WWE SmackDown was taped this week ahead of WWE Crown Jewel tomorrow in Saudi Arabia. Gunther defended the Intercontinental Championship against Rey Mysterio in the main event. The SmackDown World Cup was announced for next week. Eight superstars will compete in the tournament.
SmackDown Results
- Liv Morgan def. Sonya Deville in a No DQ match
- LA Knight def. Ricochet
- Shayna Baszler def. Natalya
- Gunther def. Rey Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
Here are the takeaways from the final episode of SmackDown before WWE Crown Jewel:
Liv Morgan def. Sonya Deville in a No DQ match
Liv Morgan battled Sonya Deville in a No Disqualifications match to begin this week’s edition of SmackDown.
The action quickly spilled out of the ring and the two battled over a kendo stick. Sonya slammed Liv onto the ring apron and then bashed in the midsection a few times with the kendo stick in the middle of the ring.
Sonya applied a Crossface while using the kendo stick but Liv was able to escape. Morgan bashed Sonya with the kendo stick until it broke apart. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion got a table from under the ring as the crowd cheered.
Deville caught Liv with a baseball slide Dropkick and rolled Morgan back into the ring. Sonya slid the table back under the ring as the crowd booed. Morgan hit a Suicide Dive through the ropes and brought Deville back into the squared circle. Sonya escaped out of the ring and Morgan hit another dive before high-fiving an excited fan.
Morgan brought the table back out from under the ring as the crowd applauded. Liv took too long to set up the table and Deville caught her with a big boot to the face. Sonya went for a German Suplex off the apron but Morgan held onto the ropes. Liv jumped and let go to send both superstars crashing through the table as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Sonya was in control and slid a bunch of steel chairs into the ring. Morgan hit a Codebreaker and went for the cover but Sonya kicked out at two. Liv bounced Deville’s face off the top turnbuckle before setting up for a Superplex. Deville blocked it and hit a Powerbomb onto the pile of chairs but somehow Liv kicked out at two! Morgan then connected with Oblivion on top of the chairs to pick up the pinfall victory in a great match.
Xia Li Interrupted Emma
Emma was interviewed backstage and said her heart was pounding when she answered Ronda Rousey’s challenge last week. Xia Li interrupted and said that the only thing Emma proved was that she was week.
LA Knight Stole A Victory
LA Knight battled Ricochet tonight on SmackDown. Knight cut a promo before the match while his music was still playing. Knight called the fans incels and referred to himself as the only megastar.
The action started off back and forth. Knight connected with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Ricochet kicked out at two. LA climbed to the top rope but Ricochet took him down with a Hurricanrana for a near fall.
Ricochet hit a springboard Clothesline and followed it up with a standing Shoot Star Press for a two count. Ricochet climbed to the top turnbuckle but Knight dragged him down. LA rolled up Ricochet while holding the tights for leverage to steal the pinfall victory.
The Bloodline Sent a Message to New Day & Brawling Brutes
Sami Zayn and The Bloodline had a conversation backstage. The Usos said that they wanted to go out there and cut a promo on the Brawling Brutes. Sami warned them not to do so but Jey said “this is an Usos thing, not a Bloodline thing”.
Jey added that they will be champs long after Sami is gone from The Bloodline. Jimmy agreed with Jey and told Sami that he’s got a point. Zayn yelled “my dawgs?!” as The Usos walked away. The Usos are set to defend their Undisputed Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes tomorrow at WWE Crown Jewel.
Jimmy and Jey stood in the ring as the crowd chanted “Ucey!”. The Usos posed in the ring before saying they are on their way to becoming the longest reigning tag team champions ever.
The crowd chanted “Ucey!” again before Jey brought up the Brawling Brutes. Jey called Ridge and Butch “the twos” and said “we the ones” before New Day interrupted. Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston said that they will be rooting for the Brawling Brutes at Crown Jewel. Woods added that if The Usos retain the titles, as soon as they touch back down on American soil, they will be waiting for them to protect their record.
Kingston added “in other words, we got next” and the two teams had a stare down. The Brawling Brutes attacked from behind and New Day joined in. Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa rushed the ring for the save. The Bloodline cleared the ring as the crowd chanted “Sami Uso!”. The Usos leveled Ridge with a double superkick but Butch got into the ring with a shillelagh. Butch got in a couple of shots before The Bloodline beat him down.
Bray Wyatt Yelled at a Backstage Worker
Bray Wyatt cut another ominous promo backstage but was interrupted by a WWE producer. Wyatt brought up the feeling you get when someone cuts you off in traffic and what you would do if you had them alone for thirty seconds. Bray told the worker that he wanted to smash his head into the concrete wall.
He demanded that the worker apologize and he did so. Wyatt said “I know, please go away. Please”. A bunch of images flashed during the segment and you can check it out in the video below. Wyatt will appear at Crown Jewel tomorrow as well.
Shayna Baszler def. Natalya
Shayna Baszler faced Natalya tonight on the blue brand. SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey accompanied the Queen of Spades to the ring. Natalya sent Shayna to the corner but Baszler battled back with a knee strike to the face.
Natalya responded with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Shayna kicked out at two. She went for the Sharpshooter but Baszler countered into the Kirifuda Clutch and Natalya passed out. After the match, Ronda instructed Shayna to attack Natalya again and Baszler hit her with a knee to the face.
Braun Strowman Attacked MVP
MVP announced that he found five opponents for Braun Strowman tonight. Five jobbers came down to the entrance ramp and Strowman leveled them all with a shoulder tackle. The Monster of All Monsters chased MVP around the ring and caught him on the entrance ramp. Strowman broke MVP’s cane and launched him into the barricade.
Strowman then planted MVP with a Powerslam in the ring. The crowd wanted another one and Braun connected with a second Powerslam. Braun hit a third one and posed for the crowd to end the segment. Strowman will battle Omos tomorrow at WWE Crown Jewel.
Gunther Retained the Intercontinental Championship
Gunther defended the Intercontinental Championship against Rey Mysterio in the main event. Gunther vowed to successfully defend his title with dignity and honor. The champ added that Rey has no honor and that is why his son turned his back on him. Gunther added that he will forever be the Intercontinental Champion.
Gunther dominated the action early and beat Rey down outside the ring. Back in the ring, Rey applied a Sleeper Hold on the champion in the middle of the ring. Gunther slammed Rey down to the canvas to break it up. Mysterio went for the sleeper hold again but Gunther slammed him to the mat as SmackDown went to the final commercial break of the night.
Mysterio battled back when SmackDown returned and hit a Moonsault. Rey set up for the 619 but Gunther got up. Mysterio hit a Dropkick and followed it up with 619. Mysterio and Gunther battled to the top turnbuckle and Rey hit an incredible Hurricanrana after countering the Powerbomb. Mysterio went for the cover but Gunther kicked out at two.
Rey climbed to the top rope and went for a Frog Splash but Gunther got out of the way. The Ring General hit a Dropkick and followed it up with a Powerbomb but somehow Rey kicked out at two. Gunther followed it up with multiple Clotheslines to retain the Intercontinental Championship.