Winfree’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.12.23

Hey there people, it’s another Friday night so it’s time for another episode of WWE Smackdown. Tonight Roman Reigns is back, so presumably something of interest will happen. The Bloodline has moved more or less away from feuding with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens now that the Usos lost the rematch but Solo Sikoa pinned Matt Riddle at Backlash in the six man tag team match. But the story has shifted to being almost entirely insular, with the Usos having now failed the Tribal Chief more than once and Solo Sikoa looking poised to take them out at a moments notice. If that angle has legs they’ll start working it here. The big narrative for the evening will be the Smackdown half of the tournament to crown the first World Heavyweight Champion at Sweet Sweet Saudi Blood Money. Sheamus vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory and Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles happening, then the winners face off with the winner of all of that taking on Seth Rollins for the big gold belt. Why Smackdown has part in a tournament to crown a RAW exclusive champion is just one of those mysteries I guess. Also on the card Bayley and Dakota Kai challenge Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez for the women’s tag team titles as that scene looks to gain something approximating momentum after the injuries to Ronda Rousey and Shanya Baszler derailed things. Anyway that’s what they’ve officially announced, so let’s get to the action.

We’re jumping into action pretty quickly, as here comes Edge as the only one from our first match who gets an entrance.

Match #1 – Triple Threat Match: Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles

Rey and AJ jump Edge with strikes right away, then AJ eats an elbow from Rey. Everyone trades roll ups before Edge boots AJ and elbows Rey. Rey sends Edge to the apron and lands a kick, but here’s AJ to complicate thing and we get a series of catapult spots then Edge hits a flapjack dropping AJ on Rey then hits an Edge-O-Matic onto AJ for a 2 count. Edge keeps building momentum, he boots Rey to the floor but AJ then hits a striking combination on him. Rey comes back into the ring and eats a tilt a whirl backbreaker from AJ. Edge gets clotheslined out of the ring by AJ. Rey hits the ropes and hits a couple of head scissors to both AJ and Edge. AJ eats a kick from Rey, then Rey tries a springboard crossbody to Edge but Edge catches him, boots AJ, then hits a fall away slam onto Rey. Edge sets for a Spear but both Rey and AJ kick him. Rey hits a Code Red onto Edge but only a 2 count. Rey and AJ square off, AJ lands a kick then sends Rey into Edge on the floor, and baseball slides Edge making Edge DDT Rey on the floor and sending us to break.

Rey and AJ are on the apron fighting as we come back, then Edge Spears both of them off the apron and to the floor. Not the best landing from Edge there. Edge sends Rey back into the ring but can only get a 2 count on the cover. AJ sends Edge out of the ring then he and Rey start trading strikes. Rey lands an enziguri but AJ then catches him in a Calf Crusher. Edge is here for a Crippler Crossface onto Rey as well, but AJ and Edge start headbutting each other to break everything up. Rey rolls away as Edge and AJ trade strikes for a while, then Rey jumps in for a slightly awkward double hurricanrana but when Rey goes for the double 619 both AJ and Edge land dropkicks to stop Rey in his tracks. Rey and AJ hit the ropes, and Rey dropkicks AJ out of the ring, then Edge boots down Rey, and slides AJ into the bottom rope in a nice looking spot. Edge climbs the ropes, Rey punches him and climbs up with him. Rey wants a top rope rana, but here’s AJ to complicate things with a running Liger Bomb to Rey for a 2 count. Edge is still on the top rope and AJ climbs up there with him now, looking for a superplex but Rey is here to climb up and we get a Tower of Doom spot but Rey’s cover on AJ only gets 2. Rey sets up Edge for a 619, but AJ trips him up. AJ wants the Phenomenal Forearm, but misses then he jumps over Edge’s Spear and Rey tries to 619 Edge but Edge catches him and locks up the Edgeucator. Edge has to break as AJ is here, and he grabs one on AJ as well, AJ crawls to the ropes but no rope break in a triple threat, though Edge is in position and Rey hits a 619 on Edge. Rey up top, and whatever they tried there didn’t work as Rey landed on Edge’s back but Edge didn’t go down, I think Edge was supposed to land a Spear there but didn’t. Anyway AJ comes in with the Phenomenal Forearm to Edge and that gets the 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: AJ Styles won

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: They had a rough start to this, everything before the commercial break felt a little disjointed and slow. Post break they built up nicely but that botch near the end really hurt things and was enough of an issue to drop this from 3.5 to 3 for me.

