SmackDown aired live from the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland & Rolling Loud festival in Miami. Bianca Belair defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Carmella during tonight’s show. Universal Champion Roman Reigns responded to John Cena’s challenge for a title match at SummerSlam.
SmackDown Results (7/23)
- Finn Balor def. Sami Zayn
- Angelo Dawkins def. Chad Gable
- Bianca Belair def. Carmella to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship
- Toni Storm def. Zelina Vega
- Jimmy Uso def. Dominik
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Paul Heyman Mocked John Cena
John Cena kicked off the show and made his way to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Cena referred to Roman Reigns as a lifeless egomaniac and said he came back to challenge him for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam.
Cena joked about the Indians changing their names to Guardians and claimed that SmackDown with Roman Reigns as champion sucks. Cena added that SummerSlam is not just a match for the Universal Championship, it is a chance for people to stand up for what they believe.
John asked if the crowd was on team jorts or on team cargo pants and a “Cena!” chant broke out. Cena asked Reigns to come to the ring but the Universal Champion didn’t show. Paul Heyman finally made his way to the entrance ramp and said that Cena has it all wrong.
Heyman told Cena that he’s not worth Reigns listening to and that John will get an answer to his challenge tonight whenever Roman decides to come to the ring. Heyman then hilariously mocked Cena’s theme before leaving.
Finn Balor def. Sami Zayn
Finn Balor squared off with Sami Zayn in his first match back on the main roster. Sami hit Finn with an elbow to the face and brought him down to the canvas. Balor battled back but Sami dropped him again with a punch. Zayn followed it up with some more punches to Balor’s face before throwing him out of the ring.
Sami beat Balor down against the barricade and rolled him back into the ring. Balor tackled Sami and got in some punches of his own. Finn threw Sami out of the ring and flipped onto him as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Sami hit a Clothesline and went for the cover but Finn kicked out at two. Zayn applied a Headlock but Finn was able to break free and take control of the match. Finn Dropkicked Sami to the corner and followed it up with the Coup de Grace for the pinfall victory.
Apollo Crews Interrupted Big E
MITB winner Big E made his way to the ring to chants of “you deserve it!” from the crowd. Big E thanked the crowd and said that he will never forget this past Sunday. Big E joked that has no business jumping off of ladders but was interrupted by Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews & Commander Azeez.
Crews laughed at Big E for winning a contract and brought up beating Big E at WrestleMania. Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode interrupted but they were quickly interrupted by a screaming Rick Boogs. Shinsuke Nakamura made his way to the ring as Boogs played the guitar. Cesaro ran to the ring and a brawl broke out. Big E Clotheslined Azeez out of the ring as Cesaro got Crews in the Swing.
Angelo Dawkins def. Chad Gable
Angelo Dawkins faced Chad Gable in a singles match from Rolling Loud. Ford and Otis were ringside. Dawkins perched Gable up on the top rope and sent him to the mat with a Clothesline. Gable battled back with a Flying Clothesline off the top rope for a two count. Gable hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Dawkins hit Splash and went for the cover but Gable kicked out at two. Angelo then connected with Sky High for the pinfall victory.
Bianca Belair Retained
Bianca Belair put the SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against Carmella. The match aired from Rolling Loud. Bianca connected with a shoulder tackle and sent Carmella to the ring apron. Carmella connected with a punch and went for a Crossbody off the top rope.
Bianca caught Carmella and connected with a Fallaway Slam. Belair followed it up with a Standing Moonsault for a near fall. Carmella caught Belair with a Jawbreaker and followed it up with a Facebuster for a two count. Belair took control and hit KOD for the pinfall victory. Bianca Belair is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Edge Sent A Message To Seth Rollins
Edge came down to the ring to a great reaction from the Cleveland crowd. Edge said that Rollins is going to find out what he is capable of and Rollins’ music hit.Rollins interrupted and cackled into the microphone. Edge told Seth to shut up and come down to the ring. Edge added that he wasn’t going to put a hand on him. Seth added that he was going to talk about people like Cena & Edge coming back whenever they want and jumping the line but isn’t going to.
Seth said that Edge has been such a scumbag to him that he would be thrilled to end his dreams of becoming champion once again. Rollins noted that he hesitated to end Edge’s career 7 years ago but will not hesitate this time around. Edge told Rollins he lied and hit him with some punches. Rollins stomped Edge to the mat but the he got up and hit Edgecution. Edge went for the Spear but Seth retreated out of the ring.
Toni Storm Debuted With A Win
Toni Storm made her debut on SmackDown against Zelina Vega. Zelina got the jobber entrance. Toni was wrestling as a babyface and Vega beat her down to start off the action. Vega hit a running knee to the face but Toni shrugged it off and connected with a headbutt. Vega got distracted by accidentally taking Toni’s belt off somehow. Toni then hit Storm Zero for the pinfall victory.
Jimmy Uso def. Dominik
Jimmy Uso faced Dominik tonight on SmackDown. Jey Uso and Rey Mysterio were ringside for the match. Jimmy dominated the match early and hit Dominim with a Superkick for a near fall. Uso focused his attack on Dominik’s knee and then hit him with an Enziguri to the face for a two count.
Rey took out Jey outside the ring with a Senton and Dominik hit Jimmy with a Crossbody as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, Dominik hit a Neckbreaker and sent Jimmy to the apron. Jimmy battled back and rolled up Dominik with an assist from Jey for the win.
Roman Reigns Declined Cena’s Challenge, Will Face Finn Balor
Universal Champion Roman Reigns came to the ring at the end of this week’s show.
Reigns stood in the ring silent with Paul Heyman as the Cleveland crowd chanted “you suck!”. Roman told Cleveland and the audience at home to acknowledge him as Heyman raised the Universal Championship above his head.
Roman stated that John Cena is a nostalgia act with the same entrance, same outfits, and same promos. Reigns joked that if he wanted that he could just search 2005 John Cena on the internet. Roman added that Cena was like missionary every night and that everyone is tired of Cena. He declined Cena’s challenge for a title shot at SummerSlam. Paul Heyman raised the Universal Championship but Finn Balor’s theme hit.
Balor came to the ring and Reigns wondered if Finn was here to acknowledge him. Finn said he was not here to do that but if Roman isn’t interested in Cena’s challenge, maybe he’d be interested in Balor’s. The crowd chanted “Roman’s scared!” and the champion quieted them down. Roman then accepted Balor’s challenge to end the show.