The SmackDown Live Report
THE ONLY BLVD!
The lights are bright and it’s SmackDown tonight! We are live from the Hilliard Center in Corpus Cristi, TX. For your pleasure tonight, the Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifier Matches continue. On the men’s side; Randy Orton, United States Champion Trick Williams and AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix will do battle to join Bron Breakker and Je’Von Evans in the coveted MitB ladder match. For the women; either Women’s United States Champion Jacy Jayne, Alexa Bliss or Jade Cargill will earn the right to join Sol Ruca and Lola Vice to fight for the contract at MitB on Saturday, October 10th at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. Also tonight, WWE Tag Team Champions The MFTs of Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga, flanked by the legendary Haku, will step in the ring with the dangerous Bakusai of Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki in a non-title match. Cody Rhodes returns to SmackDown after losing a highly personal showdown against Randy Orton with an exclusive interview. And, after a flurry of chaos last week, the self-proclaimed “Last Real Good Guy” Sami Zayn finally found justice as the new champ and will be on SmackDown. But, with former champion CM Punk, Kevin Owens, Gunther, Finn Bálor, Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and (the newly rejuvenated) Johnny Gargano/Johnny Wrestling gunning for the gold, what will the night have in store for the new Undisputed WWE Champion?
We got plenty to do tonight and that’s a lot – so let’s get to the SLAM and see what we’ve got!
We’re introduced to the walk-ins of all the folks having matches tonight. We’re then shown the chaos last week in the main event of CM Punk vs Sami Zayn where Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, and Kevin Owens all intervene to make #JUSTICEFORSAMI as Zayn wins the WWE Championship.
Now live in the ring is SmackDown’s GM Nick Aldis. He says sometimes in this business you have to deal with people who just rub you the wrong way, but you must act professional. He then introduces the new Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn.
Zayn is now wearing his “Last Good Guy” t-shirt since he’s now got justice. Interesting enough, the side plates on the title haven’t been changed from Punk (they still have Punk’s hands holding lightning bolts). Zayn says it must hurt Aldis to say he’s the champion. And he’s a little surprised at his reaction. He says even for the people booing, this is justice for them, and justice has been served. He says he also believes strongly in equality.
Cue Johnny Gargano with Candice LeRae. Cole called her Candice Michelle. Zayn announces Johnny Wrestling. Johnny says the reason they’re out here is they had a deal. He says Zayn promised he would be first in line for a title shot. Johnny wants it tonight. Aldis says he had a championship match in his home town already. And the man he considers next in line is not here, CM Punk.
In comes Kevin Owens. KO says if anyone deserves a match you’re looking at him. LeRaye interrupts him and says Johnny is next. KO stuns Mr Wrestling. Aldis reminds him he doesn’t reward bad behavior. KO reminds Aldis about all the main events Zayn screwed up. He said it all started when Zayn cost him his title match in Ontario. Zayn grabs Aldis and loses It, saying what happened before being put in a match days after winning the title isn’t happening again. Aldis warns Zayn to get his hands off of him. Aldis repeats himself: No one makes the matches except him. He says Zayn is defending the title tonight against KO tonight.
Aldis leaves as Zayn chases him. That cues “Voices” as Randy Orton walks down to the ring, but not before he stops and polishes Zayn’s title for him. Orton and KO even stop and stare at each other. Orton gets in the ring as he’s announced for the first match tonight: The men’s MitB triple threat qualifier match.
We come back from break as Rey Fenix is in the ring. Then, here comes the US champ Trick Williams flanked by Lil Yachty.
We’re reminded that Michael Cole is back on play-by-play, Corey Graves is commentator, Mark Nash is the ring announcer, and Cathy Kelley is reporting backstage.
