WWE SmackDown Results: Top champ caught with weapon; 7-time titleholder refused title shot; injured star returns
WWE SmackDown kicked off from the Jeddah Superdome, and the night's first match was the Queen of the Ring tournament semi-final match.
We also got the semi-final of the King of the Ring tournament, with the finals only hours away.
- Nia Jax def. Bianca Belair
- LA Knight & The Street Profits def. Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
- Bayley def. Chelsea Green
- Randy Orton def. Tama Tonga
WWE SmackDown Results (May 24, 2024): Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax - Queen of the Ring Tournament semi-final match
Jax had control of the match early on and got a big splash in the corner before dragging Bianca by the knee and locking in a stretch muffler.
Belair got out of the hold but took a massive Samoan Drop for a near fall.
Bianca came back with a flying crossbody but hurt her knee in the process. Belair tried for the KOD but failed as her knee gave out. Jax got a massive senton before hitting the Annihilator in the corner for the win on SmackDown.
Result: Nia Jax def. Bianca Belair
Bianca was getting her knee looked at after the match, and Nia got on the mic and told Lyra Valkyria in the front row that she would go through her tomorrow and win the Queen of the Ring crown.
Grade: B+
Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae came around to make fun of Bianca backstage, and Jade Cargill walked in and threatened them before heading to find Aldis to have a match set up.
Grayson Waller and Austin Theory were out next for The Grayson Waller Effect. They were about to call LA Knight to the ring, but Carmelo Hayes showed up instead.
Melo said that he was a better guest, and Grayson liked the idea as they all decided that the rookies should stick together.
Melo said that veterans like LA Knight were full of themselves and had nothing to show for it. The Megastar interrupted them on SmackDwn and walked to the ring before telling the rookies that he could school them any day.
Knight was about to walk out when Melo attacked him, and a brawl broke out before the Street Profits came out to make the save.
LA Knight & The Street Profits vs. Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller & Austin Theory on WWE SmackDown
Montez Ford and Melo kicked off the match. Ford had control early on, hitting a massive dropkick and tagging Dawkins in. Hayes took a facebuster from Dawkins before Knight and Theory stepped in the ring.
Waller tagged in with the babyfaces still in control and was isolated by Knight and the profits right away.
Knight came back and hit an elbow drop on Waller before Melo broke up the pin. Knight turned the rolling stunned from Grayson into the BFT, but Carmelo dragged him outside.
Knight speared Melo over the announce desk before Ford hit the splash on Waller for the win.
Result: LA Knight & The Street Profits def. Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
Grade: B
We saw footage from the press conference/kickoff show for the King and Queen of the Ring, where Logan Paul gave Michael Cole his brass knuckles and said he would be facing Cody without them.
Cody Rhodes was out next, and before he could speak, he was interrupted by Logan Paul. Logan said he was a better athlete than Cody and did not need the brass knuckles to win.
Cody said he was a good performer but had a case of imposter syndrome, claiming he had a spare set of brass knuckles on him.
Paul denied the allegation, and Cody asked for a SmackDown referee to check him out. Paul was worried and asked for Cody to be checked first before eventually getting caught with the spare knuckles that the official brought out.
Logan made excuses and said those were for his safety before getting frustrated and leaving. Cody showed him the weapon and said this was the difference between them. Logan would do anything to win, while the Rhoads were "as real as real gets."
Cody said Logan was not taken seriously until he learned to respect the ring and performers like Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes called Logan a 'kid' and noted that he would beat him so badly that Logan would regret stepping into the ring with him.
Nia Jax was backstage and warned Bayley that she would be coming for her title before the WWE Women's Champ walked out to the ring.
The Street Profits ran into DIY backstage, and the latter duo told them that they were looking to be tag champs before Ciampa spilled Montez's drink on the floor on purpose.
Bayley vs. Chelsea Green on WWE SmackDown
Bayley took some big hits right off the bat and was hit with a big dropkick before Green got a near fall. The champ was sent outside before Green kicked her head on the apron.
After a break on SmackDown, Bayley got some takedowns and a back suplex before Green returned with a leg lariat. Bayley got a pop-up powerbomb and the rose plant before getting the win.
Result: Bayley def. Chelsea Green on SmackDown
Piper Niven attacked Bayley after the match and took her out before the champ got a kick in the corner. Niven dodged the following offense before getting a takedown and hitting the champ with three big sentons.
Grade: B-
AJ Styles was backstage and asked SmackDown General Manger Nick Aldis to give him one more shot at the WWE Championship. Aldis said he wanted to give him another chance but couldn't do it until he earned it.
The seven-time WWE champion said he didn't have the time to earn it, and Aldis replied that he couldn't help him.
The Bloodline was backstage, and Paul Heyman was trying to tell Solo Sikoa that Tonga Loa could not be there since he could not legally cross the border for some reason.
Heyman told Solo that Sikoa was bringing some dangerous people into the Bloodline, but then Tama Tonga got in his face, backed off, and Solo walked away on SmackDown.
Tama Tonga vs. Randy Orton on WWE SmackDown
Tonga started strong and unloaded on Randy right off the bat. The Viper returned with a kick and a fallaway slam before sending Tonga into the ring posts. Tonga was sent outside before he drove Randy knee-first into the ring steps.
Orton tried for the draping DDT back in the ring, but it was reversed as Tonga returned with a dragonscrew. Randy was caught in a sleeper hold but managed to escape it.
Randy got a power slam but missed the DDT again before he was tossed back outside. Randy jabbed Tonga in the eyes and dropped him on the announce desk twice.
Randy reversed what looked like a spear into the draping DDT back in the ring before trying for the RKO as Solo got on the apron. The Viper punched Solo off the apron before getting the RKO on Tonga for the win.
Result: Randy Orton def. Tama Tonga
After the match, Randy was attacked by Solo and Tonga, but the injured Kevin Owens came back and chased them off, making the save. They stood together as SmackDown went off the air.
Grade: B+