Next a video recap of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens winning the tag team titles, then defending them on Smackdown two weeks ago. After that we get a video recap of the Bloodline beating Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Matt Riddle at Backlash.

In the back Jey and Jimmy are warming up and talking.

Back to the ring here comes Sheamus. He waits around in the ring as we head to break.

Post break here comes Bobby Lashley, followed by Theory.

Match #2 – Triple Threat Match: Sheamus vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory

One of these things is not like the others. Theory immediately powders, Sheamus and Bobby wont let him get away and both start battering him outside the ring. Back in the ring now and Theory takes a offense from both Sheamus and Bobby. Sheamus with a Finlay Roll then Bobby clotheslines Theory out of the ring. Bobby and Sheamus square up now, and they start trading strikes before Bobby hits a Flatliner. Back elbows from Bobby in the corner, then some shoulder strikes in the corner as well. Bobby runs into a powerslam though but that only gets 1. Sheamus goes Bodhran beating on Bobby, but Theory tries to get involved hitting a crossbody to send Bobby to the floor, but now Sheamus can tattoo Theory with the Bodhran beats, only 10 this time, as we head to break.

We come back to Bobby running over Theory on the outside. Bobby picks up Theory and runs his head into the ring post. Sheamus looks on in approval, then Bobby climbs back into the ring. Bobby and Sheamus start trading strikes then hit the ropes, Sheamus lands a kick but then runs into a clothesline. Bobby runs into a corner boot, then Sheamus pulls himself onto the top rope for a flying clothesline but Bobby catches him with a belly to belly suplex. Sheamus fights off a Hurt Lock as Theory comes in with a drop kick. Theory with a chop block then an elbow to Sheamus but Bobby is here to attack Theory. Boot from Theory then a rolling Blockbuster but again only 2. Theory stomps on Sheamus in the corner then clotheslines Bobby out of the ring. Theory follows Bobby and tosses him into the ring steps. Back in the ring Sheamus catches his rolling attack and drops Theory with an Irish Curse backbreaker. Sheamus stares daggers at Theory and smiles at him, then fires up leveling Theory with strikes. Now Sheamus wants an avalanche White Noise, which connects but only a 2 count on the cover. Sheamus wants the Razors Edge, but Theory counters into a Sunset Flip for 2. Knee from Sheamus lands, he wants a Brogue Kick now, but Bobby’s here to Spear him, but Theory posts Bobby and pins Sheamus but only 2 again. Bobby and Theory square off, Bobby is bleeding from the head but still crushes Theory with a spinebuster. Hurt Lock to Theory, Theory is trying to kick off the ropes and Sheamus clocks Theory with a Brogue Kick, Bobby tosses Sheamus out of the ring and pins Theory to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Bobby Lashley won

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: More cohesive than the first match, but also a lot less flashy. That ring steps spot looks like it busted open Bobby hard way. I’d like more Sheamus and Bobby if possible.

That sends us to break.

Post break Adam Pearce is in the back, doing the Greek Chorus thing on the phone. Grayson Waller comes in and says he should get to talk with the winner of Bobby vs. AJ for his talk show next week.

In the ring Baron Corbin is here, for some reason. Cameron Grimes shows up for their match, Corbin has a mic. Corbin runs down Grimes in about as bland a fashion as you can.

Match #3: Baron Corbin vs. Cameron Grimes

Immediate Cave In from Grimes and that’s the 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Cameron Grimes won

Rating: Golias squash
Thoughts: The best Baron Corbin match in a long time.

Next, a recap of Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar from Backlash plus Lesnar attacking Cody on RAW and continuing their feud.

After that recap, here comes Roman Reigns. The whole Bloodline is here with Roman, Roman doesn’t even glance at the new title, which is set up on the entrance stage, but Heyman gives it a look. After this break Roman will talk.

