WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - August 26th, 2022
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Four eliminated teams to compete in “Second Chance" Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match on SmackDown
Four tag teams that competed in previous matches in the tournament but had lost will now square off in a Second Chance Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match. The winner of that contest will then go on to face Raquel Rodriguez & Aliyah in the semifinals the same evening. Dana Brooke & Tamina, Shotzi & Xia Li, Nikki A.S.H. & Doudrop, and Natalya & Sonya Deville will each look to gain that second chance and prove why they deserve to be the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions! Which tandem will make their high-stakes second chance count?
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– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens live from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee as fans cheer them on.
Ricochet vs. Happy Baron Corbin
We go right to the ring and out comes Ricochet to a pop as Samantha Irvin does the introductions. Out next comes Happy Baron Corbin as the pyro goes off. His elbow is braced up. Cole shows us a pre-recorded video from earlier today where Corbin takes shots at Ricochet and says there’s no way this little punk will beat him.
The bell rings and Corbin charges but misses. Ricochet comes back and sends Corbin flying to the floor after a hurricanrana. Ricochet shows off some in the middle of the ring as Corbin re-groups at ringside. They bring it back in and Ricochet dropkicks Corbin, then takes his knees out. Ricochet keeps control but gets sent to the apron as he charges in the corner.
Ricochet fights back with a shoulder from the apron, and goes to fly back over the top rope but Corbin knocks him out of the air with a big right hand as fans boo. Corbin works Ricochet over in the corner now as a “you suck!” chant starts.
Corbin works Ricochet against the ropes now with shots to the kidneys. Ricochet fights back and hits a handspring back elbow to send Corbin to the floor. They tangle on the floor now and Corbin sends Ricochet into the ring post but he hangs onto the post, then leaps back to the floor to take Corbin down with a corkscrew plancha. Ricochet stands tall at ringside as fans cheer him on and we go to commercial.
Back from the break and they’re going at it. Ricochet dropkicks Corbin through the bottom rope. Ricochet goes to the apron and kicks Corbin but he catches it, then scoops Ricochet on his shoulders. Corbin with a World’s Strongest Slam on top of the announce table to boos. Corbin launches Ricochet into the barrier now. Corbin with right hands at ringside before bringing it back in the ring.
Corbin works Ricochet over in the corner now, then launches him into the turnbuckles. Corbin picks Ricochet up from behind and slams him face-first into the turnbuckle. Ricochet kicks out at 2. The referee warns Corbin now. Ricochet fights back with lefts and rights but Corbin puts a knee in his gut. Ricochet goes for another back elbow but Corbin drops him with ease. Corbin sends Ricochet into the corner now and he ends up on the floor.
Corbin keeps contorl after bringing it back in. Ricochet counters End of Days and turns it into a big DDT. They’re both down now. Ricochet fights back with punches and kicks now against the ropes. Corbin shoves him but he stuns Corbin with a kick to the head. Ricochet with a running shoulder to the gut int he corner. He leaps off the top but lands on his feet. They trade more counters until Corbin hits Deep Six for a close 2 count.
Corbin shows frustration now. Corbin takes Ricochet to the top but Ricochet knocks him back down with right hands, then drops him to the mat with a big boot from the top. Ricochet goes for the 450 now but he has to roll through. Corbin with a big boot and a big slam face-first into the mat for a 2 count. Corbin yells at the referee. Corbin keeps control and talks trash to the fans as they boo him.
Ricochet fights back but Corbin blocks Recoil. Ricochet with a knee strike and a superkick, then another kick to send Corbin to one knee, then down. Ricochet goes back to the top and wastes some time but hits the Shooting Star Press for the pin to win.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match, Ricochet stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. McAfee draws on the screen and taunts Corbin as he sits up in the corner to recover.
– We go backstage to The Street Profits meeting up with Hit Row. They briefly tease some tension but then laugh and agree that they are all money. They walk off and we go back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a lengthy video package showing Drew McIntyre’s journey back home, with Drew talking about what led him back to WWE. The video will continue later, according to Cole.
