WWE SmackDown Results: Top champ pinned; big win for the Bloodline; new MITB briefcase teased
WWE SmackDown kicked off after a recap of last week's ending, and we saw Nick Aldis talking to The Bloodline. He said that since Tonga Loa was injured, The Bloodline would have to forfeit their spot in the Tag Team Gauntlet match.
Tama Tonga was furious, but Solo Sikoa held him back and told Aldis that Jacob Fatu would take Loa's place. Aldis agreed to the terms before we headed for the first match of the night.
WWE SmackDown Results (July 26, 2024):
- LA Knight def. Santos Escobar
- The Bloodline won the Gauntlet Match and became the #1 Contender for the WWE Tag Team Championship
- Nia Jax & Tiffany Stratton def. Bayley & Michin
WWE SmackDown Results: LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar
Knight got some hip tosses to start the match and tried for an armbar before Escobar returned with a snap suplex and a spinebuster. Knight took a Sharpshooter for a near fall as the match went on.
Santos took a lariat but hit a big kick before taking a DDT from Knight for a near fall. Elektra Lopez ran distraction, and Logan Paul came in for a cheap shot, but Knight countered the Phantom Driver and hit the BFT for the win.
Result: LA Knight def. Santos Escobar
Santos and Logan Paul joined in and beat down Knight after the match before Paul took LA out with a big frog splash.
Grade: B
In a backstage interview, Logan Paul said tonight was just the beginning of a 'three-course meal' for LA Knight.
He teased a big surprise for LA Knight at SummerSlam before SmackDown moved on.
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair were out next and called out the Women's Tag Team Champions, Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn.
The champs ambushed Belair and Cargill from behind, but Dawn took the KOD, and Fyre took the Military Press before they were dropped on top of one another outside the ring.
Tiffany Stratton was backstage and still upset about her Money in the Bank Briefcase. Nia Jax came in and said that if they won the upcoming tag match, she would fix it.
WWE SmackDown Results: WWE Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Gauntlet Match
Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin started the match with Legado Del Fantasma, and the latter team was in control early on. The Legado isolated Corbin, but Crews came off the tag and got some big German suplexes.
Crews took a big backbreaker before making the tag. Corbin came in and reversed the Wing Clipper, hitting the End of Days on Angel before getting the first pin of the match.
The Street Profits were out next, and they were quickly sent outside before Crews tossed Corbin at them in a double-team move. Back in the ring, Ford was taking a beating but managed to block a superplex from Corbin before tags were made.
Dawkins got a suplex on Crews and sent Corbin outside before Apollo missed a frog splash in the ring. Ford came back in and hit a double-team move on Crews before getting the elimination!
Pretty Deadly was next and tried to get rollups on Dawkins immediately but failed to get the pin. Kit took a big chop block before Prince came in with some kicks on Ford and isolated him in the corner.
The Deadly went after Ford's injured leg and tried for ankle locks, but Montez broke out and got the tag. Dawkins came in and hit a big elbow, followed by a splash and a kick on Prince in the corner.
Ford was sent outside before Prince took the double-team blockbuster combo and was eliminated. The O.C. was next, and Gallows beat Ford in the ring as the match continued.
Dawkins got a big dive to the outside, and Anderson got a spinebuster in the ring. The O.C. tried for their finisher, but Dawkins dodged it, rolled Gallows up, and got the elimination.
The Bloodline was the next team to join the match, and Jacob Fatu was in control when we returned from a break on SmackDown. Solo got multiple cheap shots on Dawkins before Fatu missed a big running splash in the corner and ran into the ring post.
Ford was tagged in and got a spinebuster on Fatu before the latter got a near fall off a superplex. Dawkins was taking a beating from the Bloodline at ringside before Ford hit a big dive, taking them out.
Back in the ring, Fatu got a big spinebuster and a superkick before hitting a moonsault for the win on SmackDown.
Result: The Bloodline won the Gauntlet Match and became the #1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship
Grade: A
A-Town Down Under was out next and called out Terrence Crawford, who made his entrance and joined them in the ring. Waller and Theory said that Crawford should apologize for aiding Cody Rhodes last week on SmackDown.
Waller threatened Crawford by saying that Austin would knock him out if he got close to them.
Theory hesitated, and Crawford knocked him out with a right hook before Waller quickly fled the ring.
Cody Rhodes was in an interview and said that he underestimated Solo Sikoa, but the new Tribal Chief and his pack of wild dogs made sure that Cody was all alone, without anyone to help him.
Andrade was backstage, and Carmelo Hayes walked up to him, and they set up a future rematch.
Michin was making her entrance when Nia and Stratton attacked her from behind, sending her into the steel steps. Bayley chased Nia and Stratton off before checking on her tag partner.
WWE SmackDown Results: Bayley & Michin vs. Nia Jax & Tiffany Stratton
Bayley decided to start the match alone and went after Stratton, grounding her and getting some big strikes. Stratton came back with a whip into the corner before Bayley knocked Nia off the apron.
Back on SmackDown after a break, Bayley took a spinebuster before Nia was tagged in and got a big powerslam and an elbow drop for a near fall. Bayley reversed a splash in the corner and took Stratton down before Michin recovered and got on the apron.
Jax was sent into the corner before Michin was tagged in and hit a DDT on Stratton before getting a dive on Nia on the outside. Jax was back in and took a kick from Michin before Bayley came with the elbow drop and got a near fall.
Bayley saved Michin from the Samoan Drop, but Stratton hit her in the face with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Bayley took the Annihilator in the corner before Jax got the win on the SmackDown main event.
Result: Nia Jax & Tiffany Stratton def. Bayley & Michin
Grade: B+
Solo Sikoa and the Bloodline were on video and called out Cody Rhodes, telling him that he would be taken out in one week if he didn't acknowledge the Tribal Chief. SmackDown went off the air after the segment.