Men’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifier Match:
Randy Orton vs United States Champion Trick Williams vs AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix
Just as the bell rings, Orton immediately nails Fenix down as Orton and Williams stare at each other. Orton and Williams go one-on-one for a bit until Fenix leaps in and Dropkicks Williams. Now it’s Orton and Fenix until Orton runs towards Fenix in the corner, but Fenix moves, shoving Orton into the ringpost. Williams tries to take advantage, but gets sent over the top as Fenix climbs up and dives onto Williams. Williams back in and Fenix climbs again with a moonsault but only gets a two-count on Williams.
These matches are a chaotic mess, so I’ll just go over to the finale where they typically land their finishers on each other. Fenix nailed Williams with an Uno-Dos-Tres Kick, Fenix climbs up to hit a high flying move only for Williams to roll out of the way and Orton to hit an RKO from the heavens on Fenix, Williams with a TrickShot on Orton knocking him out of the ring, and Williams goes to cover an unconscious Fenix for the three-count and the win.
WINNER: Trick Williams
Williams now joins Breakker and Evans in the men’s MitB ladder match.
Now backstage, Gargano, with an ice pack, and LeRae are arguing when Zayn comes up to them. Zayn sucks up to Gargano and says they’re against them. Sayn says he deserves a title match. Zayn starts to freak that he can’t lose the title again tonight and begs Gargano if he understands. Gargano says he understands. They leave.
Now in a backstage promo, Ther MFTs say their family got these tag team titles. He says he never needed Shinsuke Nakamora, so Nakamura brought in a joke left in Japan. Now, whatever happens to him is on you.
Promo time for the Bakusai, Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki. Kyoki speaks in Japanese (not gonna translate), then Nakamra says MFT is confused. They’re not the hunters. They’re the prey.
Commercial time as we get a special look at “Heart of the Beast” movie.
Elsewhere backgtage, Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley, who’s holding a candle, are getting Alexa Bliss ready for her women’s MitB match tonight. Paxley says it’s her candle that represents something special. Flair blows it out, saying Bliss doesn’t need candles, she needs to focus. Bliss tells them both she knows they have her back, but she really needs to focus on her own. Paxley says that gives her and Flair time to bond together and hands her another two candles. The candle Flair blew out represents bad luck. Uh oh.
Now live in the arena, Bakusai are on their way to the ring. Cole informs us that Bakusai means explosion, The more ya know. Next, out comes the Tag Team Champions MFT.
MFT (Tama & Talla Tonga w/ Haku) vs Bakusai (Shinsuke Nakamura & Kyoki):
This match is non-title.
Kyoki starts off against Tama. Kyoki immediately goes for Talla In the opponent’s corner but gets caught. Kyoki gets away again, this time sending Talla off the apron. But Tama sends him to the barricade outside and throws him back into the ring. Before Tama can get back in he’s nailed with a Cannonball off the apron by Kyoki, then Kyiki Double Dropkicks both MFTs. Mid-Match-‘Mercial.
Back from break and the MFTs are trying to get back control but Kyoki is just nuts. Every time it looks like they’re going to stop him he gets out of it and nails them with a defensive move. Tama tried chops but Kyoki begged for more. Talla got tagged in and looked for a Chokeslam, but Kyoki reversed it into a DDT. This guy’s cray-cray. He dives off the top onto both MFTs.
Nakamura finally gets tagged into the fray against Talla. Talla went for Nakamura in the corner but missed as Talla smacks the ring post. Nakamura sets up for his Kinshasa finisher, but Tama comes in and tries to interfere. Nakamura beats Tama up on the ring apron, and that allows Haku on the outside to strike Nakamura with his walking cane, causing the DQ.
WINNERS: Bakusai
After the match, Nakamura gets hit again with the cane, and again with the cane on the steel steps against his throat. Kyoki tried to leap in but got caught and Chokeslammed on the ring apron. Kyoki gets double-teamed in the ring. The MFT shows off their titles.
Now somewhere backstage is Cathy Kelley interviewing KO. He says it’s a big night because in Corpus Cristi was his first official match against John Cena. He beat Cena. Now, the stars align because he can beat Zayn to become WWE Champion.
