IYO SKY‘s Money in the Bank cash-in was a popular one, and there’s no question that WWE fans are behind her as WWE Women’s Champion. Asuka almost always gets a reaction whether she is a face or heel. Something will have to give tonight on WWE SmackDown, as they meet in Glendale for their first ever televised singles encounter.
Though it’s a tad surprising that this hasn’t happened before, the two women weren’t in the same place at the same time too often in Japan, were mostly teammates when they were, and their paths simply haven’t crossed in WWE except on rare occasions. That said, if there truly is anyone ready for Asuka, it figures to be SKY, and their title match should be fantastic as long as WWE resists the urge to overbook it.
(Unless that leads to an even longer match at, say, Fastlane, then all may be forgiven.)
SmackDown will also get a visit from a certain John Cena, who has become something of a regular over the past few weeks. While the writers and actors strikes are probably to thank for that, it’s fun to have him around to interact with both longtime acquaintances and relative newcomers.
There are rumors buzzing that Cena may actually end up in a match on tonight’s show, which would be a treat. Except for Superstar Spectacle earlier this month in India, which wasn’t televised in North America, he’s been in the ring just once in 2023, when he lost to Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39. You want ratings on a fall Friday night? Cena in action would probably do it.
We’re certainly anxious to see if that is indeed the case.
WWE SmackDown results from Glendale:
(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
- The champ is here: John Cena kicks off the show, saying he wants a match and has AJ Styles as a partner, but Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa look like they want to play some mind games instead
- Cena and Styles find Adam Pearce, who say booking a match with The Bloodline is “complicated,” but he promises to find Paul Heyman to see if he can make the match
- Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar def. Street Profits by pinfall after Angelo Dawkins is reluctant to take advantage of interference by Bobby Lashley
- A highlight video is shown of The Rock’s return on last Friday’s SmackDown, but Austin Theory is upset about it
- Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn suggest they’ve cursed the women’s tag team titles
- Pearce yells at Theory for hijacking the show, and the Brawling Brutes mock him until Grayson Waller arrives to support his friend; the Brutes want to fight them and Pearce likes that idea
- Lashley yells at the Profits and tells them he wants all the suits and jewelry back if they can’t “pull the trigger”
- IYO SKY def. Asuka by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Championship
- Pearce drops by The Bloodline dressing room with a contract, but Heyman says it can’t be tonight and is told it’s at Fastlane; Jimmy is fine with that, but Paul tells him decisions like that need approval by the Tribal Chief first, and Solo tells Paul that after tonight, no one will be left to fight them at Fastlane
- Pretty Deadly takes us through the (very exaggerated) trials of Elton Prince on his road to recovery
- Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Brawling Brutes by pinfall
- Cena signs the contract, but The Bloodline has other ideas for Styles
- Styles is loaded in an ambulance, with Karl Anderson noting that he warned AJ not to get involved with Bloodline business
- The Bloodline hits the ring to end the show, and Cena can’t fight them alone … though he tries
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