WWE Smackdown Review – June 16, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a video recapping what happened between the members of The Bloodline last week.
We then see Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman & Solo Sikoa pulling up to the Rupp Arena. Kayla Braxton is standing by and asks for an update on Jey Uso’s status in The Bloodline but none of them provide her with an answer.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles #1 Contenders 6 Team Gauntlet Match
Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) vs. Brawling Brutes (Sheamus & Ridge Holland) vs. Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. Latino World Order (Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde) vs. Hit Row (Top Dolla & Ashante Thee Adonis) vs. Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince)
Street Profits vs. Brawling Brutes
Sheamus delivers a shoulder tackle then Montez Ford fires back with a dropkick and a chop but Sheamus lands the Irish Curse Backbreaker and tags in Ridge Holland. Holland delivers a suplex but Ford hits a step up enziguri and tags in Angelo Dawkins.
Dawkins delivers a flying back elbow and a splash in the corner then delivers a right hand. Sheamus tags back in and delivers a big boot then pins Dawkins to eliminate Street Profits.
Brawling Brutes vs. Good Brothers
Luke Gallows slides in the ring and delivers a right hand then tags in Karl Anderson before Good Brothers land an assisted neckbreaker as we go to a break.
After the break Gallows sends Sheamus crashing into the mat then follows it up with an elbow to Sheamus’ head and tags in Anderson. Anderson fires off right hands then tags Gallows back in.
Gallows delivers a kick and a right hand then delivers a suplex and a boot. Sheamus responds with a body slam but Anderson tags in. Sheamus then catches him with Brogue Kick to eliminated Good Brothers.
Brawling Brutes vs. Latino World Order
LWO waste no time and go flying over the top to take out Brawling Brutes on the outside. Joaquin Wilde tosses Sheamus back in the ring then ascends to the top and lands a dropkick.
Cruz Del Toro tags in and executes a moonsault off the top rope then goes for a pin but Sheamus kicks out.
Holland makes the blind tag before Sheamus lands a big boot on Del Toro. Holland then delivers a Yokosuka Cutter to end the LWO’s night.
Brawling Brutes vs. Hit Row
Hit Row slide in the ring and Sheamus wastes no time as he lands Brogue Kick on Top Dolla to eliminate Hit Row.
Brawling Brutes vs. Pretty Deadly
After the 2nd break Pretty Deadly are going at it with Brawling Brutes in the ring. Elton Prince sends Holland crashing into the mat before Kit Wilson tags in and delivers a running uppercut in the corner then follows it up with a neckbreaker and rains down right hands. Prince tags in and delivers clotheslines in the corner then whips Holland into the opposite corner.
Wilson tags in and Pretty Deadly looks to double team on Holland but Holland plants them both with simultaneous back body drops and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus delivers splashes to Pretty Deadly in the corner then delivers Irish Curse Backbreaker to them before planting Prince on top of Wilson.
He then delivers an Alabama Slam to Wilson and sets up for 30 Beats Of The Bodhran. Prince tries saving his tag team partner but Sheamus stacks him on top of Wilson and executes the move on both men. He gets Wilson up on his shoulders but Prince makes the blind tag.
Sheamus delivers Razor’s Edge to Wilson and pins him not realizing he isn’t the legal man. Prince ascends to the top and lands a leg drop for the win.
Winners & #1 Contenders To The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles: Pretty Deadly
After the break Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens appear on the ramp.
Zayn congratulates Pretty Deadly on winning and says he didn’t expect that to happen. He says they’ve overstayed their welcome for 5 minutes by celebrating in the ring and invites them to head backstage. Prince says that was cute and says their hair is somehow drier than Zayn’s after beating five teams. Prince says they had no right interrupting him and Wilson. Wilson says despite what Zayn said he & Prince will stay as long as they want in the ring when they become new Undisputed Tag Team Champions.
Zayn asks Owens if what they’re saying is bothering them and Owens becomes angered. He says he wants to punch Pretty Deadly in the face and Zayn agrees. They run down the ramp and slide in the ring but Pretty Deadly retreat before a brawl ensues.
We then head backstage to Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa & Paul Heyman. Heyman asks Reigns if he’s talked to Jey Uso. Reigns says he hasn’t and says Jey should’ve reached out to him then demands that Heyman go find him to do so.
Iyo Sky vs. Zelina Vega
Zelina Vega wastes no time as she fires off right hands and lands a hurricanrana but Iyo Sky fires back with a dropkick and rains down right hands. Vega rolls up Sky but Sky kicks out.
Vega then looks to run the ropes but Bayley hops up and distracts her then Sky rolls up Vega but the referee is occupied with Bayley and doesn’t see the fall.
He takes notice and counts to 3 but Vega kicks out then Sky asks Bayley what she just did, allowing Vega to surprise her with the 619 to get the win.
Winner: Zelina Vega
We then head backstage to Adam Pearce then Bianca BelAir walks in and demands to know where her rematch is. Pearce says it’s being talked about and BelAir tells him that she went about getting the rematch the right way but she’s taking matters into her own hands now.
Grayson Waller welcomes fans to The Grayson Waller Effect and introduces Charlotte Flair.
Flair’s music hits and she makes her way down to the ring.
Waller asks Flair about her upcoming Women’s Title match against Asuka 2 weeks from now and says she’s not going up against the Asuka she faced in the past. Waller asks if she’ll become a 15x Champion and Flair says she has Asuka’s number. However before she can continue Bianca BelAir’s music and she makes her way down to the ring.
