WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - August 5th, 2022
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Roman Reigns to address his WWE Clash at the Castle challenger Drew McIntyre
The Head of the Table addresses his WWE Clash at the Castle challenger Drew McIntyre, a high-stakes Gauntlet Match and so much more. Don't miss all the action of SmackDown!
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– The post-SummerSlam edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a video package of highlights from last Saturday’s big Premium Live Event from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. We’re now live from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina as we see a black SUV arrive in the back parking lot. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos hop out. They approach another black SUV and out comes Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. The Bloodline enters the building now. Michael Cole now welcomes us to SmackDown. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee.
The announcers hype tonight’s show and talk about SummerSlam. McAfee says it was an absolute honor to be on the SummerSlam card, and he will remember the ball-kicking he gave to Happy Baron Corbin for the rest of his life. McAfee shows us a replay from his big win over Corbin. We see Corbin backstage watching now. Several other Superstars are laughing at him, including Ricochet, who says karma is a beautiful thing. Corbin threatens to wipe the smile off his face. Ricochet challenges Corbin to the opener and says he will be waiting in the ring. McAfee is still taunting Corbin from commentary. Cole says McAfee is having way too much fun.
Ricochet vs. Happy Baron Corbin
We go right to the ring for tonight’s opener and out comes Ricochet as Samantha Irvin does the introductions. Out next comes Happy Baron Corbin.
The bell rings and they go at it. Ricochet blocks End of Days and ends up nailing a kick to the face to send Corbin to the floor. Ricochet then runs the ring and leaps out, taking Corbin down on the floor for a pop. Ricochet follows Corbin back in and leaps off the top but Corbin moves, runs out, then runs right back in with a clothesline to turn Ricochet inside out.
Corbin taunts McAfee as fans boo him. Fans chant “Bum Ass Corbin!” now. Ricochet fights Corbin off but Corbin runs over him and plays to the crowd to boos. Corbin whips Ricochet hard into the turnbuckles and they both go down. Ricochet fights back and tries to launch himself in from the apron but Corbin meets him in mid-air with a big right hand.
Fans chant “McAfee!” and Corbin isn’t happy. Corbin ducks Ricochet, slides out and runs back in but Ricochet stomps him. Ricochet with two big kicks to the face from the apron. Corbin dodges a moonsault from the apron to the floor, then sends Ricochet into the ring post. We go to commercial with Ricochet down at ringside.
Back from the break and Corbin has Ricochet grounded in the middle of the ring. Ricochet fights up and out but Corbin launches him with a big back-drop for a close 2 count. Corbin argues with the referee as Ricochet struggles to recover. Corbin wastes more time with the crowd as the boos continue. A “you suck!” chant starts up.
Ricochet counters and works Corbin over with punches, then a knee. Ricochet with the handspring back elbow. Ricochet keeps control and nails a flying clothesline from the top, then a standing Shooting Star Press for a close 2 count. Ricochet waits for Corbin to get up now. Corbin catches him but Ricochet fights free, then kicks him in the face. Corbin catches the next back elbow and drops him into an inverted neckbreaker for 2. Corbin is frustrated now.
Fans continue to taunt Corbin. Ricochet blocks a chokeslam, turns it into a hurricanrana for a 2 count. Ricochet rolls Corbin from the corner for 2. Ricochet kicks Corbin a few times, and charges but Corbin nails Deep Six and covers for 2 while staring at McAfee. Ricochet fights back up top now. Corbin blocks a Sunset Bomb and yanks Ricochet back to the top. Ricochet fights back but Corbin launches him to the apron and he lands on his side.
McAfee stands up and taunts Corbin from ringside. Ricochet takes advantage of the distraction and crotches Corbin on the top rope. Corbin sells the move and turns around to a Recoil. Ricochet goes back to the top as McAfee cheers him on. He then hits the big Shooting Star Press for the pin to win.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match, Ricochet stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. McAfee stands on top of the announce table and plays a quick game of catch with Ricochet using a Nerf football. McAfee then tosses the football up to fans in the crowd.
– Still to come, a Gauntlet to determine the new #1 contender to SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan.
– We see Sami Zayn backstage. He stops outside of Roman Reigns’ locker room suite, and he’s all smiles. Sami knocks on the door as we go to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see more stills from SummerSlam.
– We go backstage to Sami Zayn knocking on Roman Reigns’ door. The Usos come out instead. Sami says what The Usos did at SummerSlam was unbelievable, and he has mad respect for them. Sami asks how Paul Heyman is doing and The Usos say he needed a few nights at home due to the F5 from Brock Lesnar. Sami was wondering why Heyman didn’t respond to his text messages when he tried to tell Heyman he was coming to check on Reigns tonight. The Usos say it’s not a good time, but they will text him later. Sami says OK, he will come back later. The Usos say peace to Sami and then they return to the locker room suite. Sami looks concerned.
