Tonight’s WWE SmackDown airs live on the USA Network at 8/7 from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville , SC.
The road to WWE Bad Blood continues, with less than two weeks until the upcoming premium live event.
Matches and Segments for tonight:
Solo Sikoa Returns: The Tribal Chief returns ahead of his big tag match with Jacob Fatu against Cody Rhodes and roman Reigns next weekend.
Michin vs. Piper Niven: This bout was signed after Niven attacked Minchin with a trash can after lsat week’s broadcast on SmackDown LowDown. This singles match adds fuel to Michin’s ongoing rivalry with Chelsea Green, whom she’ll soon will battle in a Dumpster Match.
#1 Contender’s Match: Bayley will take on Naomi, with the winner earning a shot at the WWE Women’s Championship.
Match 6: Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes: In their ongoing series, Andrade leads 3-2 and looks to close out the rivalry against Carmelo Hayes
What happened last week?
Catch up on all the action from last week’s show, with the Top 10 Moments and the SmackDown Lowdown post-show:
Michin suffers a brutal attack while Carmelo Hayes and Giovanni Vinci issue strong statements following Friday Night SmackDown.
Drew McIntyre was in action after this week’s episode of SmackDown and he got fans worried for a second after faking a knee injury.
The Scottish Warrior went up against Jey Uso in the second dark match of the night after the show from Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California went off air.
During one point in the bout, both men were down and McIntyre tried to do his signature kip-up. The former World Champion, however, failed to perform the move and he started favoring his knee afterward.
The referee checked on him and even Uso slowed down his offense. The images of the spot were seen on social media claiming that McIntyre got injured. Though a fan-made video shows that when Jey went close to his opponent, Drew poked him in the eye and then stood tall once again.
The Scottish Psychopath then delivered a GTS to Jey Uso in response to the CM Punk chants from the crowd. As he went for the Claymore, Uso managed to counter. The Yeet Man actually ended up winning the match after delivering a spear.
This wasn’t the only dark match that took place at the show. Before the Drew McIntyre bout, Liv Morgan successfully defended the Women’s World Championship against Lyra Valkyria.
The third dark match of the night saw Cody Rhodes defeat Carmelo Hayes. The WWE Champion brought a young fan to celebrate with him in the ring after the bell.
Prior to all this, Kevin Owens and the Street Profits took on the Bloodline in the main event of SmackDown. The match ended in a disqualification and the heel faction continued dominating until Rhodes made the save.
WWE once again teased Owens turning on the American Nightmare right at the end of the broadcast but the two ended up shaking hands and celebrating together.
Multiple top WWE stars including Liv Morgan, Cody Rhodes, and Drew McIntyre were in action in dark matches after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California went off air.
The first dark match saw Liv Morgan defending the Women’s World Championship against Lyra Valkyria. The Judgment Day member was able to retain her title at the end.
Drew McIntyre took on Jey Uso in a singles match after this. During one point in the bout, Drew faked a leg injury to sneak attack Uso and get the upper hand.
The Yeet man however came back. He actually managed to beat the former world champion with a spear. McIntyre was unhappy with the outcome and he threw a tantrum before heading to the back.
The final dark match saw Cody Rhodes defeating Carmelo Hayes in a singles match. The Undisputed WWE Champion brought a young fan into the ring after the bout to celebrate with him, showing once again why he is the face of the company.
The main event of the show saw Kevin Owens teaming up with the Street Profits to take on The Bloodline. This came after DIY, who were originally supposed to team up with KO, were brutally attacked by the Samoan faction backstage before the bout.
The main event match ended in a disqualification when the referee couldn’t control the chaos anymore. The trio of Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu continued wreaking havoc even after the bell rang.
DIY were also taken out when they tried to help Owens. It wasn’t until Cody Rhodes came out with a chair that things evened out. The American Nightmare sent the heels retreating.
WWE once again teased Kevin Owens turning on his friend after he grabbed the chair right before the show went off air. In the end, the Prizefighter shook hands with Rhodes and the broadcast ended with both the stars standing tall.
