WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - May 5th, 2023
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Cody Rhodes returns to SmackDown in Puerto Rico ahead of WWE Backlash
On a special SmackDown in Puerto Rico before WWE Backlash, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes will appear on the blue brand. With his high-stakes matchup against The Beast just one day away, what will Rhodes want to talk about?
:smackdown:
Your announcers are Michael Cole and Wade Barrett.
Rey Mysterio makes his way to the ring and he is joined by Zelina Vega, Cruz del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, and Santos Escobar.
We see footage from the Backlash Press Conference from earlier today.
Rey asks everyone how they are doing tonight. He says he is proud they can represent all of the hispanic people with the LWO. He says tomorrow, Bad Bunny is going to beat Damian Priest. He says he wants to present the future Smackdown Women's Champion, Zelina Vega.
Zelina is choked up at the reaction. Before she can say anything, she is interrupted by THE Judgment Day.and Rhea Ripley, FInn Balor, and Dominik Mysterio make their way to the ring. Dom takes the shirt from a fan that was given to him by Santos and Dom rips the shirt.
Dom starts to talk and he is stopped by the crowd. He is stopped again by the crowd. Dom says that Rey is the same deadbeat dad he is always going to be.
Rey tells Dom he just keeps talking and talking and talking. Then he says something in Spanish and the crowd goes crazy. He comemnts on Rhea. He mentions what happened at Wrestlemania.
Rey wants a Wrestlemania rematch against Dom.
Rhea gets between Rey and Dom. Rhea suggests that Rey fight her.
Zelina gets in Rhea's face. Dom suggests they fight both of them. Rey wants to get it clarified and he says the match is on. Rhea accepts the match.
THE Judgment Day start to leave the ring and Dom runs up to Rey and slaps him and then gets out of the ring as fast as he can before Rey or Legado can do anything.
We take a look back at last week when The Viking Raiders confronted the OC.
We go to commercial.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (w/ AJ Styles and Mia Yim) vs Erik and Ivar (w/ Valhalla)
Erik and Anderson start things off and Ivar tags in and they punch and kick Anderson in the corner. Erik tags back in and he punches Anderson. Karl with punches and forearms. Erik sends Karl into the corner but Karl with punches and a drop kick to the knee. Ivar and Luke tag in. Ivar with a kick and forearm followed by back elbows in the corner. Ivar with an Irish whip. Luke with an uppercut and he hits an elbow into the corner and he connects with peek a boo uppercuts. Karl tags in and he hits a side Russian leg sweep while Luke hits a running boot. Karl gets a near fall. Karl punches Ivar in the corner. Ivar with an Irish whip and he runs into a boot in the corner. Valhalla gets on the apron to distract Karl. Ivar knocks Karl off the apron and Mia has some words for Valhalla as we go to commercial.
We are back and Karl with an elbow to Ivar on the apron and Luke tags in and he punches Erik and Ivar and follows with clotheslines. Luke with a punch and an elbow into the corner and a flying shoulder tackle. Erik with a forearm and he tags in Ivar. Luke with a sit out power bomb for a near fall. Ivar with a back elbow and Erik tags in. Luke and Erik exchange punches and forearms. Erik blocks a boot and hits a choke slam. Ivar tags in and he goes up top for a frog splash and hits it for a near fall. Karl with a kick to Erik but Ivar with a seated splash to Karl. Luke punches Ivar. Valhalla distracts Karl and Ivar hits him from behind. Mia attacks Valhalla from behind. Luke with a kick to Ivar and Karl tags in and Karl with an uppercut to Erik.
They set for Magic Killer and hit it for the three count.
Winners: Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
Michael Cole mentions Triple H's announcement of how we will get the World Champion. We will have two triple threat matches on Raw and Smackdown with the winners of the triple threat matches on the individual shows will meet at Night of Champions.
Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair makes her way to the ring.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Bianca is still in the ring.
Bianca says you just saw the love they got on the European tour, but she says she is so hyped to be drafted to Smackdown and to be standing in Puerto Rico. She says she made history on this brand when she won the Smackdown title. Tonight, is the eve when she defends the Raw title against Iyo Sky. Iyo is one of a kind. She is unpredictable and dangerous. Bianca says she has faced the best of the best. She says she has proven that no matter where she is and what brand she is on, she is going to show up and show out.
Bianca says with a victory tomorrow, she will tie the record for the longest title reign. When the clock strikes midnight, she will become the longest reigning women's champion of the modern era.
Bayley's music interrupts and The Bayley Bunch make their way to the ring.
Bayley tells Bianca that she better not explain why Smackdown is so important to her. Bayley says she made Bianca on this show. Bayley says she is not surprised that Bianca is bragging about how long she has been champion because she is so conceited. Bianca should be talking about how Iyo ends her title reign tomorrow. Bayley says her and Dakota will become the Women's Tag Team Champions. Then Smackdown and that idiot Michael Cole will belong to tehm.
Bianca punches Bayley and then she goes after Dakota and she stops before hitting Iyo.
Dakota and Bayley push Bianca into Iyo and Bianca punches Dakota and Bayley. Bianca gets Bayley up for a KOD but lets her go when Iyo goes to the apron and hits a springboard drop kick.
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez come out and they go after Dakota and Bayley. Dakota, Iyo, and Bayley get out of the ring.
Karrion Kross says when someone has everything they need, they are so sure of who they think they are. Up until the point when you take away one little thing. All of the formalities and the charade start to crumble. Tonight, I plant another seed. Mr. Nakamura, how much is your honor worth to you? Tick Tock.
We go to commercial.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins vs Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser
inci makes the tag and he goes after Dawkins while Kaiser with a kick to Ford and he sends him to the floor. Vinci with a springboard cross body off the ropes to Ford and Dawkins on the floor. Vinci with a Finlay slam and a moonsault for a near fall. Kaiser tags in and he punches Ford and kicks him. Kaiser with an Irish whip and he runs into a boot but blocks it. Kaiser with kicks and a suplex for a near fall. Kaiser taunts Dawkins and then returns to his focus on Ford. Ford with punches and chops but Kaiser with an elbow. Ford with a belly-to-back suplex and both men are down. Dawkins and Vinci tag in and Dawkins with clotheslines and a corkscrew back elbow. Dawkins with a forearm to Kaiser on the apron followed by a twisting splash and enzuigiri. Dawkins with Sky High followed by a Seven Star Frog Splash from Ford for the three count.
Winners: Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins
Backstage:
Cody Rhodes walks in the back.
We go to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and we see the LWO in the back getting ready for Rey and Zelina's match.
We have a video package for Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar.
Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring.
Cody asks San Juan what do you want to talk about and he asks in Spanish.
He says the Beast and the Next Big Thing. Cowboy, coward. There are a lot of nicknames he can attach to his opponent tomorrow night. Cody says when he thinks about Mr. Lesnar a different name comes to mind . . . gatekeeper. His old coach AA told him when you made it as a top guy, you reached the Kingdom. Brock is the one standing in the way, looming over that gate, the gate to the Kingdom. If you are in WWE, you don't have to fight Brock. You can make a good living and never have to fight Brock Lesnar. Brock picked a fight with him. Brock has yet to explain why, maybe tomorrow when he beats it out of him, he will give that explanation.
Cody says he saw the same video you did. Cody says he said he was afraid of Brock. It is still true. Everybody should be afraid of Brock. Cody says he does not have any time to be afraid of Brock. Tomorrow, he brings the pain to Brock and it is a fair fight. Tomorrow, I leave this beautiful island able to continue the road to finish the story because he beat Brock Lesnar.
Backstage:
Shinsuke Nakamura is in Gorilla Position and Kayla asks him about Karrion Kross. Nakamura says he a thing to say to Kross. . . . C'mon.
Backstage:
Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Matt Riddle are in the locker room. Riddle says there is a lot of drama with the Bloodline and they have them where they want them. You won the tag titles and he beat Jimmy last week. There is only one thing left to do and that is beat the Bloodline. Sami says everything Riddle said was great but there is nothing left for him and Kevin to say.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
Kross with a knee and punches. Kross kicks Nakamura in the corner but Nakamura with a knee and kicks. Kross with a forearm and Irish whip but Nakamura with a flying boot out of the corner. Kross goes to the floor and Nakamura follows. Kross with a knee to the midsection. Kross power bombs Nakamura into the ring post.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Kross kicks Nakamura in the head. Kross yells at Nakamura and Nakamura is angry. Nakamura with forearms but Kross with a head butt. Nakamura escapes a slam attempt and hits a drop kick. Nakamura iwht forearms and knees. Nakamura with kicks and an enzuigiri. Kross with an Irish whip and Nakamura moves when Kross charges into the corner. Kross is put on the turnbuckles and Nakamura with a running knee to the midsection for a near fall. Nakamura kicks Kross and Scarlett gets on the apron and Nakamura gets distracted by Scarlett. Kross with an exploder for a near fall. Kross with the Kross Jacket but Nakamura with a snap mare and he rolls through into a cross arm breaker. Kross counters and gets a near fall while Nakamura has a triangle applied. Kross goes for a one arm power bomb but Nakamura counters into a guillotine.
