Drew McIntyre is not letting his rivalry with CM Punk cool down anytime soon and he is even ready to offer the Straight Edge Star a world title match just to get his hands on him.
This week’s episode of SmackDown came live from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York featuring The New Bloodline and Kevin Owens among other names.
There were a couple of dark matches that took place after the cameras stopped rolling as well, one of which featured the Scottish Psychopath in action. The former WWE Champion faced off against ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso in the match after SmackDown went off air.
Though before the bell rang, he took the time to call out CM Punk. Drew McIntyre referred to Punk as a ‘scared little bitch’ and even offered him a world title shot after he wins the championship at the upcoming Clash at The Castle PLE:
What Happened On SmackDown
Elsewhere in the show we saw the coronation ceremony for the new Queen Of The Ring Nia Jax and a segment between Paul Heyman and Kevin Owens.
The matches on this week’s SmackDown included Austin Theory facing Tommaso Ciampa and The New Bloodline taking on The Street Profits.
The main event of the show featured AJ Styles who pulled a Mark Henry and faked his retirement to ultimately get his hands on the Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes. You can read more about the segment here.
WWE SmackDown is broadcasting from Saudi Arabia this week, leading up to the highly anticipated King & Queen of the Ring event in Jeddah. There is a lot to unpack as we head into this special edition of SmackDown.
Due to the show being aired from Saudi Arabia, there will be a time delay. With that in mind, we have some spoilers for this week’s episode of the blue brand.
This week’s SmackDown card features two semifinal matches in the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments. Additionally, there are several other segments lined up to finalize the preparations for the big event.
Below, you can find a spoiler-free SmackDown card for this week’s show.
King of the Ring – SmackDown Bracket Semifinals: Tama Tonga vs. Randy Orton
Queen of the Ring – SmackDown Bracket Semifinals: Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax
The Street Profits vs. Tonga Loa & Solo Sikoa
Bayley vs. Chelsea Green
AJ Styles Confronts SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis
WWE SmackDown (5/24) Spoilers:
Randy Orton, The House of Bloodline, Nia Jax, and Bianca Belair are shown arriving at the show.
Triple H announces King & Queen of the Ring winners will earn title opportunities at SummerSlam.
Queen of the Ring Semi-Finals: Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax
Winner: Nia Jax
Post-Match: Nia boasts about defeating top competitors and aims to become Queen and Champion.
Grayson Waller Effect:
Carmelo Hayes interrupts, mocks veterans like Bobby Lashley and LA Knight. Then Knight interrupts him, leading to a brawl. Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford intervene.
Match: LA Knight, Montez Ford, and Angelo Dawkins vs. Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller, and Austin Theory
Winners: LA Knight, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford
Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul Confrontation:
Cody Rhodes enters the ring but is interrupted by Logan Paul. The Maverick taunts Cody, claiming superiority and intentions to win both titles. Then Cody suggests Logan’s bravado hides insecurities, he said he suffers from Imposter Syndrome, and then he said he believed that he had brass knuckles on him. So, he challenged him to a security check. The brass knuckles were found on Logan as WWE official Ryan Tran checked him out. Logan then said that he was wearing his brother’s pants, because they are Prada. Cody then vowed to beat Logan, as the crowd was 100% behind him.
Match: Bayley vs. Chelsea Green (Non-Title)
Winner: Bayley with the Rose Plant.
Post-match, Piper Niven attacks Bayley with multiple sentons.
Bloodline Segment:
Paul Heyman informs Solo that Tanga Loa couldn’t cross the border. Solo asserts his authority in Roman’s absence; Tama Tonga declares his return to the Bloodline.
Match: Randy Orton vs. Tama Tonga (with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa) in a King of the Ring Tournament Semifinal Match
Winner: Randy Orton
After the match, GUNTHER came out to have an intense stare-down with The Viper.
Tonight’s episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown will set the stage for the King and Queen Of The Ring premium live event. The episode will occur at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Ahead of tomorrow’s PLE, Smackdown will host two matches to determine who will move on to the finals of the King and Queen Of The Ring.
One of the featured matches of tonight’s episode will have Randy Orton take on Tama Tonga in the semifinals of the King of The Ring tournament. While the match order can change, it’s expected that the match will be the show’s main event.
Orton earned his spot in the semifinals by defeating Carmelo Hayes on the May 17 episode of Smackdown. The former WWE NXT Champion pushed Orton to his limit and was close to stealing the upset victory. However, ‘The Viper’ showed his experience and landed an RKO to move to the next round. After the win, Orton called out Tonga and the rest of the Bloodline(Solo Sikoa and Tanga Loa) to declare that he’d destroy the faction.
Although the former WWE Champion feels confident, he will have his hands full taking on Tonga. The newly signed superstar has shown to be a threat to the roster and has his family at his side to aid in his victory. Despite the odds, Orton will aim to connect with his RKO to eliminate Tonga from the tournament.
The Rest Of the Card For Tonight’s Episode Of Friday Night Smackdown
The other tournament match on the show will have Bianca Belair face off against Nia Jax. Both earned their spot in the semifinals in last week’s episode. However, Belair comes into the match battling a knee injury(in storyline) after defeating rival Tiffany Stratton in the quarterfinals.
Jax will try to take advantage of injury to move on to the finals. Belair has shown she can defy the odds, but Jax may be too much tonight. That said, Belair’s tag team partner, Jade Cargill, has unfinished business with Jax and could come out to support the ‘EST of WWE.’
Tonight’s episode will also have WWE Women’s Champion Bayley taking on Chelsea Green in a non-title match. The champion hopes to silence Green and stay busy as she awaits her next challenger.
As the go-home show to tomorrow’s PLE event, tonight’s episode of Smackdown will be essential to see who will be eligible to be the next King and Queen Of The Ring.
World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest made a surprise appearance after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Vystar Veterans Memorial in Jacksonville, FL went off air.
The Judgement Day star was there to compete in a dark match. He successfully defended his title in the bout against fellow Raw star Kofi Kingston.
These two weren’t the only Raw stars stopping by as the rest of the Judgement Day were also in the building and ready to compete.
Though unlike Priest, the duo of Finn Balor and JD McDonagh found themselves on the losing side when they challenged Awesome Truth for the tag team titles.
What Happened On SmackDown
Elsewhere on the show, the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and the United States Champion Logan Paul made their match official for the upcoming King and Queen of The Ring PPV in Saudi Arabia.
The YouTube star, however, backed out of the originally agreed terms and decided that he didn’t want to defend his title against the American Nightmare after all.
Paul tore down the old contract and introduced a new draft made by his lawyer which was for Cody’s title only. After some back and forth, the former AEW star signed the new contract making the match between them official.
We also saw the King and Queen of The Ring tournament continuing on SmackDown. You can check out the results of the tournament matches contested on the show here.
The Quarterfinals of WWE’s King and Queen of the Ring tournaments continue tonight on WWE SmackDown from Jacksonville, Florida. Just 8 days out from next Saturday’s PLE, tonight’s show will be focused almost entirely on the event.
WWE SmackDown Preview (5/17)
Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes is actually happening
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and United States Champion Logan Paul will officially sign the contract for their ‘winner takes all’ clash at the Jeddah Dome. Don’t be surprised to see a table flipped or someone struck with a chair, as these contract signings rarely go off without a hitch.
Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches
Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax
Bianca Belair vs. Tiffany Stratton
King of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches
Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes
Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight
Tickets for tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville are still available at Ticketmaster.
WWE SmackDown will return to the USA Network on September 13 after five years on FOX, a press release from NBC Universal has confirmed.
It was last year that it was confirmed that SmackDown will return to the USA Network in 2024, ending the blue brand’s five-year tenure on FOX. In the statement, it is confirmed that the first episode back on the USA Network will come this September.
“Starting in September and through the end of 2024, USA Network will serve as the exclusive linear home of the WWE’s two tentpole franchises, “WWE Monday Night RAW” and “WWE SmackDown,” which returns to the network on Sept. 13 as part of a new multi-year partnership.”
Fans will get just more than WWE SmackDown on the USA Network, as the press release also confirms that a ‘WWE Week’ will commence on September 9. The network will air films from the “Fast and the Furious” franchise starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, “Blockers” starring John Cena, and the Peacock documentary “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.
SmackDown will return to the USA Network this September.
The Future of WWE’s Broadcasts
WWE SmackDown isn’t the only show that will soon find itself a new home. This year, WWE NXT will move to the CW Network after years as part of the USA Network. The five-year broadcast deal sees NXT become the latest sports show on the CW as the network also broadcasts ACC football and basketball games airing every Saturday throughout the season and LIV Golf.
Friday’s SmackDown took place at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. This episode serves as the final show before tomorrow’s Backlash premium live event, also in Lyon. Since it was pre-taped, we have the spoilers here.
WWE has one more show until Backlash is upon us. The Saturday premium live event will take place on May 4 at 1:00 PM EST. Fans in the United States will get to see that show live.
The company already advertised many segments and matches for this week’s SmackDown.
A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) versus The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship Match
New Catch Republic (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) against Authors of Pain
Cody Rhodes and A.J. Styles face off ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash
Debut of the RKO Show, hosted by Randy Orton & Kevin Owens
WWE fans in the UK had a rare treat, as SmackDown aired live for them at 6:00 PM local time. Since fans in the United States must wait to see the show on FOX, you can find the spoilers for this week’s show below.
WWE SmackDown Spoilers For 5/3 Episode:
Dark match result: Rey Mysterio defeated Carlito
Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens shown arriving at SmackDown.
Backstage promo by Grayson Waller & Austin Theory.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Belair & Cargill about their upcoming title match against Asuka & Sane at Backlash; Bayley and Naomi interrupted, causing tension.
Carmelo Hayes expressed his interest in joining the King of the Ring tournament; interaction with Bobby Lashley who offered advice and a warning.
AOP defeated Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate.
Paul Heyman met with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis; and his request to cancel Owens & Orton vs. Sikoa & Tonga at Backlash was denied.
Heyman hinted at controlling Roman Reigns’ draft status; and then a confrontation on The RKO Show led to a brawl involving Sikoa & Tonga.
The Street Profits gave a backstage promo.
LA Knight defeated Angel and declared for King of the Ring; Santos Escobar also declared.
Dragon Lee attacked Carlito during a backstage interview.
WWE Tag Team Champions Grayson Waller & Austin Theory retained their titles against The Street Profits.
Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles had a confrontational face-to-face before Backlash; Styles slapped Rhodes.
Post-show brawl between Sikoa & Tonga and Owens & Orton, with security trying to intervene.
CM Punk had a run-in with Chad Gable after this week’s episode of SmackDown.
The Blue Branded Show came live from Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio featuring night 1 of WWE Drafts 2024.
The Straight Edge Star was advertised locally for the episode. While he didn’t appear on the broadcast, the former world champion came out after SmackDown went off air.
He first provided an update on his health confirming that his triceps is not 100% yet but he is on track. The WWE star then endorsed hometown hero Pete Rose for MLB Hall of Fame.
Before he could finish his promo, however, CM Punk was interrupted by Chad Gable and the rest of the Alpha Academy. Gable challenged Punk for a fight but the former AEW star refused on account of his injury.
He offered to introduce a friend of his who had recently returned from the injury for the proposed fight and it turned out to be Sheamus.
What Happened On SmackDown
The Celtic Warrior then had a singles match with the former Olympian. This wasn’t the only dark match of the night as The Miz and R Truth also defended their tag titles against Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh after the show.
Elsewhere in the night, we saw a contract signing segment between the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and his Backlash challenger AJ Styles. Rhodes also competed in the main event of SmackDown against Carmelo Hayes.
WWE had brought in a number of Hall of Famers to announce the Draft results. You can check our Draft Tracker to find out which stars were picked up during Night 1.
A new QR code that aired on the April 19, episode of SmackDown has once again left fans sifting through the symbols and clues to find out what’s to come.
WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque was at this week’s SmackDown in his latest efforts to demonstrate the promotion’s new era. Mere days after new titles were introduced on Raw, The Game and Nick Aldis revealed new WWE Tag Team Championships to A-Town Down Under.
During Triple H’s entrance, however, a QR code appeared for a brief moment, the latest in a bizarre string of instances ever since the post-WrestleMania 40 Raw. Users who scanned the QR code were taken to a website featuring a mysterious hooded figure dressed in black.
Who is this mysterious figure?
This website also contains a hidden link. Clicking it takes you to an image and coordinates (45.7455 N, 13.4674 E.) Following these coordinates takes you to a cave in Slovenia. This cryptic site also has the following video.
— The House that Kami Built (@KamitronPTW) April 20, 2024
Decoding the Message
Following on from the coordinates, the video in question features cave imagery, which was pseudo-prevalent for the video fans found by deciphering the clues on this week’s Raw. That video featured imagery to the philosophical works of Plato, specifically his allegory of the cave.
Plato argued in his work Republic that man spends his time looking at a cave and what we see are mere shadows of the real world cast by an outside light. The shadows that appear on the wall are man’s reality, they are not accurate representations of the real world and are merely a fraction of the actual reality. The text in the SmackDown video that alludes to ‘opening eyes’ adds more credence to the overall theme of perception of reality.
The video also includes an image of a crow or raven, both of which are birds associated with darkness. Both birds are scavengers and are generally associated with dead bodies. A group of crows is called a ‘murder’ while a group of ravens is an ‘unkindness.’
A unique symbol also appears in the SmackDown video and also appeared in the Raw video. This symbol of a circle inside a bisected cup is the symbol of the dwarf planet Pluto, and has been since 1933. In astrology, Pluto is associated with secrets and monumental changes experienced over a lifetime.
Cody Rhodes wasn’t made fully aware of all the perks of being the top champion in WWE and he actually got surprised by his pyro during the dark match entrance after SmackDown went off air.
The American Nightmare opened tonight’s show. He first talked about his Universal Championship win and then confirmed that he will be defending the title at the upcoming Backlash: France event.
The new champion came out once again for a dark match after the show went off air. He successfully defended his title against ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio and cut a promo for the crowd after the match was over:
What Happened On SmackDown
Elsewhere in the show we also saw a huge change in the order of the Bloodline. While Roman Reigns wasn’t present for the episode, Paul Heyman alongside Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso were involved in a segment.
Heyman first claimed that they take accountability for the WrestleMania loss. Before he could finish his promo, however, Sikoa took the mic and declared that losing has consequences. This was in reference to Jimmy losing his WrestleMania 40 match against brother Jey Uso.
A hooded figure then appeared out of nowhere and beat down Jimmy Uso, essentially kicking him out of the faction. The figure revealed himself as the newest member of The Bloodline – Tama Tonga.
Solo and Tonga delivered a brutal beatdown to Jimmy and the segment ended with Heyman joining them while they returned to the back.
Elsewhere in the show, we also saw Bron Breakker winning his first singles match after saying goodbye to NXT and Jade Cargill teaming up with Bianca Belair for a victory over Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
A significant production change we saw earlier this week on WWE Smackdown and WWE Raw will continue.
WWE utilized scaled-down productions setup for last week’s SmackDown, the night before WrestleMania Saturday, and Monday’s post-WrestleMania edition of Raw. Instead of a large stage, screen and ramp, the company opted to use a format that allowed the company to sell more tickets to the events. According to PWInsider, this approach will be “the norm moving forward.”
This slimmed-down production setup is expected to be used on the June 28, episode of WWE SmackDown from Madison Square Garden.
Changes to WWE Production
This is the latest change in a broader overhaul to WWE’s approach to production. Following the departure of longtime production head Kevin Dunn, WWE appointed Lee Fitting for that position. The changes have been remarkable and unanimously well-received.
WWE events will also look different in the ring moving forward. As fans saw at WrestleMania 40, the PRIME Energy logo was emblazoned on the ring mat in a historic first for WWE. This logo will feature on the mat for future Premium Live Events, a significant reversal of longstanding policy.
Fans were graced with the presence of The Mami Rhea Ripley after the 3/29 SmackDown from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut went off air.
The Women’s Champion made a brief appearance during the show. This came after the segment between LWO and Legado Del Fantasma. A tag team match between Dominik Mysterio & Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee for WrestleMania 40 was announced during this confrontation.
The whole Judgement Day was shown backstage after this and Dom apologized to his teammates for not informing them of his intentions ahead of time.
This wasn’t the last of Rhea Ripley fans got to see, however. The World Champion competed in a dark match after SmackDown went off air where she retained her title against Shayna Baszler.
After smackdown went off the air Rhea Ripley faced Shayna Basler for the women's title. No surprise Rhea retained obviously. It was a good match. pic.twitter.com/C0Pm0zt7n0
The second dark match of the night featured another member of the Judgement Day. Finn Balor squared off against Sami Zayn in this match but unlike Mami, he failed to win the contest.
