WWE Smackdown Review – May 10, 2024
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a recap of Backlash.
Smackdown GM Nick Aldis greets audiences at home and introduces Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes & he makes his way down to the ring.
Aldis congratulates Rhodes on successfully retaining his Undisputed WWE Title against AJ Styles at Backlash then says they must turn their attention to King & Queen Of The Ring. He says he knows Rhodes wants to be a fighting champion and defend his title against the best then says he invited Rhodes to the ring to reveal who his next challenger will be.
United States Champion Logan Paul’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Rhodes then knows what Paul wants to talk about and Paul says The Logan Paul Levesque Era will be kicked off when he and Rhodes face off in the main event of King & Queen Of The Ring in a Champion vs. Champion match. Rhodes says he likes the idea of a Champion vs. Champion match but Paul cuts him off and says facts don’t lie. He claims his reign with the United States Title as the longest championship reign of all time says he’s WWE’s greatest attraction says he had the greatest rookie year of all time and says he’s the and says he’s a superstar. He says Rhodes may have won the 2023 Royal Rumble but all anyone remembers is him & Ricochet colliding with one another off the top rope.
Paul continues talking up being the talk of everything and says he’s the rocket fuel for the spaceship of WWE. He asks how Rhodes can finish the story when it’s not even his story and says he wants to talk to Rhodes about knocking him out pinning him on his PRIME Energy Drink logo and walking out of King & Queen Of The Ring as Undisputed WWE Champion.
Rhodes says a lot of people standing across from Paul assume he’s a dumbass. He says he won’t call Paul a podcaster, YouTuber, influencer or outsider. He says he’s gotten a sense of who Paul is and rattles off a few of Paul’s accomplishments. He says he would be a Grand Slam Champion if he won the United States Title from Paul then says Paul is delusional and self centered. He says Paul can’t make it through a match without using brass knuckles and he will find out where he stands at King & Queen Of The Ring. Both men then hold up their titles and stare one another down.
1st Round Match Of The 2024 Queen Of The Ring Tournament
Naomi vs. Nia Jax
Nia Jax & Naomi each take a shot at one another.
Jax runs over Naomi then sends her head crashing into the mat and lands a splash on her in the corner.
She dumps Naomi across the ring and delivers a 2nd splash to her in the opposite corner then hits an elbow drop and lands a kick on her spine.
Naomi sends Jax crashing into the middle turnbuckle then lands a kick on her thigh.
She sends her crashing into the ring post shoulder first then flies to level her on the outside.
She fires off strikes but Jax responds with a Samoan Drop as we go to a break.
After the break Naomi fires off a few forearms on Jax.
Jax levels her with a headbutt and lands a 2nd one to Naomi on the apron that sends her crashing to the outside.
Naomi hits a jawbreaker to Jax using the top rope and looks to land a sunset flip but Jax blocks her. She looks to land a senton but Naomi moves out of the way.
Naomi fires off more forearms on Jax then connects with a back elbow and a springboard enzuigiri.
She then hits a kick to Jax’s head from the apron and sends her face bouncing off the middle rope.
She follows it up with a split legged moonsault then goes for a pin but Jax kicks out.
Naomi hits a forearm to Jax in the corner and sits her on the top rope then joins her up there.
Jax lands a pair of headbutts on Naomi then looks to powerbomb her from the middle rope.
Naomi counters into a hurricanrana and goes for a pin but Jax kicks out.
Naomi then catches Jax with a pair of superkicks and looks for a 3rd kick but Jax counters into a powerbomb and a leg drop then follows it up with An Nia Lator for the win.
Winner: Nia Jax (8:21)
Rate: 6
We then head backstage and see Baron Corbin get into a verbal exchange with Carmelo Hayes ahead of their 1st Round Match as Corbin talks to Byron Saxton.
1st Round Match Of The 2024 King Of The Ring Tournament
Baron Corbin vs. Carmelo Hayes
Both men waste no time going back & forth before Hayes hits a dropkick to Corbin’s leg and hits a 2nd kick.
