Tag: Isla Dawn

WWE SmackDown results 10/20/23: IYO retains, Bianca returns, Logan gets his match

Plus John Cena sort of ended his long losing streak, but not really.

It’s back to work for Logan Paul tonight on WWE SmackDown in San Antonio.

Yes, Paul was just in a boxing match of dubious quality last weekend, and he is pretty busy with his social media empire and sports drink business on a daily basis. But he insists that WWE is his full-time gig, so we’re humoring him here.

After said boxing match, Paul said he would like to more seriously pursue a WWE title, and specifically the United States Championship. One problem: WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio currently has that belt in his possession, and he’s not likely to want to hand it over.

But Mysterio responded to Paul’s interest in a positive manner, making it seem that perhaps we’re setting things up for a title showdown at Crown Jewel (or perhaps Survivor Series, which is just a few weeks later). We should know more after tonight, as Paul will be on hand and Mysterio isn’t likely to just hang out in the back if he’s being called out.

There’s also a big championship match on tonight’s card. IYO SKY has been a great WWE Women’s Champion so far, but to truly validate her reign, she needs to hold off more than one top challenger. Charlotte Flair would certainly qualify, seeing as she’s only the most decorated women’s wrestler of all time. Can SKY push herself to new heights, or will The Queen reclaim her place on the throne?

Plus, while Roman Reigns isn’t scheduled to be on SmackDown tonight, he did respond to the news today that he’ll be facing LA Knight at Crown Jewel. It seems possible, maybe even probable, that something will happen in San Antonio related to that upcoming bout.

Many eyes in Texas will be on a certain baseball game today, but we’re guessing there will still be plenty of people interested in SmackDown too. Let’s get into it.

WWE SmackDown results from San Antonio:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Paul Heyman chops it up with LA Knight, much to Paul’s dismay
  • Bobby Lashley and Angelo Dawkins give a pep talk to Montez Ford, whose match is up next
  • Montez Ford def. Santos Escobar by pinfall, but Carlito arrives with a steel chair to prevent any post-match liberties by the Street Profits
  • The LWO regroups backstage, but Rey Mysterio says he needs to handle whatever Logan Paul has in store by himself
  • Pretty Deadly is as excited as they’ve been since the opening night of Taylor Swift’s tour, but they’re mistaken about never seeing the Brawling Brutes again, much to their chagrin
  • Jimmy Uso is feeling pretty good about what he did earlier this week, but Heyman is more interested in who just walked into the arena: John Cena
  • Bad Bunny doing a WWE-style promo on himself to promote his host/musical guest stint on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend is shown
  • John Cena is fired up and not ready to quit yet, and he’s able to fend off an attack by Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso thanks to some help from one of their family members
  • Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn warn that “The Unholy Union is Coming”
  • Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis agree to disagree about Jey Uso’s fine or punishment, and when Aldis asks for security to escort Jey and Pearce from the building, Pearce has a swift response: “Let the games begin”
  • Logan Paul confronts Rey Mysterio, and the two men agree to a championship match at Crown Jewel
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Cameron Grimes and Dragon Lee by pinfall
  • Kevin Owens tells Cathy Kelley “it doesn’t feel great” being separated from Sami Zayn, but he feels like it’s a clean slate for him on SmackDown, and he discusses some opponents he’s never faced before and some new faces he can punch
  • IYO SKY def. Charlotte Flair by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Championship after hitting Flair with her title belt, but …
  • … Bianca Belair returns to save Flair after the bell, delivering an emphatic KOD to close the show

WWE SmackDown results: The Usos deliver a message to Solo, Roman

See what’s going down in the Bloodline saga and who wins the women’s tag team title unification match on WWE SmackDown.

Perhaps this was inevitable, as Thanos might say. Even with the family bonds between The Bloodline, it was always likely the WWE wasn’t big enough for all of their ambitions. Now, Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa are preparing to do physical battle with The Usos at Money in the Bank, and before that, it appears all four men will be in the house for WWE SmackDown tonight.