In walks Finn Balor. Balor said it’s convenient that he gets first shot at the title, since Zayn and KO are friends and he helped Zayn win the title last week. Balor says he’ll do things the right way. Whoever wins, he’s coming after the title, even if he has to win the MitB briefcase to do it. They wish each other luck before the commercial, which will feature a sit-down interview with Cody Rhodes when we come back.
When we come back, GM Aldis is congratulating WWE Women’s Champ Chelsea Green. Suddenly, Danhausen appears from Aldis’s office with Aldis’s phone. Danhausen says Gunther is really mad on the phone about “Human Monies in the Bank” and some guy “Mickie” keeps calling but he blocked him.
Then, as they walk, Stratton tells Green she’s in one of the MitB qualifiers. They bump into Nikki Bella and she says to keep her name out of their mouths. She says she’s coming after the title, and she doesn’t need qualifying matches.
Now live, Graves takes us back to Sunday Night’s Main Event where Rhodes was about to punt Orton but Orton begged him off. Rhodes hesitated and Orton gave a low blow to both Rhodes and the ref. An RKO later and Orton got the win.
Now Cole is comfortably interviewing Rhodes. He asks what happened at SNME. Rhodes says he doesn’t like the phrasing “couldn’t pull the trigger”, nor is he here for “mercy” as that’s just an excuse. Cole says a lot of people in the back called him QB1. Now he feels there’s no longer a team. Cole refers back to WM40 when he finished his story and beat Roman Reigns for the title. He shows a picture of the ring filling up with superstars. If you look at it, all the people there stabbed him in the back. Rhodes says it’s not the end of QB1 because WWE is a large team. Cole says he’ll be in the ring again with Orton, and what is he going to do. Rhodes brings up his morality. When he came back at WM38 he knew who he was. He made Brock Lesnar acknowledge him, he Beat Reigns after a four-year reign, beat the GOAT John Cena, and he beat Orton at WM this year even with the black eye. He then says when that situation comes up again, he won’t make the same decision again.
At the Gorilla Position, Jade Cargill and the Baddies are interviewed by Kelley. The Baddies respond about Flair and Paxley being next in line for the tag titles. If anyone should be, it should be the Baddies. Cargill says she’s not letting anyone take what’s hers, which is the MitB.
Out comes Cargill for the women’s MitB triple threat qualifier as she gets in the ring. Break.
We’re back and the Women’s US Champ Jacy Jayne is in the ring. Finally, out comes Bliss.
Women’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifier Match:
Jade Cargill vs Women’s US Champion Jacy Jayne vs Alexa Bliss
The women start things off surrounding each other. Jayne grabs Bliss’s hair and throws her to the mat as Cargill now stalks Jayne. Jayne rolls out of the ring, but Bliss goes outside and drops Jayne to the mat before throwing her back in the ring. Jayne goes back to the outside but now yanks Bliss down to the mat. Jayne goes into the ring with Cargill. Cargill throws Jayne around (a piece of her wig came off in the ring) and is now in control. Jayne gets a Hurricanrana and sends Cargill to the outside. In comes Bliss and kicks Cargill down. But Cargill gets back in and throws Jayne into Bliss who was on the outside. Side Slam by Cargill on Jayne but only got a two-count.
The finishers come at the end when Bliss looked for Twisted Bliss, but Jayne rolled to the outside where Cargill was. Bliss dives onto both women and throws Jayne back into the ring where she hits Sister Abigail on Jayne, but Cargill pulls out the ref to stop the count. Cargill reverses a Sister Abigail into Jaded. But Jayne runs in, kicks Cargill off of Bliss and steals the win.
WINNER: Jacy Jayne
The US Champ Jayne joins Lola Vice and Sol Ruca, punching their ticket to MitB.
