The road to “The Biggest Party of the Summer” wraps up tonight.
WWE Friday Night SmackDown goes down tonight with the WWE SummerSlam 2023 “go-home” show from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
On tap for tonight’s show is Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa, Austin Theory vs. Cameron Grimes in a non-title match, LA Knight vs. Sheamus, Paul Heyman’s presentation of “The History of ‘Tribal Combat'” and Bayley & IYO SKY on The Grayson Waller Effect.
Featured below are complete WWE Friday Night SmackDown results from Friday, August 4, 2023. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 8-10pm EST. on FOX.
WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN RESULTS (8/4/2023)
The “WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” opening signature narrated by John Cena airs to get this week’s show underway.
We then shoot inside Wright State University for the first time this evening, as Michael Cole and Wade Barrett welcome us to the Progressive-sponsored SummerSlam go-home episode of SmackDown from Dayton, OH.
LA Knight vs. Sheamus
Cole and Barrett mention the main event between Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa for tonight and then we hear the screech-starting entrance theme to bring out LA Knight. Cole points out a fan sign that says he drove 600 miles to come see LA Knight tonight.
He settles in the ring and his music dies down and he grabs a mic. “Lemme talk to ya!” he begins. He talks about SummerSlam Weekend being the biggest party of the summer. He mentions the 25-man Slim Jim Presents SummerSlam Battle Royal. The match graphic flashes on the screen and Knight calls the competitors “stooges.”
Knight talks about the business at hand tonight against Sheamus. He gives him props for being a former world champion but says he’s losing tonight. The theme for Sheamus hits and, of course, Michael Cole proclaims it “FIGHT NIGHT!”
“The Celtic Warrior” emerges alongside Butch and Ridge Holland. The Brawling Brutes hug and then begin walking down to the ring together. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
Fans immediately chant “LA Knight! LA Knight!” as the two square off. Sheamus blasts him in the gut twice with kicks and then runs over him off the ropes with a shoulder tackle. Sheamus mocks his “YEAH!” as he’s down in the corner.
Knight hits Sheamus back with some kicks and does his “YEAH!” right back to him. The two each clothesline each other over the top rope and out to the floor. We see Santos Escobar, The Miz and Grayson Waller all make their way out down to the ringside area. Karrion Kross and Scarlett, AJ Styles and Michin also come out. Cole mentions they are all in the battle royal at SummerSlam.
Sheamus connects with his White Noise on Knight on the hard part of the ring apron. On that note, we shift gears and head to a mid-match commercial break as the action in this opening contest continues.
When we return from the break, we see Sheamus working Knight over in the ring as the Superstars in the SummerSlam battle royal watch on from ringside. Knight starts fighting back and the fans chant “YEAH!” with each shot that lands. He hits a DDT and the fans chant “LA Knight! LA Knight!”
LA Knight hits a power slam on Sheamus and then leads fans in a “L-A Knight -YEAH!” chant before hitting his version of The People’s Elbow. He hits a reverse death valley driver for a close near fall after that.
The Brawling Brutes leader hits a big kick and then an Irish Curse back-breaker for a close near fall. He picks Knight up on his shoulders and takes him to the top rope. He connects with a super White Noise for a super close near fall, which Knight somehow kicks out of.
Now we see Sheamus hit a big slam and he locks Knight in the Texas Cloverleaf. Knight makes it to the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Sheamus puts the boots to Knight and skins the cat to the top rope. Knight goes to leap to the top-rope like Angle but slips. He climbs up and then almost pushes Sheamus backwards over the post to the floor, and ends up having to jump to the floor himself to avoid this. Very bad botching going on there.
We see the SummerSlam battle royal participants close in on the situation. Austin Theory comes out and gets involved, which leads to a massive brawl with all of the SummerSlam battle royal participants. Sheamus gets distracted with Miz and Knight hits his Blunt Force Trauma finisher for the win. After the match all the SummerSlam battle royal guys brawl again.
Winner: LA Knight
Solo Sikoa Is Ready For War Tonight
The commentators show Solo Sikoa standing backstage ahead of his showdown against “Main Event” Jey Uso later tonight. We then see a teaser for a recap of the Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes segment from this past Monday night’s Raw. On that note, we head to another commercial break.
The Brawling Brutes vs. The O.C.
We shoot backstage upon returning from the break and we see The O.C. and The Brawling Brutes arguing it out. Adam Pearce gets in between them and says if they want to have it out, go to the ring and have it out. After that, we shoot to the Lesnar-Cody video package hyping up their SummerSlam trilogy bout. Amazing stuff, by the way.
After the Cody-Brock package wraps up, we head back inside Wright State University. Cole once again proclaims it “FIGHT NIGHT!” as Ridge Holland and Butch of The Brawling Brutes make their way down to the ring for our next match of the evening.
As they settle inside the squared circle for scheduled tag-team action, we shift gears and head to a quick pre-match commercial break.
When we return from the break, we see Jey Uso walking the hallways backstage by himself. We return inside the arena where The O.C. head to the ring accompanied by Michin.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. Luke Gallows and Ridge Holland, the big boys of each team, kick things off for their respective squads. We see Gallows jump into the early offensive lead. He then tags in Karl Anderson, who picks up where he left off, taking it to Holland.
Butch tags in now and gets Anderson to the ground. He starts tearing at his fingers in his trademark style. He even twists and tears at the ear of The O.C. member. Gallows tags back in and he and Anderson hit a double-team spot for a close near fall, which Holland breaks up.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this tag-team contest continues. When we return, we see some back-and-forth action and then out of nowhere, The Street Profits hit the ring in suits and attack for the no contest match finish.
Winners: No Contest
The Hurt Business 2.0?
They attack both teams and leave them all laying to the shock-and-awe of the crowd and the commentators. Where was Sheamus and AJ Styles on that one? When they finish up, they head back up the ramp fixing their suits.
Out comes Bobby Lashley to join them and the crowd roars and then starts chanting “Bobby! Bobby!” It looks like we’ve got ourselves a new version of The Hurt Business.
Charlotte Flair Ready To Become 15-Time Champion
We shoot to a special vignette in the old heel style of Ric Flair’s peak “Nature Boy” days, as Charlotte Flair lays on a yacht talking about being 5-0 at SummerSlam and how she’s going to win her 15th world title when she beats Bianca Belair and Asuka at WWE SummerSlam 2023 on Saturday night. After this wraps up, we head to another commercial break.
Paul Heyman Presents The History Of Tribal Combat
As we settle in from the break, we see Paul Heyman standing in the ring. The ring announcer introduces him as “The Wise Man.” He begins his presentation of “The Tribal Combat” history. He begins by asking if there are any ladies in Ohio. He tells us his name with a very serious look on his face. The fans loudly boo.
Paul Heyman then asks how things came to this. He says this is not what Roman Reigns wanted. He tells us Jimmy Uso, who we’ll never see again, is gone and we can blame Jey Uso. He says and now he wants to push Roman Reigns to this. He says what happens to Jey tomorrow night will be Roman’s responsibility.
He then introduces a video package that looks at the history of Tribal Combat. He talks about the sacred beads they wear and how the only way to achieve it is to enter Tribal Combat. He talks about generation after generation going through this. We see the many generations of the Samoan family, including comments from Rikishi, Afa and Sika of The Wild Samoan and others.
Heyman continues and says the Tribal Chief right now is Roman Reigns and that will never be Jey Uso. He says he could say that’s not a prediction, but a spoiler, but he says the only spoiler is this …
Before he can say it, the theme for Jey Uso hits and out he comes to the ring to a huge pop from the Dayton crowd. He tells Heyman, “The O.G.” that tomorrow night is Tribal Combat. He says he’s gonna light him up with a stick and a chair. He calls him “The Head of the Table” and he’s gonna get put through one. He says he’s bringing this energy and the spirit of his ancestors and he’s beating Reigns to become the new Tribal Chief and the new Universal Champion.
The theme for Solo Sikoa hits and out comes 2023 Taz with the black towel over his head and the mean mug on his grill. He heads into the ring looking ready to fight. Heyman holds him back. Jey tells him to chill. Jey tells Solo that he’s still his little brother and to trust him. The same things they’re saying to him, they used to say to me.
Heyman tells Uso to stop and says Solo isn’t buying this. Solo has a serious look as he looks at Heyman. Solo yells at Heyman to get out but is immediately blasted with a super kick by Jey. He backs Heyman into a corner and tells Heyman off-mic to tell his cousin he’ll see him tomorrow night. He says tell his little brother he’ll see him later on.
Austin Theory vs. Cameron Grimes
We shoot backstage to Kayla Braxton, who is with Austin Theory. She says he’s competing in a few moments and then next week, he’s defending his title against Santos Escobar. He mocks Santos for injuring his own hero, Rey Mysterio, and says he’s dedicating his victory over Santos next week to Rey. He tells Cameron Grimes he’s gonna destroy his dreams tonight.
He walks off as his music plays. He heads through the curtain with his hands raised and his title around his waist. He heads to the ring for our next match of the evening, which is a non-title affair. On that note, we head to a pre-match commercial break.
When we return, we see Theory in the ring and the theme for his opponent plays. Out comes Cameron Grimes for this non-title bout. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
Grimes takes the early offensive lead and goes on to dominate the majority of the match until finally after several minutes, Theory hits his A-Town Down finisher for the win. After the match, Theory is attacked by the man he will defend the title against next week, Santos Escobar.
Winner: Austin Theory
“The Grayson Waller Effect” With Bayley & Iyo Sky
We see a lengthy Asuka vignette which shows her training in the gym and touting having a plan that will ensure she walks out of SummerSlam with the title. After that, we see the ring being set up for The Grayson Waller Effect.
On that note, we head to another commercial break. When we return, Cole and Barrett announce Kid Rock as the host and narrator of the cold open video for WWE SummerSlam.
The theme for Grayson Waller hits. Stops. The drumroll plays and it hits again (such a cool intro) and finally out comes Grayson Waller for this week’s installment of “The Grayson Waller Effect.” He introduces his guests at this time, Bayley and Iyo Sky.
This brings out the two, with the latter bringing her Money In The Bank briefcase with her. Waller says “Ding, dong, Hello!” to mock Bayley’s old talk show segment. We then have him taunt Bayley with sadistic laughs of Shotzi playing. He mocks her for being scared.
Bayley yells at him to never do that again. The theme for Shotzi hits and out comes the tank. We think it’s Shotzi but she appears in the ring with her new bald head and pulls out a pair of clippers. Bayley runs off. We shoot back to the tank and we see it was Zelina Vega.
Zelina Vega vs. Iyo Sky
Zelina Vega’s theme hits and she poses on the tank as Michael Cole plugs she versus Iyo Sky in one-on-one women’s action when we return. On that note, we head to another commercial break.
When we return from the break, we hear Cole and Barrett plugging Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa for later tonight while Zelina Vega and Iyo Sky is already in progress in the ring. It started during the commercials.
We see Iyo dominating the action early on. After a minute or so, we see Bayley and Shotzi come out of the entrance way fighting. Shotzi knocks her down and pulls out the clippers again. Bayley flees once again. The distraction allows Zelina to hit her finisher for the win.
Winner: Zelina Vega
Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa
It’s main event time!
We’ve heard from Asuka and Charlotte Flair in video packages earlier tonight. Now it’s time to hear from Bianca Belair. She is shown working out in the gym and talks about how she’s not afriad to get back to work to get back to the title.
After this wraps up, the commentators run down the lineup for SummerSlam. Now the theme for “Main Event” Jey Uso hits and out he comes. He makes his way to the ring for our scheduled main event of the evening here on the SummerSlam go-home edition of SmackDown.
On tht note, we head to a pre-match commercial break. When we return, Michael Cole and Wade Barrett announce AJ Styles vs. Karrion Kross and Austin Theory vs. Santos Escobar for the U.S. title for next week’s show, and Edge’s 25th Anniversary celebration in his hometown of Toronto on SmackDown in two weeks.
From there, we return back inside Wright State University where we hear the familiar sounds of Solo Sikoa’s theme music. Out comes “The Enforcer” of The Bloodline accompanied by “The Wise Man” Paul Heyman. He heads to the ring for our final match of the evening.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. We see Jey start off strong, taking it to his little brother as the fans cheer him on. Solo ends up slowing him down with a belly-to-belly suplex as we head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return, we see Solo still working Jey over as the fans try and rally behind “Main Event” Jey. Solo continues to dominate until he misses a big Umaga-like splash in the corner. This allows Jey to fight his way back into the contest. He then hits a vicious clothesline and a splash for a close near fall.
Sikoa hits a spinning heel kick to slow him down. He then Donkey Kong’s his little brother and lets out a war cry. He sets Jey up for a Samoan Spike but Jey avoids it, hits a super kick and then a spear. He heads to the top-rope and conects with an Uso splash for the pin fall victory.
Winner: Jey Uso
Jey Uso Is Ready For Tribal Combat
Once the match wraps up, we see Jey celebrating when he is attacked from behind by Solo. Jey fights back and beats him down with a steel chair on the floor. He poses to the fans who cheer loudly as his theme music starts playing again. Michael Cole questions if “Main Event” Jey Uso can knock off “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns during Tribal Combat at SummerSlam. That’s how this week’s show goes off the air.