Bloodline Civil War? We’d say so.

The Bloodline segments have been the biggest draws on SmackDown for some time, and there’s no reason to think anything will change for tonight’s show from Lafayette, Louisiana.

That’s not to say there’s nothing else of interest on the schedule for this particular June Friday. The women’s tag team titles will be unified as Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (the WWE champs) take on Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn (who still hold the NXT titles despite their recent call-up). Shotzi will attempt to get into the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match if she can knock off Bayley, whose spot in said match is on the line — or at least that was the plan, because that match is no longer listed on WWE’s official site as of the time of this post.

But heck, it’s OK if there is a little bit of mystery for this SmackDown, because people would tune in to see what’s going on with the Bloodline alone. The whole second hour could be drama with the Tribal Chief and his subjects and it would do big ratings.

(Note to Vince McMahon in case you’re reading this: Please don’t actually do this, we’re exaggerating for effect.)

Let’s dive right in, because we hear The Usos’ music …

WWE SmackDown results from Lafayette:

  • The Usos come to the ring to a huge ovation from the crowd, and explain that they still love Roman Reigns but that he messed up by disrespecting them; they also call Paul Heyman the biggest snake of them all and remind everyone that they’re the best tag team in the game, with plans on taking it back to the Uso Penitentiary mind set in London

  • LA Knight def. Rey Mysterio by pinfall, though Santos Escobar hustles down to keep him from unmasking or beating down Rey after the bell
  • Solo Sikoa nails Ridge Holland with a Samoan Spike backstage and says he’s not in the mood tonight; Heyman makes a phone call to Reigns
  • Sheamus tells Adam Pearce to “give me Solo now,” but AP has sent for Heyman and says he’ll handle it; Sheamus does the opposite and briefly pops out on stage to call for Sikoa to meet him in the ring tonight
  • Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler def. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn by pinfall to become the new Unified WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions; Rousey calls out Raquel Rodriguez afterward, who was watching the match from ringside, and Raquel says “we” want a rematch for the titles we never lost — meaning her and the returning Liv Morgan

  • Yes boy! The Grayson Waller Effect welcomes Pretty Deadly, who don’t feel like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are giving them the proper respect; they also get a visit from the Street Profits, who are anxious to introduce them to the smoke
  • Pretty Deadly def. Street Profits by pinfall, cheating a bit to do so
  • Charlotte Flair def. Lacey Evans by submission, but gets attacked by Asuka right after the bell
  • Pearce summons Bianca Belair to discuss the Flair-Asuka title match and says she’ll be barred from ringside, but she doesn’t seem to trust that he’ll be true to his word and give her the chance to challenge the winner
  • Solo Sikoa def. Sheamus by referee stoppage, then fights off officials who come to check on the Celtic Warrior; The Usos come to the ring to attack Sikoa, however, delivering a series of superkicks that leave Heyman’s mouth open in astonishment before they also hit an Uso Splash

WWE SmackDown preview 06/23/23: Bloodline battle lines are drawn

The WWE and NXT women’s tag team titles will also be unified tonight on SmackDown.

Even though The Bloodline had been fraying at the seams for weeks, there’s a difference between discord and outright rebellion. The Usos escalated the situation to that level last week, however, and now the WWE Universe is preparing for the Bloodline Civil War — which will apparently begin in earnest tonight on WWE SmackDown in Lafayette, Louisiana.

While Jimmy and Jey fired the first salvo in the form of a number of superkicks, Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa aren’t likely to let things go all the way to Money in the Bank without a response. The Bloodline segments have captured the imagination of pro wrestling fandom like little else this decade, and there’s no reason that won’t continue to be the case on SmackDown.

A big tag team match to determine the fate of the women’s titles going forward. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler have the WWE belts, while relative SmackDown newcomers Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn still hold the NXT straps. Something has to give tonight, as one of the duos will leave the arena with two championships.

