WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS: A Rejuvenated Submission Magician Spells Trouble for Current Champion While a Familiar Doomsday Duo Spell Trouble for Someone Else (August, 5th 2022)
Welcome all to the first Smackdown report since Summerslam, and apologies for the delays as ive been occupied with work shifts this weekend. The Triple H era has really kickstarted since the events of Summerslam last week, as theres now no Vince angles to continue. Coming out of last weekend, Liv Morgan is still Smackdown Womens Champion, and her former contender Ronda Rousey has been suspended after being incensed over the outcome to the point of attacking the current champ and a WWE Official. While Liv gets to explain the controversial remaining few seconds of that match, we also get right to bringing about a new contender for the underdog champion, in the form of a multi woman gauntlet match.
For the first womens moment of the show, Kayla Braxton introduces Liv Morgan, and the Smackdown Womens Champion proceeds to the ring for an interview, notably bandaged up due to the attack unleashed by Ronda post match last night, again with consequences as Ronda faced suspension for such actions. Once Liv is in the ring, Kayla introduces her again, but then gets round to bringing up the events of Summerslam. She mentions that Ronda thought she had Liv beat at Summerslam, but she ended up snapping when it was Liv’s arm raised in victory. She mentions too that Ronda has been suspended, and also fined, for her actions, then asking Liv whats been going on in her mind since Summerslam. Liv admits shes been feeling many different emotions, but when she looks at her title…she cant even complete that sentence due to noticeable booing in the background. But Liv understands. She understands that the elephant in the room needed to be addressed and thats why she has come out to the ring. The fans response is to chant You Tapped Out at Liv, who tries to conceal her upset at it. She admits that the fans are calling her out on her s***, but the championship meaning everything to her is why she withstood armbar after armbar. She did survive the armbar on three occasions, and yes she had tapped, but only after she thought the referee had counted three. Shes about to address what may be to come when Ronda comes back, but shes interrupted by another woman with an MMA background, Sonya Deville.
The former authority figure says what shes seeing is hard to see, so Liv needs a dose of reality. Liv can try her innocent, noble act in front of all the people and some will buy it due to being dumb, but they both know that Liv shouldnt be champion. Its pathetic and disgusts Sonya, but what made her happy was Ronda getting her hands on Liv after Liv screwed her over. But what happened is also a testament to how much Adam Pearce sucks at his job. Getting up in the face of Liv, she admits that she loves to see her hurt, so heres what will happen. Tonight shes winning the Gauntlet, then shes going to challenge her at Clash at the Castle. There she is going to break Liv’s heart, because shes going to take what means the most to Liv, her Smackdown Womens Championship. Liv quietly mouths “try me” then Sonya turns away to focus on her opponent to start off the gauntlet, the entering Aliyah. With in ring action about to commence, Liv seats herself aside the commentary table to play witness to her potential future contenders.
The bell rings and Aliyah and Sonya advance to each other and lock up. Aliyah appears to have the edge at first with a headlock applied to Sonya, but Sonya manages to break free as she pushes her to the ropes. Aliyah comes back by shoulder blocking her down to the mat, but after she runs the ropes, Sonya is up and counteracts Aliyah with a sudden back elbow. Sonya scores a knee after then stretches Aliyah against the middle rope, but only briefly as getting to a five count would cause her disqualification. As Sonya releases from Aliyah, Aliyah swoops back into focus as she yanks Sonya into a sudden roll up, but Sonya kicks out of the first attempt early. Sonya hits back with a kick then hauls Aliyah onto both shoulders, but Aliyah gets free and pushes Sonya over to the ropes. Sonya runs those ropes and ducks under Aliyah’s oncoming clothesline, picking up Aliyah and driving her down with a spinebuster. Sonya covers after the move, with Aliyah kicking out of the heels pin attempt at two.
Sonya applies a choke to Aliyah, with Aliyah taking some time to fight out before performing a sit out jawbreaker to officially separate from Sonya. Sonya tries coming back with a running forearm but Aliyah dodges that and takes down Sonya. Both get back up but Aliyah is soon sending Sonya down again, this time with a Lou Thesz Press. Sonya gets back up again, aiming a forearm but Aliyah evades again, flies off the middle rope and dives onto Sonya. Aliyah covers following her crossbody attempt, only for Sonya to fight out at two. Aliyah tries to rebound, but shes tripped onto the middle rope by Sonya, who then connects with a driving elbow, the Deville’s Advocate, for the three count. Aliyah has been eliminated.
Entering next is a tough powerhouse for Sonya to try overcome, as out comes the former NXT Womens Champion and tall standout on Smackdown, Raquel Rodriguez. Raquel runs down to the ring, meeting with Sonya as she powers through early, taking Sonya into a corner. Raquel connects with a series of shoulder tackles then scoops Sonya out and away from the corner, looking to drop her against the mat but Sonya lands with both feet. Sonya charges forward, looking to hit next offense, but Raquel takes her down with a clothesline. Raquel covers after the move, but Sonya kicks out of her first pin attempt at one. However, Raquel soon recovers from the follow up kick to the gut by Sonya, scooping Sonya mid charge and going for a possible slam, but Sonya gets loose and in sinister fashion, she chop blocks her foe from behind. Sonya follows with a running hair mare to Raquel, with Raquel then kicking out of her follow up pin attempt.
Sonya applies a headlock to Raquel for some time, Raquel trying to push through late on only to be sent to the mat backwards. Sonya slides back over to reapply her headlock, but Raquel powers through, and this time she gets to hit offense in the form of a sidewalk slam. Sonya tries to charge back at her but runs into her back elbow, then is dropped against the top turnbuckle jaw first. Raquel clobbers Sonya after with a big boot, then Raquel connects with the corkscrew elbow and a Tejano Bomb to eliminate Sonya from the Gauntlet Match. Sonya has been eliminated.
Next to enter is a vengeful and troublesome Shotzi Blackheart. She gets Raquel ensnared in an octopus hold following up from weakening Raquel with a Tornado DDT. Shotzi switches up to an abdominal stretch variation as she continues to attempt to weaken Raquel, but eventually Raquel manages to push through, spinning Shotzi for a bit before connecting with a fallaway slam. Like she had before versus Sonya, Raquel connects with the corkscrew elbow then the finishing Tejano Bomb to quickly deal with and eliminate Shotzi. Shotzi has been eliminated.
Down to the ring after as an entrant in the gauntlet is the former Tian Sha Member, Xia Li, the fearsome chinese superstar squaring up to her last NXT opponent. She unleashes a number of kicks right away to Raquel, managing to bring her down a bit before utilising a dropkick to take Raquel to the mat fully. Xia storms over to Raquel and proceeds with stomps to soften up one of Raquel’s legs further, adding on some elbows to the same leg then an elevated stomp. Xia follows with a sliding knee out of the corner to Raquel, then an immediate pin attempt ends when Raquel kicks out at two, staying on in the match despite the damage done. Xia tries to twist both over but it doesnt go as planned so Xia switches to a half crab near instantly. Raquel tries to push through but Xia bashes her back down to the mat and returns to the half crab, but only for so long as she switches up to driving Raquels knee into the mat. Xia talks some trash, and hits some shots to Raquel, but she only seems to drive her fire by doing so, as an evidently angered Raquel soon strikes back with a headbutt. Xia strikes back with a kick and proceeds to run the ropes, only to run forward into Raquels clutches, with Raquel hurtling her as she connects with a Fallaway Slam. Seeing Xia nearest to the ropes, Raquel capitalises and hits again the corkscrew elbow, then scooping the smaller opponent and connecting with the Tejano Bomb to get in a second elimination. Xia has been eliminated.
Next is a more experienced opponent for the former champion, as out comes the Queen of Harts, Natalya. Natalya has evidently seen what has occured throughout, as she goes right to striking Raquels leg. She proceeds with a takedown and seeks her sharpshooter early but Raquel has the veteran scouted and kicks her somewhat away. Natalya moves back to Raquel and seizes her, but Raquel takes herself and Natalya to the ropes, using the ropes to force Natalya away. Natalya rolls through and instinctively switches to Sonya’s earlier offense, chop blocking Raquel from behind. She kicks that hurt leg repeatedly, as well as driving it into the mat. Natalya applies a leg lock variation on the mat, Raquel having to lift her shoulder repeatedly to avoid being pinned while trying to not succumb to the pain. Natalya smacks Raquel, and Raquel responds with a low guillotine application. Raquel rolls through, takes Natalya with her and steps up into a vertical suplex set up before connecting with the move. Raquel covers after the move transition and connection, but finds Natalya kicking out of her pin attempt at two.
Natalya manages to apply the sharpshooter, targeting both legs, including the hurt one, but Raquel uses her strength to power through and ends up grabbing the ropes. Natalya rains a few shots toward Raquel in the corner, then places herself on the middle rope as she switches up to downward shots. However, Raquel again capitalises on the opponents positioning, clenching Natalya, taking both herself and Natalya away from the corner and driving her down as she connects with the Tejano Bomb to take the veteran out of the match. Natalya has been eliminated.
Remaining as Raquels last obstacle towards a title match is the final gauntlet entrant, her fellow former NXT Womens Champion Shayna Baszler. Shayna gets the upper hand early on as she gets Raquel grasped in a leg lock on the mat, stomping on her hurt leg also. Shayna also kicks Raquels arm when she tries to hold onto the ropes to prevent herself being pulled forward, with Raquel then being hurtled back to the same corner by Shayna. Shayna attacks Raquels arm again, and repeatedly, taking Raquel back to the mat along the way. Raquel tries to come back with a running back elbow but Shayna moves out of the corner and Raquels body meets with that corner instead. Shayna pulls Raquel into an inside cradle but Raquel makes the early escape.
Shayna returns to Raquel, kneeing her down to the mat. Shayna places herself atop Raquel for a new pin attempt, but Raquel ends up fighting out at two. Raquel tries to come back with a few fists but Shayna evades the later one and clambers onto Raquels back. Raquel slings Shayna over her right shoulder and her head, taking Shayna to the mat. Raquel then splashes Shayna in the corner, then goes back up, goes for the corkscrew elbow and makes it all the way down, but Shayna bursts back up after the connection and stuns Raquel as she applies the kirifuda seated up. Raquel tries getting to her feet, even with Shayna on her, and she seems to start fading. Raquel tries to push through towards the corner but Shayna rolls her back with her, but Raquel uses this chance to try a counter similar to Kairi’s back in the day, backfiring when Shayna breaks out at two. Shayna rolls up a worn out Raquel and pins her to follow. Shayna wins the match, becoming the number one contender to Liv’s Smackdown Womens Championship title, the title shot due at Clash at the Castle in September.
Speaking of championships, later in the night its announced that the vacated WWE Womens Tag Team Championships are to make a return, and on Mondays RAW, there will be the kickstarting of a tournament to crown the new champions.
Then Later in the night comes a massive surprise, as Drew McIntyre meets Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his cohorts in the Bloodline, the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions the Usos in the last segment of the night to get in some words ahead of him facing Reigns at Clash at the Castle for the championship. However, a familiar entrance music plays and Drew’s attention is turned to atop the ramp, as Karrion Kross’s very familiar Angel of Doom, stands. The returning superstar’s distraction is in aid of her fellow returning superstar, as Karrion Kross attacks Drew from behind, taking their executed interaction to the steel steps as he relentlessly bashes Drew against them. Kross rejoins his valet and wife, who has an hourglass held in hand. She places it in the ring nearby to the Usos and Reigns, switching it around to signal the potential incoming end of Reigns championship reign. Kross and Scarlett stare down and taunt the Bloodline to close out their massive and shocking return to Smackdown.
(Liv Morgan, Kayla Braxton and Sonya Deville Segment)
(Womens Number One Contendership Gauntlet Match feat Liv Morgan)
(Liv Morgan on Smackdown Fallout)
(Roman Reigns, the Usos and Drew McIntyre Segment; Scarlett and Karrion Kross Return)
Thoughts On:
Gauntlet Match: The Sonya versus Aliyah part of the gauntlet was a bit iffy, but picked up for me when Sonya versus Raquel started, as they worked well as opponents last time. While the prior segment could have been a tease for Sonya vs Liv, it was no surprise to see Raquel look like an actual powerhouse by actually picking up a streak against numerous other competitors, even despite the leg damage done. Having Shayna enter last seemed like as the fans speculated, the beginning of a rejuvenation for Baszler at the hands of Triple H. Originally, i wouldnt have been down for a roll up finish, but rolling up Raquel after weakening her legs and arms, then her overall energy per the pressure of the kirifuda, does make sense. Im excited for Shayna vs Liv, but it feels like a filler to proceed into something bigger, Ronda returning and aligning with Shayna. In the meantime, with Shayna’s technical experience, shes going to be an additional threat to Liv’s arms amongst other body parts.
Karrion and Scarlett’s Return: The Moment Triple H took over creatively, i was hoping this was going to happen, that the two would make a return but i didnt see it being for a few months as i thought the two would fulfill their MLW and DEFY bookings first, along with the Wrestling Showcase. Sure, Kross was rumored to being discussed amongst creative ahead of Smackdown, but even i wouldnt have foresaw him returning on the same night. Kross was in talks to be working with names like Bray, Orton, even Reigns ahead of his prior main roster debut, but Vince’s his usual ways meant it was soon forgotten about and he applied his own vision for Kross instead, and we know how that went. Triple H calling back Scarlett and Kross feels like a redeemer for Vince not just firing them amongst a plethora of talent in favor of paying off hush money (not “budget cuts”) but gives Kross the proper main roster call up he should have had, with Scarlett, amongst the main eventers, with no alterations to the gimmick, the music, the lighting, the characteristics, EVERYTHING back. With Triple H knowing and letting them run the ball with their presentation, knowing an out of touch old man wont be there to ruin yet another NXT talent, i dont blame Kross and Scarlett for coming back. They have made me really excited to watch the main roster product more, and im excited to see what they bring every week in general, just like when they were on NXT. Regardless of what people think of them, ive always been a fan and im happy for them.
– Catherine
Cattie's Womens Wrestling 