Last week, SmackDown returned to the USA Network after five years on FOX with a star-studded show featuring top names of today as well as Hall of Famers. With Raw set to depart USA for Netflix in a matter of months and NXT’s imminent move to The CW, SmackDown will soon be the only WWE show on the network and could see a major change.
SmackDown will become a three-hour show when Raw moves to Netflix in January 2025, with the first three-hour show coming on January 3, Wrestle Votes reports. This will ensure that the USA Network has a three-hour weekly wrestling show, a role Monday Night Raw has filled since the brand’s 1,000th episode in July 2012.
This news comes one week after Dave Meltzer reported that WWE would have “an easier path to move Smackdown to three hours if they wanted to” now that the brand was back on the USA Network. Last week’s show saw its own share of changes, including a new logo and theme song provided by Megan Thee Stallion and RM of BTS.
In the latest edition of her Moné Mag, Mercedes said it was a mistake for her to tease the idea of collaborating with Stallion during a recent interview. The CEO insinuated that WWE must have caught wind of her plans to work with Megan and swooped in to prevent the popular artist fromcolluding with their competition.
“It could all be a coincidence, of course. But then, they don’t call me the blueprint for nothing.
In hindsight, I should have kept my mouth shut about it, but all you can do is live and learn.”
If WWE’s decision to work with Stallion did stem to nullify a potential Stallion-AEW partnership, then Moné is “flattered and honored” to still carry such influence in the promotion she left two years ago. While plans ultimately did not come to pass between herself and Stallion, the TBS Champion is happy to see Megan succeed.
“I’m still happy for her. She’s a great person and talent who will get exposure to the vast wrestling audience.”
As for Moné, she is coming off a successful title defense at AEW All Out against Hikaru Shida. Moné has promised “a lot more brewing” in her future, but whatever she has in store it won’t involve Megan Thee Stallion.
Rob Van Dam had a busy Friday as the WWE Hall Of Famer made his return to SmackDown, and Mr. Monday Night noticed a very different vibe to Triple H’s new regime.
RVD and his wife Katie Forbes were invited as guests for the first SmackDown on USA Network. The power couple were seen sitting ringside for Kevin Owens & Randy Orton vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller and Van Dam was impressed with what he saw.
Speaking to me on a yet-to-be-released episode of his ‘1 Of A Kind With RVD’ podcast, the Hall of Famer shared his view of how different WWE is these days, both in the ring and backstage in the locker room.
“It was in a way that’s refreshing to make me realize how out of touch with the product I am because I didn’t realize that a lot of the things people have been telling me are in effect.”
Rob says in just watching the one match in some ways WWE seems to be aiming at bringing the wrestling product back to more storytelling and simplifying the exhibition of the in-ring action. Van Dam also loved the new SmackDown logo.
“I love creative s*** like that.”
Backstage Interactions With Triple H & The Modern Roster
Rob Van Dam had a brief interaction with Kevin Owens backstage after his match with a fist bump, hung with Booker T, Ron Simmons and Teddy Long in the legends dressing room. He also did some interviews on behalf of WWE for future projects. He also did get to chat with Triple H.
“He was really cool, in a good mood and I got good vibes off him as well.”
Van Dam did hear Triple H talk during a meeting about how the touring schedule would change and it reminded him of how daunting the old WWE schedule used to be.
A lot of the modern roster approached him to thank him for being there and saying how they enjoy his podcast too. RVD noted even a talent appreciated the knowledge they get from listening to Mr. Monday Night.
“Just getting feedback from social media or whatever, not only is it toxic, but it’s also deceiving because they were there to have fun. It was so obvious, again I’m gonna use the word refreshing, it was so refreshing.”
RVD said the fans were completely along for the ride and that was a big strong takeaway from the crowd.
“I get it, it’s a very fun vibe.”
Rob also made mention that he found entire WWE dressing room to be positive. No one was tired or exhausted as he remembered when he was full time and everyone looked very happy to be involved in the growth of the company.
New episodes of “1 Of A Kind With RVD” releases every Monday at 4:20 PM ET.Please h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
WWE SmackDown has a new residence in USA Network and a new intro song courtesy of Megan Thee Stallion, but the rap artist may have more planned.
