This Friday night, WWE will host another live edition of SmackDown, straight from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Check out the highlights announced for the show below:
- We will see the fallout from the brutal confrontation between Gunther and Nick Aldis;
- CM Punk and Cody Rhodes will come face-to-face before teaming up at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event;
- Finn Bálor vs. Talla Tonga;
You can follow real-time coverage of the show starting at 8/7c, right here on Wrestling Noticias.
Results:
WWE SmackDown kicked off on USA Network with a recap video of last week’s show before Gunther made his way to the ring to a chorus of boos, with the crowd chanting “You suck!” Once in the ring, The Ring General said he’s been disrespected ever since arriving on SmackDown and blamed Nick Aldis for why he still hasn’t captured the Undisputed WWE Championship. The Austrian also complained about being left off the SummerSlam card and forced to team up with Sami Zayn.
Adam Pearce then stepped in to defend Aldis. The RAW General Manager said Gunther would have been fired had he acted the same way on his own brand, and revealed that Aldis had planned to include him and Zayn in the SummerSlam title match had they won at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Gunther just laughed. Cody Rhodes’ music hits
Rhodes storms into the ring and goes after Gunther, driving the Austrian out of the ring. Furious about the kick to the head, the American Nightmare demands a match later tonight. Pearce makes it official. Gunther heads to the back fuming.
In a video recorded backstage, Adam Pearce announces that Rhea Ripley is out of SummerSlam. As a result, a Ladder Match will take place at the event to crown an interim WWE Women’s Champion. Once she receives medical clearance, Ripley will face the winner to determine the undisputed champion.
Next, we see the arrivals of Jade Cargill, B-Fab, Michin, Nia Jax, Lash Legend, Tiffany Stratton, and all the members of Fatal Influence.
Singles Match: Finn Bálor vs. Talla Tonga w/ Tama Tonga
– Bálor lands a “Coup de Grace” on Tonga, followed by a pinfall.
Backstage, CM Punk confirms with Adam Pearce that Nick Aldis’s decision for tomorrow’s match stands. Before he leaves, he says he needs to talk to Cody Rhodes before tonight’s match against Gunther. Damian Priest then shows up, and the two make it clear they intend to capture each other’s championship. With Punk out of the picture, R-Truth appears and catches his partner by surprise.
Jade Cargill, Nia Jax, Jacy Jayne and Tiffany Stratton cut brief promos ahead of the qualifying matches for the SummerSlam Ladder Match.
Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder – Qualifying Match: WWE United States Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Jacy Jayne w/ Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid)
– Stratton lands a “Prettiest Moonsault Ever” on Jayne, followed by a pinfall.
Baron Corbin stars in a new vignette in which he says he kept up with SmackDown during his time away. Now that he’s back, he vows to take out anyone who thinks they’re tough and to win it all.
Backstage, Carmelo Hayes interrupts Trick Williams’ interview to make it clear that he’s the one who will deal with Corbin. Hayes again declares himself the better man and demands a shot at the United States Championship, but Williams tells him to step aside while the adults are talking.
We see a video package recapping the tense moments between Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman and Oba Femi from the latest episode of RAW.
Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder – Qualifying Match: Jade Cargill w/ Michin and B-Fab vs. Nia Jax
– Cargill wins via DQ after being brutally attacked by Charlotte Flair.
After the match, Flair tries to injure Cargill’s arm with a chair, but Michin and B-Fab make the save for their ally. Nia Jax then attacks The Queen from behind and leaves the scene, allowing Cargill to get back in the ring and hit Flair with a Jaded.
Backstage, Gunther assures Jackie Redmond that his only goal is to teach Cody Rhodes a lesson and win at Saturday Night’s Main Event to earn his spot in the title match at SummerSlam. The Austrian has no use for Sami Zayn and warns the Canadian not to get in his way.
Candice LeRae shows up pushing a production case with Johnny Gargano on top of it and reminds Gunther what’s on the line for Zayn. After The Ring General walks off, Blake Monroe attacks LeRae from behind and officially introduces herself. Before leaving, The Glamour stares down Gargano and fires off, “You need a haircut.”
Adam Pearce put an end to Nia Jax and Lash Legend’s complaints by confirming a match between Jax and Charlotte Flair for next week. Satisfied with the decision, The Irresistible Forces left the arena.
Tag Team Match: AAA World Tag Team Champions The War Raiders (Erik & Ivar) vs. Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer & Axiom)
– Erik and Ivar execute a “Double Chokeslam” on Axiom, followed by a pinfall.
A video recorded at Fanatics Fest NYC shows LA Knight taking shots at The Bloodline, the group he’s set to face at WWE SummerSlam alongside Royce Keys and Solo Sikoa.
CM Punk pulled Cody Rhodes aside backstage and voiced concern about their match against Gunther. The Best in the World warned that an injury could jeopardize both the Tag Team Match at Saturday Night’s Main Event and the title match at SummerSlam.
Rhodes, however, said he needs to get payback for the attack he suffered and pointed out that Punk would do the same in his position. Punk agreed, but said he’d be watching the match from ringside, even after Rhodes asked him to stay backstage.
Following that, a video package aired highlighting the top moments from the most recent episode of Raw, headlined by the contract signing between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns for SummerSlam.
Singles Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther
– Rhodes wins via DQ after being attacked by Sami Zayn, who appears by surprise.
After the referee calls for the bell, CM Punk, Gunther, Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn keep brawling in complete chaos until a group of security guards and officials rush out to try to break it up, bringing tonight’s show to a close.
End of show.