BelAir says Flair’s accolades speak for themself but questions why Flair gets to cut the line despite her not being the one who lost the Women’s Title. Flair says she didn’t write the rules and refuses to apologize. She says the line starts with her and says she never got a rematch against Rhea Ripley after losing to her at WrestleMania 39. BelAir says she tried doing things the right way and she stayed around to do so. She says she didn’t hide for 3 months like Flair did but Flair objects and says she’s picked herself up after every championship loss. She says she’s a champion with or without the title and asks BelAir if the same can be said for her.
BelAir reminds Flair she’s the longest reigning Women’s Champion of the modern era and demands Flair put some respect on her name. She says she’ll be ringside when Flair takes on Asuka in their Women’s Title match and says she’ll face the winner face 2 face because the Women’s Title is coming back to her.
We head backstage to Jey Uso. Paul Heyman approaches him and apologizes for telling the truth and being right last week. He apologizes for Jimmy superkicking him in the face last week and says it was intentional. He says he meant to kick Roman Reigns at Night Of Champions and meant what he did last week. He says Jey deserves better than that before Jey apologizes for having Heyman kicked out if he remains in The Bloodline.
Mixed Tag Team Match
The OC (AJ Styles & Michin) vs. Karrion Kross & Scarlett
AJ Styles wastes no time as he fires off kicks then lands a sliding forearm. Michin tags in and catches Karrion Kross with a DDT before Scarlett gets in the ring and plants her. Michin delivers a series of chops and kicks then hits a release German suplex. Kross & Styles tag in. Styles lands a Pele Kick before hitting Styles Clash and goes for a pin.
Scarlett breaks the fall and gets in Styles’ face but Michin drags her to the outside and plants her & this allows Kross to lock in the Kross Jacket then lands the Kross Hammer and plants Styles with a lifting Flatliner for the win.
Winners: Karrion Kross & Scarlett
We head backstage to Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman & Solo Sikoa. Reigns asks Heyman how his conversation with Jey went and Heyman shakes his head. Sikoa intimidates him into leaving the room before asking Reigns if he wants him to handle things. Reigns tells him to take it easy and says they have plenty of time.
Rey Mysterio says he’s had many accomplishments throughout his career but the one he’s most proud of is reforming Latino World Order then says the person he’s about to introduce represents the essence of the faction and welcomes Santos Escobar to the ring.
LWO’s music hits and Escobar makes his way out.
Escobar says he’s worked hard and made a lot of sacrifices to receive the opportunity of a lifetime when he competes in the Money In The Bank Ladder match then tells Mysterio and thanks him before saying he’s fighting for Mysterio, his family and anyone in the WWE Universe who has a dream.
LA Knight’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Knight shoves Mysterio before Escobar catches him with a clothesline and a dropkick then he sends Knight into the ropes and Mysterio looks for the 619 but Knight slides out of the ring.
Santos Escobar vs. LA Knight
Match starts off with Santos Escobar delivers a pair of flying back elbows then follows it up with a backbreaker but LA Knight responds with a kick to his head before Escobar ascends to the top and lands a crossbody then delivers a running knee.
Knight fires back with a body slam and follows it up with an elbow drop before rolling up Escobar. Escobar reverses the momentum and pins Knight for the win.
Winner: Santos Escobar
After the match Knight blindsides Escobar and rains down right hands. Rey Mysterio runs down to ringside to provide Escobar with a hand.
After the break we see Jey Uso heading to the ring but he runs into Sami Zayn & he gives him a nod.
Roman Reigns tells Lexington to acknowledge him but before he can continue The Usos’ music hits and Jey makes his way down to ringside.
Reigns says he knows what fans want and says they want answers then asks him if he’s in or out of The Bloodline and Jey demands that Reigns be the one to tell him. He says it’s either Heyman or himself and Reigns tells Jey he can pick anyone to be his Wise Man when he’s Tribal Chief. He says Heyman is his Wise Man not The Bloodline’s. He says he was meant to get his family to the promise land, and Jey is meant to keep them there. He says they’ve put 3 years into getting Jey ready to assume the position of Tribal Chief and says he’s meant to lead but not yet. Reigns tells Jey his problem is his brother.
Jimmy appears and cuts off Reigns. He tells Jey that Reigns is the real problem and he’s just using him. He asks Jey if he really believes what Reigns is saying.
Reigns says it took 10 years for The Usos to get on WrestleMania but they’ve main evented each Premium Live Event since they’ve been with him. He says Jey can’t be a Tribal Chief and a twin at the same time and says as much as Jimmy wants to beg the truth is that Jimmy was the only one who had a problem with Jey being named the right hand man.
Jey looks over at Jimmy and stares him down. Jimmy has trouble meeting his gaze and Jey asks Jimmy if what Reigns just said was true. Jimmy says it was, and Jey starts pacing. He asks Jimmy if he’s been doubting him this whole time. He says he expected that from Reigns but not him. He says all heard growing up was listen to your older brother and says he’s been trying to keep up with Jimmy. He says Jimmy was prom king, player of the year, and most likely to succeed. Jey says he stepped up when Jimmy got hurt and has been in countless main events thanks to Reigns. He tells Jimmy that he’s out out of The Bloodline and stares him down. He then says he’s out too and superkicks Reigns. Sikoa charges at them but The Usos catch him with a double superkick. The Usos look to leave but Reigns begins to yell at him. The Usos then catch him with a double superkick and put their ones to the sky to close out this week’s Smackdown.
Next Week’s Smackdown
Women’s Tag Team Titles Unification Match
Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler (Women’s Tag Team) vs. Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn (NXT Women’s Tag Team)
Cameron Grimes vs. Baron Corbin
Bayley’s Spot In The Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Bayley (h) vs. Shotzi Blackheart
Smackdown (June 30th)
Women’s Title Match
Asuka (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles Match
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (c) vs. Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince)
