WWE invades the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, for tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Advertised for tonight’s episode – John Cena as a special guest on ‘The Grayson Waller Effect’, LA Knight vs. The Miz in a rematch from WWE Payback, and more.
Stay tuned to eWn for the latest from WWE SmackDown!
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Pat McAfee’s here to kick off Friday Night SmackDown! And Michael Cole is looking it!
McAfee is around town due to some college football commitments and says that he wanted to be here for SmackDown. He plays to the crowd for a while before being interrupted by Austin Theory
Theory grabs a mic and says this is “Austin Theory Live.” He says he’s gonna take care of McAfee and send him back to talking about college football. McAfee says he doesn’t think so. He adds that this ain’t Theory’s show, it’s “The People’s Show.” Wait. What? Don’t mess with me… IF YA SMELL, WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING!!! The crowd is going absolutely bonkos! Holy sh*t!
Once The Rock soaks it all in, Theory asks him if he knows who’s ring he is standing in. This has been a long time coming, says Theory. “Shut your b*tch ass up!” He takes off his jacket… “Finally, The Rock has come back to Denver!”
Theory goes that the people are finally getting The Rock and Austin in the ring together, not ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, the real Austin, the ass-kicker. Rocky begins to talk, but Theory goes, “It doesn’t matter what The Rock says!” But The Rock says this, “See it does actually matter what The Rock says.” What matters even more is what his people say.
Rock says Theory that if Steve Austin were here, he’d say, “If you wanna see Rock kick this jabroni’s ass, gimmie a hell yeah!” He calls for one side of the arena to chant, “You are,” and the other side to chant “an assh*le!” The crowd lets Theory have it, but Rock interrups, asking them to stop. He wants them to switcharoo… each side of the arena now has to say the opposite.
It’s been quite a while of this, and McAfee says to The Rock that this is just a two-hour show. The Rock says that The Rock and the people are having fun. The Rock also says that he’s gonna kick Austin Theory’s ass in three seconds.
Theory goes after The Rock, but The Brahma Bull retaliates. Spinebuster! YES! And The Rock’s milking it. And he’s milking it. The crowd’s going wild, the babies are all up in the air… here comes… “the Most Electrifying Move in All of Entertaiment! “The People’s Elbow!!”
As The Rock’s theme hits, he asks McAfee to also do The People’s Elbow. McAfee gladly obliges. Rock’s music plays again, and that was a hell of a way to kick off my Saturday morning. Woke me up like no cup of Joe ever has!
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Looks like we are in for a treat tonight. AJ Styles versus Finn Balor? Yes please. Thank you!
#1. AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor – Winner: Finn Balor
The Judgement Day of course kept interfering, much to AJ Styles’ chagrin. The crescendo of the bout saw the referee eject the Judgement Day from ringside. As Styles began to take advantage, Jimmy Uso blindsided Styles outta nowhere. Balor took the opportunity and got the pin. Jimmy was elated with what he had just done, as we headed to a commercial break.
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Bak from the break, The Rock and Pat McAfee are having some fun backstage, doing the split “you are” “an assh*le” chant from earlier tonight. As McAfee walks off, in walks John Cena.
They share a look, before Cena breaks into smirk. The Rock says that he’s seeing that Cena starting to smile. Cena welcomes him home. It’s good to be here, says Rocky.
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We cut to Jimmy Uso backstage, and Finn Balor approaches him, thanking him for the assist earlier tonight. Jimmy says that it was just the receipt from last week. Balor says it’s cool. He adds that he saw Jey on Monday Night Raw and that Jey probably misses him.
Balor says The Judgment Day invited Jey to join them on Monday, and he didn’t say no. Maybe Jimmy could also join them? Jimmy appreciates the offer, but he’s good for now.
Balor adds that there’s no leaders or hierarchy in The Judgment Day. No Roman Reigns, no Tribal Chief. Jimmy seems entice and is giving it a second thought. Paul Heyman walks in, prompting Balor to walk off. So the question is, what’s brewing here among the Judgement Day and The Bloodline?
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Back inside the ring, LWO is in the ring. Rey Mysterio, the United States Champion, recounts his issues last year, and expresses gratitude to LWO for their friendship and support. LWO reminded him what family is all about.
Santos Escobar then says that it’s always been his dream to wrestle his idol, Rey Mysterio, with a title on the line. He asks for a shot at the United States Championship. Rey goes, ‘after all we’ve been through? Are you serious?” Escobar says he is, and Mysterio says he was just messing with Mysterio. He accepts Escobar’s challenge.
Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford interrupt the moment. After they get in the ring, they point out that there already seem to be cracks in LWO. Lashley says the’ll br taking over WWE, and it looks to be even easier than he thought.
Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde challenge The Street Profits, and we have ourselves an impromptu tag team match-up.
#2. LWO vs. The Street Profits – Winners: The Street Profits
Following a quick squash, The Street Profits continue to layeth the smackdown on Del Toro and Wilde, prompting Mysterio and Escobar to go for the save, only for Lashley to hit the ring as well. Lashley, Ford & Dawkins eviscerate LWO and leave them laying as we head to another break.
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We see a “Progressive Match Flo” recounting the history between The Miz and LA Knight, hyping up our next match of the evening.
#3. LA Knight vs. The Miz – Winner: LA Knight
Following the match, LA Knight says that he is gunning for championship gold here in WWE. IT DOESN’T MATTER if it’s Rey Mysterio, GUNTHER, Seth Rollins or even Roman Reigns. He wraps up the quick promo with everybody saying, L.A. KNIGHT! YEEAHHHH!!!
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Backstage in The Bloodline locker room, Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa have their eyes on the monitor. The feed on that monitor is different from the TV feed, cause I see them on mine, but they don’t. They see what’s in the ring. Anyway…
Solo is mad at LA Knight for some reason, but Paul Heyman reminds him that they need to focus on Jimmy Uso. Paul E. says that Jimmy’s picking fights with anyone and everyone, in particular John Cena, without The Tribal Chief’s authorization. Solo says he’s gonna finish this mess tonight before walking off. Heyman all but s**ts his pants as he goes “but who gave that order?!” He then asks the voice assistant AI thingy on his smartphone to call Roman Reigns.
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Backstage, Adam Pearce ais with Pretty Deadly, and says he’s happy that have have recovered from their injuries. Kit Wilson (or Elton Prince, one of them, I dunno) is in a wheelchair, and Pearce says that the last he heard, he had a shoulder injury. Wilson and/or Prince say that they haven’t healed up 100% yet, but Pearce ain’t don’t take no B.S.
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Bayley and Dakota Kai are seen backstage. Bayley questions why Iyo Sky has picked a fight with Asuka, they have never been one-on-one in the ring. She hopes Sky is ready for Asuka. Dakota Kai, though, says that Bayley has been quite distracted by Shotzi Blackheart of late, and wonders whether she is ready for Asuka. Bayley goes that Kai is in a wheelchair and does not understand the gravity of the situation. All in all, trouble’s brewing in Damage CTRL as we head to our next match.
#4. Bayley vs. Asuka – Winner: Asuka
Good match! The crescendo of the match saw Bayley, at ringside, clearing the announce table. As she picked up Asuka, Shotzi suddenly appeared from the crowd, scaring the hell out of Bayley. She quickly gets Asuka and herself back in the ring, but Asuka rolls up a distracted Bayley to steal the win. After the match is done, Shotzi scares off Bayley and she heads backstage.
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We get an overly cartoony and cringey introduction for ‘The Grayson Waller Effect.’ Waller, after he’s done with his awful material, introduces John Cena. Huge pop! The crowd roars as Cena sprints down to the ring, and seats himself down on his designated… chair.
Waller does some more of his material, and there was one line there about his mom having taught him to take off his cap/hat while in grown-up situations or something. Anyhoo, Cena’s had enough of this clown. He stands up, takes off the hat and the shirt, before Waller asks him to calm down. This is a talk show, and it’s now Cena’s turn to talk, per Waller. Jimmy Uso’s theme hits…
Jimmy comes down to the ring and gets in Cena’s face. He snatches away Cena’s mic and says that no one wants him here, and unless Cena has something important to say or do, he should het off Jimmy’s show. Jimmy continues ranting before Solo Sikoa’s theme plays.
Solo, flanked by a visibly, and I mean VISIBLY confused and scared s**tless Paul Heyman, also gets in the ring, getting right in Cena’s face, right in there. Like, right in his face.
He then turns around, steps away, and suddenly grabs Jimmy. He feigns a Samoan Spike, before taking out Cena with a Superkick. Jimmy laughs and joins Solo in beating down Cena (Waller’s watching BTW).
AJ Styles’ theme hits and he rushes to make the save. Cena somehow does the shoulder tackles, and the slam he does and the Five Knuckle Shuffle in the insanely cramped ring, you know, ’cause of all the furniture. He now has him up for the AA! Meanwhile, Paul Heyman, who was busy asking the voice assistant on his phone to call Roman Reigns, quickly orders Solo to save Jimmy. Solo yanks Jimmy off Cena’s shoulders, and The Bloodline retreats, as Cena and Styles shake hands and the whole nine yards. Cena’s music continues to play as we bid you adieu.
Goodbye, and GOOD NIGHT, BANG! Thanks for joining us for an insanely packed episode of Friday Night SmackDown. See ya guys tomorrow night for AEW Collision!
