WWE SmackDown Review – September 1, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a video recapping the encounter between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso on August 11th.
John Cena welcomes fans to Smackdown as Hershey gives him a warm reception. He says the fans have given him 20 years of moments and it gets better rather than getting old. He vows to do his best to thank fans every time he appears and says he’s been given a chance by them to be back on Smackdown for months, have his first match in India and host Payback. He gives his word that he will do his best to give back to fans and that starts tonight before Cena can continue however Jimmy Uso’s (new) music hits and he makes his way down to the ring.
Jimmy asks Cena what he’s doing here then says fans came to see him. He says they came to get the answer to why he pulled Jey out of the ring at SummerSlam and he says he did it out of love for his brother. He says the funny thing is that he didn’t want Jey to be corrupted by Roman Reigns or John Cena then tells Cena that while he is one of the greatest, he is standing in his ring. Jimmy says all Cena and Reigns do is take and the only difference is that Cena does it with a smile.
Cena says he knows Jimmy has a lot on his mind and is trying to make sense of everything. He says he’s been wanting to say something for 3 years then tells him that the wrong Uso quit.
Jimmy looks to superkick Cena but Cena catches it and hits an Attitude Adjustment.
After the break we see an angry Jimmy Uso walking around backstage.
Tag Team Match
Latino World Order (United States Champion Rey Mysterio & Santos Escobar) vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller
Grayson Waller delivers a right hand to Santos Escobar before Escobar fires back with a dropkick and tags in Rey Mysterio. Waller delivers a forearm to Mysterio but Mysterio dumps him out of the ring.
Austin Theory tries to interfere but Mysterio fights him off and sends him to join Waller then goes flying over the top rope with some assistance from Escobar as we go to a break.
After the break Waller delivers a suplex to Mysterio then Theory tags in and delivers a splash in the corner then tags Waller back in. Waller wears down Mysterio then tags Theory back in before Theory & Waller fire off stomps on Mysterio in the corner as the referee is distracted before Theory lands a right hand and tags in Waller.
Waller continues beating Mysterio down then tags Theory back in & Waller looks for a forearm on Mysterio as Theory holds him in place but Mysterio ducks out of the way and Waller hits Theory.
Waller becomes legal again and Mysterio catches him with a tornado DDT then Escobar tags in and whips Waller into the corner then follows it up with an enziguri and delivers a crossbody off the top rope & he sits Waller on the top and delivers a hurricanrana then goes for a pin.
Theory breaks the fall and Mysterio sends him out of the ring. Escobar does the same to Waller and they look to go flying. Theory gets back in the ring and looks to level Mysterio but Escobar pushes him out of the way and takes the hit.
Mysterio & Theory go tumbling out of the ring opening the door for Waller to land a Rolling Stunner on Escobar for the win.
Winners: Austin Theory & Grayson Waller
We then head backstage to Michin meeting with Adam Pearce. Jimmy Uso interrupts them on account of the fact that Pearce wanted to talk to him and Pearce reprimands him for his recent behavior.
Bobby Lashley says everywhere he goes, people keep asking him what’s happening with him & Street Profits. He says he’s in Hershey with an answer then says real recognizes real and great recognizes great. He then introduces Street Profits and they make their way down to the ring.
Lashley says Street Profits are charismatic, athletic and more aggressive than ever. Montez Ford says tonight is not about them but rather giving gratitude for Lashley for all he’s done for them. Angelo Dawkins says since they’ve formed a friendship with Lashley he’s helped them to see the bigger picture. Ford says they only have 2 words for Lashley thank you.
Lashley says Street Profits can thank him with their continued success then says they have a message for fans. He puts everybody on notice and says himself and Street Profits are coming for power, control and gold.
Non Title Match
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Latino World Order (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro)
Sami Zayn & Joaquin Wilde lock up to get this match started then Wilde lands a back elbow but Zayn fires back with a clothesline and tags in Kevin Owens & he hits a Swanton Bomb off the top rope and goes for a pin but Wilde kicks out.
Wilde lands a dropkick then tags in Cruz Del Toro & Del Toro delivers a running right hand in the corner then fires off several more right hands.
He delivers a kick to Owens’ head but Owens catches him with a Pop Up Powerbomb.
Zayn tags in and delivers a Helluva Kick before Owens tags back in and delivers a Stunner for the win.
Winners: Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
After the match Zayn & Owens grab a mic to put Judgment Day on notice ahead of their Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles tomorrow night at Payback.
We then head backstage to a confrontation between Jimmy Uso & AJ Styles following the encounter he had with Michin earlier then they get into a pushing match and Solo Sikoa appears to help Jimmy out. He tells Jimmy he’s out of The Bloodline when they say he is and Jimmy says they can’t tell him anything before exiting the arena.