SmackDown on USA kicked off in a big way with a Steel Cage Match for the Undisputed Championship but the show first fired off with “Neva Play” by Megan Thee Stallion and RM.
Both Michael Cole and Corey Graves put over the new tune during the show on the same program where Cole also made a Steely Dan reference regarding Kevin Owens “surprise” tag team partner Ricky Gibson.
An hour into SmackDown, Megan went onto social media to say she should maybe step into the ring now, “I think it’s finally time I make my debut lol.”
Megan Thee Stallion already had some pro wrestling ties before this new SmackDown song dropped. Back when she was SmackDown Women’s Champion, Bianca Belair was shown pictured with the artist and just this year, she and Mercedes Mone were shown together at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards where the TBS Women’s Champion hoped to get Stallion in the ring “very soon.”
Stallion, however, isn’t the only mainstream pop artist paying tribute to pro wrestling. Weeks back at Lollapalooza in Chicago, Chappell Roan was all decked out in a lucha libre themed set during her performance which prompted an open invite from All Elite Wrestling. Additionally, NWA owner Billy Corgan has typically had a “pro wrestling skirmish” go down during his Smashing Pumpkins performance who is currently on tour with Green Day.
WWE is teasing the return of a forgotten stipulation match for Chelsea Green that might get a mixed reaction from fans on its revival. The company brought in a number of veterans for last night’s SmackDown season premiere on USA Network including RVD, Ron Simmons, Teddy Long, and Vickie Guerrero.
The show also featured a singles match between Piper Niven and Michin with Green being at the ringside. When Chelsea confronted Michin during the bout, the female star took the diva out with a kendo stick. Michin went on to win the match but Green attacked her after the bell rang. After Niven landed a senton on her opponent, Green finished the segment off by bringing out a garbage can and delivering an Unprettier to Michin on the top of the can.
In a SmackDown lowdown segment after the show, Vickie Guerrero praised Green and suggested that she should face Michin in a Dumpster match.
Green didn’t take the suggestion kindly. She went off on Vickie claiming that the former GM didn’t even belong there. The current SmackDown GM Nick Aldis who was around heard the whole conversation, however, and he thought that it was a fantastic idea.
A Dumpster match is very similar to a Casket match. It’s a no-disqualification hardcore match where the sole purpose is to force your opponent into a dumpster and close the lid.
The first Dumpster match took place at WrestleMania XIV in 1998. Cactus Jack teamed up with Chainsaw Charlie for the bout and they defeated the New Age Outlaws to win the WWF Tag Team Championships.
A match of this type has not been seen on WWE programming since April 2017 when Braun Strowman defeated Kalisto during an episode of Raw.
Another Stipulation Match Returning
WWE’s regular calendar features several stipulations matches, including the Royal Rumble, WarGames and Money in the Bank. With Chelsea Green teasing the return of the dumpster match, another rare and unusual match type is making a comeback: the Bull Rope Match.
WWE SmackDown, one of professional wrestling’s most iconic weekly shows, unveiled a new logo ahead of its premiere on the USA Network. This redesign marks a significant moment in the show’s visual identity, prompting fans and visual design-heads alike to examine how it stacks up against its predecessors.
The New SmackDown Logo: A Closer Look
The new WWE SmackDown logo features a bold, modern design that sets it apart from previous iterations. The most striking element is the stylized “S” and “D” that form the centerpiece of the logo.
Key Design Elements
Stylized S/D: The logo’s focal point is a cleverly designed “S” that seamlessly transitions into a “D”.
Color Scheme: While the full color palette hasn’t been revealed, the logo appears to maintain SmackDown’s signature blue hues.
Typography: The word “SMACKDOWN” is presented in a strong, angular font that complements the stylized initials.
Fan Reception
Initial reactions to the new logo have been mixed. Some fans appreciate the modern approach, while others find it less appealing than previous designs. One Reddit user commented that the logo could be read as “CMACKDOWN” or “SMACKSOWN,” highlighting potential legibility issues.
Evolution of the SmackDown Logo
To truly understand how the new logo ranks against the classics, it’s essential to look back at the evolution of SmackDown’s visual identity over the years.