– The music hits as Karrion Kross and Scarlett appear on the big screen. Kross says what a beautiful story of redemption on Drew McIntyre we just saw. He congratulates McIntyre and says who knows, maybe right now is Drew’s time, or maybe not. Kross says Drew should take this moment, think about it, feel it, savor it, because the reality is, at any given moment Kross can put his arm through the back of Drew’s head, and all of Drew’s achievements will mean absolutely nothing. Tick, tock…
Second Chance Fatal 4 Way: Natalya and Sonya Deville vs. Xia Li and Shotzi vs. Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop vs. Tamina Snuka and WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke
We go back to the ring for tonight’s Second Chance Fatal 4 Way as Shotzi makes her way out. Xia Li is out next. The winners of this match will face Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah later tonight to determine who faces Dakota Kai and IYO SKY on Monday’s RAW for the vacant WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. We go back to commercial with the title belts on display at ringside.
Back from the break and out comes Natalya and Sonya Deville as Cole shows us the updated tournament brackets. We see Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop waiting in their corner, while Tamina Snuka and WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke are also waiting in their corner. Deville starts off with Snuka. Snuka superkicks Natalya out of nowhere to start, knocking her off the apron. Deville goes for the pin but Doudrop breaks it up with a senton. Nikki is legal with Li now and they go at it.
Li drops Nikki over the top rope and talks some trash. Shotzi tags in for the double team, and leaps off Li’s back to hit a senton on Nikki. Tamina breaks the pin up. Dana tags in and back elbows Doudrop off the apron. Nikki and Brooke go at it now as Cole confirms the 24/7 Rules are suspended for this match. Nikki with a neckbreaker. Deville comes in with a superkick but Doudrop hits a senton as everyone gets involved with the match falling apart now. Natalya levels Shotzi and sends Shotzi out. Dana drops Natalya and goes to the top but Nikki rocks her and climbs up.
Deville tags herself in as Brooke is on top with Nikki, but no one sees Deville tag in. Brooke counters a superplex attempt and hits a superplex on Nikki of her own, sending her to the floor on top of the other competitors. Deville brings Nikki right back into the ring and covers for the pin to win the short match.
Winners: Sonya Deville and Natalya
– After the match, Deville and Natalya stand tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Deville and Natalya vs. Rodriguez and Aliyah is confirmed for later tonight. Deville and Natalya look out at the vacant titles on display at ringside.
– Tonight’s Progressive Match Flo replay looks back at last week when Sheamus won a Fatal 5 Way over Happy Baron Corbin, Madcap Moss, Ricochet and Sami Zayn to become the new #1 contender to WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther.
– We go back to the ring and out come The Brawling Brutes – Sheamus, Butch and Ridge Holland. They hit the ring and pose as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and the announcers lead us to a video package to hype Shayna Baszler up for her WWE Clash at The Castle match against SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. We go back to the ring and Sheamus has the mic. He says next weekend the Brawling Brutes will be starting fights and drinking pints when he celebrates becoming our new WWE Intercontinental Champion. Some fans cheer and some boo. Sheamus says he will be the first Ultimate Grand Slam Champion when he beats the sauerkraut of the so-called Ring General, who won’t know what hit him… the music interrupts and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther with Ludwig Kaiser. They march to the ring as the Brawling Brutes get ready.
Kaiser takes the mic and goes to introduce Gunther but Sheamus cuts him off and says no one has a bloody clue what Kaiser is saying, so why doesn’t he shut up for a second. Sheamus says his beef is with Gunther and Kaiser. Sheamus says Gunther calls himself the Ring General but the truth is, Gunther is looking at a real Ring General in Sheamus. He goes on about how he’s went to war with some of the best in the ring and defeated them, naming Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, John Cena, Roman Reigns, and even the King of Kings himself, Triple H, and nobody in this ring or this business has had banger after banger after banger after banger after banger… Sheamus tries to get the crowd to say “after banger” but they leave him hanging. Sheamus says he sees a lot of himself in Gunther as it’s been years since he saw someone possess the same brutal qualities as Gunther. He sees it in Gunther’s face, he’s just like Sheamus and loves to go to war in the ring. Sheamus goes on and says Gunther has something he wants and that’s the Intercontinental Title. Fans cheer.
Sheamus promises that he will drag the title off Gunther’s lifeless body and into the belly of the red dragon at Clash at The Castle. Gunther continues to stare straight ahead at Sheamus. He takes the mic and says Sheamus is a man to be respected, he will give him that, but he’s nothing like Gunther. Gunther declares himself the Intercontinental Champion and says to protect this title he will show Sheamus what violence really means. Fans were giving Gunther the “What?!” treatment during his promo. Gunther says in Cardiff not only will he retain the title, he will chop Sheamus’ chest into bloody bits, break his body and spirit, break the man that everybody thinks can’t be broken.
