WWE Smackdown Review – August 25, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a In Memory of graphics for Terry Funk & Bray Wyatt.
Michael Cole greets audiences at home and says that tonight’s show will be in honor of Bray Wyatt & Terry Funk before a 10 bell salute commences for both men.
We then head over to a video of some of Wyatt’s most memorable moments throughout his career, including The Wyatt Family, Firefly Funhouse, The Fiend, his WWE Title wins and behind the scenes moments.
Back at ringside Thank You Bray & He’s Got The Whole World World In His Hands chants ring out throughout the arena as the camera pans over to an empty rocking chair.
After the break we head over to a video showing some of the tributes for Terry Funk from past & present WWE Superstars on social media.
Non Title Match
United States Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Grayson Waller
Match starts with a lock up then they go back & forth with submission holds before Grayson Waller lands a shoulder tackle. Rey Mysterio fires back with a hurricanrana and rains down right hands in the corner then delivers a second hurricanrana that sends Waller crashing into the ropes.
He dials it up for the 619 but Waller evades the maneuver and sends Mysterio crashing to the outside then he looks to follow him out there but Mysterio catches him with another hurricanrana as we go to a break.
After the break Waller fires off right hands on Mysterio then follows it up with an elbow drop out of the corner and a spinning knee then sends him crashing into the corner face first and once more spine first.
He looks for a powerbomb but Mysterio fights his way out with several right hands and sends Waller crashing into the ring post shoulder first. He ascends to the top rope and delivers a senton then follows it up with a springboard crossbody and a tornado DDT.
Waller lands a back elbow and plants Mysterio then delivers a forearm to his spine then runs the ropes but Mysterio catches him with a clothesline and a senton off the ropes.
He looks to dial it up for 619 but Austin Theory’s music hits and he appears which captures Mysterio’s attention & this allows Waller to roll Mysterio up but he kicks out and they level one another with crossbodies.
Santos Escobar blindsides Theory on the outside but Theory gains the upperhand with a chop block. Mysterio levels Theory but Waller attacks him and takes a shot at Escobar then gets back in the ring where Mysterio is waiting and looks for a rolling Stunner.
Mysterio catches him with a 619 and looks to go flying back in the ring. Theory grabs his ankle but Escobar takes care of Theory by landing a kick on him allowing Mysterio to deliver a splash back into the ring to get the win.
Winner: United States Champion Rey Mysterio
After the break we see tributes for Bray Wyatt from several WWE Superstars.
Michael Cole then announces that tonight’s main event will feature LA Knight taking on Finn Balor 2 of Wyatt’s most notable rivals.
Women’s Title Match
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Zelina Vega
Match starts off with a lock up before hey go back & forth with submission holds before Iyo Sky sends Zelina Vega into the middle rope face first then fires off a series of stomps and hits a bodyslam but Vega fires back with a kick to Sky’s head and ascends to the top rope.
Sky pulls her down but Vega sends her into the top turnbuckle face first and follows it up with a Sling Blade then hits a Hammerlock DDT and climbs up to the middle rope before hitting a Meteora. She charges at Sky in the corner but Sky ducks out of the way and delivers a dropkick off the top rope.
She looks for another bodyslam but Vega counters into a DDT and looks for a Code Red but Sky counters it and plants Vega with a powerbomb.
Vega delivers a powerbomb to Sky and looks to pin her but Sky rolls to the outside before she can as Vega follows her out there and Sky sends her crashing into the ring steps.
She gets her back in the ring and delivers a pair of double running knees then ascends to the top rope and hits Over The Moonsault for the win.
Winner & Still Women’s Champion: Iyo Sky (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!)
Cody Rhodes tells Louisville he knows what he wants to talk about tonight, then recalls being 11 years old and traveling with his father Dusty Rhodes in Denver Colorado. He says he hears a man calling his father an egg sucking dog but didn’t know who it was until he spotted Terry Funk. He says WWE Superstars get to call themselves the coolest thing but they’ve been called many other things over the years. He says a fabled few get to call themselves cowboys and that includes both Funk & Bray Wyatt. He says Funk has been a constant in pro wrestling for 50 years and he managed to pull up an entire company and revolution up to his level.
Rhodes then throws it to a video showcasing some of the highlights from Funk’s career from ECW to WCW to WWE to his iconic matches and partnership with Mick Foley and his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside his brother Dory Funk Jr.
Rhodes says Funk was passionate and hardcore then announces that the next Tag Team Match between Brawling Brutes & Street Profits is a Terry Funk Hardcore Match.
Tag Team Terry Funk Hardcore Match
Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland & Butch) vs. Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Both teams waste no time going after one another. Butch delivers chops to Montez Ford on the outside as Angelo Dawkins sends Ridge Holland crashing into the ring steps. Butch jams his elbow into Ford then dumps him back inside the ring.
Ford catches him with a shoulder tackle but Butch responds with a dropkick then catches Dawkins with a 2nd one then looks to lock in a Figure 4. Dawkins gives Ford a hand before Holland plants Ford with a DDT. Dawkins then levels Holland with a swinging neckbreaker and Ford delivers a standing splash.
Street Profits then wear down Butch and catch him with a double flapjack. Butch takes out Street Profits with a moonsault and gets on Holland’s shoulders. Holland spins around to level Street Profits before the action spills to the outside and Ford goes flying to level everyone then Bobby Lashley’s music hits and he appears to watch the action as we go to a break.
After the break Brawling Brutes deliver 10 Beats Of The Bodhran to Street Profits. Butch then delivers an enziguri to Ford and plants him with an assisted powerbomb.
Dawkins levels Butch then fires off right hands on Holland then delivers a back elbow and a splash in the corner then rocks him with a kick and gets him in an electric chair position. Ford ascends to the top rope and Ford hits a blockbuster.
Butch lands a step up enziguri on Ford but Ford fires back with one of his own then Holland levels him with a clothesline and gets Dawkins on the top turnbuckle and plants him with a superplex. Ford then delivers a From The Heavens to him off the top and goes for a pin but Butch breaks the fall and pulls a table from under the ring.
He inadvertently hits Lashley with it in the process then gets it inside the ring. Holland looks to set it up, but Ford blindsides him before he can and sets the table up himself then looks to send Holland crashing through it but Holland fights his way out and plants Street Profits.
Butch snaps Dawkins’ fingers and Holland gets him on the table. Butch ascends to the top rope but Lashley pushes him down and delivers a Spear & this opens the door for Ford to deliver a kick to Holland and for him & Dawkins to deliver The Revelation through the table for the win.
Winners: Street Profits
LA Knight says he’ll get to The Miz in a second because tonight is about Bray Wyatt. He says he saw everyone representing with the fireflies then says sometimes your greatest foes are your greatest helpers. He says throughout his feud with Wyatt he was getting him ready for anything. He says he held it together until he saw the pictures of Wyatt with his family but as he looks around he feels the spirit of Wyatt in the KFC Yum! Arena. He says he’s not going to act like he was best friends with Wyatt but he thanks him.
Knight then addresses The Miz and says if he’s just a fad like Miz says then he’s fine with that because The A Lister never was. He says his stunt double, Damien Sandow, was the star during their partnership and he took a back seat to The Rock & John Cena when he was WWE Champion. He tells Miz he’ll meet him anytime, any place and says in the words of a wise man Miz should run.
LA Knight vs. Finn Balor
LA Knight lands a shoulder tackle before the action spills to the outside and Knight sends Finn Balor repeatedly crashing into the announce table face first then they get back inside the ring and Knight delivers a shoulder to Balor’s midsection as we go tona break.
After the break Knight delivers a neckbreaker to Balor then lands a DDT and sends Balor crashing into the mat face first then delivers a knee. Balor fires back with a Russian leg sweep and a series of stomps using the bottom rope for leverage then follows it up with a Sling Blade.
Knight delivers a clothesline and several stomps in the corner then executes a hip attack and gets Balor up on his shoulders. Balor fights his way out and delivers a stomp to Knight’s chest then lands a shotgun dropkick and ascends to the top rope & looks for the Coup De Grace but Knight ducks out of the way and delivers a powerslam.
He follows it up with an elbow drop before Balor plants Knight and ascends to the top rope but Knight trips him and executes a superplex then delivers BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
The lights then go off in the signature Bray Wyatt fashion as the fireflies come out a single lantern lays in the middle of the ring and fans chant Thank You Bray.