Another bout could throw a wrinkle into the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match in London. Bayley previously won a spot in the battle for the briefcase, but Shotzi managed to goad her into putting it on the line — or rather, Shotzi did the goading and IYO SKY accepted on her teammate’s behalf, but it works out the same way. Could the Role Model stumble just eight days away from MITB?

That’s one of the reasons we’ll be watching tonight, although yes, it’s going to be mostly to see what the next twist is in “As the Bloodline Turns.” The action goes down beginning at 8 p.m. on Fox, at which time we’ll be doing live results and updates here on Wrestling Junkie.

WWE SmackDown results, live blog 06/09/23: Jey Uso, on the spot

WWE SmackDown from Des Moines is slated for the latest chapter in the ongoing Bloodline drama that has gripped fans for more than a year.

For most of the Bloodline saga, Jimmy Uso has been a supporting cast member while the juiciest subplots swirled around Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and even Solo Sikoa. That’s changed in recent weeks and directly affects what is going to go down on WWE SmackDown tonight in Des Moines.

As the group has started to unravel in earnest over the last month or so, it’s been Jimmy, not Jey, who has been most emphatic that something about Reigns’ leadership has to change. Oh yeah, there was also that small bit about blasting the Tribal Chief in the face with a superkick, that probably didn’t help.

But while The Usos tried to broker some kind of peace last week, Reigns turned them down. He also made it very clear that he expects Jey Uso to get his twin brother back in the fold. Can he do that? More importantly, does he even want to? The pressure just keeps flipping back and forth between The Usos as this story progresses.

Elsewhere, it’s time for Money in the Bank qualifying matches to really kick it into high gear. A total of three men and three women have already punched their proverbial tickets for the Ladder matches in London, but that leaves three spots each still to be filled. SmackDown will take care of four more, two each for the men and women, thanks to four qualifiers in Des Moines.

Finally, WWE has added a new twist to one of its sillier talking points from the last few weeks: the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champions serving on the “wrong” shows. But Asuka is supposedly being presented with “a WWE Women’s Championship” tonight, meaning the light at the end of this nonsensical tunnel might be in sight.

WWE SmackDown results from Des Moines:

  • Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman are IMMEDIATELY interrupted by Jey Uso, who is told the whole situation is Jimmy’s fault because he is jealous of Jey’s destiny as a singles champ and future Tribal Chief; Jey says he will take Heyman up on an offer to challenge for the United States Championship but keeps him hanging on the question of whether he will stand with the Bloodline

  • Santos Escobar def. Mustafa Ali by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, with LA Knight watching on guest commentary
  • “You listen to what’s in your heart, not what’s being put into your ear.” Sami Zayn gives an impassioned speech to Jey about how the Tribal Chief side of Reigns causes so many problems and that he hopes Jey can see the consequences of pursuing that for himself
  • NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn come to the ring and are quickly interrupted by Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler, who challenge them for a title unification match and get a quick and violent acceptance

  • A tribute video package is shown to honor The Iron Sheik, who died this week
  • Bayley def. Michin by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, irritating AJ Styles who was on guest commentary; Scarlett approached Styles after the match and sprayed him with red dust in the face, allowing Karrion Kross to apply the Kross Jacket from the first row of the crowd

  • Bianca Belair wants another piece of Asuka, but Adam Pearce asks her not to attack the champ tonight, and she agrees since Pearce says she’s in line for a rematch
  • The O.C. promises an angry and blinded Styles that they will make Kross and Scarlett pay
  • Asuka hands over her Raw Women’s Championship and receives the new WWE Women’s Championship … and she is confronted not by Belair, but by Charlotte Flair, who makes a challenge for the title that is quickly accepted; Asuka tries to hit Flair with the mist, but Charlotte is too quick for her