What Happened On SmackDown
Apart from this, the show also featured an appearance from former AEW star Jade Cargill. The female star made her SmackDown signing official during the show and put the whole roster on notice.
Cargill made her presence felt in a big way during the main event segment as well. The final broadcasted match of the night featured Bianca Belair defeating Dakota Kai in a singles contest.
Asuka and Kairi Sane attacked the EST immediately after the bell rang and Naomi also failed to stop this assault. Jade Cargill made the save for the babyfaces and they stood tall to end the show.
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso had a lot of fun together after this week’s episode of SmackDown from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The former Bloodline member was part of a dark match after the show tonight where he faced the Intercontinental Champion Gunther.
Jey managed to get the upper hand after a lot of struggle and he went for a top rope splash on the Ring General. However, his momentum was halted by the appearance of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
The duo distracted their former partner which allowed Gunther to pick up the victory. They went on to attack Jey as the IC Champion retreated to the back.
When Cody Rhodes came out to make the save, Solo bailed out on his cousin, leaving Jimmy to fend for himself. The Bloodline member tried to save himself by joining the ranks of Cody and Jey but he was ultimately taken out.
The American Nightmare then cut his usual promo and noted that he did not have anything to give away this time. The Royal Rumble winner then decided to give away both his shoes to fans in attendance.
Elsewhere in the show, we saw the in-ring return of Rey Mysterio among other matches such as IYO SKY vs Naomi and more.
The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns also appeared on the episode for a confrontation with Cody ahead of their WrestleMania showdown. Amid all this, WWE made a big announcement for Jade Cargill’s future which you can check out here.
Nick Aldis has reportedly been injured and the WrestleMania status for WWE’s heralded SmackDown GM is currently unknown.
Aldis is expected to soon undergo surgery on his arm, according to PWInsider. The exact nature of the injury is unclear, but multiple sources have confirmed that surgery is imminent.
Hopefully this situation doesn’t keep him off WWE programming for too long. WrestleMania 40 would be Aldis’ first appearance on the “grandest stage of them all,” a moment that has been a long time coming for the former NWA Champion.
The Added Impact Of Nick Aldis & Adam Pearce As GMs
Aldis first showed up on WWE television back in October 2023 where Triple H revealed him as the new general manager of SmackDown. The tendency for most on-air authorities in the past would be to have them act as a corrupted heel, but both Aldis and WWE Raw GM Adam Pearce have brought legitimacy and reason back to the roles.
Before becoming an on-air persona once again, Aldis worked months as a WWE producer backstage and fans were understandably curious as to when Aldis could put the boots back on and grapple up. This thought was especially prevailent in his initial debut, considering he has a strong rivalry with Cody Rhodes. However, with this reported injury, the former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion won’t be getting physical anytime soon.
We at SEScoops all wish Nick Aldis a speedy recovery.
Tonight’s episode of SmackDown from FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee started off with a classic segment from The Rock and ended with a post-show traditional Cody Rhodes has established on his road to WrestleMania.
There were two dark matches that took place after tonight’s show went off air. The first match saw Rhea Ripley successfully defending her Women’s World title in a triple-threat match against Natalya and Shayna Baszler.
The second dark match after SmackDown featured Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. After the fight, Cody once again gave away a signed table that was apparently used in his bout with The Scottish Warrior.
What Happened During SmackDown
Earlier in the night, The Great One brought back The Rock concert and sang a song for both Cody Rhodes and his WrestleMania tag team partner Seth Rollins.
The main event of the episode was Bayley taking on Damage CTRL’s Dakota Kai. Bayley won this match via disqualification when the other members of the faction got involved. Naomi tried to make the save for Bayley but she was taken out too and Damage CTRL stood tall at the end of the segment.
A new championship triple threat match was also announced for WrestleMania during the match between Randy Orton and Grayson Waller. You can check out the updated card for the show here.
AEW may have held its ‘Big Business’ edition of Dynamite this week, but their chief competition at WWE is making some very big moves of its own.
Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown will see the Superstars of the blue brand continue on the road to WrestleMania 40. WWE’s Showcase of the Immortals will take place on April 5, and April 6, from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Another Sold Out Show
With WrestleMania 40 ramping closer, tonight’s edition of SmackDown will be one to watch, both at home and for those in Memphis. As WrestleTix shared, this week’s SmackDown is a sold-out show, with as 12,122 tickets being distributed for the show in Memphis’ FedEx Forum. This marks the 8th consecutive TV sellout for the company.
