Good evening Fight Fans, and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE Smackdown on FOX! Please enjoy the show and don't forget about the post show podcast and 205 Live!
- We open the show with Jeff Hardy being arrested after his rental car hit Elias, Jeff being taken to the police station as Elias is being taken to a hospital as we go to commercial.
- We come back to the staff being told about Elias going to the hospital before AJ tries to convince Daniel to take the free ride to the finals before Sheamus and King Corbin try to get back in the tournament, Sheamus trying to make a match between Corbin, Sheamus and Daniel with the winner facing AJ. Dolph and one half of The Usos as well as Chad Gable exchange words before it's announced that there will be a battle royal with the winner facing Daniel Bryan and the winner of that facing AJ in the finals in two weeks time.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament Qualifier Battle Royal Match
Lince Dorado gets eliminated first before Drew Gulak before Corbin turns on Dolph and eliminates him only for Jey Uso to eliminate him as we go to commercial.
We come back to the ring to Sheamus, Jey Uso, Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro, and Chad Gable before Chad skins the cat and eliminates Cesaro before suplexing Shin out of the ring for his second elimination. Cesaro then comes back in and eliminates Chad before Jey nearly eliminates Sheamus, but ends up getting booted over the top for the win.
Winner: Sheamus wins the battle royal and will face Daniel Bryan in the semifinals of the tournament.
- We come back from the break to Chad Gable arguing with Cesaro and how he eliminated him in the battle royal before Cesaro tells Chad to step up or walk away before Chad hits him with a forearm and seemingly accepts Cesaro's challenge for a match.
Lacey Evans vs Sonya Deville
They start the match off by grappling on the mat before Sonya knocks Lacey down and pulls her back up to her hair before Lacey kicks Sonya and drops her with a right hand, but it’s not The Woman’s Right. Sonya comes back and backs Lacey into the corner before dropping her with a right hand and stepping on her hair, Lacey kicking her away before hitting a DDT before she traps Sonya in the apron and hits her with clubbing blows. Sonya then comes back and drops Lacey before they exchange on the floor and are counted out.
Winner: Lacey Evans and Sonya Deville goes to a draw with a double count out.
- After the match we get a promo by Blake of The Forgotten Sons before we see Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss backstage head of A Moment of Bliss up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to A Moment of Bliss with special guests, The New Day for what's being called a tag team summit before they're interrupted by Bayley and Sasha Banks before Sasha and Alexa agree to a match right now as a referee comes out and Alexa hits a shotgun dropkick that sends Sasha out of the ring as we go to commercial.
Sasha Banks w/Bayley vs Alexa Bliss w/Nikki Cross
Alexa gets two off of a series of roll ups before Sasha catches a kick and plays to Bayley at ringside before Alexa slaps her and poses, Alexa following up with a standing moonsault into a stomp before Sasha comes back with a running meteora in the corner for two. Sasha stomps and chokes Alexa in the corner before hitting a snap mare into a meteora for two, Sasha following up with a butterfly stretch before Alexa comes back with kicks and is immediately hit with a backbreaker for two. Sasha trash talks Alexa before Alexa comes back with forearms and clotheslines. Alexa hits a shotgun dropkick and gets sent face first into the middle turnbuckle before Sasha hits a meteora into a diving double knee drop for a near fall, Alexa countering the Banks Statement into a jack knife for two before hitting a head scissors. Alexa then drops Sasha before Bayley and Nikki brawl on the apron and Nikki gets sent into Alexa before Sasha hits a meteora into a sunset flip for the pin and the win.
Winner: Sasha Banks defeats Alexa Bliss via pinfall.
- After the match we get a graphic for Mandy Rose and Otis later tonight as well as an update on the current situation with Jeff Hardy and Elias up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a recap of the incident with Jeff and Elias before we're told that Elias is in stable condition before we go back to the ring for our next match between Chad Gable and Cesaro.
Chad Gable vs Cesaro w/Shinsuke Nakamura
Chad is all over Cesaro as soon as the bell rings, dropping him several times before starting to focus on his leg before Cesaro clotheslines him for two and takes back the momentum with a gut wrench suplex for another two count. Cesaro catches Chad when he goes for a cannonball and hits a powerbomb for two before Chad locks in an ankle lock and Cesaro rolls through to get free before hitting an uppercut for a near fall, Cesaro lifting Chad up before getting a pair of near falls of a crucifix before Chad wins with a sunset flip.
Winner: Chad Gable defeats Cesaro via pinfall.
- After the match we get another graphic for Mandy and Otis up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back from the break to Mandy and Otis lounging by the pool before they get into the pool and make out before we go to Kurt Angle backstage where he talks about Backlash before we get a video package for Matt Riddle who be debuting soon. We then go to a backstage interview with Sheamus ahead of his semifinal match against Daniel Bryan in tonight's main event before the two square off and Daniel steps on Sheamus' foot before leaving as we go back to commercial.
- We come back to this week's Progressive Match Flo featuring Braun Strowman defeating The Miz ahead of his title defense against both The Miz and John Morrison in a handicap match at Backlash before we get a graphic for M&M's warning for Braun on next week's show as well as Bliss and Cross defending their Women's Tag Team titles against Bayley and Sasha Banks next week as we head back to the ring for our main event.
Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semifinal Match
Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus
Daniel takes Sheamus down to the mat before he gets up and tosses Daniel away before backing him into the corner and taking Daniel down with a straight armbar with a chin bar before Daniel comes back with strikes and right hands. Sheamus clotheslines Daniel and reapplies the hold before sending him across the ring and Daniel hits a flying clothesline before sending Sheamus all over the top and down onto the floor before hitting a suicide dive as we go to commercial.
We come back to Sheamus in control, elbowing Daniel in the side of the head and hitting several knee drops before playing to the crowd and dropping Daniel with a knee lift before Bryan rolls out of the ring, Sheamus right after him and tossing him into the barricade before mocking Daniel and threatening Cole at the announce desk. Back in the ring Sheamus hits a diving clothesline for two before Daniel comes back momentarily only to be hit with a backbreaker and Sheamus locks in a cloverleaf, Daniel getting to the bottom rope right before tapping for the break. Daniel climbs to the top, but Sheamus meets him on the top turnbuckle before Daniel knocks him away and hits a missile dropkick into the Yes Kicks before Daniel tries to lock in a submission and Sheamus hits an air raid crash for a near fall. Sheamus then turns Daniel inside out with a running double ax handle and Jeff Hardy comes out and distracts Sheamus allowing Daniel to hit a flying knee for the pin and the win.
Winner: Daniel Bryan defeats Sheamus via pinfall to advance to the finals of the tournament and will face AJ Styles.
- After the match Jeff attacks Sheamus and sends him running as we go off the air with a final look at the tournament bracket.
