Here is your fight size update for WWE Friday Night SmackDown and AEW Rampage on Friday, May 5, 2023.
WWE SmackDown
- Cody Rhodes cut a final promo ahead of his match with Brock Lesnar at WWE Backlash. He called Lesnar a gatekeeper and noted that beating the former world champion would get him back on the road to finish the story. "The American Nightmare" passionately vowed to emerge victorious.
- WWE Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair looked ahead to her return to WWE SmackDown once the WWE Draft rosters take effect on May 8. She also eyed making history; with a win at WWE Backlash, she would become the longest-reigning women's champion of the modern era.
Will The EST make history tomorrow at #WWEBacklash?@BiancaBelairWWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/K13GrATmDc
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) May 6, 2023
- Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY) confronted Belair and ganged up on her, but WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez made the save.
#DamageCTRL just attacked the #WWERaw Women's Champion @BiancaBelairWWE ahead of her Title Match against @Iyo_SkyWWE tomorrow at #WWEBacklash!
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
Luckily the champ has some friends on #SmackDown... -- pic.twitter.com/9xidk1706l
- The O.C. (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) defeated the Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar).
HOW IS THE ROOF STILL ATTACHED? This crowd is AMPED UP! ----
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
The O.C. is looking to prove their place on the blue brand against The #VikingRaiders tonight! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/2Yx76PzRmf
- The Usos got hyped up for their six-man tag team match at WWE Backlash, Solo Sikoa clearly wasn't on the same page. He said he'd do his part and told Jimmy and Jey to do theirs.
"Tomorrow I'mma do my part and all I know is, you two, you better do yours."@WWESoloSikoa had some WORDS for The @WWEUsos... --#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/MoB8TgRHhP
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
- The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) picked up a decisive win against Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser).
- A video package highlighted SmackDown's NXT draft class.
- Matt Riddle hyped up the six-man tag team match where he, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn will face The Bloodline (The Usos and Solo Sikoa) at WWE Backlash.
- Rey Mysterio and the LWO kicked off the show and discussed WWE Backlash. The Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio, Rhea Ripley, and Finn Balor). The heated confrontation set up a mixed tag team match in the main event.
Puerto Rico is FIRED UP!!! --
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
Are we going to see @DomMysterio35 & @RheaRipley_WWE vs. @reymysterio & @ZelinaVegaWWE TONIGHT? --#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Uq2eswz1PR
- Shinsuke Nakamura gained more momentum with a win over Karrion Kross.
This is match is BRUTAL... --@realKILLERkross wants to END @ShinsukeN here tonight and it doesn't look like he's going to stop until he does! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/APkJYzqjj3
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
- A video package showcased the rivalry between Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes.
- Cameron Grimes arrived on WWE SackDown. When Baron Corbin confronted him and they clashed over their respective statuses following the WWE Draft, Grimes challenged Corbin to a match, which was made official for the May 12 episode of WWE SmackDown.
NEXT WEEK @CGrimesWWE makes his #SmackDown debut against @BaronCorbinWWE!
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
Time for Grimes to show the WWE Universe what he's got! ----#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/BDh5bIi9kC
- Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega defeated Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley in a hard-fought main event.
- The Judgment Day attacked Rey Mysterio after the match, but Bad Bunny made the save and put an LWO shirt on.
Bad Bunny has arrived! --@sanbenito #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/mgAY5sDbkz
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) May 6, 2023
- In a SmackDown Exclusive, The O.C. (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Michin) vowed to take over and win gold.
- Check out the card for the May 12 episode of WWE SmackDown here.
- In a SmackDown Exclusive, Rey Mysterio reflected on the LWO's special night and previewed WWE Backlash.
EXCLUSIVE: @reymysterio can't believe how wild #SmackDown was in Puerto Rico tonight, but says that tomorrow night will be even wilder when Bad Bunny and @ZelinaVegaWWE win their respective matches. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/DPJRNlz9iN
— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2023
- Catch up on our coverage of the May 5 episode of WWE SmackDown here.
AEW Rampage
- TBS Champion Jade Cargill scored a dominant win against Gia Scott and climbed to 57-0.
Quick work for the TBS Champion @Jade_cargill who remains undefeated at 57-0!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
Watch #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/WJIdlpRgWe
- The Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo) and El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Powerhouse Hobbs, QT Marshall, and Aaron Solo.
What a spectacular victory for #LuchaBrothers @PENTAELZEROM & @ReyFenixMx and @vikingo_aaa!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
Watch #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/XSBOYR6TRI
The Firm has been DELETED!@MATTHARDYBRAND @JEFFHARDYBRAND @IsiahKassidy @730Hook are victorious!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
Watch #AEWRampage on TNT every Friday night! pic.twitter.com/73hgozm6fA
- A brief clip showed that AEW World Champion MJF was frustrated after he and Sammy Guevara lost on the May 3 episode of AEW Dynamite.
#AEW World Champion @The_MJF has a meltdown backstage after #AEWDynamite went off the air! Watch #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/dj9uUs3Sfn
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
From now on, @IAmJericho and @AdamColePro will not be in the same building! Tune in to #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/BrZB9Us1bL
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
- Mark Briscoe defeated Preston Vance in a competitive match and celebrated with his family after the bell.
A hard-fought victory for @SussexCoChicken, and the Briscoe family joins him in the ring to celebrate!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
Watch #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/vyEBI2DZ38
- Brian Cage attacked Dustin Rhodes backstage, and Swerve Strickland looked ahead to another match between the two.
"Anything can happen... and the #MogulEmbassy is anything. See you in two weeks." @swerveconfident @dustinrhodes #AEWRampage is on TNT! pic.twitter.com/7Cc1myNQXq
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
- Jay Lethal expressed his confidence that he and Jeff Jarrett will win the AEW World Tag Team Championship at AEW Double or Nothing.
Will #FTR accept the challenge made by @RealJeffJarrett and @TheLethalJay? It’s #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/K5AYsiUs2t
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 5, 2023
- Check out the card for the May 10 episode of AEW Dynamite here.
- Adam Cole responded to Chris Jericho and said he'll beat up him every week.
“From now on, @AdamColePro beats the shit out of @IAmJericho every week and there’s nothing he can do about it.” https://t.co/tohRiQNRj2
— Adam Cole (@AdamColePro) May 6, 2023
- Matt Hardy announced that the extended cut of The Firm Deletion was available on Bleacher Report.
HUGE NEWS! Due to TV time constraints, The #FirmDELETION had to be trimmed down. You can see the complete, unedited 21 min version NOW!
— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 6, 2023
Exclusively on @BleacherReport
The #FirmDeletion at the #HardyCompound
Exclusive: Extended Cut https://t.co/snWAodqKNw
- QTV noted that the team came up short, but they impressed the right people.
Pretty incredible effort by Aaron Solo. QTV came up short, but they definitely impressed the right people. Expect to see more of them. #AEWRampage
— QTV (@QualityTVAEW) May 5, 2023
Catch up on our coverage of the May 5 episode of AEW Rampage here. For a full review, check out our post-show podcast on our YouTube channel.