WWE SmackDown aired from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte battled SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley tonight. Jeff Hardy faced Sheamus and AJ Styles squared off against Shinsuke Nakamura in the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Otis & Mandy Rose faced Dolph Ziggler & Sonya Deville on this week’s show as well.
SmackDown Results (5/22)
- Braun Strowman def. The Miz
- AJ Styles def. Shinsuke Nakamura to advance in the IC Title Tournament
- Bayley def. Charlotte Flair
- Dolph Ziggler & Sonya Deville def. Otis & Mandy Rose
- Jeff Hardy def. Sheamus to advance in the IC Title Tournament
Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s episode of SmackDown:
Miz & Morrison Challenged Strowman To A Handicap Match For The Title At Backlash
Miz and Morrison kicked off this week’s show with an episode of The Dirt Shirt. The Miz blasted Braun Strowman for getting in their business last week and Morrison mocked Becky Lynch for choosing to have a child with Seth Rollins. Miz joked that Bray Wyatt chose stuffed animals over Braun Strowman in the Wyatt Family.
They then introduced some puppets in a Firefly Funhouse parody. Universal Champion Braun Strowman finally interrupted and demanded that they ask him about Bray Wyatt and Money in the Bank. The Miz said Bray isn’t done with him and Morrison claimed that Strowman isn’t half the man that Miz is. Morrison went on a rant and wound up challenging Strowman for Miz. Strowman accepted and told Miz he is about to get these hands.
Match Recap: Strowman launched The Miz into the turnbuckle to start the match off. Morrison hit Strowman with a cheap shot outside the ring as the referee was distracted. Miz capitalized with a Dropkick and went for a DDT but Strowman blocked it. Strowman sent Miz flying across the ring and hit him with a Splash in the corner. Morrison hopped on the ring apron but the Universal Champion knocked him to the floor with a massive right hand. Strowman then planted Miz with the Running Powerslam for the easy victory.
After the match, Miz & Morrison challenged Braun to a Handicap Match for the Universal Championship at Miz & Morrison and Strowman accepted.
AJ Styles Advanced In The IC Title Tournament In A Great Match With Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura faced AJ Styles in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament.
Match Recap: AJ applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Nakamura quickly countered into a Headlock of his own. AJ broke free and leveled Shinsuke with a Dropkick. Styles brought Nakamura to the corner and delivered some chops to the chest. Nakamura hit Styles with a knee to the ribs and the two superstars traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Styles hit an Enziguri and went for a Suplex but Nakamura dodged it. Shinsuke connected with a snap German Suplex as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Styles hit a Pele Kick and both superstars fell to the canvas. Styles followed it up with a Clothesline and a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Styles locked in the Calf Crusher but Shinsuke was able to reach the bottom rope. Nakamura battled back with a knee to the face and went for the cover but Styles kicked out at two.
Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Styles countered into a roll-up for a two count. Shinsuke quickly locked in a Triangle submission but AJ countered into a Styles Clash but Nakamura kicked out at the last moment. Styles hit a kick to the face and then the Phenomenal Forearm for the pinfall victory. AJ Styles has advanced to the semifinals in the IC Title Tournament. It was also announced during the match that RAW has traded Styles to SmackDown for future draft picks.
Bayley Stole A Victory
Charlotte battled Bayley tonight on SmackDown. Before the match, Bayley asked Sasha Banks not to be in her corner tonight because people are starting to think she cannot win without her.
Match Recap: Charlotte dominated early and beat Bayley down in the corner. Bayley went for a roll-up and used the ropes for leverage but the referee caught her. Bayley tripped up Charlotte and slammed her on the apron. Bayley went for a Baseball Slide but Flair got out of the way and Charlotte hit a Clothesline. Charlotte sent Bayley flying over the barricade and grabbed the Cole’s headset. Charlotte asked Sasha to come out here so she can kick both their asses as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Flair was still in control of the match and had Bayley in a Headlock. Flair sent Bayley to the corner and leveled her with a chop. Charlotte set up for a Moonsault but Bayley brought her back down to the mat and Flair tweaked her knee. The action spilled out of the ring and Bayley sent Charlotte into the ring post.
Bayley slammed Flair into the barricade and into the apron before the action returned to the ring. Charlotte connected with a Fallaway Slam and then beat her down in the corner once again. Flair climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but Bayley got out of the way. Bayley went for an Elbow Drop but Charlotte blocked it and applied a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring. Bayley escaped and rolled up Flair for the victory. Bayley used the ropes for leverage again but the referee didn’t catch it. After the match, Sasha Banks congratulated Bayley on her victory.
Ziggler & Deville Picked Up A Win
Mandy Rose and Otis battled Sonya Deville and Otis tonight on SmackDown.
Match Recap: Sonya beat Mandy Rose in the corner to start off the match. Mandy exploded out of the corner and unloaded some punches to Deville’s face. Ziggler attacked Otis and sent him into the steel steps as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Sonya Deville booted Mandy in the midsection. Rose hit a Jawbreaker and went for a tag but Sonya hit a boot to the face. Rose finally got a tag and Otis sent Dolph to the canvas with a Clothesline. Deville tagged in and Mandy hit her with a Clothesline.
Otis and Ziggler brawled outside the ring as Mandy hit a running knee to the face. Sonya hit a running knee to the back of Rose’s head for the pinfall victory. After the match, Ziggler hit Otis with a Superkick as he was checking on Mandy.
Jeff Hardy Advanced In The IC Title Tournament
Jeff Hardy battled Sheamus in the final first round match of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament. The winner of the match will face Daniel Bryan in the semifinals next week.
Match Recap: Sheamus beat the hell out of Jeff Hardy to start the match off. Jeff sent Sheamus out of the ring and hit a Dropkick through the ropes. Hardy went for a Crossbody but Sheamus caught him. Sheamus slammed Jeff into the ring post and then slammed him on top of the announce table as SmackDown went a commercial break.
Sheamus was still in control of the match when SmackDown returned and hit Hardy with a Clothesline. Hardy battled back and hit Whisper in the Wind. Sheamus shrugged it off and hit three Irish Curse Backbreakers in a row. Sheamus charged at Hardy but Jeff got out of the way at the last moment.
Jeff hit Sheamus with a Dropkick after he charged into the ring post for a near fall. Hardy hit a Clothesline off the barricade outside the ring and both superstars fell to the floor. Jeff climbed up to the top rope and went for the Swanton Bomb but Sheamus got his knees up. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but Jeff countered into a roll-up for the victory.
Opinion: I thought this week’s episode of SmackDown was a very good show. Styles vs. Nakamura, and Bayley vs. Charlotte were both solid matches. I’m also looking forward to Bryan versus Jeff Hardy next week. In my opinion, the main negative from this show was Strowman facing Miz & Morrison at Backlash. It seems like that will be the end of Miz & Morrison and I would have preferred a more interesting storyline for the Universal Championship.