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 โ€” 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 โ€” 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 preview May 19: Sami, KO face to face with the Bloodline

This week’s WWE SmackDown will also see the in-ring debut of Pretty Deadly and “The Grayson Waller Effect” making its Friday night premiere.

The popular show “As the Bloodline Turns” will continue tonight at WWE SmackDown in Columbia, South Carlina.

OK, so there’s not really a soap opera (look them up, kids) with that name, but it feels like there could be given all the drama the group has gone through over the past year and a half. The latest development saw Roman Reigns publicly call out The Usos for their inability to wrest the tag team titles back from Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, as well as their questionable decision (in his eyes) to dedicate their failure to him.

Like any good Tribal Chief, Reigns is taking matters into his own hands, as he and Solo Sikoa, not The Usos, will challenge the champs for the belts at Night of Champions. To that end, the two teams will get a chance to see each other in person on SmackDown, a confrontation that should be plenty of fun.

As for Jey and Jimmy, it’s not like they get the night off. No, they’ll be somewhat awkwardly hanging around, as they have a match against the LWO’s Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar. It’s not likely a victory in a regular tag team match would get them back in Reigns’ good graces, but it would be a lot better than another ‘L.’

On top of that, we’ve got some key debuts by recent NXT call-ups. Pretty Deadly will hit the ring for the first time on Friday nights, taking on Butch and Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes. And a certain brash Australian will bring the “Grayson Waller Effect” to SmackDown for the first time, with what he says will be a big star as his guest.

It’s all set to kick off live on Fox at 8 p.m. ET, so tune in live or check with us for the latest from WWE SmackDown in Columbia later this evening.

WWE SmackDown results: Phenomenal night for AJ Styles sends him to tourney final

See who emerged from the SmackDown side of the tournament and what Roman Reigns had to say.

Knoxville, get ready for a packed two hours of WWE SmackDown tonight.

It’s the first episode with the new post-WWE Draft rosters, but the biggest intrigue is arguably about six men vying to be off to Raw. That’s because it’s the second night of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament, and if the SmackDown representative wins the whole thing, he’ll be defending that title exclusively on Monday nights.

Be that as it may, the Triple Threat matches for tonight are pretty sweet. One features AJ Styles, Edge and Rey Mysterio, while the other will see Austin Theory, Bobby Lashley and Sheamus collide. The winners will then face each other in what we expect will be the night’s main event, with that winner then going against Seth Rollins at Night of Champions for the title.

There are also titles up for grabs tonight. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will defend their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against the Damage CTRL duo of Bayley and Dakota Kai, because we guess IYO SKY can’t get all the title shots even though we’d stan for that.

Last and certainly not least, Roman Reigns now calls SmackDown his exclusive home, and he’ll be live in Knoxville as well. What will he want to talk about? Not Cody Rhodes any more, probably, so look for him to address the tension within the Bloodline and the status of The Usos.

It should be an entertaining two hours of pro wrestling without a whole lot of filler, which is just the way we like it.

WWE SmackDown results for Knoxville:

(click any match with a link for full details)

  • AJ Styles def. Edge and Rey Mysterio by pinning Edge to advance in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament first round match
  • Bobby Lashley def. Sheamus and Austin Theory by pinning Theory to advance in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament first round match
  • Grayson Waller gets Adam Pearce to agree to put the SmackDown tourney finalist on his talk show next week
  • Cameron Grimes def. Baron Corbin by pinfall in a matter of seconds to win his SmackDown debut
  • Accompanied by the entire Bloodline, Roman Reigns gives tons of credit to Solo Sikoa for solving problems, but wants The Usos to apologize for losing a match they dedicated to him …

  • … and after Reigns getting in Jimmy’s face, Jey steps in and apologizes but gets some surprising news: Solo and Roman will go for the tag team titles at Night of Champions
  • Damage CTRL seems to be having a Bloodline moment of its own with Bayley saying she pushed IYO SKY too hard and that she and Dakota Kai will win the tag team titles tonight
  • Still, stinging from their public humiliation, the Usos get into it briefly with the LWO but decide not to press it since they’re outnumbered
  • Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez def. Damage CTRL (Bayley and Dakota Kai) by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • The Brawling Brutes get a visit from Pretty Deadly but don’t know what to make of them
  • Bianca Belair has a championship celebration in front of her hometown fans that is quickly interrupted by Asuka, who sprays her with the blue mist
  • AJ Styles def. Bobby Lashley by pinfall in a World Heavyweight Championship Tournament semifinal