The last time WWE held a TV event in the FedEx Forum, it was the August 28, 2023, edition of Monday Night Raw. That show saw 7,377 tickets distributed. This means that SmackDown has seen a 64.32% in ticket sales compared to the previous Raw.
WWE SmackDown – March 15
This week’s SmackDown will see The Rock make an appearance as part of his recent heel run. It is believed that the Great One will host a ‘Rock Concert’ during the episode. The show will also mark an appearance by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, though it is unclear whether he will appear on the broadcast or solely for the fans in Memphis, TN.
This Friday’s SmackDown will also see Bayley seek to gain a measure of revenge on Dakota Kai. The Kiwi Superstar turned on Bayley last week, reaffirming her role as part of Damage CTRL. Tis week’s show will also see the first of a series of qualifying tag-team matches. The winners will be part of the six-pack Undisputed Tag Title Ladder Match at WrestleMania 40.
The Rock got a taste of his own medicine at this week’s explosive episode of SmackDown from American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on the road to WrestleMania.
The blue branded show then saw a confrontation between teams of The Rock & Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins where a lot of heated words were exchanged.
During the promo, The Rock challenged his opponents to a tag team match at WrestleMania once again with the same stipulations as before. This time, Seth Rollins went ahead and accepted the bout.
Roman Reigns then declared that Cody won’t be getting another shot at him if he doesn’t finish the story this time while The People’s Champion reminded Rhodes and Rollins that he was their boss now.
Everything That Happened After SmackDown Went Off Air
Rock talked about the Rhodes family once again and told The American Nightmare that he was actually a mistake. This riled up Cody enough that he responded with a slap to the Hollywood star.
The show abruptly went off air after this development making fans wonder if there was more to this segment which was cut from the broadcast due to time constraints.
In a video that has since emerged however, we can see that after SmackDown went off air, the two sides exchanged some more words before The Rock’s music hit and he retreated alongside The Tribal Chief.
Multiple fan videos show that The Rock had to be escorted out of the arena by security while Rhodes and Rollins stayed in the ring to pose for the fans.
Later in the night, Becky Lynch had a dark match with Nia Jax. Becky won the bout after putting Jax through a table and she ended the show with a short promo for the crowd.
WWE SmackDown will air live in Memphis, Tennessee next week. Since they are in the heart of country music territory, The Rock is going to apparently play to the crowd in a big way on March 15.
Dwayne Johnson is a man with many skills. He isn’t limited to physical abilities, because he is also a man of artistic talent as well. He flexed his vocal prowess in the past, and this week’s SmackDown may see him put on another Rock Concert.
Spoiler for WWE SmackDown
The Rock has graced WWE fans with concerts in the past. With a guitar in tow, The Great One is known to bust out a song for a promo. Since his return to the fold on the road to WrestleMania 40, The People’s Champ has been on a tear.
Wrestle Votes posted on Twitter/X to reveal that sources have told them that The Rock might have a bit of a musical flare to his segment next week. This is a plan that has apparently been in the pipeline for a while.
According to sources, the much-anticipated return of ‘The Rock Concert’ could light up next week’s SmackDown, live from Memphis, TN. I’m told this idea has been brewing for weeks, with a possible announcement of it tonight on SD.
According to sources, the much-anticipated return of 'The Rock Concert' could light up next week's SmackDown, live from Memphis, TN. I’m told this idea has been brewing for weeks, with a possible announcement of it tonight on SD.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will be on SmackDown this week to answer The Rock’s WrestleMania challenge. A tag team match with Rock and Roman Reigns versus Cody and Seth is in the pipeline, with night two ramifications in play.
If the Bloodline wins that Mania tag match on night one, then it will be “Bloodline Rules” for Cody vs Roman in the main event of night two. If Cody and Seth win, then the Bloodline will be barred from the event.
SEScoops will have complete coverage of WWE SmackDown this week. Keep checking back for more updates.
WWE returns to Dallas, Texas tonight for Friday Night SmackDown at the American Airlines Center.
Over 13,000 fans will be on hand tonight at the American Airlines Center for the next stop on the Road to WrestleMania. This marks WWE’s sixth consecutive sold-out television taping, according to data compiled by WrestleTix.
