd and remind us that they’re back on Smackdown, and they still want the smoke.
Match #2 – Triple Threat Tag Team Match: Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) vs. Ricochet and Braun Strowman vs. LWO (Cruz del Toro and Joaquin Wilde)
Braun throws everyone around to start then helps launch Ricochet onto the pile of bodies on the floor. That sends us to break.
We come back to Ricochet working over Dawkins, apparently we’re using the rules with three men in the ring at a time. Ricochet and Cruz try to team up but that doesn’t last. Cruz dropkicks Dawkins only for Ricochet to unload on him with kicks. Ricochet boots Cruz but Cruz lands a kick and tags in Wilde. Wilde hits a pretty sick springboard dive onto Ford and Dawkins on the floor. Back in the ring we get a spike rana from Wilde that gets a 2 count. Ricochet sends Wilde out of the ring but takes forever to move so Wilde tags in Cruz who hits a twisting suplex. Braun with a sort of late save, but Braun has had enough of this and clubs down Ford and Wilde then goes around the ringside area running over everyone before Dawkins dives onto Braun. Ricochet then dives onto Dawkins. Back in the ring Ricochet lands a kick and heads up top, but Dawkins avoids the 630 and lands a right hand. Ford blind tags, runs into The Arrival then Ford follows up From the Heavens and that gets the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Street Profits won
Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Hard to have three face teams, but all three teams got to show off and if the Profits are going to matter on Smackdown they definitely needed the win.
Next, a recap of how we got to Damien Priest vs. Bad Bunny at Backlash in a Street Fight.
Bad Bunny will be on Smackdown next week, because it’s in Puerto Rico before Backlash.
In the back JBL and Teddy Long walk and will be announcing our next draft picks.
Post break here come JBL and Teddy Long.
#9 Smackdown: Bobby Lashley, one of the few guys Roman hasn’t beaten yet.
#10 RAW: Drew McIntyre, Drew had hit his ceiling on Smackdown so that’s fine.
#11 Smackdown: The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Michin)
#12 RAW: The Miz
Here comes Zelina Vega for her match, Sonya Deville got the jobbers entrance I guess as she’s in the ring.
Match #3: Zelina Vega vs. Sonya Deville w/ Chelsea Green
Sonya with a quick snap down and tries to trash talk Vega. Another snap down from Sonya then they hit the ropes and Vega lands an arm drag. Kick from Sonya then some corner strikes but Vega grabs an armbar over the ropes before getting kicked on the floor after a Green distraction. More corner work from Sonya then a chin lock. Vega fights back with a jawbreaker then runs into a roundhouse kick for a 2 count. More corner work from Sonya then Vega counters a suplex and avoids a kick then grabs a School Boy for 3.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Zelina Vega won
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: You’d like your title challenger to get a little more shine than a somewhat flukey rollup after being on the wrong end of most of the match.
Post match Rhea Ripley kicks down Vega then headbutts Sonya down for good measure. Chelsea debates getting involved but thinks better of it. Vega counters a Riptide into a DDT and then scurries away before Ripley can recover. That sends us to break.
Zelina Vega is in the back talking with Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio hyping herself up for the title match. Rey reminds her that it doesn’t matter what anyone says, he was smaller than everyone but fought to the Hall of Fame and believes Vega can leave Puerto Rico as the champion.
To the ring and here come the OC. Nice to see AJ Styles healthy. AJ has a mic and wants to talk, but before he can here comes the Viking Raiders. We can’t take these two seriously at this point, they’ve done nothing but lose. AJ talks, he wants to hold on a second and make sure the Raiders came here to pick a fight. He steps back so the odds will be even for the fight. Big brawl kicks off, the OC cleans house and Erik eats a Magic Killer. AJ says they’ve just started on Smackdown, then he kills Ivar with a Phenomenal Forearm because he’s AJ Styles.
In the back Shawn Michaels and Road Dogg will compete over who’s hairline is worse while announcing the final round of draft picks after this break.
Here come Michaels and Dogg to announce the last round.
#13 Smackdown: Damage Control (Bayley, Iyo Sky, and Dakota Kai) was thinking these three should be split up.