The Original (1999-2001)
SmackDown’s first logo was a product of its time, featuring an edgy, graffiti-inspired design that perfectly captured the attitude era of professional wrestling.
The Fist Era (2001-2008)
The “Fist Era” of SmackDown from 2001 to 2008 had a sleeker design than the more Attitude Era focused one from before, but it wasn’t anywhere near as iconic.
The HD Era (2008-2016)
As WWE transitioned to high-definition broadcasts, SmackDown’s logo became sleeker and more modern, featuring a metallic 3D effect. There was also a SmackDown X design to celebrate ten years of the show.
SmackDown Live Era
The SmackDown Live era from 2016-2019 had a more minimalist look, with a lot of emphasis on the word LIVE being thrown in there.
The Current Era (2019-2024)
The most recent logo before the current redesign featured a bold, all-caps “SMACKDOWN” with a slight tilt, giving it a dynamic feel.
Comparing the New Logo to the Classics
When ranking the new SmackDown logo against its predecessors, several factors come into play:
Visual Impact
The new logo certainly makes a statement with its bold design. However, it may lack the immediate visual punch of the Original logo, which many fans consider the gold standard.
Brand Recognition
One of the strengths/weaknesses (depending on your view) of the new logo is its unique “S/D” design, which could become instantly recognizable over time. However, it may take some getting used to for long-time fans who are accustomed to more traditional designs.
How Does It Rank?
Ranking the new SmackDown logo against its classic predecessors is subjective and will likely vary among fans. While it may not have the nostalgic appeal of the original logo or the energy of the fist era logo, the new design brings SmackDown firmly into the modern era…kind of.
Its unique approach means that it will probably stand out in the crowded media landscape, and its simplicity should serve it well across various applications. However, its true test will be how it’s received by fans over time and how effectively it represents the SmackDown brand in the years to come.
Having said that, it isn’t the best logo, but it arguably isn’t the worst, but it screws more towards the bottom end of the overall ranking.
The first night of WWE SmackDown’s return to USA Network was pretty eventful with Roman Reigns’ big return opening the show and a big Bad Blood match being made official at the end of the episode.
The Original Tribal Chief made his return to confront the Bloodline after Cody Rhodes scored another victory over Solo Sikoa in the cage match. He made the save for the Undisputed WWE Champion and the two worked together for a bit to take out the faction.
Nick Aldis then announced that Cody and Roman will be teaming to take on The Bloodline at the upcoming WWE PPV. The American Nightmare declined the offer at first, claiming that he was done with the group.
The main event of the show then saw a confrontation between the two top stars being cut short by an attempted sneak attack from Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga. Realizing that he had no other choice, Rhodes finally agreed to the tag bout, signing the contract to end the broadcast.
WWE released a video of Roman Reigns after the show went off air. The former champion was the first to exit the ring and his expressions say that he is still not sure about the team up:
The new era of WWE SmackDown on the USA Network kicked off with a new logo, a new introduction video and theme song.
“Neva Play” by Megan Thee Stallion featuring RM is the theme song for the latest SmackDown intro video package:
SmackDown kicked off with Cody Rhodes successfully defendeing the Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa in a steel cage match. This match saw the dramatic return of Roman Reigns, who interrupted The Bloodline from attacking Cody Rhodes.
WWE SmackDown airs Fridays at 8/7c on the USA Network.
WWE SmackDown returns to the USA Network tonight at 8/7c. It’s Friday the 13th and a new era begins in just a few hours.
With just 3 weeks until WWE Bad Blood, SmackDown will feature a match worthy of a premium live event: Cody Rhodes puts his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line inside of a steel cage against the Tribal Chief, Solo Sikoa. This match will kick off the broadcast, so fans should be sure to tune in promptly.
There’s also a surprise in store, with Kevin Owens teaming up with a mystery partner to face A-Town Under. Who will Owens call to have his back?
Matches scheduled for tonight’s SmackDown on USA include:
Steel Cage Match: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa
Mystery Tag Match: Kevin Owens and a Mystery Partner vs. A-Town Down Under’s Austin Theory and Grayson Waller
Best of 7 Series: Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
Roman Reigns, The Bloodline, LA Knight, Nia Jax, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill are also advertised to appear.
For more information about tonight’s SmackDown and ongoing WWE storylines, visit our WWE News section.
Woke up with a feeling that tonight is gonna be special. Here. We. Go.#Smackdown@USANetwork
WWE Week on the USA Network is upon us. The pro wrestling-themed programming extravaganza runs from September 9 to September 15, 2024.
It all begins tonight with the WWE Raw Season Premiere from Calgary. The week ahead will include Tuesday’s WWE NXT, movies featuring WWE legends Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena, and Friday’s big return of WWE SmackDown after a 5-year run on FOX.
September 9, 2024: Blockers with John Cena airs at 6/5c before WWE Raw.
September 10, 2024: Bray Wyatt: Becoming immortal airs at 10/9c after WWE NXT
September 12, 2024: Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6 with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
September 13, 2024: WWE SmackDown premieres on USA at 8/7c
This week is especially significant, because it begins a limited run that will see Raw, SmackDown and NXT all airing on the same network. This convenience will only last until the end of the month, however.
Just as WWE SmackDown is settling back in, the other two shows are packing their proverbial bags. WWE NXT moves to The CW Network on Tuesday October 1, 2024, while WWE Raw ends its 32-year run on cable at the end of the year and moves to Netflix starting January 6, 2025.
Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match on next week’s SmackDown premiere on USA Network.
Last night’s SmackDown marked the final edition of the show on FOX. Cody Rhodes is coming off a successful title defense against Kevin Owens at Bash In Berlin PLE. However, his arch-rival Solo Sikoa still has his sights set on the title.
Sikoa was unsuccessful in challenging Rhodes for the title at last month’s SummerSlam which saw the shocking return of Roman Reigns. Last night on SmackDown, Solo Sikoa once again demanded for a title match against ‘The American Nightmare.’
However, the champ refused and offered a title shot to The Bloodline member Jacob Fatu. Fatu turned down the opportunity and instead endorsed Sikoa for the shot at gold.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis then confirmed that Cody Rhodes will put his title on the line against Solo Sikoa on the September 13 edition of SmackDown. However, that will be contested in a Steel Cage to ensure The Bloodline members don’t interfere.
WWE is certainly trying to make SmackDown premiere on USA Network star-studded. A couple of more matches have also been added to the show. Andrade and Carmelo Hayes are set to battle in a rubber match for their Best of Five Serie as both men are tied with two wins.
On the other hand, A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller and Austin Theory) will face Kevin Owens and a partner of his choosing. Waller challenged KO to this match during a conversation with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis backstage on last night’s show.
WWE SmackDown is set to return to the USA Network next week after a five-year stint on FOX, and expectations are high for the blue brand’s future programming. Adding to the excitement, fans have noticed what could be an alternate logo for SmackDown displayed on the USA Network’s website.
SmackDown returns to USA on September 13, 2024 – part of WWE Week, before NXT moves to The CW
This alternate WWE SmackDown logo has not appeared on any of WWE’s promotional materials for the September 13 premiere. This most recent SmackDown on USA ad continue to feature the current logo, further suggesting that the new design may not be finalized.
SmackDown’s return to the USA Network is part of a major $1.4 billion deal with NBCUniversal, set to last five years. In addition to weekly programming, WWE will produce four primetime specials annually for NBC. Reports earlier this week suggest that WWE is preparing to announce its return to NBC primetime within the coming days.
For the remainder of this year, WWE SmackDown’s commentary team will consist of Michael Cole and Corey Graves. In 2025, Pat McAfee will return to WWE programming and will reunite with Michael Cole.
WWE NXT makes its live debut on The CW on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET.
WWE Raw premieres on Netflix on Monday, January 6, 2025, ending its three-decade run on cable television.
Fans should gear up for the highly anticipated return of Giovanni Vinci next week. After weeks of teasing through various vignettes, the former Imperium member is set to make his comeback.