– We get a video package on Ronda Rousey vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan at SummerSlam, and Rousey’s suspension for attacking the referee.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ludwig Kaiser
We go back to the ring and out first comes Shinsuke Nakamura to a pop. If Nakamura wins this match, he will earn a future title shot from WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther. Nakamura hits the ring and dances around as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Ludwig Kaiser with WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther. Gunther yells at Kaiser and orders him to the ring. Kaiser stands at attention and now we get the bell. They lock up and Cole confirms Nakamura’s title shot will take place next week if he earns it. Kaiser takes Nakamura down and works him over on the mat as Gunther looks on. Fans chant for Nakamura.
Kaiser keeps control and drops Nakamura in the corner, then yells out and stomps away while Gunther barks orders. Kaiser drops Nakamura in another corner and works him over. Nakamura counters and turns it around, beating Kaiser down and giving him Good Vibrations for a pop. Nakamura backs off and taunts Kaiser, telling him to bring it. Kaiser charges but Nakamura knees him and kicks him. Nakamura with an enziguri. Nakamura with a double knee drop for a quick pin attempt.
Kaiser rocks Nakamura with a right hand. Nakamura keeps control and places Kaiser on the top rope for the running high knee, sending Kaiser out at Gunther’s feet. Kaiser comes back in and Nakamura kicks him. Kaiser counters and drops Nakamura as we go back to commercial with both competitors down.
Back from the break and Nakamura is hyping up from the mat, as Kaiser is also getting up. Nakamura drapes Kaiser over the top rope and kicks him in the back of the neck. Nakamura with more strikes and a chop in the corner. Nakamura with a sliding German suplex for a pop.
Nakamura comes off the German and gets in Gunther’s face at ringside. Kaiser takes advantage and drops Nakamura at ringside. Nakamura comes back and nails a high knee while Kaiser is down on the apron. Nakamura brings it back in and calls for the Kinshasa but Kaiser meets him with a running European uppercut for a close 2 count. Kaiser unloads with strikes now. Nakamura kicks him. Kaiser drops Nakamura on his neck with a modified German suplex for another close 2 count.
Kaiser and Gunther are frustrated now. Gunther orders Kaiser to finish it. Nakamura blocks Kaiser’s finisher and drops him to an armbar but Kaiser stomps and covers for 2. Nakamura with a roundhouse kick, then Kinshasa for the pin to win and earn the title shot.
Winner and New #1 Contender to the Intercontinental Title: Shinsuke Nakamura
– After the match, Nakamura stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. Gunther enters the ring and faces off with Nakamura now. Nakamura backs off and yells at Gunther to bring it.
– Tonight’s Progressive Match Flo video looks at how The Viking Raiders defeated The New Day and then injured Xavier Woods last week. Megan Morant is backstage with Kofi Kingston now. Kofi says Woods is doing great, in great spirits, and is recovering so it will be just a matter of time before he’s back with us on SmackDown. Kofi goes on and insults The Viking Raiders, and says it’s about time he makes them pay for what they did last week.
– Still to come, a look at Ronda Rousey’s controversial SummerSlam actions. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see SummerSlam media headlines.
– Sami Zayn is knocking on Roman Reigns’ locker room door again. The Usos come out and say they were just about to text Sami back. They mention how Paul Heyman usually goes to the production truck to make sure Roman’s music, graphics and entrance is perfect, but he’s not here tonight. They ask Sami if he can do that for him. Sami asks if they’re serious, and they are. Sami says it’s not really his job, he’s an Honorary Uce. The Usos say it will mean a lot to Reigns and Sami says he will do it, tell Roman there will be huge pyro tonight. Sami heads off to the pyro truck as Cole and McAfee hype how Reigns will address Drew McIntyre later tonight.
– We go back to the ring and Kayla Braxton introduces SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. Out she comes to a pop, and with her left arm in a brace.
Liv says she’s feeling so many different emotions but when she looks at the title… fans chant “you tapped out!” now. Liv tells the crowd it’s OK, because she wanted to come address the elephant in the room. Liv says she appreciates fans calling her out on her shit as the chants continue. Liv says the title means everything to her, which is why she was able to withstand armbar after armbar. Fans boo Liv. Liv says she withstood three armbars and she did tap but only after the referee counted three. Liv knows that when Rousey comes back… the music interrupts and out comes Sonya Deville. Deville says this is hard to see, but it’s time for a reality check for Liv. She says some people will buy the Innocent Liv because they are dumb, but she and Liv both know Liv shouldn’t be champion. It’s disgusting but Deville was happy to see Rousey get her hands on Liv after she screwed her over. Deville says it’s a testament to how bad Adam Pearce sucks at his job. Deville says looking in Liv’s eyes right now, she really enjoys seeing her hurt. Deville says she will win the Gauntlet tonight, then break Liv’s heart by taking the title from her at Clash at The Castle.
Gauntlet Match: Aliyah vs. Sonya Deville vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Shotzi vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Natalya vs. Xi Li
The music interrupts and out comes Aliyah as Sonya Deville looks on. SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan takes a seat at ringside as the bell hits.
Deville and Aliyah lock up. Aliyah drops Deville with a shoulder, but then runs into an elbow. Deville charges and nails a running knee. Deville chokes Aliyah with the middle rope as the referee warns her. Aliyah counters with a roll-up for 1. Deville scoops Aliyah but she slides out. They run the ropes and Deville nails a Spinebuster for a 2 count.
Deville grounds Aliyah in the middle of the ring now. Aliyah turns it around and springboards at Deville with a clothesline for 2. Deville rocks Aliyah to turn it back around. Fans chant for Ronda Rousey now. Deville with the Deville’s Advocate in the middle of the ring for the pin to eliminate Aliyah. Out next comes Raquel Rodriguez.
Rodriguez rushes the ring and rams Deville back into the corner with shoulder thrusts. Raquel with a big clothesline out of the corner for a 2 count. Deville kicks Raquel but gets caught for a powerslam attempt. She slides out and takes Raquel’s knee out from behind with a chop block. Deville slams Raquel face-first into the mat for a 2 count. Deville grounds Rodriguez in the middle of the ring with a headlock now as fans begin to rally. Deville drops Raquel with a shoulder, then grounds her again.
Some fans chant for Liv now. Raquel with a side-slam to turn it around. Raquel keeps control and drops Deville with a big boot, then hits the spinning elbow drop from the corner. Raquel goes on and hits the Texana Bomb for the pin to eliminate Deville.
The music hits and out next comes Shotzi as Raquel looks on from the ring. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Shotzi has Raquel tied up in a submission. We see how Shotzi blocked a slam and turned it into a tornado DDT during the break. Shotzi with the abdominal stretch in the middle of the ring now as Liv looks on. Raquel powers out and nails a big fall-away slam.
Raquel with another spinning elbow drop from the corner. Raquel then hits the big Texana Bomb in the middle of the ring for the pin to eliminate Shotzi. The music hits and out next comes Xia Li.
Li rushes the ring, ducks a clothesline and goes to work on Raquel with kicks. Li drops Raquel to one knee and then dropkicks her. Li works on Raquel in the corner now with more kicks and forearms to the hurt knee. Li kicks the knee out with a springboard kick, then nails a running knee to the ribs for a 2 count. Li rolls Raquel into a quick pin attempt. Li with a half-Boston Crab now. Li with more shots to the hurt knee of Rodriguez. Li talks some trash in Raquel’s face, mushing her face and kicking her.
Raquel gets up, stares own at Li and headbutts her. Li keeps fighting but Raquel nails a fall-away slam. Raquel with a third spinning elbow drop from the corner, then a third Texana Bomb for the pin to eliminate Li. The music interrupts and out next comes Natalya.
Natalya rushes the ring and goes right for Raquel’s knee. Raquel fights back but Natalya takes the knee back out. Natalya continues focusing on softening the knee u in the middle of the ring now. Natalya drops Raquel in a knee submission while taunting her and beating her around. Raquel with a punch to daze Natalya. Raquel comes back with a big vertical suplex from the mat for another close 2 count. Natalya with the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring now. Raquel fights back and stays in it, getting free. Natalya unloads in the corner now as the referee warns her.
More back and forth between the two. Raquel catches Natalya with another Texana Bomb for the pin. Natalya has been eliminated. The music hits and out next comes Shayna Baszler. Raquel recovers in the ring and looks on as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Baszler has Raquel down in a leg lock. Baszler stands up and stomps on the injured knee. Baszler keeps control in the corner, then sends Raquel head-first into the turnbuckles. Baszler talks some trash and taunts Liv, while working on Raquel’s arm in the corner now. Baszler goes back to a submission in the middle of the ring.
Raquel powers up but misses a flying elbow in the corner as Baszler moves and rolls her for a 2 count. Baszler with a big knee strike for another close 2 count. Baszler shows some frustration now. Raquel fights up and out but Baszler jumps on her back with a Sleeper, but Raquel launches her off and then splashes her in the corner. Baszler blocks the spinning elbow in the corner and applies the Kirifuda Clutch. Raquel powers up with Baszler on her back. Baszler stops her from grabbing the ropes. Raquel starts fading but they go to the mat and tangle. Baszler ends up turning the Kirifuda Clutch into the pin to win.
Winner and New #1 Contender: Shayna Baszler
– After the match, Baszler stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Baszler poses in the corner as Morgan looks on from ringside. Their match is confirmed for Clash at The Castle.
– Sami Zayn is backstage at Roman Reigns’ locker room again. The Usos come out and Sami says everything is set up for Reigns tonight, but he needs to talk with him. The Usos say it’s not going to happen and Sami is frustrated because he’s an Honorary Uce. The Usos are upset now, they say the truth is they just had their best SummerSlam and if Sami doesn’t start pulling his weight, he will have to take off that Bloodline t-shirt soon. The Usos storm off and Sami is left embarrassed and concerned.
– Back from a break and we see more stills from SummerSlam.
The Viking Raiders vs. Tommy Gibson and Jim Mulkey
We go back to the ring and The Viking Raiders are out – Erik and Ivar. Two enhancement talents wait in the ring – Tommy Gibson and Jim Mulkey.
The bell rings and The Vikings begin destroying their opponents, who the announcers say are the greatest tag team from South Carolina. Ivar unloads with back elbows in the corner to one opponent. Erik tags in and delivers power moves to another opponent. The Vikings with more double teaming now.
Ivar with a second rope powerslam. Erik tags back in and they chokeslam one victim on top of the other, then Erik stacks them for the double pin to win.
Winners: The Viking Raiders
– After the match, the music hits as The Viking Raiders stand tall and toss their victims to the floor. We go to replays. The Vikings stand tall now until Kofi Kingston rushes the ring and unloads on them with multiple kendo sticks. Kofi clears the ring with the kendo sticks as fans cheer him on. Kofi poses in the corner as fans chant his name. Kofi taunts Erik and Ivar with the kendo stick, and Erik warns that he’s a dead man. We go to commercial.
Kofi Kingston vs. Erik
Back from the break and Kofi Kingston is going at it with Erik, a match made during the commercial.
Erik levels Kofi with a big kick, then grounds him. Kofi tries to fight back but Erik keeps him down with stiff strikes. Fans begin to rally for Kofi now, chanting for The New Day as Ivar watches from ringside.
Erik runs into a kick in the corner. Kofi goes to the top and nails a big crossbody for a close 2 count. Erik blocks the SOS and spikes Kofi into the mat with a big Uranage. Kofi kicks out at 2. Erik with more power moves for another pin attempt. Kofi knocks Erik down and looks to mount offense now. Erik charges but Kofi sends him through the ropes to the floor.
Kofi runs and leaps out, taking Erik down. Ivar attacks with a kendo stick but Kofi sends him into the steel ring steps. Erik takes advantage and shuts Kofi down, then brings him back into the ring. They briefly tangle before Kofi rolls Erik up for the pin to win out of nowhere.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
– After the match, Kofi stands tall and celebrates as the music hits. He quickly retreats to the ramp as The Viking Raiders look on.
– It’s announced that the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles Tournament will begin on RAW.
– We go back to the ring and out comes The Bloodline – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. They stop on the stage and raise their titles in the air as the pyro goes off. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a video package on Gunther as the announcer hype next week’s title defense against Shinsuke Nakamura. We go back to the ring and The Bloodline stands tall to more pyro. Reigns takes the mic and calls on Greenville to acknowledge him. Reigns talks about how they dominated at SummerSlam and now are back on SmackDown to brag, but first he wants to address Brock Lesnar. Reigns says he hates Lesnar, but he respects him, but he still hates Lesnar. But not for why you think, we hate Lesnar because he tried to kill The Wise Man. Reigns isn’t sure when Paul Heyman will be back because of the F5 he took, so he sends prayers up to his Special Counsel. The music interrupts and out comes Drew McIntyre as the announcers hype their title match at Clash at The Castle.
Drew calls Reigns our “Tribal Queef” and says the people have heard enough of his talking. Drew says he can’t wait to get his hands on Reigns at Clash at The Castle. Drew asks the fans to scream if they want to see him tear apart The Bloodline right now. Fans pop. The music interrupts and it sounds like the theme of Karrion Kross. Drew turns around and looks at the big screen. Kross suddenly blindsides McIntyre at ringside and beats him down. Kross slams Drew’s head into the steel ring steps over and over as The Bloodline looks on.
Scarlett also appears at ringside with Kross now. She slides an hourglass into the ring as The Bloodline looks on. Kross and Scarlett stand together on the ramp, while Drew is down at Kross’ feet. Kross warns Reigns that the clock is ticking. SmackDown goes off the air with Kross and The Bloodline staring each other down.
