SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JULY 26, 2024 (Taped 7/19)
OMAHA, NEB. AT CHI HEALTH CENTER
AIRED ON FOX
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by PWTorch’s Tom Stoup to review Smackdown LIVE. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
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[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a video package of last week’s main event of Kevin Owens & Cody Rhodes vs. Austin Theory & Greyson Waller.
-G.M. Nick Aldis told The Bloodline that Tonga Loa was ineligible to wrestle tonight due to an eye injury to forfeit their spot in the Tag Team Gauntlet match. Solo Sikoa said Jacob Fatu would substitute for Loa. Aldis agreed to it.
-A promo aired with L.A. Knight who said he would be dropping Santos Escobar on his head one more time tonight and then take Logan Paul to school at Summerslam.
(1) L.A. KNIGHT vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR (w/Elektra Lopez)
Knight made his ring entrance. Then Escobar with Lopez did. Knight took control early. Escobar made a comeback including a suplex and sharpshooter. Barrett questioned the wisdom of Knight taking a beating just over a week before his shot at the U.S. Title. Lopez slapped Knight as he was set up for a 619. Escobar then landed the 619 and then they cut to a break. [c]
Escobar had Knight grounded after the break. Escobar thwarted a Knight comeback with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and then scored a two count. Escobar slapped Knight and trash-talked him in the corner. When Knight made a comeback and lifted Escobar on his shoulders, Lopez slid into the ring. Knight dropped him and yelled at her. Escobar recovered and elbowed Knight in the head. Knight countered with a snap powerslam. Both were down and slow to get up. Lopez stood on the ring apron and distracted the ref. Logan Paul then took a swing at Knight, but Knight ducked and took Logan down with a clothesline. Escobar caught Knight as he turned around with a superkick. Knight countered a Phanton Driver with a BFT for the win.
WINNER: Knight in 10:00.
-Logan jumped Knight right as Knight stood from scoring the pinfall. He stomped away at him. Knight managed a comeback and kicked away at Logan in the corner. Escobar caught Knight with a high knee to stop the beatdown of Logan. Escobar helped Logan up. They both stomped away at Knight. Graves called it an alliance of convenience. Logan leaped off the top rope and landed a frog splash on Knight.
-They went to Graves and Barrett at ringside who showed Naomi pinning Blair Davenport two weeks ago, but then backstage later Davenport pretending to be a good sport about it before attacking Naomi from behind.
-Byron Saxton interviewed Naomi backstage about Davenport attacking her. Naomi said she hasn’t “done nothing to that newbie.” She said she’s playing mind games with her, but she’s going to make her both feel the glow and respect it. Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair walked up to them. Jade said Davenport is lame and will get what she’s got coming. Belair said they’d go take care of their business, calling out the Women’s Tag Champs. [c]
-Graves hyped Summerslam weekend.
-Saxton interviewed Logan backstage. Logan said that was an appetizer for what he’ll do to Knight at Summerslam in his hometown of Cleveland. He said Knight will be facing “the ultimate underdog turned top dog” at Summerslam. He then mocked Knight’s “Yeah!”
-Jade and Belair made their ring entrance next. Belair said Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn have been avoiding them. She said they said on Raw they were coming this week. “So where they at?” she asked. Jade said they need to stop ducking and dodging them. Their music played. As Jade and Belair waited, Fyre and Dawn jumped them from behind. Belair and Jade fought back. Dawn avoided a KOD, but then Jade threw Fyre onto her at ringside.
-Highlights aired of WWE’s live event in Japan this week (which is why this episode of Smackdown was taped last week). The focus was on Cody Rhodes interacting with a young female fan and holding her up in the ring.
-Graves hyped an exclusive interview with Cody later.
-The Street Profits were warming up with B-Fab when in walked Terence Crawford. Crawford said he’d be watching them tonight.
-Barrett hyped that the Tag Team Gauntlet to earn a WWE Tag Team Title match was up next. [c]
-A sponsored video recap aired of Tiffany Stratton vs. Michin last week with Nia Jax interfering from ringside followed by Bayley coming out to even the odds and then hitting Jax with the briefcase in self-defense. Bayley then destroyed the briefcase.
-Backstage, Jax consoled Tiffany, who was holding the damaged briefcase. Jax said she would get her a new briefcase that suits her. She said she has a guaranteed title shot at Summerslam, so she shouldn’t cash in her briefcase on Bayley because then she’d lose to her at Summerslam. Tiffany said she just wants to get revenge on Bayley tonight. Tiffany hugged the briefcase and made a sad face.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was on the lower end of the range of WWE backstage acting.)
(2) BARON CORBIN & APOLLO CREWS vs. THE STREET PROFITS vs. PRETTY DEADLY (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) vs. HUMBERTO CARILLO & ANGEL GARZA vs. JACOB FATU & TAMA TONGA vs. KARL ANDERSON & LUKE GALLOWS – Tag Team Gauntlet match for a shot at the WWE Tag Team Titles next week on Smackdown
Corbin & Crews came out first followed by Angel & Humberto. Angel & Humberto jumped Crews & Corbin at the bell 43 minutes into the hour. Humberto dove through the ropes and tackled Corbin at ringside. They cut to a very early break at 1:00. [c]
Back from the break, Humberto lifted Corbin onto his shoulders, but Corbin broke free. Corbin then tossed a charging Humberto into the corner. Crews got the hot-tag in just as Humberto tagged in Angel. Corbin eventually tagged back in and landed End of Days for the three count at 6:00.
ELIMINATION #1: Angel & Humberto at 6:00.
The Street Profits came out next. Crews launched Corbin over the top rope onto the Profits at ringside and then they cut to a break at 9:00. [c]
Ford and Crews charged past each other in the ring and leaped over the top rope on opposite sides of the ring onto their respective opponents. The Profits finished Crews seconds later in the ring with their double-team Revelation finisher at 15:00.
ELIMINATION #2: Crews & Corbin
[HOUR TWO]
Pretty Deadly entered next and scored quick small package two counts on Dawkins. They cut to Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa watching on a monitor backstage. Ford took a beating for a few minutes, then hot-tagged in Dawkins against Prince. Prince and Wilson took over again. Ford and Dawkins came back, though, and landed a top rope blockbuster by Ford on Prince off of Dawkins’ shoulders for the win.
ELIMINATION #3: Pretty Deadly in 20:00.
Gallows & Anderson marched to the ring as they cut to a break. [c]
Anderson was in control of Ford after the break. Dawkins flip-dove over the top rope onto Anderson & Gallows at 28:00. Anderson caught him with a spinebuster back in the ring for a two count seconds later, though. Ford tripped Anderson running the ropes on his way to a double-team move as Gallows had lifted Dawkins. Dawkins then rolled up Gallows for a leverage three count.
ELIMINATION #4: Gallows & Anderson in 29:00.
Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga came out next, accompanied by Solo Sikoa and Tanga Loa. They cut to a break before they entered the ring. [c]
Solo choked Dawkins over the bottom rope from ringside as Tonga distracted the ref. Fatu tagged in went on the attack. Solo took another cheap shot. Dawkins avoided a charging Fatu who crashed into the corner, hitting his head on the ringpost. Dawkins leaped and tagged in Ford just as Tonga also tagged in. Ford landed a top rope crossbody for a two count at 36:00. They showed DIY watching backstage again.
Tonga threw Ford off the top rope and made a cover. Dawkins interrupted the count. When Tonga and Fatu double-teamed Dawkins at ringside, Ford landed a running flip dive onto them. Ford went for a frog splash on Tonga, but Tonga moved. Fatu tagged in and landed a lariat on Ford. Fatu then leaped onto Dawkins at ringside. Back in the ring, he slammed Ford to the mat and then landed a springboard moonsault off the top rope for the win.
WINNERS: Fatu & Tonga in 39:00 to earn a WWE Tag Team Title match against DIY next week on Smackdown.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match, full of action in the ring and a number of dives to ringside spread out over nearly 40 minutes. No surprise at the outcome.) [c]
-They went Graves and Barrett at ringside who reacted to the Bloodline’s win. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller interrupted with mics in hand in the ring. Waller said they’d have won last week if not for Crawford. Theory called him to the ring to apologize to them. Waller said he’s scared. Crawford then came out as Graves plugged his next fight in Saudi Arabia.
