Credit: WINC
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up live from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee.
– We go right to the ring and out comes The Bloodline – WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, with Paul Heyman. Reigns stops and stands on the entrance-way as Heyman hands him the strap. Reigns raises the title in the air as the pyro goes off to a louder mixed reaction from the crowd. The Bloodline marches to the ring now.
Cole shows us how The Usos interrupted The New Day last week, which led to the non-title main event where Knight Kofi Kingston and King Xavier Woods got the win. Reigns poses on the apron with his finger in the air. Cole says Reigns was on vacation last week. The Tribal Chief enters the ring and raises the title to more pyro going off. Fans chant “you suck!” as Reigns takes the mic. Reigns says he wasn’t here last week because when you smash someone like Brock Lesnar, you gotta celebrate so he took a vacation. Reigns says he heard everyone grumbling but don’t worry, he’s here now. Reigns tells this “tiny little town” to acknowledge him.
Reigns recalls how he and his wife had a great week, running around naked on a private island. He says but not everyone had a great week, and in fact it was a bad week for a lot of us. He says that dumbass Lesnar had a bad week because he got himself fined $1 million and suspended indefinitely. Reigns says he’s responsible for that because he’s got the juice and the stroke around here, he makes it happen. Reigns asks Heyman what else happened last week. Heyman rants about Kayla Braxton harassing him but that’s not what Reigns is asking about. Heyman brings up how The Usos lost a non-title match to The New Day. Reigns asks if the fans like The New Day. He gives them some props but says they’re not better than The Bloodline. Reigns is having a hard time understanding how his cousins got beat by The New Day.
Reigns asks which one of The Usos got pinned in the match. Reigns puts his arm around Jimmy Uso as some fans begin to chant for The New Day. Reigns says that is because of Jimmy. Reigns tells Jimmy to explain how he’s going to fix this problem. Jimmy says he’s got Reigns, like he said last week, he’s going to kick Woods’ crown off and make him acknowledge who the Tribal Chief is, who the real king is, who the Universal Champion is. The music interrupts and out comes King Woods and Sir Kingston.
The New Day taunts The Bloodline from the stage for a few minutes. Woods proposes that if Jimmy can beat him tonight, Woods will acknowledge The Tribal Chief, but if Woods wins, Jimmy will be forced to bend the knee to him. Jimmy says no one is taking orders from those chumps, or bending knees. Jey Uso speaks up and says The Bloodline bends a knee to nobody. Heyman yells some before Reigns speaks up and accepts the challenge for The Bloodline. Kofi declares Jimmy vs. King Woods for tonight. The music hits as Cole also confirms the match. The Bloodline looks on from the ring.
– Cole shows us how Shayna Baszler defeated Naomi last week due to an assist by special referee Sonya Deville.
Naomi vs. Shayna Baszler
Naomi breaks the hold by getting the ropes but Baszler takes advantage of the 5 count. Naomi comes right back and rolls Baszler up for the pin to win out of nowhere.
After the match, Naomi begins to celebrate but Deville comes out and has the music cut. Deville says no one is leaving the ring until she makes her remarks. Deville says Naomi grabbed the ropes right before the pin, which means it should’ve been released, which means the pin didn’t count at all. Deville knows Naomi is upset, but she has no choice but to restart the match. Naomi seethes as the bell rings. Baszler comes from behind and applies the Kirifuda Clutch, taking Naomi right down to the mat. Naomi starts fading and the referee calls the match via submission.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
After the match, Deville looks on from the apron and taunts Naomi as Baszler celebrates.
– The Bloodline is backstage in Roman Reigns’ locker room suite. Reigns is ranting about how he takes one vacation and now SmackDown sucks, it’s almost as bad as RAW. The Usos laugh and Reigns says this is no joke. Jimmy seemingly apologizes but Reigns is upset as he gets in Jimmy’s face. Reigns asks Jimmy Uso what they don’t do and that’s lose because they are the ones. Jey hypes them up with some words of encouragement, then leaves with Jimmy as Reigns looks on.
We see how Shotzi attacked Sasha Banks last week. Shotzi will be here next. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a new “coming soon” teaser vignette for Xia Li.
– Kayla Braxton is backstage with blue brand newcomer Ridge Holland, asking what he is most looking forward to on SmackDown. Holland can’t wait to meet his idol, The Celtic Warrior, Sheamus. He says Sheamus is tough and rugged, and handles his business like he does, and would fit in perfectly back home. Holland goes on about how everyone at his local pub used to watch Sheamus when he had a big match, including his WWE Title win over John Cena, the Royal Rumble win, and so on. Holland says Sheamus is an inspiration for him and that’s awful news for the rest of SmackDown. Holland taps his baton a few times and walks off.
– Cole shows us how SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair won a non-title match over Shotzi last week, and how Shotzi snapped to destroy Sasha Banks after the match. Kayla is backstage with Shotzi now, asking about what happened last week. Shotzi says she’s had enough… she has finally had enough. She’s lost title opportunities and her tag team partner since coming to SmackDown, and she’s lost the support of the WWE Universe, and thanks to Banks last week she lost the biggest match of her entire career. Shotzi will not smile and pretend everything is OK any longer. She says Banks’ patronizing attitude was her breaking point and now Banks is her target. Shotzi says she will run over Banks and anyone else who gets in her way, and she doesn’t need a tank to do it. Shotzi walks off.
Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo vs. Cesaro and Mansoor
Cesaro saves Mansoor from a double team but Carrillo superkicks him and Mansoor gets knocked to the floor. Carrillo grounds Cesaro with the Muta Lock as Garza delivers a big basement dropkick, then covers for the pin to win.
Winners: Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo
Jeff Hardy is backstage talking to Aliyah when Kayla Braxton interrupts for an interview. Hardy introduces Kayla too Aliyah. Aliyah walks off to let them do the interview but Jeff apologizes and stops Kayla so he can follows Aliyah as he sees her stop and talk to Sami Zayn, who is apparently harassing her. Sami tells Aliyah it’s all about appearances here, and that she should show people she means business by wearing a pantsuit. Sami walks off. Aliyah asks Hardy if Sami is always like that, and Hardy says yes. Hardy welcomes Aliyah to SmackDown.
Drew McIntyre vs. Ricochet
McIntyre gets a Claymore in mid air on Ricochet for the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
After the match, Drew stands tall as the music hits and the referee checks on Ricochet. We go to replays. Drew taunts Ricochet some and walks off. Drew stops and looks back at the ring, saying “not bad, not bad” to Ricochet.