Nakamura with a knee and an enzuigiri. Nakamura with a German suplex. Nakamura sets for Kinshasa and Kross with a clothesline and both men are down. Kross gets a near fall. Kross goes for a suplex but Nakamura with a rollup for a near fall. Kross with a knee to the head and he hits a Doomsday Saito for a near fall. Nakamura with a knee and kick to the head. Nakamura with a running heel kick for the three count.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at the NXT wrestlers moving on to Smackdown.
Backstage:
Adam Pearce is with Cameron Grimes and Grimes thanks Pearce for the chance to show the world what Cameron Grimes is all about. Baron Corbin enters and he points out that Cameron was the last pick of the draft. Grimes says that can't be worse than not being picked. Corbin says he wants Pearce to explain why he is more important than Grimes. He calls Cameron Mr. Irrelevant. Grimes makes a challenge to Corbin and Pearce makes it official for next week.
We take a look at what happened between Bad Bunny and Damian Priest at the press conference.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Roman Reigns will be on Smackdown next week. The World Title Tournament will have the Smackdown half next week. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defend the Smackdown tag titles against Bayley and Dakota Kai.
Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega vs Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley (w/ Finn Balor)
The women start things off and Rhea has some words for Dom. Rhea misses a boot and Zelina with kicks. Zelina ducks to avoid Rhea and connects with more punches. Rhea grabs Zelina and Zelina goes for a sunset flip but Rhea does not go over. Zelina with a head scissors off the turnbuckles. Rey tags in and Dom enters the match. Dom with a kick and wrist lock. Rey with a wrist lock and Dom with a kick. Rey with a kick and Rhea with a knee to the back. Rey counters a power bomb with a wrist lock. Zelina tags in and Rey helps Zelina with a head scissors that sends Dom into the ropes. Rhea stops the 619 attempt with a kick and Zelina goes to the floor.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Rhea with a forearm to Vega and a second one ot the lower back. Vega with a foerarm and a crucifix bomb for a near fall. Vega with a rolling kick and Dom pulls Rey off the apron to prevent Vega from making the tag. Rhea with a reverse chin lock. Rhea sends Vega to the mat and Rhea has some words for Rey. Rhea goes for a power bomb and does the Eddie shimmy. Vega lands on her feet and hits a jaw breaker but Rhea stops Vega from making the tag. Vega lands on her feet on a belly-to-back suplex attempt. Rhea goes shoulder first into the ring post. Vega crawls to the corner and she kicks Rhea away so she can tag in Rey.
Rey with forearms to Dom followed by a springboard cross body. Rey with a body scissors that sends Dom into the corner. Dom gets Rey on his shoulders but Rey with punches. Dom drops Rey on the top turnbuckle and follows with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Rhea sends Vega to the floor. Rey with a head scissors that sends Dom into the ropes. Rey sets for a 619 but Rhea gets on the apron. Vega pulls Rhea off the apron and sends her into the ringside barrier. Rey with a 619 and then he knocks Balor off the apron. Dom with a forearm to Rey. Dom with a delayed vertical suplex and he holds on and rolls through for a second one. Dom with a second suplex and he tries for the third one but Rey with an inside cradle for the three count.
Winners: Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega
After the match:
Dom and Balor attack Rey. Rey fights them off but Balor and Dom take over. Damian Priest comes to the ring and he joins in. Priest with punches and forearms while Balor and Dom hold him.
Bad Bunny's music plays and he makes his way to the ring with the LWO and Priest, Balor, and Dom stand around and don't do anything else to Rey.
The LWO go after Balor and Dom while Priest stands in the ring waiting for Bad Bunny.
Bunny has a kendo stick and Priest tells him to come into the ring.
Bunny hits Dom when he tries to get involed and Priest leaves the ring.
Bad Bunny is presented with an LWO shirt and he puts it on.
We go to credits.