Waller insisted he apologize to them for not just handing Cody the chair, but thinking he belongs in the ring with them. “Hey, look at me when I’m talking to you,” he said. He said if he steps toward him, “my boy Austin Theory is going to knock you out.” Theory asked Waller what that was about. Theory tried to tell Crawford he wasn’t looking for trouble, but when he stepped toward him, Crawford punched him. Theory bumped to the mat.
-A vignette aired with Cody sitting at a table in a nice bar in Japan talking about bringing his WWE Title across the globe. He talked about the threat of The Bloodline. He said he owes it to the people to defend his title at Summerslam and not let it return to The Bloodline. He said Solo has proven he is ready to take on the mantle of responsibility. He said he used to think Solo wasn’t ready, but now he’s not so sure. He challenged Solo to meet him face-to-face, one-on-one next week on Smackdown so he can look him in the eyes and see if he’s ready. He said he knows he is ready for Solo.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid original content from Cody in a different setting and format to hype not only Summerslam’s WWE Title match, but also a face-to-face next week on Smackdown.)
-Barrett hyped the main event tag match. [c]
-They showed a drone shot of Cleveland.
-Barrett plugged that Jade & Belair would get a Women’s Tag Team Title match against Fyre & Dawn next week. Also, DIY would defend against Tonga & Fatu. Plus Logan Paul would appear in person in what was billed as a “homecoming.” Barrett said the people of Cleveland could decide. Graves hyped the Crawford boxing fight also on Aug. 3.
-Saxton interviewed Andrade backstage. He asked after beating Carmelo Hayes last week, what’s next. As Andrade began talking about going after the U.S. Title, Hayes interrupted and said if he thinks beating him once means it’s over, he’s wrong. “It ain’t over until I win,” he said. Hayes said even Lebron James has an off night every now and then. Andrade said he’s more like Brony and laughed. Andrade offered him one more match and offered a handshake. Hayes didn’t accept the handshake, but said, “That’s all it’s going to take.” He left.
-As Michin made her entrance for the main event, Jax and Tiffany attacked her from behind. Bayley ran out with a kendo stick. The heel duo ran away. Bayley checked in Michin, who was clutching her arm in pain. Graves said there’s no way Michin can compete.
(3) MICHIN & BAYLEY vs. TIFFANY STRATTON & NIA JAX
The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. Barrett said if Bayley is going to wrestle alone, she has to win quickly. Michin crawled back to the corner and reached for a tag, but Jax pulled her down and attacked her at ringside. They cut to a break. [c]
With Jax in control of Bayley, Barrett said the referee might be considering stopping the match. Stratton went for a handspring elbow, but Bayley caught her and suplexed her. Michin returned to the ring and reached for a tag at 10:00. Barrett wondered if she’d be able to put up a fight even if she were tagged in. Jax stopped Bayley from making the tag. Bayley avoided a charging Jax and then tagged in Michin. Michin went on a flurry against Stratton.
Bayley tagged back in a couple minutes later and landed a running knee on Jax. She leaped off the top rope and landed a flying elbowdrop. When she made the cover, Stratton leaped toward them to supposedly break up the pin. Jax just kicked out because Stratton didn’t get there in time. Barrett pointed that out. Stratton hit Bayley with the briefcase as the ref was occupied with trying to get Michin out of the ring. Jax then landed an Annihilator for the win.
WINNERS: Jax & Stratton in 13:00.
-A vignette aired with The Bloodline. Solo said if Roman Reigns has a problem with what they’re doing, he knows where to find him. He said he could end up like Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, and Cody and acknowledge him.
FINAL THOUGHTS: On the lower end of eventful episodes of Smackdown.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by PWTorch’s Tom Stoup to review Smackdown LIVE. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
If you can’t join us live on YouTube, stream the show on demand later at YouTube or listen on a podcast app. Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
VIP MEMBER EXCLUSIVE VIDEO CALLER CODE
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