During Friday’s WWE SmackDown tapings in Berlin, a video aired announcing Vinci’s return on the September 6 episode of the show.
The vignettes have depicted Vinci in a manner reminiscent of his early NXT persona—enjoying lavish settings, sipping top-shelf drinks, and cruising in luxury cars.
Vinci has been absent from WWE programming since an April episode of WWE RAW, following a loss to New Day that led to a brutal attack by his former ally, Ludwig Kaiser. Kaiser’s assault with steel steps sidelined Vinci for several months. Shortly after, during the WWE Draft, Vinci was quietly moved to SmackDown.
The recent teases suggest Vinci will maintain his heel persona, but character shifts in WWE are always possible. Separating him from his former Imperium comrades might breathe new life into his character, who often played a supporting role within the faction.
While Kaiser and GUNTHER remain aligned, Imperium is no longer emphasized as a faction. With GUNTHER’s World Heavyweight Title victory, all three members are now receiving a greater focus on their individual careers.
WWE taped this week’s SmackDown on Friday from the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany, the site of Saturday’s Bash in Berlin PLE. SEScoops correspondent Thomas Lowson attended live and provided these results:
Open Challenge: LA Knight comes out to a huge pop to open the show. He cuts a promo asking who will answer his open challenge. It’s answered by Ludwig Kaiser, who comes out to a huge pop. The crowd was so loud during this segment it was difficult to hear everything they were saying. Kaiser says when he wins, he’ll re-brand the US Championship as the European Championship.
US Title Match: LA Knight defeats Ludwig Kaiser. Kaiser was in control for much of the match. Knight got mixed responses and was being booed by the end.
Promo Video: Hype for Randy Orton’s World Heavyweight title match against Gunther at Bash in Berlin.
Tag Match: LDF (Angel and Berto) defeat Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin. Loud “er ist scheiße” (“he is sh*”t) chants when either Angel or Berto were on offense.
Video Package: Solo Sikoa runs down everyone The Bloodline has beaten down. The Tribal Chief says he’s coming for the Undisputed WWE title after Bash in Berlin and doesn’t care who is the champion.
In-Ring Segment: SmackDown GM Nick Aldis is out next. He shows a highlight video package of this week’s WWE live events tour of Europe, and introduces Bash in Berlin opponents Kevin Owens and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Owens says Rhodes injured his knee this week during a match, but the champion insists he’s fine. Owens expressed bitterness about his first Universal title win, saying it’s tainted because of Triple H’s assistance. Cody knows Owens is angry. but he loves him, and after he beats him tomorrow night, they’ll still be friends.
Backstage Segment: Grayson Waller and Theory tease a breakup, but Waller apologies and Theory forgives him.
Promo Video: Hype for Sunday’s NXT No Mercy premium live event on Peacock. Big chants for Joe Hendry, who challenges Ethabn Page for the NXT title in the main event.
Next Week: Giovanni Vinci debuts next week on WWE SmackDown, September 6, 2024.
Singles Match: Carmelo Hayes defeats Andrade. This was given a good amount of time and received justified ‘This is Awesome’ chants.
Street Fight: Nia Jax defeats Michin to retain the WWE Women’s Championship.Plenty of weapons used, including chairs, kendo sticks, trash cans and tables. Tiffany Stratton did a run-in during the match and the place exploded expecting a Money in the Bank cash-in. Stratton seemed ready to cash in, until Jax saw her. As Stratton was attacking Michin, Bayley returned (first appearance since SummerSlam) and ran off Tiffany Stratton. Jax puts Minchin in a trash can and hits her with a bonzai drop for the win.
Dark Matches
After the WWE SmackDown tapings concluded, fans witnessed two additional non-televised matches.
Singles Match: Damian Priest made short work of Dominik Mysterio and scored the victory after hitting a choke-slam.
Main Event: Gunther retains the World Heavyweight Championship against Ilja Dragunov. Fans got distracted with various chants and the wave, but Gunther and Dragunov eventually won them back and received “This is awesome” and “Fight forever” chants.
WWE presents a special international edition of WWE SmackDown tonight on FOX at 8/7c. The final SmackDown before WWE Bash in Berlin view will be taped from the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany, the site of Saturday’s premium live event.
