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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
AUGUST 23, 2024
WASHINGTON D.C. AT CAPITAL ONE ARENA
AIRED ON FOX
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 13,266 tickets had been distributed so far; arena set up for 13,769.
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[HOUR ONE]
-A recap aired of The Bloodline beating down Roman Reigns last week.
-They showed the full current Bloodline earlier roam in the arena as Corey Graves and Wade Barrett introduced the show.
-The Grayson Waller Effect: Waller introduced his segment from mid-ring along with Austin Theory. He quickly introduced Cody Rhodes, his guest. Barrett hyped his title defense at Bash in Berlin against Kevin Owens. As Cody was about to stand on the second rope, Waller said they’re not doing that and his music stopped. “Enough about you,” he said. “Get in here, this is an interview.” When Cody began to ask the crowd what they wanted to talk about, Waller cut him off. He said the reason the fans are cheering so loudly for him is “because these idiots don’t know the real you.” He said he’s selfish and only cares about his title. He said his friends get beat up trying to protect him as he gets all the glory. Cody asked, “Are you done?”
He said him giving KO a shot at his title isn’t charity, as Waller suspects. He said KO could beat anyone in that locker room if he hasn’t already. He said he’s been fighting The Bloodline before he even returned to WWE. “He has not stopped fighting,” he said. “Not once have I used Kevin Owens.” He asked Waller if he can say the same thing.
Cody asked if his relationship with Theory is a friendship or was he just using him. Cody called Theory “Magic Mike” and said Waller is using him. “The rest of us are just waiting for you to do something about it,” Cody said.
Waller said Theory is his best friend and tag partner. “We would never turn on each other,” he said. He said Owens, though, is known for that. He said they prepared a video on Owens turning on partners. As classical music played, it showed KO turning on Sami Zayn, John Cena, Chris Jericho, Kofi Kingston, and Sami again back in 2021 (in the Thunderdome era with the fans watching on monitors).
Waller said, “Wow, that doesn’t look like a good friend to me.” Owens’ music played and KO walked out. Owens told Cody that he could admit that every one of those guys had it coming, “except for Kofi Kingston.” He said Kofi is great and he apologized. He told Cody that won’t happen with him since they’ve been close ever since they met. Owens said everyone knows that once he enters the ring, they’ll fight and then G.M. Nick Aldis would make it a tag match. Owens called out Aldis to just make it a tag match. Aldis said they discussed it already and it’s a done deal. He said that’d be the main event. Owens asked if he still has time to get in the ring and punch Waller in the face. Aldis said, “Just make it quick.”
Owens charged into the ring and all four brawled. Fans cheered. Waller shoved Owens into Cody. Cody seemed irritated in an ambiguous way, then stood next to Owens as his music played and the heels retreated.
-They showed L.A. Knight walking backstage with his U.S. Title belt as Graves hyped his title defense. [c]
-Graves touted a “jam-packed arena of 14,754” as they showed aerial shots of D.C.
(1) L.A KNIGHT vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR (w/Angel Garza, Humberto Carrillo, Elektra Lopez) – U.S. Title match
Knight got a big ovation on his way to the ring. Barrett talked up Escobar. During formal ring introductions, Garza yanked Knight out of the ring by his boot. Humberto joined in the attack at ringside.The ref booted Garza and Berto to the back. Lopez got in the ring and complained, so the ref sent her to the back too.
Knight crawled into the ring, but was still bent over in pain. The ref asked and Knight agreed to start the match. The bell rang 24 minutes into the hour. Knight avoided a diving Escobar and scored a near fall with a schoolboy. Escobar came back and scored a near fall at 1:00. They cut to a very early break. [c]
Knight was beating up Escobar at ringside after the break. The crowd was super-into Knight throughout. They called for a table. Knight smiled and looked at them. Escobar recovered enough to take control at 5:00. Escobar leaped off the ring apron and drove two knees into Knight’s chest. Escobar landed a frog splash for a two count back in the ring.
Knight came back with a Side Effect for a two count at 8:00. Knight landed a leaping springboard top rope elbowdrop followed by a BFT for a three count.
WINNER: Knight in 9:00 to retain the U.S. Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good TV match elevated by the crowd. They built up that match quite a bit to end up having Escobar lose clean in under ten minutes.)
-A clip aired of the fight that broke out between Andrade and Carmelo Hayes last week.
-A promo from earlier in the day at the barber shop aired with Hayes saying Andrade will never be as good as him. Andrade barged in and said he disrespected him last week after the match. He said he’ll see him next week, then he left. Hayes complained the doors weren’t locked when he was talking.
-Isla Dawn, Alba Fyre, and Blair Davenport began their ring entrance. [c]
-Backstage Elektra, Angel, and Humberto were having a heated discussion. Escobar told them that nothing they say can make up for what just happened out there. He said they can’t make it up to him. Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews walked in and snickered at their dysfunction. Escobar said he wouldn’t tolerate that disrespect and said he’d talk to Nick Aldis about a match next week.
(2) BLAIR DAVENPORT & ALBA FYRE & ISLA DAWN vs. JADE CARGILL & BIANCA BELAIR & NAOMI
Jade’s entrance aired followed by Naomi and then Belair. The bell rang 44 minutes into the hour. Belair rallied a minute in including a slingshot bodypress onto Dawn at ringside. They cut to a very early break. [c]
The heels controlled the action for an extended period after the break. Belair suplexed Fyre and crawled over to tag in Jade Cargill. She leaped and made the tag. Jade took on all three heels as they came at her. She fallaway suplexed Dawn into Davenport, then kipped up. All six got involved. Naomi landed a double DDT type move for a two count on Dawn. Chaos continued. Belair leaped off the top rope onto Fyre and Dawn on the floor. Davenport rolled up Naomi in the ring for a two count. She followed with an springboard moonsault for the win.
WINNER: Naomi & Belair & Cargill in 10:00. [c]
-They showed scenes of Berlin and plugged the Bash in Berlin. Then a video package aired on previous WWE live events in Berlin, narrated by Natalya.
[HOUR TWO]
-The Bloodline made their ring entrance. Solo asked D.C. to acknowledge him. He said he had a lot to talk about, so they should “keep it down.” He said, “Your O-T-C is D-O-N-E.” Fans chanted, “OTC!” He said it doesn’t matter who wins between KO and Cody “because I got next.” He said he’s bringing the Undisputed Title back to his family and himself. Solo said they could cheer for Roman Reigns all they want, but he’s not there.
Solo said there is something wrong with the tag title situation. He asked Jacob to step up. He told him to give his belt to Tanga Loa. Jacob, who was still wearing a therapeutic protective boot, handed it over. Solo said he can’t be tag champion if he’s going to be his own personal enforcer. They hugged. The Profits music then played. They said they want the smoke.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s still strange they don’t just acknowledge the protective boot and injury preventing him from wrestling.) [c]
-Byron Saxton interviewed Knight backstage. Knight cut him off as he began talking and said he’s said too much already. Knight said he’ll be going across the ocean and defend the title against whomever “has enough tingle in their loins.” He said it’ll still be the same story with everyone saying… and the crowd finished with: “L.A. Knight.”
(3) TONGA LOA & TAMA TONGA (w/Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa) vs. THE STREET PROFITS (w/B-Fab) – WWE Tag Team Title match
The bell rang 12 minutes into the hour. Graves acknowledged Loa was now the tag champ while Solo had “promoted” Jacob to his personal enforcer. Barrett said Loa was the original tag specialist in the Bloodline and was replaced briefly by Fatu. He said Loa is the muscle of the group who doesn’t say a lot. Graves said Loa doesn’t flex his technical ability but is there to beat people up. Barrett said he’s a “smash mouth wrestler.” Ford landed a top rope frog splash on Tama, but Loa broke up the cover. Loa drove Ford face-first into the mat as they cut to a break at 4:00. [c]
Solo got in Dawkins’s face. Ford then landed a running leaping flip dive onto Loa and Tama. Fatu then superkicked Ford and threw Dawkins into the ring. Tama then finished Dawkins with a face driver for the win.
WINNERS: Loa & Tonga in 10:00 to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid non-stop action. Graves did acknowledge that Fatu was kicking Ford with his walking boot.)
-After the match, DIY ran out to stop a post-match attack by the Bloodline. They isolated Solo in the ring and stereo superkicked him. As they set up a Meet in the Middle, Fatu grabbed Gargano’s boot. Solo then attacked a distracted Ciampa. Fatu gave Ciampa a Samoan Drop. Solo removed his glove and gave Gargano a Samoan Spike. He gave one to Ciampa next. Fans booed.
-They cut to a smiling Cody backstage. Owens walked up to Cody and said their mission is shutting up Waller and Theory. He asked Cody if he knows and believes that he’s not the guy they showed in the video earlier. Owens asked if he thinks he set up the tag match to turn on him. Cody said all he can do is take him at his word and prepare for whatever happens next. [c]
-A clip aired of the Bloodline attack on DIY.
-Saxton said both DIY and the Street Profits were being tended to in the trainers’ room. B-Fab walked out and said they’re fine. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell ran into to the trainers’ room to check on them as B-Fab insisted they were fine and just upset.
-They went to Graves and Barrett at ringside who threw a sponsored video package on Michin facing Nia Jax at Bash in Berlin.
-Pretty Deadly were decorating a crown for Nia Jax. Tiffany Stratton said it was disgusting what Michin did. Jax said she will get her back for touching that crown. She promised a beating of a lifetime. Stratton asked if there was anything they could do. Jax said she could start by fixing her crown. Stratton was excited and left with Pretty Deadly, carrying the crown with them.
-Jax overheard Chelsea Green and Piper Niven around the corner speculating on Tiffany cashing in on Nia. Jax scared her. Green asked if she heard her. Jax said she’s in no mood tonight and sneered at them.
-Cody’s ring entrance took place. [c]
(4) CODY RHODES & KEVIN OWENS vs. GRAYSON WALLER & AUSTIN THEORY
Owens’ ring entrance took place. Then Waller and Theory came out together. The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. They cut to a break at 2:00 with the heels in control of KO in the ring. [c]
Cody hot-tagged in. Theory took over. Cody hit a Cody Cutter on Theory and then went for a tag, but KO had dropped to the floor to confront Waller. KO leaped back to the ring apron, but Theory pulled Cody out of a reach and suplexed him for a two count. Cody leaped and tagged KO a minute later.
KO landed a running senton on both Waller and Theory at ringside. He landed a leaping cannonball on Theory off the ring apron. Back in the ring, he landed a running cannonball on Waller in the corner. He followed with a top rope swanton. Theory broke up the cover. Cody gave Theory a Cross Rhodes. KO then gave Waller a Pop-up Powerbomb for the win.
WINNERS: Cody & KO in 12:00.
-The announcers hyped Bash in Berlin’s line-up as graphics were shown on the screen.
-Back live in the ring, KO and Cody were still celebrating. KO held Cody’s belt up and made it look like he might have been about to hit Cody from behind, but Cody turned toward KO so KO handed him his belt and stared down Waller and Theory at ringside. Cody and KO hugged and then KO raised Cody’s hand to close the show.
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 Nick Barbati 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 or stream later 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.
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