Corbin hits a pair of right hands to Hayes and follows it up with a back elbow before he lands a Michinoku Driver as we go to a break.
After the break Corbin & Hayes teeter on the middle rope.
Hayes escapes and pulls Corbin down then hits a springboard clothesline and sends him crashing into the mat with a facebuster.
Corbin lands a Death Valley Driver on Hayes then follows it up with a brainbuster and The First 48 off the middle rope then hits a running knee and ascends to the top rope.
He looks to fly but Corbin moves out of the way and sends Hayes crashing into the top turnbuckle.
He hits a lariat and a Sliced Bread/cutter combination but Hayes manages to roll Corbin up for the win.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes (6:17)
Rate: 6
We then head backstage to Kayla Braxton chatting with Women’s Champion Bayley about the Queen Of The Ring Tournament before Chelsea Green & Piper Niven interrupt and Green begins running her mouth.
After the break Randy Orton stands by with Byron Saxton to send a message to Tama Tonga. He puts him on notice and tells him that despite being on opposite sides of the bracket he has no doubt their paths will cross.
1st Round Match Of The 2024 Queen Of The Ring Tournament
Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill vs. Piper Niven
Match starts off with a lock up then they get in each other’s faces before Jade Cargill looks to land a shoulder tackle.
Niven blocks it and looks to land a shoulder tackle of her own but Cargill stays standing on her feet.
Cargill lands a shoulder tackle that levels Niven but Niven responds with a back elbow.
Cargill hits a superkick on Niven then looks to land a splash in the corner.
Niven catches her and hits her then hits a senton and goes for a pin but Cargill kicks out.
Niven jams her knee into Cargill’s neck and Green lands an slap on her while the referee is distracted.
Niven then hits a bodyslam and a clothesline but Cargill responds with a series of forearms on Niven. Niven runs the ropes but Cargill hits her with a Blue Thunder Bomb.
Cargill hits a pair of splashes on Niven in the corner then levels Green and sets up for Jaded on Niven.
Niven prevents her from hitting it and hits a cannonball to Cargill in the corner.
She goes for a pin but Cargill kicks out.
Niven ascends to the middle rope but Cargill pulls her down and hits a pump kick then connects with Jaded for the win.
Winner: Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill (5:23) (She will face Nia Jax in the Quarter Finals)
Rate: 6
1st Round Match Of The 2024 Queen Of The Ring Tournament
Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca BelAir vs. Candice LeRae
Bianca BelAir lands a shoulder tackle on Candice LeRae before LeRae responds with a boot to BelAir but BelAir gets LeRae up.
LeRae then sends BelAir crashing to the outside but BelAir sends LeRae crashing into the barricade.
She gets her back in the ring and follows but Hartwell trips her on the way inside.
BelAir sends LeRae crashing into the mat with a delayed vertical suplex then rains down right hands on her in the corner.
BelAir looks for a moonsault off the ropes but lands awkwardly.
LeRae then begins targeting BelAir’s knee and lands a kick on it but BelAir catches her with a fallaway slam and sets up for a 2nd delayed vertical suplex.
LeRae escapes and continues targeting BelAir’s knee then hits a step up senton.
She looks to fly off the ropes but BelAir catches her and plants her with KOD for the win.
Winner: Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca BelAir (2:48)
Rate: 4
We then head backstage to The Bloodline’s locker room. Paul Heyman approaches Solo Sikoa and asks for a moment alone with him and they find themselves involved in a tense verbal exchange regarding Roman Reigns & The Bloodline being a 3rd round WWE Draft pick. Sikoa says he’s talked to Reigns and says until he comes back he’s calling the shots. He tells Heyman that he’s now his Wise Man instead of Reigns and hugs him.
1st Round Match Of The 2024 King Of The Ring Tournament
Angelo Dawkins vs. Tama Tonga
Tama Tonga wastes no time as he fires off kicks on Angelo Dawkins then lands a splash on him in the corner.
Tonga then fires off right hands on Dawkins’ midsection but Dawkins levels Tonga with a series of clotheslines and a back elbow.
Dawkins then connects with a shoulder pounce that sends Tonga to the outside.
Solo Sikoa hops up on the apron but Dawkins clocks him and Montez Ford flies to level him & Tonga Loa on the outside.
Back in the ring Dawkins lands a sit out powerbomb on Tonga.
On the outside Sikoa lands Samoan Spike on Ford as Loa holds him in place.
Dawkins takes notice allowing Tonga to take advantage and hits Paydirt for the win.
Winner: Tama Tonga (2:48)
Rate: 4
After the match Sikoa lands a Samoan Spike on Dawkins.
1st Round Match Of The 2024 King Of The Ring Tournament
AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton
Match starts off lock up then AJ Styles looks to land a shoulder tackle but Randy Orton lands a back elbow and clotheslines Styles out of the ring as we go to a break.
After the break Orton rains down right hands on Styles in the corner.
He connects with an uppercut but Styles responds with a sliding forearm.
They end up on the outside and Styles hits a sliding knee to Orton from the apron.
Orton sends Styles crashing into the ring barricade face first and sets him up for a hanging DDT from the barricade.
Styles prevents it and looks to land Phenomenal Forearm from off the announce desk but Orton sees him coming.
He sends Styles crashing into the ring apron spine first before sending him crashing into the announce desk twice spine first.
Orton gets Styles back inside the ring but Styles delivers a dropkick to the back of Orton’s knee and follows it up with a chop block.
They end up back on the outside and Styles delivers a running chop block to Orton as we go to a 2nd break.
After the 2nd break Styles is sent crashing out of the ring.
Orton sets up for a hanging DDT but Styles escapes.
Orton then hits a boot to Styles’ chest then follows it up with a pair of clotheslines before Styles rolls him up but Orton kicks out.
Styles sends Orton’s injured knee bouncing off the middle rope then sets up for the Phenomenal Forearm but Orton trips Styles before Styles locks in Calf Crusher.
Orton escapes by locking in a rear chinlock but Styles quickly escapes.
Orton then connects with a scoop powerslam and they end up on the top rope.
Styles escapes and pulls Orton down but Orton hits a hanging DDT on Styles.
Styles connects with Phenomenal Forearm and goes for a pin but Orton grabs the bottom rope to break the fall. Orton then lands RKO for the win.
Winner: Randy Orton (17:14) (He will face Carmelo Hayes in the Quarter Finals)
Rate: 7
Remanding 1st Round Matches
King Of The Ring
Kofi Kingston vs. Rey Mysterio (Live Event May 11th or 12th)
LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar
Queen Of The Ring
Shayna Baszler vs. Zelina Vega (Live Event May 11th or 12th)
Michin vs. Tiffany Stratton (Live Event May 11th or 12th)
Quarter Finals
King Of The Ring
May 13th
Gunther vs. Kofi Kingston or Rey Mysterio
Ilja Dragunov vs. Jey Uso
May 17th
Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes
LA Knight or Santos Escobar vs. Tama Tonga
Queen Of The Ring
May 13th
Shayna Baszler or Zelina Vega vs. Iyo Sky
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark
May 17th
Nia Jax vs. Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill
Michin or Tiffany Stratton vs. Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca BelAir
Next Week’s Smackdown
Quarter Final Match Of The 2024 King Of The Ring
Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes
Quarter Final Match Of The 2024 King Of The Ring
LA Knight or Santos Escobar vs. Tama Tonga
Quarter Final Match Of The 2024 Queen Of The Ring
Nia Jax vs. Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill
Quarter Final Match Of The 2024 Queen Of The Ring
Michin or Tiffany Stratton vs. Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca BelAir