Post break the Bloodline has actually made it to the ring. Roman gets a mic from Heyman after soaking in some decent boos, then Roman provides Knoxville the opportunity to acknowledge him. He basks in the reaction, and says greatness garners respect. But regardless of reactions, you must acknowledge that the Anoa’i family is the only one that matters. Every man in this ring main evented both nights of WrestleMania and they’re they only ones who ever will. Even without Roman present at Backlash Solo Sikoa stepped up. They were a little worried when Solo got called up, not sure if he could sink or swim but it turns out Solo swims like a shark in the deep waters. Solo handles problems. He handled Riddle, but Solo is still worried about Owens and Sami. Roman is briefly interrupted by a “Sami” chant but that dies down and he tells Solo not to worry about that, Sami and Owens aren’t a problem. They aren’t the problem, but there is a problem to be handled. It’s not Sami and Owens, it’s Jimmy and Jey. Roman strolls over to Jimmy and Jey, circling them. He asks what they thought was going to happen. That they could lose at Mania and they weren’t going to talk about it? That they could beg for a rematch, dedicate it to him, and then lose? Roman is the greatest singles champion of all time, he’s not in a tag team, they have hall of fame tag teams in their family and dedicate a tag match to him? How disrespectful. Roman takes some time off and everything falls apart as the Usos failed their family. He knows Jey knows better, and demands an apology. Jimmy tries to play this off, but Jey knows what’s up. Roman only wants to hear an apology, not anything else. Again Jimmy smiles and tries to laugh this off, Roman doesn’t find this funny. Jimmy shouldn’t listen to all these idiots, he should apologize. Roman pie faces Jimmy, because none of this is funny. Heyman slides out of the ring preemptively, smart man. Jey stops Jimmy from doing something stupid and apologizes. He asks for another shot to bring back the gold, but Roman says the tag team gold will come back to the Bloodline. Heyman comes back in to fill in the details and says the Tribal Chief has a game plan in hand, he pulled every string and got a tag team title match at Night of Champions when Owens and Sami defend against Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns. Roman gets the mic back from Heyman, at Night of Champions he and Solo will win the titles, and he dedicates the upcoming win to the greatest tag team of all time, Afa and Sika the Wild Samoans. Roman, Heyman, and Solo head out leaving Jimmy and Jey in the ring. Jimmy still not really having felt Roman’s wrath means he doesn’t fully get what’s at stake when Roman goes violent.

In the back Kayla talks with Damage Control. Even when things don’t go as planned they work, and Bayley takes the blame for Iyo Sky losing at Backlash, she shouldn’t have pushed Iyo into the title picture when she wasn’t ready. But tonight Bayley and Dakota Kai win back the tag team titles, so she hopes Roman learns that Smackdown belongs to Damage Control.

Back to the ring, here come Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, that title match will be up after this break.

Post break commentary lies about the world talking about the World Heavyweight Title tournament. Then we get a congratulatory video package for how much of a success Backlash was.

In the back the LWO laugh at the Usos, Jimmy and Jey want some violence but Rey and Santos Escobar show up and Santos says it’s not their fault the Tribal Chief doesn’t love them anymore. The force of that burn sends the Usos walking away.

Back to the ring for our next match.

Match #4 – Women’s Tag Team Title Match: (c) Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Damage Control (Bayley and Dakota Kai) w/ Iyo Sky

Kai and Raquel start us off, Raquel no sells some moves from Kai then launches her into the corner and shoulders her then Morgan tags in. Morgan and Raquel with some double team corner offense, then Morgan kicks Kai in the head for 2. Kai lands a kick then a School Boy for 2, we see Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn in the back watch TV at an odd angle still holding the NX women’s tag team titles. Kai takes over with an elbow strike then tags in Bayley. Morgan fights back with kicks but gets clotheslined down by Bayley. That sends us to break.

Raquel is running wild on Kai as we come back, and hits the Scott Hall special, the fall away slam. Another fall away slam from Raquel then the twisting Vader Bomb misses as Kai rolls out of the way. Bayley tags in but Raquel fights them both off with a double chokeslam. Morgan tags in and Raquel launches her into both Bayley and Kai, then swings her into both of them a few times before hitting a tossing powerbomb sending Morgan into both of them. Bayley and Morgan wind up alone in the ring, Morgan lands a knee strike but Kai makes a blind tag as they’re on the ropes. That sets up a kick from Kai and a double stomp powerbomb combination but Kai goes down selling the knee so everyone’s down. Kai crawls to the cover but Raquel is here to break up the pin. Bayley tags herself in and tells Iyo to get a weapon. Raquel pulls the belt away from Iyo, then runs over Kai on the floor as Morgan catches Bayley in an O’Connor Roll to get the 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez retained the titles

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: A little too disjointed, the commercial break really hurt this one, but the story of Damage Control breaking up is probably the most interesting thing that group has done since their debut.

