Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 5/26/2023 edition of Friday Night SmackDown on FOX.
We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what is set for the show.
Preview.
WWE SmackDown (5/26/2023).
- WWE United States Championship Match: Austin Theory (c) vs. Sheamus.
- The KO Show with Special Guests The Bloodline (Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa).
- Damage CTRL (Bayley & Iyo Sky) vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Shotzi.
- AJ Styles vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett).
Refresh the site for the latest updates as the show happens.
Live Coverage.
- Michael Cole & Wade Barrett welcomed the audience before transitioning into the opening match.
WWE United States Championship Match.
Austin Theory (c) vs. Sheamus (w/ Butch & Ridge Holland).
Theory & Sheamus began the match locking up before Sheamus caught him with a shoulder tackle. The two locked up again before Theory hit a gut kick on Sheamus, but the Celtic Warrior responded with a lariat and an uppercut. Sheamus hit another uppercut on Theory, but Theory dropped Sheamus into the corner before hitting a Rolling Dropkick on Sheamus. Sheamus got Theory on the Apron and went for an Air Raid Crash, but Theory tossed him into the ring post before hitting a sheer-drop back suplex on Sheamus onto the apron.
Afte the break, Theory fired away with strikes on Sheamus back, but Sheamus caught him with a thrust kick into the abdomen, but Theory responded with a back elbow for a near fall. Theory got a chin lock on Sheamus. Sheamus got out of the hold, but Theory caught him with a punch before hitting a Rolling Blockbuster for a near fall. Theory shoved Sheamus head to talk some trash, but Sheamus responded with a head but, two punches, a toe kick, two lariats, two Irish Whip into lariats in the corner, and the Irish Curse on Theory for a near fall. Sheamus went for an Alabama Slam, but Theory reversed it with a pin before Sheamus hit an uppercut and a Powerslam on Theory for a near fall. Sheamus went for the White Noise off the middle rope, but Theory got off the hold and hit Sheamus with a Torture Rack Slam on him for a near fall. Theory went for another Rolling Dropkick, but Sheamus caught him with a V-Trigger for a near fall. Sheamus got Theiry in the apron, but Theory caught him with a boot. Theory tried to attack Sheamus with a chair, Holland took the chair off his hands before Sheamus hit the 25 Beats of the Battering on Theory. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) attacked Butch & Holland from behind. Wilson tried to get in the ring, but Sheamus hit 7 beats of the Battering on Wilson, but Theory saw the opening and got a Schoolboy Roll-Up on Sheamus for the Pinfall win.
Winner AND STILL WWE United States Champion: Austin Theory.
- The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa, Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso)we're backstage, Roman Reigns planning his 1000 Day Celebration. Jimmy Uso tried to get something to eat, but Reigns told him to sit down. Jimmy refused to sit down before Reigns confronted him. Reigns said that nothing had changed that he would have to obey him. Jimmy & Jey Uso left backstage.
Raquel Rodriguez & Shotzi vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley & Iyo Sky).
Raquel & Bayley began the match, with Raquel pushing Bayley into the corner. Bayley & Sky cornered Raquel, but Raquel exploded out of the corner. Shotzi tagged in before the four wrestlers brawled inside the ring. Shotzi hit a rope on Sky & Bayley to the outside. Back in the ring, Raquel tagged in and hit short-hand lariats on Sky, Sky backed up before Bayley & Sky hit a shotgun dropkick/ Schoolboy Roll-Up combo on Raquel before the commercial break.
After the break, Bayley & Sky cornered Raquel before Sky hit a dropkick onto the back on Raquel's neck. Raquel hit a back elbow & a boot on Sky before tagging in Shotzi, who laid out everyone before hitting a bulldog, a forearm, a Question Mark Kick, and a side senton on Bayley in the ropes for a near fall. Bayley gauged Shotzi's eyes before Sky & Bayley hit double thrust kicks on Shotzi for a near fall. Sky hit a kick in Shotzi before going for the Fairytale Ending, but Shotzi reversed it with a double-hook duplex for a near fall. Raquel & Shotzi went for a move on Sky, but Bayley pushed Shotzi off the top rope. Bayley went for a sunset flip before Sky hit a dropkick kn Shotzi off the top rope, but that allowed Raquel to drop down on Bayley to get a pin & the win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez & Shotzi.
- There were video packages recapping the careers of AJ Styles & Seth Rollins ahead of their match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on Night of Champions.
