WWE SmackDown Review – July 28, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with Jey Uso says he is now in New Orleans but before he can go any further Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns’ music hits and he appears alongside Solo Sikoa & Paul Heyman.
Reigns calls for New Orleans to acknowledge him then claims to be the reason the WWE Universe loves The Usos. He says Jey has forgotten that he’s the one to open the show, and says he’s the one who made Jey The Right Hand Man & the Main Event. He says now that Jey no longer has any of what he once did he thinks he’s the one who opens shows.
Jey says he never wanted any of that because all he wanted to do is have Reigns’ back and support him then he says he stuck by Reigns throughout the last 3 years because he believed in him but Reigns broke up their family and now he has to do what he has to. Reigns says none of that is on him because Jey is the one at fault then reminds Jey that the only reason he was the right hand man was due to the fact that Jimmy was injured. He says he stole an opportunity from Jimmy & Sikoa loves and respects him less than he does. Reigns says once things end at SummerSlam Jey will be done but in the event that he somehow manages to lose then he does take everything from him but he will still have his name value. He tells Jey that he is alone then asks why he thinks he can beat him. Jey reminds Reigns that he already has a victory over him and says he’ll do it again at SummerSlam.
After the break we see Jey Uso run into Grayson Waller backstage. Waller invites Jey to be a guest on The Grayson Waller Effect but Jey declines to do so and opts to slap Waller instead.
Finals Of The United States Title #1 Contenders Tournament
Santos Escobar vs. Rey Mysterio
Match starts off with Santos Escobar & Rey Mysterio shake hands then they lock up before they go back & forth with submission holds then Escobar slaps Mysterio but Mysterio responds with a dropkick for his knee and dials it up for the 619 but Escobar slides out of the ring and Mysterio levels him as we go to a break.
After the break Mysterio delivers a senton off the top rope then follows it up with a springboard crossbody and goes for a pin but Escobar kicks out. Escobar delivers a pair of flying shoulder tackles and an enziguri then ascends to the top and lands a crossbody.
Mysterio fires back with a sunset flip but Escobar hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker then he looks to catapult Mysterio into the top turnbuckle but Mysterio lands on the top rope then Escobar gets him in an electric chair position then gets him out of the ring and looks to plant him with a powerbomb.
Mysterio counters into a hurricanrana that sends Escobar face first into the ring apron and gets back in the ring as he is looking to fly. Escobar avoids the maneuver and nails Mysterio with a tope suicida as we go to a 2nd break.
After the 2nd break we see the ringside physician checking on Mysterio after being injured while taking the tope suicida from Escobar & referee Jessika Carr calls off the match as a result of the injury and announces Escobar as the winner of the match.
Winner By Referee Stoppage: Santos Escobar
After the match Mysterio & Escobar hug in the ring and show their respect for one another.
We then head backstage to Kayla Braxton is with Bianca BelAir and Kayla Braxton discussing BelAir’s Triple Threat match for the Women’s Title at SummerSlam before Women’s Tag Team Champion Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville walk in and start complaining about their lack of a celebration after 11 days as Women’s Tag Team Champions. BelAir calls them out for disrespecting her and challenges them to a Triple Threat match between the 3 of them before Charlotte Flair enters and says she needs BelAir at 100% ahead of SummerSlam then she offers to be BelAir’s partner in a tag team match. BelAir declines her offer but Flair insists and heads off to talk to Adam Pearce.
After the break Hit Row is waiting in the ring mocking the crowd. LA Knight’s music hits, and he makes his way down to the ring & he mocks Top Dolla & B Fab then tells Ashante Thee Adonis he will beat him.
LA Knight vs. Ashante Thee Adonis
Ashante Thee Adonis wastes no time as he rains down right hands before B Fab distracts the referee and Top Dolla takes a cheap shot at Knight. Knight manages to land a neckbreaker and clocks Top Dolla then delivers a powerslam to Adonis and follows it up with an elbow drop then nails BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
We then head backstage and see Adam Pearce approaches Jey Uso. Pearce tells Jey that Grayson Waller has been badgering him for a 1 on 1 match in light of their confrontation earlier tonight and Jey agrees to participate.
After the break we see Street Profits having a drink with Bobby Lashley & Lashley says NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams spoke very highly of them and says they should be dressing like stars. He offers the 2 of them a variety of suits and Street Profits thank him.
Non Title Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville vs. Charlotte Flair & Bianca BelAir
Chelsea Green & Bianca BelAir lock up to kick this match off before BelAir delivers a shoulder tackle and runs the ropes then Charlotte Flair tags herself in and delivers a kick to Green’s head to the frustration of BelAir.
She then sends Green’s head repeatedly crashing into the mat before tagging BelAir back in & BelAir delivers a body slam but Green tags in Sonya Deville & BelAir catches Deville with a body slam of her own then delivers a springboard moonsault.
Deville fires off right hands on BelAir in the corner but BelAir fires back with a single leg dropkick then she rains down right hands on Deville in the corner but Green tries interfering. BelAir dumps her out of the ring allowing Deville to deliver a running kick as we go to a break.
After the break Green tags in and BelAir catches her with a boot to her face. Green & Deville double team on BelAir but BelAir plants them both with a double suplex then Flair tags in and delivers a crossbody to Green & Deville then fires off chops on Green then delivers a fallaway slam but Green responds with a back elbow and tags in Deville.
Flair catches Green with a Spear, then rolls up Deville but Deville kicks out and Flair delivers a fallaway slam to her. She then looks for Figure 8 but Deville sends her crashing into the middle turnbuckle. BelAir tags herself in and delivers a pair of shoulder tackles to Deville, then follows it up with a single leg dropkick and a brainbuster.
She rains down right hands on Deville in the corner before Green tags in & BelAir plants Deville with a spinebuster and Green looks for Unprettier as Deville runs the ropes but Flair trips her as BelAir sends Green into the middle turnbuckle and gets her up on her shoulders.
Flair tags herself in and delivers a boot to Green knocking her off BelAir’s shoulders then BelAir asks Flair what she’s doing before Flair gets the win for her team.
Winners: Charlotte Flair & Bianca BelAir
After the match BelAir & Flair continue arguing.
We then head backstage to Damage CTRL where Bayley discovers a message from Shotzi Blackheart in her backpack before Women’s Champion Asuka walks in and tells Ms Money In The Bank Iyo Sky if she tries cashing in her Money In The Bank briefcase she will regret it. Sky then says it doesn’t matter who wins the Triple Threat for the Women’s Title at SummerSlam because she will be walking out as the Women’s Champion.
After the break we see LA Knight walk into Adam Pearce’s office & he requests to be added to the Battle Royal at SummerSlam then Brawling Brutes then walk in and Sheamus asks to be added as well. Pearce agrees to add them both to it and makes a singles match between Knight & Sheamus official for next week.
In the Gorilla position Karl Anderson requested The OC to stay in the back so he can handle Karrion Kross by himself.
Karl Anderson vs. Karrion Kross
Karl Anderson wastes no time as he fires off right hands and chops on Karrion Kross then lands a series of uppercuts then he climbs to the middle rope and delivers a neckbreaker but Kross delivers a kick to the back of Anderson’s knee with a little assist from Scarlett then he follows it up with a back suplex follow by Kross Hammer then connects with The Final Prayer for the win.
Winner: Karrion Kross
After the match Kross locks in Kross Jacket before The OC runs down to the ring to provide Anderson with a helping hand.
Jey Uso vs. Grayson Waller
Match starts off with a lock up then they go back & forth with submission holds before Grayson Waller lands a shoulder tackle before he sends Jey Uso crashing face first into the middle turnbuckle but Jey fires back with a bodyslam and stomps Waller’s hand.
He follows it up with an enziguri and looks for the hip attack but Roman Reigns’ music hits & that distracts him. Reigns then emerges alongside Paul Heyman & Solo Sikoa to watch the action from ringside. Waller takes advantage and delivers a knee to Jey’s head as we go to a break.
After the break Jey delivers a jaw breaker to Waller before Waller delivers an elbow drop off the middle rope but Jey fires back with a superkick. Waller delivers a spinebuster then mocks The Rock by removing his elbow pad and looking for his own version of The People’s Elbow.
Jey rolls out of the way and delivers a Samoan Drop before he looks for a hip attack but Waller rolls out of the ring then follows it up with a superkick and stares down Reigns before delivering a Spear then ascends to the top rope and hits Uso Splash for the win.
Winner: Jey Uso
After the match Sikoa slides in the ring and attacks Jey before he looks for Samoan Spike but Jey ducks it and lands a superkick. Reigns then looks to attack him but Jey catches him with a Spear and looks for Uso Splash but Sikoa pushes him off the top rope and nails Spinning Solo. Sikoa looks for the Samoan Spike and hits it as Reigns delivers a Spear to Jey. Reigns berates Jey before himself and Sikoa deliver the Spear/Samoan Spike combination for a 2nd time to close out this week’s Smackdown.