Gunther declares that The Ring General will break Sheamus. They face off and Butch suddenly drops Kaiser. They brawl while Sheamus and Gunther keep their eyes on each other, still facing off in the middle of the ring. Holland tries to help Butch but Kaiser sends him to the floor. Kaiser fights Holland at ringside and comes back in to brawl with Butch. All of this is happening while Sheamus and Gunther continue staring hole sin each other in the middle of the ring. Butch stands with Sheamus now while Kaiser stands with Gunther. Gunther and Sheamus hold their partners back as Holland comes back in and stands with Butch and Sheamus. Gunther and Kaiser exit the ring as Sheamus’ music starts back up.
– Megan Morant is backstage with Natalya and Sonya Deville, bringing up how they shocked everyone with their opportunistic victory. Deville dismisses the idea and hypes up she and Natalya. We see Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop arguing in the background. Natalya goes on hyping her team up while issuing a warning to Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah. Deville insults Morant and tells her to take a hike. Deville and Natalya are on the same page to end the segment.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Bayley, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai. They hit the ring and pose as we go back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get another video package on Drew McIntyre.
– Sami Zayn knocks on the locker room door of Roman Reigns but The Usos come out instead. Sami comments on how close he came to winning the Fatal 5 Way last week. The Usos ask why he knocked on the door. Sami thought Reigns would want to see him after last week, maybe for a bonding moment as he saved Reigns from a Claymore Kick by Drew McIntyre. The Usos say Drew is still walking around, so they need Sami to… Reigns calls out from the locker room suite and asks Sami why he’s standing out there. Reigns invites Sami in the room and tells him to have a seat. The Usos stand by near the door.
Reigns asks Sami how he’s doing and he says his jaw hurts after last week. Reigns reminds Sami that he lost last week. Sami says he did technically lose… Reigns says but bad things happen so we can redeem ourselves. Sami agrees. Reigns says he didn’t forget last week… he was alone and needed someone to help him out, and he appreciates Sami’s help as that’s something that family would do. They both give a look to The Usos as Sami says that’s something family should do. Sami goes on and says Reigns can count on him. Reigns needs another favor.
Reigns says he needs Drew occupied, distracted, to take his eye off the ball. Sami says he’s the perfect person for this, he’s the master strategist and is good at getting in people’s heads. Sami says Drew won’t know what’s what and by the time they get to Cardiff, Reigns will break Drew in half. Sami says this will be a piece of cake and maybe it’s something they can all do together, a bonding moment for The Bloodline. Reigns says that’s a good idea but if you put The Bloodline out there, you put The Tribal Chief out there, and he will be distracted.
Sami appreciates the offer and for letting him go out on his own. Reigns says Sami now has the opportunity to be in the main event. Sami thanks Reigns and says he won’t take this lightly, he’s got this. Sami goes to walk out and stops to do a custom handshake with Jimmy Uso, but Jey Uso isn’t interested. Jey still shakes Sami’s hand and Sami walks out of the room. Reigns is seen thinking everything over and he looks a bit concerned. The announcers confirm Zayn vs. McIntyre for tonight.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles Tournament Match: Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah vs. Natalya and Sonya Deville
We go back to the ring and Bayley is on commentary with IYO SKY and Dakota Kai standing behind her. Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah are out first for this match that will determine who faces SKY and Kai on RAW for the vacant WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Out next comes Sonya Deville and Natalya as Bayley continues ranting on commentary.
Natalya and Aliyah start off, trading holds and counters in the middle of the ring. They face off and go at it again. More counters from the two as Aliyah back-slides Natalya for 2. Natalya goes for a scoop slam but Aliyah slides out. Rodriguez tags in and levels Natalya with a shoulder but Deville breaks the pin up at 2.
Deville gets tossed to the floor. Aliyah with a Meteora from the apron to Deville. Natalya fights Aliyah now and hits a big Michinoku Driver on the floor. Rodriguez runs over and checks on Aliyah as Natalya returns to the ring. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Deville is going at it with Rodriguez. Raquel with a fall-away slam. She goes for the second rope splash in the corner but Natalya distracts, and gets sent into the ring post. Seville takes advantage of the distraction and drops Raquel in the corner. Deville works on Rodriguez now as the referee warns her. Deville keeps control with more heavy offense but Raquel kicks out at 2.
Deville shows some frustration now while talking trash and tightening a headlock in the middle of the ring. Natalya runs in but Raquel slams her while Deville is on her back with a Sleeper. Raquel then slams Deville on top of Natalya. Aliyah is still down at ringside, trying to crawl back in it. Raquel fights off Deville and Natalya. She splashes both in opposite corners, then hits the second rope corkscrew elbow to Deville for a close 2 count.
Natalya ends up trying for the Sharpshooter but Raquel kicks her to the floor through the ropes. Deville levels Raquel with a running knee but Raquel still kicks out just in time. Deville and Raquel tangle now but Raquel hits the Texana Bomb for the pin to win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah
– After the match, Rodriguez stands tall as the music hits and Aliyah rushes in to celebrate with her. We go to replays. SKY and Kai enter the ring now and face off with Rodriguez and Aliyah as the announcers confirm their match on RAW for the vacant titles.
– Max Dupri and Maxxine Dupri are backstage overseeing a Maximum Male Models photo shoot with ma.çé and mån.sôör. Hit Row’s theme song suddenly starts playing in the background and Max is upset because it’s ruining his shoot. Max says someone needs to fix this. Maxxine says wait, she has an idea. She walks off as Max looks on.
– Still to come, The New Day is here. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Maxxine Dupri returns to the Maximum Male Models photo shoot, and Los Lotharios is with her. They heard Maximum Male Models has a problem, and they have a solution. Angel and Humberto show what looks like a few cans of spray paint as Max Dupri thinks it over.
– We go back to the ring and The New Day is out. The returning Xavier Woods is in a wheelchair, and Kofi Kingston is standing next to him. Woods talks about how they’re usually out here having fun. They made fun of The Viking Raiders but they truly underestimated their abilities. Kofi says he had his ribs cracked a few weeks ago. Woods says they have to face a harsh reality – last week they saw the Viking funeral where boxes of Booty-O’s were burned, New Day t-shirts and unicorn horns were burned, their legacies were burned.
Woods says maybe New Day is just dead. Fans boo. Kofi says they appreciate that, and they’ve got to do a lot of cool things together but… the music interrupts and out come The Viking Raiders, Erik and Ivar. They say this is pathetic, they gave The New Day a proper send-off for warriors last week and instead of leaving, they’re out here crying. Woods says they just want a few seconds to say what they need to say. The Vikings march to the ring and say one thing a Viking despises is weakness and it makes them sick to see The New Day in their ring, groveling like a sick animal and sometimes the best thing to do for a wounded animal is to put them down. They drop their shields and gear, then enter the ring.
Kingston stands between them and Woods in the wheelchair. They turn their backs on Woods to face Kofi down on one knee. Woods comes out of his wheelchair, then tosses a kendo stick to Kofi. The New Day laid a trap. They now unload on Erik and Ivar with the kendo sticks as fans cheer them on. Erik and Ivar retreat to the floor and Woods tosses the wheelchair out of the ring. The music starts back up as The New Day yells out at The Viking Raiders, making it clear this isn’t over.
– Still to come, McIntyre vs. Zayn. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Maximum Male Models are with Los Lotharios in the back parking lot. They have apparently spray painted “HIT ROW SUCKS” on a tour bus. Hit Row appears and Ashante “Thee” Adonis says if there’s beef, they can handle it in the ring next week. “Top Dolla” AJ Francis says this isn’t even their bus. Dolla, Adonis and “B-Fab” Briana Brandy laugh and walk off as Los Lotharios and Maximum Male Models look confused. The Street Profits come walking off the tour bus now. Max Dupri and Maxxine Dupri quickly walk away, while ma.çé and mån.sôör also hurry away, and the same goes for Los Lotharios. The Street Profits look at the vandalism on their bus, and they are not happy.
– Sami Zayn is backstage warming up when The Usos walk up. The Usos say Roman Reigns usually don’t talk about people the way he did Sami earlier, so that’s a big deal, and a big opportunity for Sami. They tell Sami to remember he needs to level up when he wears The Bloodline shirt, and he blew it last week so don’t blow it again tonight. Sami asks why they’re coming at him with this negativity as he prepares to go out to the ring. The negativity is what he was talking to Reigns about last week. Jey Uso yells at Sami and tells him to never disrespect him to his family the way he did last week. He yells at Sami to handle his business.