Matches announced tonight’s SmackDown include:
Open Challenge: LA Knight will put his United States Championship on the line against whoever steps up.
Street Fight for the Women’s Championship: Queen Nia Jax (c) vs. Michin
WWE has announced significant shakeups to the commentary teams of its two flagship shows, WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown. The changes take effect over the next couple weeks, starting with next week’s Raw and completing the following Friday, when SmackDown returns to the USA Network after a 5-year run on FOX.
WWE Raw
WWE SmackDown
Joe Tessitore
Michael Cole
Wade Barrett
Corey Graves
Starting Sep. 2
Starting Sep. 13
Michael Cole Shifts to SmackDown
Corey Graves filled in for Pat McAfee at the commentary booth for this week’s WWE Raw. McAfee is on hiatus and is returning to his other gig hosting ESPN College GameDay. Graves and Cole will reunite on September 13 for WWE SmackDown’s big homecoming on the USA Network. The duo has worked extensively together over the years and is regarded as one of WWE’s strongest teams.
Enter Joe Tessitore
With today’s “Voice of WWE” changing brands, WWE has tapped veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore to serve as the new lead announcer for Raw starting next Monday, September 2, 2024. Tessitore has decades of experience in broadcasting, including working with ESPN doing play-by-play for Monday Night Football and coincidentally College Game Day.
Wade Barrett joins Tessitore on Monday nights. Former Nexus leader has proven himself to be an asset in recent years; calling action on Raw, SmackDown and NXT.
Drew McIntyre competed in a fun dark match after this week’s episode of SmackDown from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. went off air.
The Scottish Warrior wasn’t part of the show but he wrestled in one of the two dark matches of the night. In the first dark match, Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan squared off against Kairi Sane.
The second dark match then saw Drew McIntyre taking on Jey Uso. Despite being late in night, the crowd was super excited for Uso’s entrance and he got a huge ovation.
At one point in the bout, Jey tried to entice McIntyre into doing the Yeet, telling him that the crowd will stop chanting the name of CM Punk if he did so. In the end, Jey won the match after rolling Drew up for the pin.
Tonight’s episode of SmackDown featured a number of top stars in action. The Greyson Waller Effect was the opening segment of the night where a match between Waller & Theory and Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens was made official.
During the show, LA Knight successfully defended the US Championship against Santos Escobar while The Bloodline managed to retain the tag team championships against The Street Profits, using the numbers to their advantage.
The tag team match featuring the Undisputed WWE Champion was the main event. Owens won the match for his team after pinning Waller. After the match, the company briefly teased KO turning on Cody when he had the WWE title in his hands but he ultimately decided against it.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown airs live on FOX at 8 PM EST from the Capital One Center in Washington, D.C., on August 23, 2024. The penultimate SmackDown before next weekend’s WWE Bash in Berlin PLE will feature two championship matches.
Confirmed matches and segments for tonight’s WWE SmackDown include:
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The Bloodline (c) vs. The Street Profits
United States Championship Match: LA Knight (c) vs. Santos Escobar
Cody Rhodes will be Grayson Waller’s guest on the Waller Effect
6-Woman Tag Team Match: Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi vs. Alba Fyre, Isla Dawn and Blair Davenport
Stay tuned to SEScoops for our coverage of this week’s WWE SmackDown.
What Happened Last Week
WWE SmackDown last week culminated with The Bloodline standing over a brutalized Roman Reigns. With the battle lines drawn, will Reigns recruit help to reclaim his title as the Tribal Chief?
Earlier in the night, The Street Profits became No. 1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles. Cody Rhodes came to Kevin Owens’ aid, Blair Davenport secured a victory over Naomi, Carmelo Hayes picked up a hard-fought win against Andrade and Michin’s interrupted Nia Jax’s Women’s Championship celebration – with a kendo stick.
Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from last week’s WWE SmackDown:
This week’s episode of SmackDown came live from Kia Center in Orlando, Florida and featured the Original Tribal Chief Roman Reigns in the main event.
The main event of the Blue Branded Show saw Solo Sikoa calling out the Head of The Table and Reigns came out to confront his former enforcer.