  • Heyman visits Jey to promise him a ride on Reigns’ private jet to Money in the Bank and a title celebration with Roman next week — and a public acknowledgement of Reigns grooming Jey to be the next Tribal Chief; Jey tells Paul if he’s in the Bloodline, it means Heyman is out
  • Pearce is on the phone with Vince Triple H, probably, when an angry Belair shows up
  • Butch def. Baron Corbin by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, with Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes watching from the crowd and distracting Corbin somewhat; Corbin, Williams and Hayes get into a post-match scrap and have to be separated by referees and security
  • Butch celebrates his win with the Brawling Brutes, while Corbin gets attacked by Cameron Grimes
  • IYO SKY def. Shotzi by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, with an assist from Bayley
  • Austin Theory is upset about being the last person to find out about his title defense against Jey Uso, but he promises to send Jey back to the Bloodline like the failure he is; Theory also invites Heyman to check out Austin Theory Live if he needs a new client after next week
  • Kevin Owens talks to Zayn about his discussion with Jey, then the champs get a visit from Pretty Deadly, the Brawling Brutes, the Good Brothers and the Street Profits, infuriating KO and leaving Pearce with little option but to say they can settle the question of who should be No. 1 contenders in a Gauntlet match next week

  • A short vignette promotes The Grayson Waller Effect and informs us that Charlotte Flair will be his guest next week
  • Austin Theory def. Jey Uso by pinfall to retain the WWE United States Championship match, in a match that also saw Pretty Deadly, Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa get involved and Jimmy accidentally superkick Jey
  • With Solo and Heyman watching from the aisle, Jey shoves Jimmy and rolls out of the ring; Heyman says “I’m sorry” and calls Reigns, but the show ends without Jey making a decision

WWE SmackDown results 06/02/23: Solo picks Tribal Chief over brothers … for now

See if the Bloodline held together long enough to celebrate 1,000 days of Roman Reigns as Universal Champion on WWE SmackDown.

Tonight should be a joyous occasion for Roman Reigns. With WWE promoting a celebration of his 1,000 days (and counting) as Universal Champion, it should be a time for the Tribal Chief to take a well-deserved victory lap, secure in his dominance.

And it would be … if everything was alright with The Bloodline. Instead, it’s the exact opposite, as things have arguably never been more turbulent. After being pushed past their limits by Roman’s gaslighting, The Usos erupted into the family stable version of open revolt, with Jimmy, not Jey, as the ringleader.

There’s almost zero chance The Usos will be beside Reigns tonight, leaving him with just Solo Sikoa as the loyal but silent lieutenant, and his wise man, Paul Heyman. That makes you wonder if Reigns will be in any mood to appreciate his accomplishments, even if WWE gives him a shiny new belt to mark the occasion.

What else is on tap for Wilkes-Barre? Oh not much, just qualifying for the potentially career-altering experience called Money in the Bank. So far two men are in and zero women, but we’re going to increase those numbers tonight. Montez Ford will take on LA Knight (kind of a shame since both men deserve to be in the Ladder match), while Zelina Vega goes up against Lacey Evans.

With a few other surprises bound to be part of the show as well, it should be a fun two hours.

WWE SmackDown results from Wilkes-Barre:

  • Austin Theory claims he’ll have a 1,000-day celebration and more since he’s probably going to be United States Champion forever; he also brings out Pretty Deadly, who says they were glad to take care of the Brawling Brutes and won’t mind doing it again
  • Austin Theory and Pretty Deadly def. Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Butch and Ridge Holland) by pinfall
  • A video package replays the problems in the Bloodline that erupted at Night of Champions
  • Paul Heyman tells Solo Sikoa that they need to make the night special for the Tribal Chief, especially after what just happened, and says he’s going to talk to Adam Pearce to ensure the Usos go nowhere near the celebration tonight
  • The O.C. wishes AJ Styles a happy birthday, and the Good Brothers say they’ll take out Hit Row tonight
  • Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows def. Hit Row by pinfall, Styles gives Top Dolla a Phenomenal Forearm, and Michael Cole makes some poor efforts at rapping
  • Pearce tells Heyman the Usos have been told they aren’t needed tonight and that he’s doubled security to keep them out
  • Raw Women’s Champion Asuka drops by The Grayson Waller Effect, but IYO SKY pays a visit as well, followed by Bayley, Shotzi, Lacey Evans and Zelina Vega; when Asuka tries slipping away, Bianca Belair shows up and they brawl until officials can separate them
  • Cameron Grimes tells Pearce that the next time Baron Corbin shows his face on SmackDown, he’ll handle it
  • Zelina Vega def. Lacey Evans by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
  • The LWO is fired up by Vega’s win, and Santos Escobar says he’s going to win his qualifier next week too
  • LA Knight def. Montez Ford by pinfall (grabbing the ropes to ensure he gets the three count) in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
  • A spooky vignette promotes the “Unholy Union” of Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre
  • Triple H gives Reigns an introduction comparing him to athletes who redefined domination of their respective sports, then presents him with a brand new (very gold) Undisputed WWE Universal Championship title belt …

  • … but his speech is quickly interrupted by The Usos, with Jimmy Uso saying he did what he did because he’s being a good brother, and after Solo Sikoa stands with his brothers, Jey tries to broker peace; Jimmy makes a plea to reunite the family, but even after a hug, Reigns says no, and Sikoa hits Jimmy with a Samoan Spike and walks out with Roman

WWE SmackDown results 05/26/23: Bloodline on the KO Show can only end one way …

See what transpired during the final WWE SmackDown before Night of Champions.

Just like Inigo Montoya before he reveals he’s not left-handed, we’ve got something to share: Tonight’s WWE SmackDown is not live.

You very likely are already aware of that, seeing as Night of Champions is tomorrow in Saudi Arabia, and talent reportedly left for Jeddah on Tuesday. That means this SmackDown was pre-recorded after last Friday’s show.

It’s a weird set of circumstances for a go-home show, but such are the logistical hurdles WWE must jump through when putting on shows in Saudi Arabia. It’s strange for us as well, because while the results are already out there, we’re going to press on and cover the episode like it’s playing out for the first time.

So let’s dig into what we’re getting. The most heavily promoted segment has been Kevin Owens hosting The KO Show with two guests who might not be in the mood for witty banter. We’re talking about Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, a.ka. The Bloodline, a.k.a. the two men who are going to try to take the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship from Owens and Sami Zayn on Saturday.

Let’s just say the chances of this erupting into violence are very high.

There’s also going to be a United States Championship match that could be very good. Austin Theory defends his title one-one-one against Sheamus, a man he’s never faced in a singles match until tonight. Er, last Friday night. You get what I’m saying.

Also, AJ Styles will get a tough stay busy match before he tries to become the first ever holder of the new World Heavyweight Championship as he takes on Karrion Kross.

Not to shabby for an episode that’s already taken place, or at least it appears that way.

WWE SmackDown results:

  • Austin Theory def. Sheamus by pinfall to retain the WWE United States Championship, thanks in part to Pretty Deadly causing chaos by attacking the Brawling Brutes at ringside
  • Roman Reigns tells Paul Heyman to let The Usos know they can join the Tribal Chief in the ring for the 1000-day celebration of his title reign, and now it’s Jimmy Uso who is chafing under Roman’s leadership and seems to be walking a thin line

  • Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi def. Damage CTRL (Bayley and IYO SKY) by pinfall, helped by some miscommunication by Bayley and IYO
  • A pair of videos hypes the World Heavyweight Championship tourney final at Night of Champions, taking individual looks at Seth Rollins and AJ Styles
  • Cameron Grimes def. Ashante Thee Adonis by pinfall, but gets attacked by Baron Corbin on his way back up the ramp
  • Bianca Belair discusses how this version of Asuka wants more than just her Raw Women’s Championship, and though she is jumped from behind by the Empress of Tomorrow, she fights back and nearly hits a KOD before officials and referees usher Asuka out of harm’s way

  • LA Knight def. Rick Boogs by pinfall, then turns his attention to calling out the Street Profits, who were on guest commentary
  • Karrion Kross and Scarlett say Styles should be worried about what kind of condition he’ll be in after their match tonight
  • A video vignette plays for Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn
  • AJ Styles def. Karrion Kross after Michin helps drive off Scarlett to prevent any hijinks
  • Styles takes a second backstage to say that Rollins can be invincible … but not phenomenal, which he’ll prove tomorrow
  • A video package promotes the ongoing feud between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar before they meet again at Night of Champions
  • The KO Show (which is The Kevin and Sami Show) prepares to “welcome” Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, but The Usos storm the ring instead, ending with Jimmy Uso saying ” … I am the Tribal Chief”; Reigns is obviously none too happy when he arrives, and after Owens stuns Reigns, all heck breaks loose; Reign spears Zayn after Sikoa spikes both the tag team champs, and Jimmy ends up holding the tag team belts before Jey takes them and hands them to Roman

WWE SmackDown results 05/19/23: Usos continue their downward spiral

Things went from bad to worse for Jimmy and Jey Uso on the May 19 episode of WWE SmackDown.

It’s really only in retrospect that we realize that we were watching when a big star made their debut … because we don’t know until later they’re actually going to be a big star. But every debut could be something special down the road, which is a relevant idea for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown from Columbia, South Carolina.

Why? Because even though we briefly saw Grayson Waller last week, this will be the show where he makes his first legit SmackDown appearance, hosting his segment “The Grayson Waller Effect.” He’s promised a big name guest, and if we were to make a wager, whoever it is just might be someone he antagonizes into being his first opponent on the blue brand.

There’s also no guarantee that Waller becomes a huge WWE star. But he might, and if so, you’ll be able to tell everyone you were watching when he took his first steps.

As for those who are already main eventers, tonight’s show has plenty of those as well. Most prominently, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are going to come face to face with their challengers at Night of Champions, Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa.

Sure, KO and Sami have been in the ring with those two plenty of times, especially Sami seeing as he was once part of the Bloodline and all. But things are different now, particularly since Reigns brushed aside The Usos — who also happen to be in tag team action tonight. This has all the makings of a very combustible mix, and we’re here for it.

WWE SmackDown results from Columbia:

  • Roman Reigns doesn’t even get past the “Acknowledge me!” part of his promo before Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn join him and the Bloodline in the ring; when The Usos ambush Owens and Zayn and look for approval, however, Reigns is livid and storms out of the ring

  • Jey and Jimmy try to explain themselves, but Roman insists he had something to say and angrily kicks them out of the Bloodline dressing room
  • Pretty Deadly def. Brawling Brutes by pinfall
  • A tribute video is shown to remember the late “Superstar” Billy Graham
  • Zelina Vega says she is, in fact, ready for Asuka after the experience she had at Backlash in Puerto Rico
  • Asuka def. Zelina Vega by submission, then won’t let go of the Asuka Lock, which ends up bringing Bianca Belair to the rescue — and Belair barely avoids another dose of the mist

  • The Grayson Waller Effect welcomes AJ Styles, and Grayson Waller ends their conversation with what he thinks will be the best part of Night of Champions: “And new … World Heavyweight Champion, Seth ‘Freakin” Rollins!”

  • The LWO has a pep talk ahead of their match with The Usos
  • Street Profits def. LA Knight and Rick Boogs by pinfall, leading Knight to turn on Boogs after the match, hitting him with the BFT
  • Cameron Grimes says it feels like he’s living a dream and is ready to keep going … to the moon!
  • Karrion Kross and Scarlett have a tarot card for Styles, never a good thing
  • Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn def. Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon by pinfall
  • Due to Liv Morgan’s injury, Raquel Rodriguez has to relinquish the tag team titles and find another partner to compete for them against three other teams, but she gets mocked and challenged by Damage CTRL in the meantime
  • Austin Theory complains about being ganged up on last week, but Sheamus isn’t out there to talk and just drops Theory with a Brogue Kick
  • Heyman says the Tribal Chief forgives the Usos but still won’t be out there at ringside for their match
  • LWO (Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar) def. The Usos by pinfall, with an assist from Owens and Zayn, and Reigns is unhappy but keeps Sikoa from going out there

WWE SmackDown results: WWE Draft begins, The Usos come up short

Yes, the WWE Draft begins tonight, but there’s also a huge tag team title rematch in store in Corpus Christi.

It’s time to get those picks in. WWE SmackDown is hitting Corpus Christi tonight, and it’s bringing the 2023 WWE Draft with it.

Triple H has promised that this year’s draft will truly “change the game,” and assuming he wasn’t just trying to get in one more pun involving his nickname from his wrestling days, we’re looking forward to how things will get shaken up.

That’s far from the only big thing happening during this week’s SmackDown, however. There’s also the not so little matter of a rematch for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, one now held by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn following their dramatic victory at WrestleMania 39 earlier this month.

The Usos have a chance to get their gold back, but what happens if they fail? Jey and Jimmy dedicated the match to their Tribal Chief, but if they come up short, they’re likely to face his wrath — especially since Paul Heyman has let them know Roman Reigns is already losing patience with them.

(As an aside, The Usos can also be drafted separately from Reigns and Solo Sikoa, which is something to keep an eye on over the next few days.)

The other notable match promoted ahead of tonight’s show will see Zelina Vega take on Sonya Deville. Vega bravely called for a title shot against Rhea Ripley at Backlash and got what she asked for, but now the hard work begins. She’ll be looking to get a dub against Deville to make sure she heads to Puerto Rico with some momentum.

What else do you need to get psyched for this Friday’s show? Probably not much, we’d wager.

WWE SmackDown results from Corpus Christi:

(Click here for WWE Draft picks updated throughout the night and click on any match with a link for more details)

  • Triple H introduces the first segment of the WWE Draft, announcing that the post-draft rosters will go into effect on May 8, the Raw after Backlash; with Roman Reigns as part of the first overall pick, the World Heavyweight Championship becomes exclusive to Raw
  • The Usos double down on dedicating their championship rematch to Reigns, but are joined on stage by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and everyone agrees the time for talking is over
  • LA Knight def. Butch by pinfall
  • Heyman says tonight is the night, but Jey Uso doesn’t seem to be digging this pep talk as much as Jimmy
  • Rob Van Dam (Raw) and Michael Hayes (SmackDown) come out to the podiums to read the next two rounds of WWE Draft picks
  • The Street Profits (who are headed to SmackDown) still want the smoke
  • Street Profits def. Braun Strowman and Ricochet and LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) by pinning Ricochet
  • Teddy Long (Raw) and JBL (SmackDown) come out to announce the Round 3 draft picks
  • Zelina Vega def. Sonya Deville by pinfall, then gets assaulted by Rhea Ripley (who also smashes Deville), who looks for Riptide but sees it countered into a DDT
  • Zelina gets props from Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio, with Rey telling her not to worry about what anyone else thinks of her chances at Backlash
  • The O.C. heads to the ring, including the returning AJ Styles, are confronted by the Viking Raiders and Valhalla, and Styles ducks out of the way so there’s an even six-person brawl, and The O.C. quickly wins it … and Styles delivers a Phenomenal Forearm for good measure
  • Road Dogg (Raw) and Shawn Michaels (SmackDown) hit the stage to make the fourth and final round of WWE Draft picks for the night
  • Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre are interviewed after being selected for SmackDown but get challenged for their titles before they leave NXT
  • Shinsuke Nakamura is asked about heading to Raw but gets laid out by Karrion Kross
  • Heyman says he and Solo aren’t going out to the ring because the Tribal Chief wants the spotlight on The Usos, but he’s been acting sus all night
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn def. The Usos by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship