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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
MAY 17, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT VYSTAR VETERANS MEMORIAL ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON FOX
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earkier today that 9,409 tickets had been distributed so far; arena set up for 10,136
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a video package previewing the King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring matches along with clips of prior results on TV and at house shows.
-They showed wrestlers arriving. Then they showed Cody Rhodes walking around the empty arena.
-Corey Graves introduced the show as the camera panned the audience.
(1) BIANCA BELAIR vs. TIFFANY STRATTON – Queen of the Ring Quarterfinal match
Belair’s ring entrance took place. Then Stratton’s. The bell rang six minutes into the hour. Belair clutched her knee in pain after a moonsault. Stratton worked over the injured knee as they cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Stratton was still in control. Late in the match, Stratton poked Belair in one of her eyes and then went back after Belair’s knee. She followed with a clothesline for a two count. When she climbed to the top rope, Belair knocked her off balance and Stratton straddled the top rope. Belair then hit the K.O.D. for the win.
WINNER: Belair in 13:00 to advance to the semi-finals.
-Cathy Kelley interviewed Belair in the ring afterward. She asked about her knee. Belair said her knee hurts but it won’t stop her next week against whomever she faces.
(Keller’s Analysis: It sure looks like they’re going to give Cargill a win over Belair next week with Belair’s knee being a key factor which casts doubt on whether Cargill should see it as a definitive statement win. How each reacts over time will be the story leading to their eventual breakup.)
-They went to Graves and Wade Barrett at ringside who threw to a recap of what happened between Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul last week.
-They showed Logan Paul backstage approaching Nick Aldis’s office. L.A. Knight walked out and eyed Logan. Aldis then asked Logan to come in to talk with him. [c]
-Bryon Saxton interviewed Cargill backstage. He asked how she feels about having to face someone as dominant as Nia Jax. She said she’s heard all about her being an irresistible force, but to her she’s just in her way and she’ll get past her. Belair walked in and Cargill gleefully congratulated her on her win. They were all smiles. She said she put Stratton in Tiffy Time Out. Belair said it’d be fun if they end up facing each other next week and she said he knee will be just fine by then.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good segment showing these two being seemingly genuine friends and good sports at this stage.)
-Graves and Barrett talked about how Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero faced each other as reigning tag team champions and that could happen with Belair and Cargill.
-A clip aired from last week of Solo Sikoa revealing to Paul Heyman that he has been in touch with Roman Reigns and, that until Reigns returns, he’s calling the shots and Heyman will be his Wise Man by orders of the Tribal Chief followed by a hug.
-Backstage live, Tama Tonga was making noises. Solo sent Tonga and Tanga Loa to the ring. Heyman asked Solo if he talked to Reigns today. Solo said, “All the time, Wiseman, all the time.” Heyman looked his usual unstable, insecure, nervous self these days.
-Kelley interviewed Knight backstage. He said he doesn’t know half the guys in this new-look Bloodline, but he’ll get past one of them tonight and “introduce” his head to the King crown. Carmelo Hayes walked in, being the most clearly heelish to date, and told Knight that this was his opportunity to welcome him to Smackdown. He said he was a first round pick, “which was no big deal; yeah, it is.” Knight said people tell him certain things about him remind him of Tom Brady. He said nobody remembers who the first overall draft pick was the year Brady was drafted. Carmelo said after tonight, the biggest three letters in WWE won’t be RKO, they’ll be HIM. Knight mock-applauded and said that’s so stupid no one will repeat it. He then got the crowd to chant “L.A. Knight!” He closed with, “Now go play somewhere; I’m busy.”
-Tonga, Loa, and Sikoa made their way to the ring. [c]
(2) TAMA TONGA (w/Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa, Paul Heyman) vs. L.A. KNIGHT – King of the Ring Quarterfinal match
Knight’s ring entrance aired. Fans chanted “L.A. Knight!” as he stared at The Bloodline. The bell rang 41 minutes into the hour. Knight fended off Tonga charging at him at the start. Knight escaped an early sleeper attempt. Barrett said Knight has to feel panic when his opponent was seen warming up with “guttural animalistic growls.” When Tonga threw Knight to ringside near the ringside Bloodline members, Knight quickly returned to the ring and surprised Tonga with a clotthesline. He then stomped away at him in the corner and then landed a running hip attack.Solo saw enough and climbed onto the ring apron. Tonga charged into a distracted Knight and then threw him shoulder-first into the ringpost. They cut to a break at 3:00 after Tonga leaped onto Knight at ringside. [c]
Knight rallied and beat up Tonga at ringside, ramming his head into the ring apron as fans yelled “Yea! Yea!” Back in the ring, Knight landed a series of moves including his leaping elbowdrop. He signaled for his BFT as fans chanted “BFT!” Loa yanked Tonga to the floor. Knight wrecking ball kicked Loa and then had a few words for Solo before returning to the ring. Tonga drove Knight’s face into the mat immediately and scored a three count.
WINNER: Tonga in 9:00 to advance to the semi-finals.
(Keller’s Analysis: I find the new Bloodline entrance theme both catchy and disconcerting at the same time, which I think is what they were going for. Knight is doing really well in his role and still has fans enthusiastically behind him. He did seem peak-undisciplined when it came to Bloodline distractions, though.) [c]
-Knight was talking with Charles Robinson about having to deal “three savages” at once. Carmelo crossed paths and told him he couldn’t get the job done. Knight shoved him in the chest. Robinson stepped between them and ordered them to back off. Knight was bleeding from his right shoulder. Jamie Noble helped Robinson pulled a worked up Knight away.
-Aldis stood mid-ring for the contract signing. He introduced Logan first who came to the ring with several hangers-on. Then Aldis introduced Cody who came out to big cheers.
[HOUR TWO]
Cody acknowledged the fans chanting “Cody! Cody!” He sat at the table and asked, “So, Jacksonville, what do you guys want to talk about?” He said, “I love this place; you all know that.” He asked Logan if he knows what happened 32 years ago to the day in that arena. He said the reason he knows and Logan doesn’t know is important. He said it was War Games ’92 and he said it’s widely considered the greatest War Games of all time with Sting’s Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance. He said he knows because he’s a fan of what he does. He said Logan is just a tourist passing through looking for viral memories. “It is time to get off the train and drop that United States Championship, making me for the first time ever in my career, a WWE Grand Slam Champion.”
Logan said Cody is saying the same thing the last guy said and the guy before that. Fans booed. “We’ve heard it,” he said. He asked if he’s stalling. He said he didn’t come there to hear him talk. “I came here to sign a contract,” he said. But he tore up the contract. He said he didn’t agree to put his title on the line. He said he had his litigator draw up a contract that they made. Logan’s attorney pulled the contract out of a briefcase. Logan handed it to Aldis and told him to have Cody sign the contract. Aldis said this is bad business and not acceptable that he’s backing off what they verbally discussed.
Cody told Aldis to do him a favor and let him finish up the paperwork and bring it to his office. He relieved him of his obligations. Aldis reluctantly left the ring. Logan held up his contract and said he signed it, so the match is made. He said Cody hasn’t done anything to deserve a shot at his U.S. Title. He said he has proven every time he’s in the ring that he is worthy of every title in the industry, but Cody can’t say the same. He threw the contract at him and said, “Sign the contract, big boy.” Logan stood with his U.S. belt held high.
Cody got up and called Logan “a fly by night human hat rack.” He said the honeymoon with him is over. He mocked him doing flips and said Mike Tyson is going to knock out his brother and then he’s going to beat him. He signed the contract without reading it. Logan took a swing. Cody ducked and knocked Logan to the floor. He then fended off one of his lackeys and powerbombed him through a table.
(Keller’s Analysis: Both Logan and Cody were really good here. However, Cody didn’t seem all that bright signing the contract without reading it. My guess is if Logan wins, he gets both belts, but if Cody wins, he doesn’t get the U.S. Title, although that’d be the default mode anyway.)
-Kelly interviewed Jax backstage. She said she hears all the accolades about Jade, but she’ll be the next Queen of the Ring. She turned and headed to the ring. [c]
(3) JADE CARGILL vs. NIA JAX – Queen of the Ring Quarterfinal match
The announcers talked about Jade as she made her entrance after the break. Barrett touted her win over Piper Niven last week. The bell rang 18 minutes into the hour. They had a staredown. Jax the knocked Jade down. Jade avoided a legdrop and then slammed her. Jax rolled to ringside and showed frustration. She then yanked Jade to the floor and tossed her aside. Jade’s daughter gave her encouragement from the front row. Jax told the girl that her mom sucks. Jade’s daughter said she doesn’t.
Back in the ring, Jade knocked Jax off the ring apron and then threw her into the announce desk. Jax side-stepped a charging Jade and threw her into the ringpost and then into the time keeper’s area. She headbutted Jade and then tossed her back to ringside. She picked up a chair, but Jade blocked her swing and then took the chair and bashed Jax with it. The ref DQ’d Jade.
WINNER: Jax in 2:30 via DQ so Jax advances.
(Keller’s Analysis: This shakes up a lot of assumptions or expectations and it delays the Jade-Cargill match. Interesting twist which actually moves Jax into a position as the favorite to win it all. The gimmick could actually work for her as a heel.)
-Jax and Jade fought at ringside. Officials separated them. Jax smiled and walked to the back. [c]
(4) DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. ANGEL & HUMBERTO (w/Elektra Lopez, Santos Escobar)
Austin Theory and Grayson Waller joined in on commentary at ringside. Gargano and Ciampa landed dives at ringside a minute in. They celebrated by clapping. The heels took over going into a break. [c]
Gargano and Ciampa made a comeback. Elektra knocked Gargano off the ring apron as Santos distracted the ref. The ref ordered Santos to the back. Despite the interference, Gargano and Ciampa landed “Meet me in the Middle” for the three count on Humberto.
WINNERS: DIY in 9:00.
-Graves and Barrett talked about the QR codes flashing on the shows. Graves threw to a clip of where Monday’s QR code led which was a woman therapist asking how things were going after their last meeting. Graves said he is thinking of what happened the last time QR codes flashed during shows. Barrett said he’s been asking around and no one knows how those codes getting onto the show.
-Saxton interviewed A.J. Styles backstage. He said he’s been having a tough stretch and asked what’s next. Styles said he’s wondering the same thing. “Where do I go from here?” he said. He said next week he’s going to have a meeting with Aldis “and we’ll find out where I go from here.” He seemed down.
-Randy Orton’s ring entrance aired. [c]
-Backstage, Saxton interviewed Bayley and asked for her predictions. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven showed up. Niven pretended to be sleeping because Bayley was boring. Green said Bayley was the reason Niven beat her last week because she sprinkled her bad Bayley juju all over them. Bayley said they can talk in the ring next week and then she cackled and walked away.
(Keller’s Analysis: Bayley’s pull-string cackling feels half-hearted and gimmicky and not suitable for her babyface act right now.)
-Barrett hyped Orton or Hayes vs. Tonga next week on Smackdown from Jedda, Saudi Arabia.
(5) RANDY ORTON vs. CARMELO HAYES – King of the Ring Quarterfinal match
Carmelo’s ring entrance then took place. Barrett touted how Carmelo looked against Cody in his debut match on the big stage. The bell rang 46 minutes into the hour. Carmelo kicked Orton’s leg and then slapped him a few seconds into the match. “Oh dear,” said Graves. Orton took it to Carmelo aggressively and threw him shoulder-first into the ringpost. Then he beat him up at ringside and threw him onto the announce desk. [c]
Back from the break, Carmelo went back after Orton’s leg and then landed a First 48 for a two count. He went back after Orton’s leg. Orton avoided Carmelo’s leap off the ropes and landed a draping DDT followed by an RKO attempt. Carmelo slipped free and schoolboyed Orton for a two count. Orton fired back with an RKO out of nowhere for the win. Barrett said Orton gets to face Tonga next week.
WINNER: Orton in 10:00.
-Kelley began to interview Orton inside the ring when Solo led The Bloodline out onto the stage. Orton said they’re not going to intimidate him. He said maybe they’ve forgotten who he is. He said he is a 14-time World Champion. He said next week he’s going to drive his foot directly up his ass and then introduce him to the most three dangerous letters in sports entertainment, R-K-O.
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