Roman got the upper hand early on and he even retrieved the Ula Fala from Sikoa. A returning Jacob Fatu however, turned things around.
The Bloodline then assaulted Roman Reigns and delivered a triple powerbomb to him on the announce desk. The show went off air with the faction standing tall.
WWE released a video on their YouTube channel in which Roman can be seen leaving the ring after the beatdown once the broadcast had ended:
This wasn’t all that happened after the show as there were two dark matches that also took place. In the first match, Sami Zayn defeated Santos Escobar.
The second match saw Gunther defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso. The match ended in a DQ when Ludwig Kaiser interfered and Damian Priest came out to make the save.
The two teams then had a fun tag team match with a lot of crowd interaction. Priest paid tribute to The Undertaker during the bout by performing the Old School maneuver.
Damian won the match for his team after pinning Kaiser with a South of Heaven. Priest and Uso cut a promo after the bout ended to finally send the crowd home.
WWE SmackDown has been a staple of the weekly programming from the company since the late 90s.
The show has grown to the point that it has now overtaken RAW as the biggest ratings draw for WWE every week, with SmackDown drawing over 2 million viewers on a number of occasions in recent years on FOX.
If you’re able to make it to a live SmackDown event, then it is absolute worth doing, as nothing compares to being at a pro wrestling show live.
Where is SmackDown tonight?
Tonight’s episode of SmackDown is taking place at the Kia Center, Orlando, FL.
Here is a detailed list of upcoming WWE SmackDown events, complete with dates and venues:
August 2024 Schedule
August 16, 2024: Kia Center, Orlando, FL
August 23, 2024: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
August 30, 2024: Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany
Highlighted Venues
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Overview: Located in downtown Orlando, the Kia Center is a state-of-the-art arena known for its cutting-edge technology and fan experience.
Capacity: Approximately 20,000 for wrestling events.
Notable Events: Hosts NBA games for the Orlando Magic, concerts, and other entertainment events.
How to buy WWE SmackDown tickets
There are a number of different sites that you can use to purchase tickets for the weekly RAW show, but the most reliable and convenient that we have found is Ticketmaster.
Using our affiliate links for the dates listed below, you’ll find the best currently available seats as well as the cheapest options to watch the televised event live in person:
This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown, airing live from the KIA Center in Orlando, Florida, will continue to build to the Bash in Berlin PLE at the end of the month. Headlined by the return of Roman Reigns, this edition of SmackDown looks like it might add to the strong run of shows in the last few weeks.
The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, is set to appear on tonight’s SmackDown. After decimating The Bloodline on last week’s episode of the show, The Tribal Chief is likely to confirm what his next steps will be.
Nia Jax’s Championship Celebration
In another segment, WWE will celebrate Nia Jax’s recent victory as the WWE Women’s Champion. The celebration will be hosted by Mrs MITB Tiffany Stratton, adding an extra element of intrigue, as she could decide to cash in on Jax at any time.
High-Stakes Tag Team Match: DIY vs. The Street Profits
Fans will also witness a high-stakes tag team match between DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford).
The winning team will earn the number one contender spot for the Tag Team Championships, making this a must-see bout with significant implications for the tag division.
Naomi vs. Blair Davenport
The women’s division will see a singles match between Naomi and Blair Davenport.
Both competitors are known for their athleticism and in-ring prowess, and this match could potentially set up a future title challenger.
Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
Adding to the night’s excitement, Andrade will go head-to-head with Carmelo Hayes.
This matchup is sure to deliver a blend of technical skill and high-flying action, as both superstars look to make a statement.
Grayson Waller vs. Kevin Owens
In what could be the show-stealer of the night, Grayson Waller will face off against Kevin Owens. Waller’s brash attitude clashing with Owens’ veteran experience promises a hard-hitting contest.
Confirmed Matches this week
DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Chiampa) vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) – Winners will become the new number one contenders to the Tag Team Championships
Naomi vs. Blair Davenport
Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
Grayson Waller vs. Kevin Owens
What happened last week?
Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from last week’s WWE SmackDown:
