WWE Smackdown Live 5/26/23 May 26th 2023
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WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights from May 26
- Sana Ejaz Khan
- The Bloodline's Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa appeared on the KO Show Friday night.Credit: WWE.com
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will seek to add more gold to his increasingly impressive resume when he partners with Solo Sikoa to challenge Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens Saturday afternoon at Night of Champions but Friday, The Tribal Chief joined The KO Show in the headlining segment of SmackDown.
What did The Head of the Table have to say when he shared the squared circle with his sworn enemies?
Find out with this recap of the May 26 Fox broadcast, including live grades and analysis of each segment.
United States Championship Match: Sheamus vs. Austin Theory
- Theory sent Sheamus into the steel post, then dropped him on the ring apron to seize control of the match entering the break.
- Butch and Holland prevented the champion from utilizing a steel chair, the momentary distraction allowing Sheamus to grab hold of his opponent and deliver 25 Beats of the Bodhran.
- Pretty Deadly got involved, providing a distraction of their own, and allowing Theory to roll Sheamus up for the win and successful title defense.
- Backstage, Jimmy Uso stood up to Roman Reigns, only to be talked down by his brother, Jey. Reigns taunted Jimmy, reminding him of what happened between them when they were kids. This was excellent and continued to tease The Usos' divorce from The Bloodline.
Credit: WWE.comThe opening contest of Friday's show deserved a better finish than the interference-heavy one that it got, which saw Pretty Deadly's Kit Wilson and Elton Prince sticking their noses in the business of The Brawling Brutes, their attack on Butch and Ridge Holland providing a distraction that allowed Austin Theory to roll up Sheamus and retain the United States Championship.
At least it made sense, though, building on the foundation of a feud that was laid a week ago when the British baddies stole a victory over their fight-loving rivals.
The match between Theory and Sheamus was a damn good one, a hard-hitting match that would have fit right in on Saturday's Night of Champions premium live event. The chemistry was there, Theory proved he could hang with The Celtic Warrior and the crowd was into it despite it being the opening match of a second SmackDown taping.
There is more meat on that proverbial bone, a potential rematch more than welcome at some point in the near future.
Result
Theory defeated Sheamus to retain
Grade
B
Top Moments
Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Bayley and Iyo Sky
- Michael Cole reminded fans that Shotzi and Rodriguez had partnered before, just in case you lost track of Raquel's revolving door of partners.
- Shotzi launched herself through the ropes with a tope suicida, wiping out her opponents at ringside.
- Sky delivered a missile dropkick to Shotz but not before Rodriguez dropped down to avoid it and pinned Bayley for the win. Sky and Bayley teased miscommunication and tension after the match.
Credit: WWE.comRaquel Rodriguez and Shotzi earned a big win ahead of Monday's Fatal 4-Way Women's Tag Team Championship Match, knocking off Bayley and Iyo Sky of Damage CTRL in a competitive bout Friday night.
Ultimately, the match was less about the new babyface tandem and more about the mounting dissension within the heel faction.
Bayley and Sky have teased tension in the past, mostly centered around the latter standing up to her teammate and demanding a championship opportunity at Backlash. She lost in that match and since then, things have been a bit out of whack for her and the Role Model.
Look for that to intensify Monday and moving forward as Sky and Bayley inch closer to a split that will enhance the singles roster but weaken a tag division that lacks depth as it is.
Result
Rodriguez and Shotzi defeated Bayley and Sky
Grade
C
Top Moments
Cameron Grimes vs. Ashante Thee Adonis
- "Great...now they're all wearing the Mr. Wrestling II masks," Cole said of Hit Row's fashion choices. "Mr. Sports Entertainment. Come on, Cole," Wade Barrett responded with the line of the show.
- Top Dolla tripped up Grimes, allowing Ashante to take control of the bout.
- Grimes delivered the Cave In for the win.
- Corbin attacked Grimes on the ramp, laying him out and intensifying a rivalry that started with an upset loss to the NXT call-up a few weeks back.
Credit: WWE.comCameron Grimes continued his winning ways Friday, knocking off Ashante Thee Adonis of Hit Row in quick and decisive fashion. Baron Corbin, still smarting following his loss to Grimes two weeks earlier, attacked and left the newcomer lying to the dismay of the fans.
And therein lies the meat of this segment.
Corbin is the perfect first opponent for Grimes, especially as management tries to get fans to buy into the NXT export. Maybe one of the best heels in wrestling, Corbin can get fans to cheer for Grimes, something a lesser opponent would struggle to do.
Their eventual match should be a lot of fun.
Result
Grimes defeated Adonis
Grade
C
Top Moments
Bianca Belair Promo
- Belair admitted she no longer respects Asuka because this version of her opponent is different.
- "I'm not just giving her a rematch, I'm giving her a fight because now, I want a fight!"
- Asuka jumped Belair from behind and tried to apply an armbar. Officials rushed the ring to split the two up, with Belair momentarily getting the best of her Night of Champions opponent and standing tall.
Credit: WWE.comBianca Belair will defend the Raw Women's Championship against Asuka at Night of Champions but The EST hit the ring Friday night for a promo on The Empress of Tomorrow that ended with her top contender attacking her from behind.
Producers rushed the ring, a mini brawl ensued and Belair stood tall to close out a segment of television that highlighted the feud while subsequently doing nothing to enhance it.
This was the definition of a segment that was strictly "there," with no real benefit to speak of except for providing the criminally underutilized women's division something to do.
Grade
C
Top Moments
Rick Boogs vs. LA Knight
- The Street Profits joined Cole and Barrett on commentary, one week after defeating Boogs and Knight in tag team action.
- Knight raked the eyes of Boogs and delivered the BFT (Blunt Force Trauma) for the win.
- "This y'all's man?" Ford turned to the fans in the front row and asked. Interesting.
Credit: WWE.comLA Knight continued to build momentum for himself as one of the hottest stars in wrestling, feeding off the energy of the crowd to score an admittedly crooked victory by raking the eyes of his opponent, Rick Boogs, and delivering the BFT for the pin.
More interesting than the match or the outcome was The Street Profits' Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins sitting in on commentary and coming across as more heel than one would anticipate.
Even after the match, the response to Knight's promo felt like the hallmark of a heel act than the babyface duo they have been for the last four years.
Might Knight be utilized as the emphasis for the Street Profits to turn heel and freshen things up a bit? Considering how over the loudmouth, brazen competitor is, there are certainly worse booking decisions to be made.
Like not using him at all.
Result
Knight defeated Boogs
Grade
C
Top Moments
AJ Styles vs. Karrion Kross
- Michin chased Scarlett from ringside, preventing her from interfering on behalf of Kross.
- Kross drove Styles into the ring post with a powerbomb and controlled the match throughout the break.
- Styles delivered the Phenomenal Forearm for the pinfall victory.
Credit: WWE.comAJ Styles looks as good as he has in years as he prepares to battle Seth Rollins at Night of Champions for the reintroduced World Heavyweight Championship. He proved as much Friday night in a strong match against Karrion Kross.
A back-and-forth, ultra-competitive match was narrowly won by The Phenomenal One, who capitalized on a single mistake and delivered his trademark springboard forearm for the pinfall victory.
With Rollins likely to win the title Saturday afternoon, it would hardly be a bad thing for Triple H and WWE Creative to revisit this match-up with a full-fledged storyline to boot.
Styles and Kross had solid in-ring chemistry and, with the latter still looking to build creative momentum and forge a connection with the audience, utilizing someone with the experience and credibility of Styles would surely accomplish that.
Result
Styles defeated Kross
Grade
B+
Top Moments
The KO Show with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa
- The Usos made their way to the ring, seemingly disobeying Reigns' wishes, much to the dismay of Paul Heyman.
- "He has been right about everything the whole time. He's been right about the way that Roman Reigns treats you and he has been right about you deserving better," Owens said. "He calls himself the 'Head of the Table' but you're looking at the heart of the table right here."
- "You went from being the best tag team in WWE history to being Roman Reigns' little errand boys," Owens told Jimmy and Jey.
- "When it comes to the Day Ones, I am The Tribal Chief!" Jimmy said, raising his finger in the air in a declarative statement, to the jaw-dropped chagrin of Heyman.
- "The Bloodline is collapsing and it's all your fault," Zayn told Reigns.
- Jey willingly handed over one set of Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships to Sikoa. Jimmy hesitated to do the same in regard to Reigns. It was Jey who took them from him and meekly handed them to The Head of the Table, who stood tall to close the show.
Credit: WWE.comThere are very real cracks in the foundation of The Bloodline following Friday's episode of SmackDown, with Jimmy and Jey Uso showing defiance in the face of Roman Reigns, but eventually (momentarily?) reuniting with him to close out the show.
Along the way, the most dominant faction in modern WWE history brutalized Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, leaving the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions lying to close out the show and put a bow on the final hype for Saturday's Night of Champions main event.
The Bloodline storytelling remains superb, with the focus reverting back to the fractured relationship between Reigns and The Usos that dates back to the start of The Tribal Chief's historic reign as champion in 2020.
Rumors and speculation of its demise were greatly exaggerated. At some point, Jey Uso is going to drop Reigns and the crowd's reaction will be otherworldly, something everyone involved with this program deserves.
It appears to be coming sooner rather than later, too, and when it does, the WWE Universe will have another one of those magical moments it can point to a generation from now as one of the company most defining.
That can be attributed to the strong, believable and convicted performances of the men involved.
Grade
A+
Top Moments
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