In the back Pretty Deadly find the Brawling Brutes. Sheamus introduces them and asks which is which, they don’t have an answer. Pretty Deadly is struggling to fill out their intro forms and mock the Brutes intelligence, then walk off. Sheamus says they’ll find out soon enough.

The ring is being set up for a Smackdown wrestler, Bianca Belair, to celebrate her record breaking RAW women’s title run. Which, I guess, is still ongoing. Anyway Belair will talk after this break.

Post break here comes Bianca Belair. Before Belair can say anything here comes Asuka to interrupt things. Asuka offers a handshake, Belair accepts and then Asuka with the Blue Mist to the eyes of Belair. Belair sells this like death as Asuka dances around blowing kisses to the crowd. Evil Asuka remains awesome, she probably should have gone over at Mania.

In the back AJ and Bobby both warm up for their main event match, coming up after this break. Oddly timed out segment there.

Post break Belair is freaking out in the trainers room, asking for help while violently thrashing at anyone trying to do so.

Next week Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa go face to face with Owens and Sami, The Usos will fight Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio, plus Ridge Holland and Butch take on Pretty Deadly. Oh yeah, and Grayson Waller will be debuting his talk show.

Bobby Lashley gets the end of his entrance shown, AJ got the jobber treatment.

Match #5: AJ Styles vs. Bobby Lashley

AJ avoids a tie up and lands a couple of strikes. Bobby is not impressed, but tires again and again AJ avoids him then lands a couple of strikes. AJ tries to remain elusive but Bobby backs him into a corner, though again AJ avoids him and lands strikes. Bobby’s head has begun leaking a little bit again. Bobby blocks a chop and lands a knee strike then takes over with corner offense. AJ avoids a corner attack and unloads with strikes on Bobby but Bobby blocks a throw and just launches AJ over the top rope and to the floor. Bobby follows AJ and slams him into the ring apron then lifts AJ up on his shoulders and rams his head into the ring post as we head to break.

We come back to AJ eating elbows to the back of the head. AJ into the ropes but comes off with kicks, a lot of leg kicks from AJ then he stomps the ankle a few times. Bobby fights back with a back elbow then some grounded strikes. AJ avoids a corner Spear and catches the Calf Crusher. Bobby slams AJ’s head a few times to break the hold, but AJ with a flurry of strikes and leg kicks then a kneeling DDT for a 2 count. AJ with punches but Bobby fights back with an elevated Flatliner for a 2 count. Bobby wants the Dominator, but AJ lands on his feet and lands a sliding elbow. Bobby avoids a strike and grabs the Hurt Lock. AJ might be fading, but he can get to the ropes and force the break. Bobby and AJ head out of the ring, Bobby bounces him off the ring steps then goes to slam him into the ring post again but this time AJ slips free and posts Bobby then follows up with an enziguri. Back into the ring, AJ wants the Phenomenal Forearm, Bobby avoids it then counters a Calf Crusher into a suplex attempt but AJ knees his way out of it. Bobby catches AJ coming off the ropes with a running powerslam for 2. Another Hurt Lock attempt from Bobby, AJ counters with elbows but Bobby strikes him down. Bobby wants a Spear, but AJ slips away and Bobby posts himself, then AJ follows up with a knee against the ring post. AJ with the Phenomenal Forearm, and that’ll get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: AJ Styles won

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Solid match, and if all we care about is match quality then Styles vs. Rollins is a very good choice. Sadly Rollins is probably going over.

Commentary run down the updated Night of Champions card, and AJ celebrates with the rest of the OC on the entrance stage to close the episode.

7.8

The final score: review Good

The 411

Good show this week, nice to see things back on track after a ton of filler last week. Things felt like they gained momentum here, both triple threats were good but sadly they never quite hit very good. The AJ vs. Edge vs. Rey match in particular felt like a bit of a let down, Edge looked rusty and a touch old while AJ had to save a chunk of himself for the main event. It wasn't bad by any means, but the slower first half hurt and the botched finish left a less than stellar impression. But we got a good hoss fight in the other one, and AJ vs. Bobby was perfectly fine. Elsewhere we have Roman being a gloriously manipulative douche, Damage Control spiraling downward, a few NXT call ups starting to introduce themselves, Asuka going full heel on Belair to try and help Belair out after the crowd turned on her badly at Backlash, and all in all it feels like things on the Smackdown side actually have some direction right now. The downsides were some technical wrestling issues and a few layout/pacing issues which kept this from hitting Very Good, but all in all a Good show that was definitely trending in the right direction.