#14 RAW: Shinsuke Nakamura ah nuts, I really like Nakamura.
#15 Smackdown: NXT women’s tag team champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, our first NXT call ups.
#16 RAW: Dogg jokes that Shawn is about to lose his smile again as NXT women’s champion Indi Hartwell is next.
Dawn and Fyre are getting an interview at the PC, they’re interrupted by a team who will take the titles from them before their call up.
Kayla is in the back and talking with Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura is excited to be on RAW, and he’s jumped by Karrion Kross. Kross bounces Nakamura around production crates for a bit.
In the back Heyman says Solo is staying back here and wont be out there with the Usos for their match. Because tonight is the night.
The champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens head to the ring, our main event will be up after this break.
Post break we get a recap of the announcement of the losers world title, the new World Heavyweight title that we now know will be on RAW. Nice consolation prize for not being able to beat Roman I guess. Next a recap of the draft thus far, and a reminder that anyone not drafted here will be eligible for the supplemental draft tomorrow on a smaller show. Next week we’ll get Karrion Kross vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, plus the OC taking on the Viking Raiders. Can anyone be bothered to care about the Raiders?
Anyway here come the Usos. Special in ring introductions follow.
Match #4 – WWE Tag Team Title Match: (c) Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey)
The Usos attack at the bell and the fight is on. Ringside brawling as Jimmy posts Sami then Owens gets sent back into the ring. Jey tries a superkick but Owens counters, looks for a Stunner but Jey counters into a superkick. Jimmy tags in and we get a double superkick for 2 which sends us to break.
We come back to Jimmy wrapping the leg of Owens around the ring post. Jey tags in and they hit a Wishbone splitter. Jimmy back in and again wraps the leg of Owens around the post. Owens counters a second one by pulling Jimmy into the post. Owens crawls towards Sami, and makes the hot tag as Jey tags in. Sami runs wild for a bit but Jey lands a back elbow, only for Sami to cut him off with a clothesline. Sami clotheslines Jey out of the ring, ejects Jimmy then dives onto both Usos. Back in the ring Sami goes up top but Jey lands a right hand to strand him up there. Jey climbs up there with Sami and Sami lays in some headbutts then hits a Sunset powerbomb for a 2 count. Sami wants a Blue Thunder Bomb, and hits it for a near fall. Sami goes up top again, but Jey kicks him off the top and sends him to the outside as we head to break.
Owens gets a hot tag as we come back, he lands a cannonball onto Jimmy then limps up top but Jimmy smacks him up there. Jimmy and Owens fight on the top rope, Owens is able to hit an avalanche Fisherman’s Buster then he heads up top again for a Swanton Bomb which gets a 2 count as Jimmy kicks out. Heyman and Solo are watching in the back, and Heyman gets a phone call from Roman. He tells Solo they got the call, tonight is Solo’s night. Solo wanders off. Back in the ring Jimmy eats a superkick from Owens then Jimmy eats a pop up powerbomb for 2 as Jey breaks up the pin. Sami slides in and goes after Jey, he ejects him the jumps after him but only flies into a superkick. Jimmy rolls up Owens for 2, but Owens lands a Stunner only for Jimmy to kick out at 2.7. Solo is walking down to the ring, but here’s Riddle to intercept him and they brawl out of frame through the back. Jimmy lands an enziguri and tags in Jey. That lines up Owens to eat a superkick party but only another near fall. Jimmy tags back in and they hit a sandwich superkick then a double superkick to Sami. Another double superkick to Owens but again only a near fall. Jey tags back in, and superkicks Owens but again Owens kicks out. Owens fires up and lands strikes but runs into another superkick. Jimmy tags in, but Sami pulls Jey out of the ring and shoves him into the ring steps. Owens Stunner to Jimmy, then Sami tags in and follows up with a Helluva Kick to get the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens retained the titles
Rating: 3.5 stars
Thoughts: These two teams proved they can make magic, this wasn’t nearly their Mania match but the tension and emotion were different. Easily the best match of the evening though.
Solo Sikoa has wandered back into the crowd and looks on as the Usos try to process being cast adrift in the Ocean of Obscurity. That ends the episode.