- There was a video package of Grayson Waller.
Ashanti "Thee" Adonis (w/ B-Fab & Top Dolla) vs. Cameron Grimes.
Grimes hit a shoulder tackle, a boot kick, a chest kick, and a running Shooting star Press on Adonis for a near fall. Top Dolla distracted Grimes, allowing Adonis to attack him from behind. Adonis tossed Grimes into the corner before hitting a dropkick for a near fall. Adonis went for a back suplex, but Grimes landed o his feet before hitting a forearm, a lariat, a Frankensteiner & the Cave In on Adonis for the Pinfall win.
Baron Corbin attacked Grimes from behind after the match.
Winner: Cameron Grimes.
- There was a video package recapping the feud between Asuka & Bianca Belair ahead of their match on Night of Champions.
- Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair came to the ring to cut a promo. Belair said that she did respect this new version of Asuka because she wanted more than just the title, but was not happy with Asuka interrupting her championship celebration & misting her twice. Asuka interrupted Belair & attacked Belair from behind before locking in the Juji-Gatame. Shawn Daivari, Kenny Dykstra, former ROH Champion Jamie Noble & a flurry of referees separated the two.
LA Knight vs. Rick Boogs.
The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) joined the broadcast team for the match. Boogs hit a lariat and a big veal on Knight to send him to the outside. The two brawled on the outside before Boogs Military Pressed Knight into the broadcast table. Back in the ring, Knight booted Boogs in the corner, but Boogs got back up. Boogs went for a shoulder block on Knight into the corner, but Knight evaded. Knight drove Boogs back down with a lariat before stomping Boogs knee. Knight was tossed by Boogs before hitting a Northern Lights Toss on Knight. Knight hit a jab, but Boogs shook it off before hitting a face slam and a Double Gut Wrench Toss on Knight. Boogs went for the Pump Handle Slam, but Knight racked his eyes before hitting the BFT for the Pinfall win. Knight talked trash to the Street Profits after the match.
Winner: LA Knight.
- Karrion Kross cut a promo backstage ahead of his match against AJ Styles after the break.
- There was a video package of NXT Women's Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn.
AJ Styles vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett).
Kross booted Styles in the abdomen to begin the match before tossing him into the ring post and hitting a lariat, a forearm, and a Saito Suplex on Styles. Styles hit a dropkick on Kross before firing away with strikes and a dropkick. Styles booted Kross in the face, but Scarlett distracted Styles before Styles was booted by Kross. This distraction led to "Michin" Mia Yim coming to the ring before chasing Scarlett out of the arena before the commercial break.
After the break, Kross booted Styles's head in the corner before locking in a chin lock. Styles got off the chin lock and hit a lariat in the corner before hitting Kross with a Pele Kick, a sliding forearm, and a Ushigoroshi on Kross for a near fall. Styles went for a Tornado DDT, but Kross reversed it with a Northern Lights Suplex into a Fisherman's Buster for a near fall. Kross went for a forearm, but Styles hit a series of kicks before going for a Styles Clash, but Kross tossed him into the ramp with a Bandera Toss. Styles caught him with a forearm strike before doing a Springboard and hitting the Phenomenal Forearm for the Pinfall win.
Winner: AJ Styles.
- Styles was interviewed backstage, saying that he would beat Rollins to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
- There was a video package highlighting the feud between Cody Rhodes & Brock Lesnar.
- Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn hosted a new episode of The KO & Sami Show. Paul Heyman came to the ramp instead of the guests, Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa, and talked trash about Owens & Zayn before The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) interrupted them. Owens confronted them and said that Zayn was right all along and told The Usos that they are the Heart of the Table of the Fatu/ Anoai Family, which made Reigns treating them like side peaces despicable. Jimmy Uso told Owens to keep his head on a swivel because when it came to doing the job, he was THE REAL TRIBAL CHIEF. Just as if Jimmy said Joe Hendry's name, Roman Reigns came to the ring and immediately confronted Jimmy. Zayn said that he told him so and that the Bloodline was collapsing and it was all Reigns fault. Owens hit a Stunner on Reigns, which led to an all out brawl. Zayn & Owens dominated the brawl, but that was until Solo Sikoa hit a pair of Samoan Spikes on the Tag Team Champions. Reigns hit a spear on Zayn before The Usos & The Bloodline (Sikoa & Reigns) locked eyes. Reigns & Sikoa posed with the tag titles to end the broadcast.
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.
