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KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN TV REPORT
JULY 21, 2023
ORLANDO, FLA. AT AMWAY CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON FX
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
[HOUR ONE]
-A four minute video recap aired of last week’s Bloodline developments with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman.
-They showed Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa walking backstage.
(1) REY MYSTERIO vs. L.A. KNIGHT vs. SHEAMUS vs. CAMERON GRIMES – U.S. Title Fatal Four-way semi-final
They showed Wes Lee and Dragon Lee at ringside standing, smiling, and clapping. As Mysterio made his ring entrance, Wade Barrett noted that Rey’s son, Dominik, beat Wes Lee to win the North American Title on Tuesday. Sheamus came out second. Cameron Grimes came out next. Barrett said Grimes has the biggest heart and drive in the game. Knight did some mic work on his way to the ring. They showed Austin Theory sitting at ringside.
The bell rang 10 minutes into the hour. Grimes knocked Rey out of the ring. Knight clotheslined Sheamus over the top rope. Grimes went after Knight, but Knight slingshot himself into the ring at Grimes and then threw him to ringside. L.A. Knight led the crowd in chanting his name as they cut to a break at 1:00. [c]
Sheamus was beating up Knight after the break. Sheamus blocked a Rey 619 attempt. Grimes took turns kicking Sheamus and Rey in their chests. Knight re-entered the ring, but Grimes roundkicked him in the head. They eventually did a four-way tower drop out of the corner with Sheamus powerbombing Grimes as he sunset-flipped Knight as Knight suplexed Rey off the top rope. They cut to a break at 10:00. [c]
Back from the break, Rey yanked Grimes over the top rope by his legs, but Grimes held on. Rey sent Grimes toward Theory at ringside. Theory moved, so Grimes ended up crashing into the chair. Theory accused Rey sending Grimes at him on purpose. Sheamus clotheslined both Rey and Grimes with a leap off the ring. Back in the ring, Knight rallied and scored a near fall on Sheamus, broken up by Rey. Rey sent Sheamus and Grimes into the ropes and hit his 619 on both. He splashed Grimes and covered him, but Theory yanked him off the cover and threw him into the ringside steps. Cole noted there are no DQs in this match (such a stupid rule). Escobar ran out and attacked Theory; they brawled into the crowd. Knight then landed his signature running elbowdrop onto Grimes’s chest. Sheamus gave Knight a Brogue Kick. Grimes gave Sheamus a Caveman. Rey then rolled up Grimes for the three count.
Since Rey won, he faces Escobar next week to earn a U.S. Title shot. Cole referred to Escobar as Rey’s protegé. Escobar returned to the ring congratulate Rey. They shook hands and smiled at each other.
WINNER: Mysterio in 20:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Very much the fun formula style of WWE’s Fatal Four-way matches. Not a big deal at this point, but not a great sign that Grimes was the designated loser of the match. There’s no shame in being the one to lose given Rey was winning and the other two are clearly above him on the roster, but they’re also not protecting him at a high level at this stage. And his character development so far has been lousy and half-hearted. Knight is really over, and the announcers are acknowledging that now every time.)
-Cole touted Orlando, Fla. and the crowd of 14,000. He said the “stars of tomorrow” are training in Orlando as part of their “Next In-line Program.” The Cavinder Twins were shown waving at ringside.
-They showed Jey walking past and fist-bumping various WWE developmental wrestlers.
-Backstage, Theory approached Adam Pearce and asked who Santos thinks he is. He said he wants a match against him tonight. Pearce said he likes the sound of it, but said it’d be for the title. Theory said he didn’t want to put the title on the line because he doesn’t deserve it. Theory said it’s personal, not for the title. Pearce accepted that.
-They went to Cole and Barrett at ringside. Cole asked why not put the title on the line. They threw to a lengthy video package on the Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar feud.
-They showed Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes at ringside. Barrett said they have a bright future.
-Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring. [c]
-Cole plugged the Summerslam Triple Threat match with Asuka defending against Charlotte and Bianca Belair.
-They showed Tiffany Stratton at ringside. Barrett touted her as “one of the most natural talents this industry has ever discovered.”
(2) CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. IYO SKY
The bell rang 46 minute into the hour. Bayley joined in on commentary. She accused Cole of trying to drive a wedge between her and her friends since the day she was born. Charlotte kicked Sky off the ring apron. Bayley yelled at Charlotte. Sky leaped off the ring apron and head scissored her to the mat. Bayley smiled as they cut to a break. [c]
Sky landed a sunset flip powerbomb off the top rope for a near fall. Shotzi suddenly appeared on the big screen laughing maniacally. Bayley sold total panic and fright and retreated to the back. Sky called for her to return. Charlotte had time to recover, but Sky avoided her charging shoulder-first into the corner. Sky then landed a top rope moonsault, but Charlotte moved. Sky lifted her boots as Charlotte went for a moonsault. Sky then took Charlotte down and applied a crossface. Sky leveraged Charlotte’s shoulders down for a two count. Charlotte then reversed Sky’s shoulders down for a two count. Sky avoided a running boot by Charlotte and leaped off the top rope with a dropkick, but Charlotte avoided it and then applied a Boston Crab. Sky reversed Charlotte’s shoulders down for a two count at 12:00. Charlotte caught Sky with a spear for a near fall for a two count seconds later.
[HOUR TWO]
A “Let’s Go, Iyo!” chant could be heard. Sky and Charlotte took turns scoring leverage two counts. Charlotte popped up and hit her Natural Selection for the three count.
WINNER: Charlotte in 13:00.
-As Charlotte began celebrating, Asuka charged into the ring and attacked her. She applied an armbar. Charlotte cried out in pain and struggled to escape. The ref entered and yelled at her to release the hold. She did. She then celebrated her attack by dancing with her title belt over her shoulder.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match overall with a basic angle to add some steam to Asuka as a heel going into Summerslam.)
-Cole narrated a clip of Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and Rhea Ripley interfering on Dominik’s behalf to beat Wes Less for the North American Title. They showed shocked fans in the crowd.
-Kayla Braxton interviewed Dominik and Ripley backstage. Dom smugly smiled and said he wanted to show his deadbeat dad what a real champion looks like. He said if Rey wins the U.S. Title, he’s the champion of only the U.S. rather than all of North America. Butch challenged Dom to a title match tonight. Shawn Michaels walked in and said it sounds like a wonderful match to him and he’d see if he could get it booked.
-They cut to Roman, Heyman, and Solo backstage. Reigns was hanging his head and seemed stressed. He turned to Solo who nodded at him and then looked away.
-Theory made his ring entrance. [c]
-Backstage Bayley, with Sky, discovered a scissors had been stabbed through a Bayley photo and into her rolling suitcase. Bayley, in a panic, told Sky to grab her things because they had to go.
(3) AUSTIN THEORY vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR – Non-Title match
Escobar’s ring entrance took place. The bell rang 12 minutes into the hour. Barrett defended Theory not putting his title on the line because it would cheapen the tournament which is meant to determine someone who has earned it and thus deserves it. Cole touted Theory a minute later as having everything going for him and is “a total package.” Theory bailed out to ringside at 3:00 and they cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Theory was in control. They showed that during the break, Theory made a comeback with a dropkick. Escobar made a comeback and dove through the ropes and speared Theory into the announce desk. Escobar blocked the A-Town Down a minute later and set up a top rope hurancarana. Theory shoved him down. Theory stood on the top rope. Escobar met him up there. Escobar took Theory off the top rope with a leaping huracanrana. He charged in the corner with double knees and then finished him with the Phantom Driver for the win. Cole said he cannot overemphasize how big that win is for Escobar.
WINNER: Escobar in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a heck of finishing spot. Does that give away Escobar is beating Rey next week, or is that tease and it’s going to be one of the reasons Escobar turns heel – because he feels he should be in line since he beat Theory in a non-title match before Rey beat him for the title?)
-Bobby Lashley was shown greeting Wes Lee and Williams backstage. They were happy to see Lashley.
-Dominik made his entrance, accompanied by Ripley.
-A commercial aired for the Cody Rhodes documentary. [c]
-Cole and Barrett commented on a replay of Elton Prince separating his shoulder, but continuing to finish the match. Barrett said pro wrestling is a brotherhood and they don’t try to intentionally injure each other (there’s a lot of angles and beatdowns that completely contradict that storyline-wise, so why say that?). Cole and Barrett touted that he fought through the injury, but noted he could miss months of action.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s a bummer for sure, as Pretty Deadly were getting a real push out of the gate.)
(4) DOMINIK MYSTERIO (w/Rhea Ripley) vs. BUTCH (w/Ridge Holland) – NXT North American Title match
Butch took Dom down and stomped on his arm after some joint manipulation. Ripley gave Dom a chain, then she distracted the ref. Ridge Holland ran out and yanked the chain away from Dom before he could use it. Butch landed an enzuigiri and scored a two count. They cut to an early break. [c]
Kit Wilson wheeled Elton Prince to the ring in a wheelchair. Cole wondered why a shoulder injury would require being pushed around in a wheelchair. Barrett said he had a shoulder injury once and his quads were sore. Cole wondered why they were even at ringside. Dom set up Butch for a 619 but Butch moved and landed a snap German and then stomped on Dom’s hands. He scored a near fall.
Wilson yelled at Holland to apologize, then scurried away when Holland made a move toward him. Butch dropped to the floor. Wilson ran away, leaving Prince alone in the wheelchair. He cried and then leaped up and ran to the back on his own. Barrett touted him for running despite the pain he must’ve been in. Cole said, “Oh my god, he’s healed!” Ripley hit Butch with the belt and then Dom rammed him into the ringpost. Dom rolled Butch into the ring and scored the pin.
WINNER: Dominik in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: It looks like, despite the injury, Pretty Deadly will still get TV time, which is good. The match itself was fine, but it was more about the cheating by Ripley and ringside stuff with Holland and Pretty Deadly. That’s the type of win that gets Dom more heat for being such a punk.)
-Karl Anderson vs. Karrion Kross and Escobar vs. Rey were hyped by the announcers for next week’s Smackdown.
-Jey Uso made his ring entrance.
-A Raw commercial hyped a face-to-face with Drew McIntyre and Gunther, Becky Lynch vs. Zoey Stark, and a contract signing for Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor. [c]
-A commercial aired hyping WrestleMania in Philadelphia next year and tickets going on sale on Aug. 18.
-Jey’s music faded and then Roman’s music played. They made their long ring entrance. Reigns said, “Orlando, acknowledge me!” Jey lamented that Roman is making him do this. Roman said Jey is just a soldier or a pawn in this game. A loud “U-so!” chant rang out. Reigns sold that it rattled him briefly. Reigns signed the contract and shoved it to Jey.
Jey then ripped it up and slammed the folder shut. Heyman looked quizzically at him. Jey said, “We don’t need no contract because the contract is in the blood. This right here, this is Tribal Combat now.” Reigns asked, “Do the elders know about this?” Jey said, “It was their idea, Uce. Tribal Combat, that means anything goes.” They cut to Solo’s reaction; he hung his head.
Jey got a pop when he listed things he’d slam Reigns through and hit him with, especially when he said he’d grab “that lady’s left slipper and slap you across the head with it too.” Reigns said, “Little Jey, shut your mouth, the Tribal Chief is talking now.” He said he’s run the business for almost a decade now. He stood and said, “It’s done, let’s go!” Jey said it’s Tribal Combat now. They bleeped a chant, but it turned out it was “Tribal Combat” (I think they might’ve thought it was “Shut the f— up!”). An “U-so!” chant rang out.
Reigns placed a tribal necklace over the title belt on the table and walked over to have a staredown with Jey. They went forehead to forehead and held forerams and then stepped back and locked eyes. Solo glared at Reigns and wasn’t happy about how peaceful that all went. He turned and knocked over the table and was about to hit Jey with the Samoan Spike when Reigns blocked it. Jey superkicked Solo out of the ring.
As Cole reacted to the developments, he said it appears not only is the Undisputed Title at stake, but the role of Tribal Chief could be on the line as well. They cut to Heyman, Reigns, and Solo walking up the aisle. Cole shifted to plugging Rey vs. Escobar next week for a U.S. Title match. Back at ringside, Heyman was distraught over the news that this was the elders’ idea.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good segment. It’s so fun watching these four play off of each other. Every camera angle feels deliberate and revealing, worth studying and reading into. Solo continues to evolve into a multi-dimensional personality – a hot-head who isn’t preoccupied with placating to Roman’s style or Samoan culture Jey is sympathetic for a number of reasons, but one of them is that through all of this, he still wants to respect the traditions of the family and the Samoan culture.)
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