We learn next week on SmackDown, the next Men’s MitB Qualifier Triple Threat Match will be Finn Balor vs CM Punk vs Gunther. For the Women’s MitB qualifier, it will be Giulia vs Charlotte Flair vs Lash Legend.
Kelley interviews Giulia backstage. The Irresistible Forces come in. Giulia says she doesn’t like Nia Jax, and she beats people she doesn’t like. Legend says she’s going to clean house in that match and bring home the briefcase and the championship, and she’ll look good doing it. Giulia says let’s see how good she looks with her teeth kicked out.
Elsewhere backstage, Lil Yachty walks with Williams as they discuss his MitB win. They bump into “ginger bread” Sami Zayn. Zayn demands that WIlliams show him some respect. Williams says last time Zayn’s reign was a week. He mentions this time it might be even shorter before walking away. We head to a commercial break ahead of tonight’s main event.
We’re shown that on Monday’s Raw we’ll hear from LA Knight, the Women’s MitB qualifier of La Catalina vs Roxanne Perez vs IYO SKY, and the Men’s MitB qualifier of Dragon Lee vs Solo Sikoa vs “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio.
Next up we see a promo vignette from Damian Priest explaining his heel turn. He says Truth was handing out title shots for six months while Priest had to win them back. Priest tried to show Truth he’s done. So he showed him the only way he knows how. You can call him a back-stabber but call him a “bad man”.
Now live, out comes KO for the main event. Then, out comes the current Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn. This is the first time they fought one-on-one for the WWE Championship, and KO hopes to come full circle. Mark Nash makes the dramatic introductions.
Undisputed WWE Championship:
Sami Zayn (c) vs Kevin Owens
Just before the bell sounds, KO blasts Zayn from behind and we’re under way.
KO starts pummeling Zayn in the corner. He sends Zayn to the ropes, but Zayn goes under and takes a breather. KO chases after him and hits a Clothesline on the outside. Running Senton by KO on Zayn. After a short break they’re back in the ring with KO sending Zayn to the ropes as Zayn tries to get away again. This time KO grabs him by the hair, but Zayn hangs him up on the top rope. Zayn pounds KO on the mat with punches and elbows. Zayn throws KO to the corner turnbuckle as KO hits hard. Zayn is in full control until he eats a Superkick by KO, a few Running Sentons, and a Cannonball in the corner. KO even gives Zayn a “you can’t see me” and the AA in an ode to John Cena. But only got a close call.
We got a few Mid-Match Main-Event ‘Mercials. But when we return from the last one, Johnny Gargano is running to ringside to distract the ref. Meanwhile, Candice LeRae gets a DDT on KO. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick, but KO kicks out. Zayn looks for another Helluva Kick, but KO gets a Pop-Up Powerbomb. KO with a stunner and a cover, but Gargano puts Zayn’s leg on the bottom rope. KO goes to the outside and throws Gargano against the barricade. He clears off the announce table and tries to lift Gargano up, but Zayn attacks KO on the outside. KO lifts Zayn up and smashes Zayn atop the table.
As they get back into the ring, Gargano goes for the title as LeRae distracts the ref. But Gargano eats a Stunner for his help. Suddenly, CM Punk appears with the title and blasts KO with it as Zayn looks on. Zayn goes for the cover. One… two… um, three? No? Huh? I had to go back to watch it a few times. Looked like KO very gingerly got his shoulder up with some help from Zayn on three. Graves said the ref was looking to signal for the bell after the fact. Apparently the ref says it was two as there’s some mass confusion if that was supposed to be the finish. Could be a botch. But KO crawls to the corner as Zayn goes for a Helluva Kick and the official three count win.
WINNER: Sami Zayn
Afte the match Punk returns to pound on Zayn. GTS on Zayn. Cole says we’re going to look at the closing moments of the match, but we’re interrupted by a GTS on KO by Punk.
The credits roll as Punk heads to the back.
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