WWE’s Friday night program Smackdown offered a pretty stacked lineup for a card from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. this week. Along with a pair of title fights, LA Knight putting his U.S. title on the line in the nation’s capital and The Bloodline trying to remain tag champs, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was in the main event. Here’s a rundown of everything that happened.
Quick results
- LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar (WWE United States Championship) (9:06)
- Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill & Naomi def. Blair Davenport & The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn) (9:35)
- The Bloodline (Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) def. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) (WWE Tag Team Championships) (9:14)
- Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens def. A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) (11:38)
Soon-to-be opponents Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens set up match with A-Town Down Under
A recap of last week’s instalment of the Bloodline family drama started off the episode. For anyone who wasn’t around last week, a brawl erupted between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa over possession of the Ula Fala traditional necklace. Reigns had a moment where it seemed as if he would win the brawl, but ultimately lost as Sikoa’s friends Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu outnumbered him.
Before we got to any wrestling on Friday night, it was time for an episode of the Grayson Waller Effect. As per usual, Grayson Waller was accompanied by A-Town Down Under teammate Austin Theory. Corey Graves mentioned that Waller was broadcasting himself on Instagram Live as the segment progressed.
Waller introduced this week’s guest, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Unsurprisingly, Rhodes received a large reaction from the live crowd. However, his time basking in the audience’s appreciation got cut short: A disapproving Waller interrupted Rhodes’ theme and ordered him to get in the ring for an interview.
Waller went on a rant about how the people don’t know how bad of a person Rhodes really is. The champ responded by questioning if Waller was using Theory. He started to talk directly at Theory about how Waller is using him: “The rest of us are just waiting for you to do something about it,” he said.
Waller moved on to a discussion about who Rhodes’ opponent for Bash In Berlin is, Kevin Owens. They showed a compilation of Owens betraying people, trying to prove that he can’t be a reliable friend to Rhodes. It included a supercut of some great heel moments: Turning against Sami Zayn in NXT, beating up Chris Jericho at the Festival of Friendship, John Cena, Kofi Kingston, and the list went on.
The video package aggravated Owens, who then made his way down to the ring. In response to the video, Owens said that everyone in that video had it coming “except for Kofi Kingston.”
Owens knew that if he got closer to the ring, a brawl would break out that would put those four into a tag match. So, to get ahead of the inevitable, Owens called out Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis and asked to make the match official. Aldis came out and was quick to approve the bout. Owens then kicked off a brawl anyway.
Waller and Theory got the last laugh for the moment at least, with Owens being pushed into Rhodes to allow the heels to flee.
LA Knight picks up first win as U.S. Champion
WWE United States Champion LA Knight attempted to defend his title for the first time in the opening match of the night, taking on Legado del Fantasma’s Santos Escobar.
Just as the match’s introductions were being read, Legado del Fantasma’s Angel and Berto dragged Knight out of the ring and beat him up. Commentary noted that the attack was technically legal, as the bout hadn’t officially started. The match’s referee ejected all of Legado del Fantasma following the beatdown, which annoyed the faction.
Knight got some time to recover but was still hurt. He was able to muster up a roll-up pin attempt right after the match officially started, but started to get beat up by Escobar as the match went to commercials.
The bout started to swing Knight’s way as the match returned. He took Escobar over to the commentary table, throwing his head onto the desk numerous times. Escobar reversed a move from Knight, tripping him face-first onto the table. He then jumped off a barricade to deliver a double knee onto the chest of Knight, who landed on the commentary table.
Back in the ring, Escobar scored with a frogsplash for a two-count. Knight mounted a comeback, scoring a spinebuster on Escobar, who was coming off the ropes. Knight hit a clothesline, then a neckbreaker. He hit the Side Effect, but only got a two-count out of Escobar.
Knight had a BFT reversed from Escobar. Knight escaped a Phantom Driver but ate a dropkick. Knight shoved Escobar off the corner turnbuckles, then hit an elbow drop off the top rope. This allowed him to connect with the BFT, resulting in a clean win via pinfall. Knight is still the WWE United States Champion.
In a video taped earlier in the day, Carmelo Hayes cut a promo on Andrade inside a barbershop. As a reminder, the two got into a brawl after Hayes beat Andrade in a singles match last week. However, as he was addressing him, the aforementioned wrestler came storming into the store. “What you did after the match was disrespectful to me,” Andrade said, with barbershop members standing in between them. “So what?,” Andrade replied. “So see you next week,” Andrade said. Seems like the duo will meet for a fourth match.
Backstage, an enraged Santos Escobar chewed out Angel of Legado del Fantasmo. Laughing, Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin walked into the scene and mocked them. Escobar left saying that he would sort out the issue between them.
Ahead of upcoming title match, The Unholy Union face Belair and Cargill in trios action
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn teamed with Blair Davenport to face Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair, and Naomi for a six-woman tag match. This match came just a few hours after it was announced that Cargill and Belair would challenge Fyre and Dawn as part of the Bash In Berlin card in a little over a week.
Dawn and Belair started the match. Dawn got a jump on Belair, but quickly lost momentum. Belair chokeslammed Dawn, then landed a standing moonsault for a two-count. A big boot from Belair sent Dawn tumbling out of the ring, allowing her to score a crossbody off the top rope before a commercial break.
Belair was being isolated by the heel trio as the match returned. Davenport had some time in the ring before Dawn was tagged back in. Fyre then got brought in for a double-team suplex move. Dawn hit a double knees, which Fyre only earned a two-count from.
Belair escaped a submission from Fyre. While a hot tag was teased, Dawn got back into the match and delayed the moment. Belair scored a brainbuster, providing the opening for a hot tag onto Cargill. “The Storm” hit the ring as Davenport was brought into the match. Cargill cleared house against the trio, powerbombing Davenport, tossing Fyre, and chokeslamming Dawn.
Naomi got tagged in and hit a crossbody onto Dawn and Davenport. She hit a draping DDT onto both of them and went for a pin, but had the attempt broken up by Fyre. Cargill took out Fyre but was thrown out of the ring by Dawn right after.
Belair came off the top for a crossbody onto Fyre and Dawn, who were beating up Naomi outside of the ring. In the ring, Naomi reversed a suplex from Davenport. She connected with a split-legged moonsault for the pinfall win.
A video package recounting WWE’s history in Germany was voiced by Natalya.
.@NatbyNature takes us back to look at WWE’s incredible history in Berlin, Germany! 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/Ee5G3eAnst
— WWE (@WWE) August 24, 2024
Solo Sikoa orders a change within The Bloodline
The Bloodline made their way to the ring, as Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga were scheduled to defend their tag titles against Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford. However, before that match started, Solo Sikoa grabbed a mic to address recent developments with The Bloodline.
“Your OTC is D.O.N.E.,” Sikoa said, referring to Roman Reigns.
Sikoa called for Fatu to step up. He ordered Fatu, who notably was still wearing a walking boot, to give his world title to Tonga Loa.
“You can’t be a tag champion if you’re going to be my enforcer,” Sikoa said. Fatu agreed to the change.
The Street Profits made their way to the ring alongside B-Fab. They proclaimed that they wanted the smoke, and were unbothered about the last-minute change in opponents.
The new Bloodline tag champs score win over the Street Profits
Backstage, a fired up LA Knight said he would do an open challenge for the United States Championship next week.
Back to the ring, the team of Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa put the tag titles on the line against Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins.
The Bloodline started the match strong, with Dawkins being isolated by the duo. In a noticeable change to WWE’s usual camerawork, the match was shown by a singular camera shot at ringside for numerous minutes, with hardly any cuts away.
Ford got in the match and got some moves in, but eventually, The Bloodline started to take over once again with quick tags and a fast pace of moves. Ford was able to get a tag after scoring a head kick. Street Profits hit numerous double-team moves, culminating with a frogsplash from Ford. He went for a tag but had the pin attempt broken up by Tonga.
Ford was thrown out of the ring by Loa, causing him to go crashing down to the ground. The Bloodline were in control as the match went to a break.
Ford was working toward a hot tag as the match returned. Ford scored a DDT onto Loa, allowing him to tag in Dawkins against Tonga. Dawkins put together a series of moves for a near fall, then hit a Silencer. Ford was tagged in for a double-team move, but Loa broke up another pin attempt afterward.
Outside the ring, Dawkins charged into Loa and Tonga with force. Ford then did a dive over the ring post onto the duo. As the referee was distracted, Jacob Fatu scored a superkick to both Street Profits members. Dawkins was dragged into the ring where Tonga scored with a DDT to win.
The Bloodline wasn’t satisfied with just winning. They kept brawling after the match, beating up an already hurt Street Profits. The team of #DIY ran down to the ring for the save, but it didn’t work out for them. The Bloodline was able to get in control of the fight, ending with Sikoa scoring a spike onto both tag wrestlers.
Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens coexist against A-Town Down Under
Backstage, Kevin Owens told Cody Rhodes that he’s not the type of backstabbing guy that A-Town Down Under claimed he was earlier in the night. “Kevin, all I can do is take you at your word and be ready for what’s next,” Rhodes said.
A video package was played as part of the Progressive Match Flo, covering Michin. Afterward, Nia Jax approached Pretty Deadly and Tiffany Stratton as they attempted to repair her Queen of the Ring crown. Jax warned that Michin would get a “beating of a lifetime next week.”
Just around the corner, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven were seen talking about Jax and her friend group. She made fun of Jax’s title celebration last week, and questioned whether Stratton will cash in her Money In The Bank against Jax. The champ turned around the corner and scared the duo off: “I don’t know if you heard, but I’m not in the mood tonight.”
It was announced that Jax and Michin will meet in a Street Fight title match on next week’s episode of Smackdown.
In the main event of the night, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Bash In Berlin opponent Kevin Owens battled against A-Town Down Under’s Grayson Waller and Austin Theory.
Owens hit a frogsplash out of the corner as the match returned from a commercial break. Owens then secured a tag, getting Rhodes into the ring against Waller. Rhodes landed a powerslam, then a Disaster Kick. Waller was quick to get out of the ring after the kick, preventing any follow-up shots. Rhodes tried to follow him to ringside with a dive, but Theory caught his leg and stopped the move. Waller hit a Flatliner for a two-count, getting him back some momentum.
Theory got tagged back in and continued to wear down Rhodes. He was able to break out of a submission from Theory and hit a Cody Cutter. Waller got Owens off the apron, stopping Rhodes from getting a hot tag. The distraction also got Theory back into the fight against Rhodes.
Rhodes threw both Theory and Waller out of the ring, finally allowing him to give a tag to Owens. Owens hit clotheslines and sentons onto both Waller and Theory, then scored a senton off the apron onto Theory. Owens scored a cannonball onto Waller, then a Swanton Bomb. Theory broke up a pin attempt, but took a Cross-Rhodes from Rhodes right after. This left things to Owens and Waller. Owens tried for a stunner but had it reversed into a roll-up. Owens scored a superkick and then a pop-up powerbomb to win the match for his team.