WWE’s biggest Premium Live Event of the year, WrestleMania 40, is just 29 days away. The card is starting to take shape, but the elephant in the room is ‘almost official’ tag team match involving The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
Raw Superstars Rhodes and Rollins will be on hand tonight to give their response, as will the entire Bloodline.
SmackDown Preview (March 8, 2024)
Here’s what’s on tap for tonight’s show:
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins answer the WrestleMania challenge made by The Bloodline.
The Rock and Roman Reigns will appear
United States Champion Logan Paul will appear
Bobby Lashley battles Karrion Kross
SEScoops is your destination for everything pro wrestling and will have plenty of news coverage later tonight from SmackDown.
Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from last week’s WWE SmackDown:
Cody Rhodes made an appearance on tonight’s episode of SmackDown from the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona but only after cameras stopped rolling.
Tonight’s show saw some big developments in the ongoing storyline between The Bloodline and The American Nightmare with The Rock’s return to WWE TV.
Roman Reigns opened the show with other members of The Bloodline but almost left the arena when the crowd didn’t acknowledge him. He was stopped by Paul Heyman who reminded The Tribal Chief that they had other business to conclude.
The Rock then finally made his entrance. He first called out the fans in the arena and then replying to Cody Rhodes’ Elimination Chamber challenge, made a huge WrestleMania match official.
Elsewhere in the show, we saw the return of Rey Mysterio. He took out the LWO to help Carlito pick up a victory over Santos Escobar in their street fight.
What Happened After SmackDown
The main event of the show featured Randy Orton who defeated Austin Theory in a singles bout. Both Grayson Waller and Kevin Owens who were at the ringside got involved after the match was over. The show ended with Orton and KO standing tall.
The first dark match after SmackDown went off air saw Damian Priest taking on The Miz. ‘We want R Truth’ chants broke out during one point in the match before Priest picked up the victory.
The second dark match of the night featured Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. Mid-match Rhodes tried to introduce a table in the mix but he accidentally pulled out a broken table used in the Street Fight earlier in the night.
After the match was over, Cody finally addressed the crowd. He didn’t respond to the challenge for a WrestleMania match but acknowledged Rock’s promo, before hyping up the crowd to send them home happy.
Fans can expect a night of excitement during next week’s SmackDown as the show has been taped in advance.
Next week’s show, like this week’s episode, will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah. The show was taped following last night’s live episode, as WWE will be heading to Australia next week for Elimination Chamber: Perth.
WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth
WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth will take place from Optus Stadium on February 24. The show will mark WWE’s first Premium Live Event down under since the 2018 Super Showdown event. four matches have been confirmed for the show, including two Elimination Chamber matches with WrestleMania-sized implications.
Here are the results of next week’s episode of WWE SmackDown:
Tiffany Stratton clinched victory over Liv Morgan using a small package
A vignette featuring Ashante Thee Adonis & Cedric is shown.
A segment featuring The Bloodline is shown.
Bron Breakker defeated Dante Chen.
Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate defeated The Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh)
Another Bloodline backstage segment
The Authors of Pain secured a victory against the Street Profits.
An Elimination Chamber package is shown on the screen.
The match between Drew McIntyre and LA Knight ended in a disqualification. After the match, the Men’s Elimination Chamber participants brawled with Randy Orton standing tall at the end
This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown went off the air with a huge addition to the Bloodline…
WWE switched up their commentary team recently, as Kevin Patrick was moved off the blue brand. Now, he is breaking his silence on his WWE exit, as abrupt as it was. He is excited about his next steps in the broadcasting world.
Kevin Patrick Speaks on WWE Release
I broke the news that WWE removed Kevin Patrick from his role on the SmackDown commentary team. This came as a bit of a surprise for some fans, but others welcomed the change. WWE moved Wade Barrett over to SmackDown alongside Corey Graves, and Pat McAfee returned to WWE so he could call RAW alongside his buddy, Michael Cole.
Kevin Patrick is now breaking his silence about his WWE release. He also had nothing but great things to say.
While taking to Twitter/X, Kevin gave his love to WWE. The company provided him with an excellent platform to execute his craft on. His stint on the main roster wasn’t a lengthy one, but he had an incredible experience.
Nothing but love for 3 incredible years at WWE! From the exhilarating experiences & all the brilliant friends I worked with along the way, I’m flooded with gratitude. In saying that, it was time to turn the page, and I couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter! Cheers
Nothing but love for 3 incredible years at WWE! From the exhilarating experiences & all the brilliant friends I worked with along the way, I’m flooded with gratitude. In saying that, it was time to turn the page, and I couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter! Cheers ??
Kevin Patrick already has a new gig. Major League Soccer has revealed that Patrick, while going by his real name Kevin Egan, will join the panel for the second season of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. MLS Season Pass offers extensive coverage, encompassing every regular season match, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, the MLS All-Star Game, and Leagues Cup matches.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of this story and so many more. Our best goes out to Kevin Patrick as he starts his road after WWE.
One name who could compete in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match is Logan Paul, who will face The Miz in a qualifying match next week. At SmackDown, Paul arrived wearing the Apple Vision Pro headset. As he dabbled in the virtual world, Paul spoke about a “member of TKO’s board assault an employee”, a nod to The Rock slapping Cody Rhodes at the WrestleMania kick-off press conference.
During the show, Paul confronted SmackDown GM Nick Aldis, and made clear that he wanted a challenger for his U.S. title, not a qualifying match. These kind of matches are for unqualified people, as Paul argued, which he is not.
The Maverick was also unhappy that his qualifying match will take place in Utah and said that he should be receiving “The Rock treatment”: walking in and doing whatever he wants, including “smack somebody across the face [and be] back on the jet.” Despite these frustrations, Paul agreed to face The Miz and vowed he’ll win, win inside the Elimination Chamber, and beat Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Champion.
The dominant reign of Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER continued this week after the Austrian retained against an unlikely opponent after SmackDown.
The February 9, 2024, episode of WWE SmackDown saw the blue brand deal with the fallout from the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference, and build toward WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. The Men’s Elimination Chamber match will determine Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania opponent, as confirmed on SmackDown. Triple H was also on SmackDown and took several shots at The Rock given the Great One’s involvement with the WrestleMania kick-off press conference.
GUNTHER After SmackDown
In a post-show dark match, GUNTHER was ready to defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship. In an unlikely course of action, the Imperium leader faced R-Truth. At one point in the match, as seen in the video below, Truth used the signature ‘Five-Knuckle Shuffle’ from his childhood hero, John Cena.
Despite the popularity of the former WWE 24/7 Champion, it was GUNTHER who retained.
This wasn’t Truth’s only appearance of the night. During a backstage segment, Truth spoke with Kevin Owens, who he mistook for The Miz. Given that Miz is a Raw Superstar, Truth warned Owens to not let ‘Nick’ catch him. Owens thought Truth was referring to the non-existent Nick Mysterio, but the veteran was more sensible than that and said he was referring to Nick Aldis.
What’s Next for GUNTHER?
Today marks day 610 of GUNTHER’s dominant reign as Intercontinental Champion. Should he hold on to the title for the rest of this month, he will break the record for the most combined days of anyone with the title. He already holds the record for the longest individual title run.
GUNTHER’s win wasn’t the only dark match at SmackDown…
The Rock and Roman Reigns may be determined to have their match, but Triple H put his foot down on the matter. The Las Vegas event in the T-Mobile Arena was quite a sight. This week’s SmackDown included some big shots at The Great One, and he will be around next week to continue this drama.
The Rock’s Next WWE SmackDown Appearance
During WWE SmackDown this week, Triple H and Bron Breakker had a backstage segment where Breakker asked The Game if he could pick his brain about the big decision he has to make between RAW and SmackDown. Then, Paul Heyman stepped into the frame.
Heyman tried to speak to Triple H about what happened during the WrestleMania kickoff show conference, but The Game didn’t seem happy about Heyman’s presence. That stopped Heyman from proceeding with the WWE COO.
Instead, Paul Heyman stated that he will be back next week to further this discussion. He will not be alone, because Roman Reigns is coming with him. Also, The Rock will be there.
WWE SmackDown is hitting the Delta Center in Salt Lake Center, Utah on Friday, February 16, 2024. It appears that The Rock will be in the house as well.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of this evolving situation. The Rock is still in the WrestleMania mix, even if Cody Rhodes got his match against Roman Reigns as well.