WWE SmackDown Results: Top champ humiliated; MITB briefcase destroyed; former Universal Champ returns
We got a recap of last week's final segment with the Bloodline before Cody Rhodes kicked off WWE SmackDown. Cody said that Randy Orton was his friend but also a mentor and that The Viper was part of his family. He was Rhodes' brother.
Rhodes looked at the camera and addressed Solo Sikoa directly but was interrupted by Grayson Waller and Austin Theory.
WWE SmackDown Results (July 19, 2024):
- Andrade def. Carmelo Hayes
- Bianca Belair def. Chelsea Green
- Michin def. Tiffany Stratton
Austin Theory said that Cody was spending too much time talking about the Bloodline and recalled that his cheek was swollen because of Jacob Fatu. Cody tried to ask if it was because Waller kneed him in the face, but Grayson changed the topic and blamed Rhodes for Randy's injury.
A brawl broke out, and Cody sent A-Town Down Under to the floor before Boxer Terence Crawford, who was in the front row, handed Rhodes a steel chair. Waller and Theory ran backstage before we headed for a break on SmackDown.
Backstage on SmackDown, Cody asked Nick Aldis to book a handicap match against A-Town Down Under, but Aldis said he couldn't put the WWE Champ in a handicap match.
The SmackDown General Manager told Cody that he had to find a tag partner by the end of the night.
WWE SmackDown Results: Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
Both men countered each other's moves early on before Andrade got a big boot, and Melo came back with a dropkick. Andrade was dropped on the ropes before Melo got a leg drop. Andrade tried to get the springboard Spanish Fly, but Melo reversed it and hit a facebuster.
Back after a break on SmackDown, Andrade went for a moonsault, and Melo rolled away, but El Idolo landed on his feet and hit a standing moonsault for the near fall. Hayes came back with the First 48 off a counter and got a near fall before Andrade countered Nothin' but Net. Andrade came back with the Message and picked up the win.
Result: Andrade def. Carmelo Hayes
Grade: B
Nia Jax and Bayley were in a split-screen interview on SmackDown, and Bayley talked about the injury that Nia caused her to miss SummerSlam years ago.
Bayley said that Nia was clumsy and reckless, and Jax reminded her that she was the Queen of the Ring and would take the title away from Bayley.
The champ said she would walk out of SummerSlam with the title, but Nia couldn't do anything about it before Jax took her earpiece out and stormed off.
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven were waiting to talk to Nick Aldis when Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill arrived. Both teams wanted to talk to Aldis and somehow ended up booking a match that was up next.
WWE SmackDown Results: Bianca Belair vs. Chelsea Green
Green tried for the Unprettier immediately, but Belair countered and hit a big German Suplex. Green was almost caught with the KOD but managed to get out. Green tried for a rollup, but Belair countered it and reversed it into a rollup before getting the quick win.
Result: Bianca Belair def. Chelsea Green
After the match, the Women's Tag Team Champs, the Unholy Union, showed up and said that Belair and Cargill would see them on SmackDown next week. They also teased a title rematch.
Grade: C
Nick Aldis was out next and called LA Knight and Logan Paul out for the SummerSlam United States Championship match contract signing.
Knight and Paul showed up to the ring, and Logan made fun of his opponent, calling him a hillbilly. Knight said he 'cooked him' whenever they faced off and recalled their previous encounters.
Knight said that he had already pinned Logan once at the Money in the Bank qualifier, and Paul fired back, calling him 'Shaun, his real name' Paul bragged about how he was a big shot outside WWE as well, but all LA Knight was a 'gym bro' pretending to be the Rock. Knight called him 'low T' and said that Logan didn't have the b*lls to face him in the ring.
Paul was angry, and they both signed the contract before saying that Knight had nothing of value to offer. Knight and Paul got in each other's faces, and Aldis managed to keep them apart. Once Nick was gone, Logan ran back into the ring and tried to attack LA. Knight countered him and almost got the BFT before Logan ran away.
Santos Escobar was backstage and called out LA Knight, saying that he would never be able to beat him in a one-on-one match.
LA challenged him to a match, and Escobar said that he was brave to face him before his title match before agreeing to it.
WWE SmackDown Results: Tiffany Stratton vs. Michin
Stratton got an early takedown, but Michin returned with a dropkick and a cannonball in the corner before getting a near fall. Stratton fled the ring, and Michin ran after her before Nia Jax got in the way, letting Tiffany get an Alabama Slam on the floor.
Back in the ring, Stratton got a near fall off springboard move, but the second Alabama Slam was countered. Michin came back with some strikes and a neck breaker before getting a near-fall off a Tornado DDT. Stratton got a hip attack and a low dropkick before getting a rolling senton.
Stratton was about to hit the moonsault, but Bayley showed up and distracted her. Nia Jax went after Bayley, but the latter took her out with the Money in the Bank briefcase and smacked it against the announce desk and the steel steps before finally stomping on it.
Tiffany was furious about her briefcase being destroyed before Michin rolled her up and won.
Result: Michin def. Tiffany Stratton
Grade: B+
Solo Sikoa and the Bloodline were in a promo and said that no one would be brave enough to team with Cody Rhodes since whoever does so will end up like Randy Orton.
Backstage, Kevin Owens showed up and asked Cody if he was ready before making his entrance. The former Universal Champion is Cody Rhodes' mystery tag partner!
WWE SmackDown Results: Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens vs. A-Town Down Under
Cody and Theory kicked off the match, and Owens was tagged in before they hit some big double-team moves. Owens got a big elbow before Theory rolled outside. Owens chased him outside and hit him with the giant Prime bottle.
Rhodes was back in and took some double-team strikes in the corner before KO came back and unloaded on Waller, taking them both out with clotheslines on the outside. Waller took the cannonball in the ring, but Grayson got his knees up for the senton.
Theory got a rolling dropkick before Grayson came in with an elbow drop for a near fall. Back after a break on SmackDown, Cody came in off the tag and got the Bionic Elbow on Theory before Waller snuck in a tag but was sent off the apron. Cody got the DDT on Theory before Waller came back with a Flatliner.
Cody dodged a double-team move before getting the Cody Cutter on Theory. KO also hit the Stunner on Austin before Cody got the Cross Rhodes on Waller for the win.
Result: Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens def. A-Town Down Under
Grade: B+
Solo Sikoa and the Bloodline showed up after the match, and Cody hit a big dive on them before Owens jabbed Tonga Loa in the eye. Rhodes and Owens cleared the announce desk and were about to put Solo through it, but Jacob Fatu stopped them with superkicks.
Fatu took KO down in the ring and hit the hip attack four times while the rest of Bloodline held Cody down. Cody was again made to watch as Fatu hit KO with the flying headbutt before the WWE Champ was put through the announce desk with a powerbomb.
One of the Tongans wrapped a steel chair around KO's head and sent him into the steel steps before The Bloodline was done, and SmackDown went off the air.