– We get another video package on Drew McIntyre’s journey to Clash at The Castle. Drew says his journey has brought him back to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns now, and Reigns is a monster but he will take him down. Drew goes on and says Reigns is now coming to his island, and he will kick Reigns’ head off his body, then lay him out – 1-2-3.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn
We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event as Drew McIntyre makes his way out with his sword, Angela. The pyro goes off as Drew marches to the ring, then hits the corner to pose for the fans. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and announced for next week’s Clash at The Castle go-home show is Karrion Kross’ in-ring debut, Butch vs. Ludwig Kaiser, The New Day vs. The Viking Raiders in a Viking Rules match, a “Final Judgment” segment for Ronda Rousey with Adam Pearce, Hit Row vs. Maximum Male Models, and a two-year title reign celebration for Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. We go back to the ring and out comes Sami Zayn to mostly boos. The bell rings and Sami taunts Drew, then rolls to the floor to avoid him. Fans boo.
Drew goes out but Sami rushes back in. Drew returns to the ring but Sami attacks him against the ropes as the referee warns him. Drew drops Sami with one easy right hand to the jaw. Drew rocks Sami again and chops him against the ropes. They run the ropes and Sami retreats to the floor to more boos. Drew chases Sami around the ring and pulls him back out by his leg.
Sami kicks Drew in the jaw, then attacks him in front of the announce table. Drew blocks a shot and slams Sami’s face into the announce table. Drew with a Spinebuster into the edge of the apron. Drew brings it back in but Sami kicks the ropes into his leg, then takes him down to his knees with a chop block. Sami unloads on Drew with forearm strikes while Drew is on his knees now. Sami chokes Drew with the middle rope now while the referee warns him.
Sami raises his finger in the air but fans boo. Drew launches Sami into the corner now and unloads with strikes. Drew catches Sami with a big tilt-a-whirl backbreaker in the middle of the ring. They tangle up top in the corner now. Sami ends up hitting a big Sunset Powerbomb to send Drew crashing to the mat. Sami sits up in the corner as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Drew runs into a big boot in the corner. Sami goes to the top and nails a big tornado DDT for a close 2 count. Drew blocks a Blue Thunderbomb but Drew clubs him with forearms. Drew with a Glasgow Kiss headbutt out of nowhere to drop Sami. Drew gets up to his feet first and he’s not happy. He unloads on Sami with clotheslines now, then a big overhead throw across the ring. Drew with another big belly-to-belly throw out of the corner. Drew with a neckbreaker, then a kip-up for a big pop.
Drew waits for Sami in the corner now. Before he can deliver the Claymore, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos run down to ringside and yell at McIntyre. Sami takes advantage of the distraction and nails the Blue Thunderbomb but Drew kicks out just in time. Sami can’t believe it. The Usos encourage Sami from ringside now. Sami works Drew over until Drew chops him down out of nowhere.
Drew knocks Jimmy off the apron and is blindsided by Jey on the other side but he also goes down. Sami and Drew tangle now and Drew levels him with a big Claymore Kick out of nowhere for the pin to win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
– After the match, Drew stands tall as the music hits but Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns runs down and quickly hits the ring to attack. Reigns unloads on Drew and beats him back down to boos. Reigns is fired up now, taunting McIntyre. Drew counters and sends Reigns shoulder-first into the ring post. Reigns falls out to the floor. The Usos double team Drew now but he fights back and clears the ring. Drew then turns around to a big Spear by Reigns. The Usos bring steel chairs into the ring now as a furious Reigns barks orders, telling them to unload on Drew while he’s down, and they do with several chair shots. The Usos take Drew to the floor and toss him over the announce table. They continue stomping and beating on Drew while he’s down on the other side of the announce table.
Reigns watches from the ring as The Usos now launch Drew into the barrier. The Usos hold Drew up against the barrier, allowing Sami to nail a Helluva Kick. The Usos take half of the steel ring steps and repeatedly ram them into Drew against the barrier. Reigns watches the assault while standing on the turnbuckles in the corner. The Usos manage to roll Drew back into the ring. Reigns grabs Drew’s face and talks some trash, saying the top of the mountain is his and Drew will never have it unless Reigns is done with it. Do you understand me? Reigns now applies a Guillotine submission and tightens it as fans boo. Reigns lets go of Drew, then places a chair over his head while he is flat on his back. Reigns takes a seat in the chair, while still sitting over Drew’s face, and poses with both title belts while Drew is laid out. Sami and The Usos pose behind Reigns with their fingers and titles in the air. Reigns clutches both titles and barks into the camera, saying the whole business and whole industry runs off him, and he wants someone to try to take the title from him. SmackDown goes off the air with fans booing The Bloodline.