After the break we go backstage to Cathy Kelley & AJ Styles & he challenges Solo Sikoa to a match.
The Miz says LA Knight will be competing in the biggest match of his career tomorrow night and that’s fact rather than an insult. He says Knight is nowhere near his level and not half the star he is.
Knight’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Knight lists off all the cosplays Miz has done including himself, The Rock & John Cena. He says all 3 of them are people Miz wants to be but can’t. He says he brought himself out of the sewer to be standing where he is and worked extremely hard to get to where he is. Knight says Miz wouldn’t last a day on his boots and Miz is right in saying he isn’t on his level because he’s above him. He says Miz is the one not on his level and Miz becomes angered. He says Knight was the 1st to be eliminated from a reality show called The Hero and he succeeds because he is a star. Knight says Miz takes advantage of everything he has then says he wasn’t even the star of his own show Miz & Mrs. He tells Miz to give Maryse his regards for sending her a broken and battered husband.
Miz says fans love and relate to him because they are failures. He says they settle for mediocrity but he is different because he’s never given up. He says that Knight has a chance to succeed but unluckily for him he crushes hopes & dreams. He says when Knight loses to him he loses his popularity and he’ll go back to his old life. Knight says Miz was right in that he doesn’t quit because he doesn’t know how. He says Miz’s present is trash and his future will be worse tomorrow when he gets stomped out.
Knight & Miz begin brawling and Miz hits Skull Crushing Finale then he tells Knight that’s his future and looks to leave but Knight clocks him from behind and rains down right hands. Miz retreats to the back as officials hold off Knight at ringside.
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Bayley
Shotzi Blackheart fires off right hands before Bayley lands a right hand on Blackheart’s jaw but Blackheart eats it up and delivers a pair of clotheslines. She rains down more right hands but Bayley gains the upper hand and fires off stomps in the corner.
Blackheart fires back with a step up enziguri and tosses her onto the floor on the outside repeatedly then delivers a cannonball off the apron as we go to a break.
After the break Blackheart delivers a jawbreaker. Bayley responds with an elbow drop off the ropes then drags Blackheart over to the corner and looks for a 2nd one but Blackheart evades the maneuver and sends Bayley crashing to the outside then delivers a tope suicida and gets her back inside the ring.
She lands a Sling Blade and a kick to Bayley’s head then delivers an elbow then she sets up for Bayley 2 Belly but Blackheart blocks it and lands an exploder suplex. She follows it up with a senton and ascends to the top rope but Bayley pulls her down and calls for Iyo Sky’s Women’s Title.
Before she can take it Charlotte Flair’s music hits and she prevents Sky from giving it to her. She tosses her into the barricade as Dakota Kai tries taking advantage but the referee catches her opening the door for Flair to deliver a forearm to Bayley & Blackheart plants Bayley with her finisher for the win.
Winner: Shotzi Blackheart
After the break we head over to a video recapping everything leading up to the World Heavyweight Title at Payback.
AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
AJ Styles wastes no time as he lands a forearm and fires off chops but Solo Sikoa fires back with a shoulder tackle and looks for a standing splash but Styles gets his knees up before Sikoa delivers a bodyslam.
Styles connects with a dropkick and a splash in the corner as Paul Heyman marches down to ringside then Styles delivers a knee to Sikoa’s jaw off the apron then delivers a right hand over the top rope that sends him crashing onto the floor as we go to a break.
After the break Sikoa whips Styles into the corner. He looks to go flying but Sikoa catches him with a right hand and sends him colliding with the ring post spine first then sends him face first into the announce desk and gets him back in the ring before landing a belly 2 belly suplex and a back body drop.
He calls for a Samoan Spike but Styles prevents him from hitting it and lands a Pelé Kick before he lands a splash in the corner and fires off strikes but Sikoa catches him with a Samoan Drop. He goes for a pin but Styles kicks out.
Styles lands a clothesline and an Asai Moonsault then sets up for the Styles Clash but Sikoa escapes and Styles lands a forearm then calls for a Phenomenal Forearm but Jimmy Uso trips him on the ropes before he can hit it & this opens the door for Sikoa to land the Samoan Spike for the win.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
After the match Jimmy hops in the ring to congratulate his brother. Sikoa calls for the Samoan Spike on him but Heyman stops him from hitting it. Jimmy then delivers a superkick to Styles and ascends to the top before delivering Uso Splash and throwing up the one symbol to close out this week’s Smackdown.
Next Week’s Smackdown
Tag Team Match
Damage CTRL (Women’s Champion Iyo Sky & Bayley) vs. Charlotte Flair & Shotzi Blackheart
