Here are the SmackDown results for the 20th of May, 2022.
This week’s episode of SmackDown will see RK-Bro and The Usos brawl in a Winners Take All Tag Team Championship Unification Match. Who will return empty-handed by the end of the night?
The Bloodline made their way to the ring to kick off the show. Reigns said that tonight the WWE Universe will not only have to acknowledge him but also his cousins. The Head of the Table handed the mic over to Paul Heyman and asked him to explain why. Heyman welcomed everyone to the greatest night in the history of tag team competition. He went on to name many wrestling legends and claimed that Reigns would have beaten them all. Heyman said that The Usos are the descendants of the Wild Samoans.
The Usos need to do something that even Afa and Sika couldn’t do and that is to unify the tag team titles. Heyman said it’s not enough to be the cousins of Roman Reigns, they will either unify the titles tonight or else not even make their way back to the “island of relevancy”. Reigns took the mic and said that he expects The Usos to deliver and he has expectations from The Usos because he loves them. The Bloodline hugged in the middle of the ring to end the segment.
After managing to beat Nakamura a couple of weeks ago via count out, the self-proclaimed “locker room leader” will look to continue his quest of impressing the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns.
Sami Zayn was wearing a Bloodline shirt. Nakamura started with a few hard kicks followed by Good Vibrations. Zayn, however, got the first cover of the match after delivering a vicious clothesline. The heel continued to wear down Nakamura. Zayn went up to the top rope but Nakamura joined him. Zayn, however, managed to kick him off the apron. Nakamura returned once again to drop Zayn down. The King of Strong Style went up on the top rope but this time Zayn dumped him outside the ring as we went into a commercial break.
Upon returning, Zayn had Nakamura locked in a submission hold. The latter used the energy from the audience and got out of the lock and delivered a dropkick. He followed it up with a Buzzsaw kick. Nakamura went up on the middle rope and delivered a knee to the back of the head of his opponent.
Nakamura was preparing to connect with the Kinshasa but Zayn escaped out of the ring. When Nakamura tried to get him back, Zayn planted him with a Michinoku Driver. Nakamura came back strongly and sent Zayn into the ring post on the outside. The former threw Zayn over the barricade and got back in the ring waiting for the Canadian star to beat the 10 count. Zayn struggled his way back to the ring only to get laid out by a Kinshasa to win the match.
Winner – Shinsuke Nakamura
Grade – B
Corbin said that this is the happiest he has been. He bragged about his expensive hat and watch. He said it felt great to take out Madcap Moss last week and the former Lone Wolf also got a souvenir for his efforts and that is the Andre the Giant trophy. Corbin showed us how he assaulted Moss last week. Corbin said Moss was his protege and he paid for his food and entertainment.
He went on to say that Moss wanted to get out of his shadow. Corbin said that Moss thought he could have his boss be the butt of all his jokes. The heel asked, “who’s laughing now?” Corbin went outside the ring and shattered the Andre the Giant trophy stand. He returned to the ring with the Andre the Giant statue and lifted it above his shoulders to celebrate.
Ludwig Kaiser came out to the stage area and introduced Gunther. Gunther began dominating the match once it got underway. Gulak tried a few chops but it had no effect on the Ring General. He followed up with severe chops and won the match after delivering a devastating powerbomb. After the match, Gunther locked in a Boston Crab on Gulak until Ricochet came out to make the save. Gunther and Kaiser left immediately after Ricochet entered the ring.
Winner – Gunther
Grade – D
LA Knight met Adam Pearce backstage. Great to see him on the main roster. Knight introduced himself as Max Dupri, the CEO of Maximum Male Models. The NXT Superstar said he is here to scout superstars that can handle fashion week and WrestleMania. Pearce said he had no clue who Dupri was. The latter said that WWE official Sonya Deville called her. Pearce informed that Deville is no longer a WWE official so he’s probably out of luck. Dupri mentioned that he has already signed a contract. Pearce said he will try to work something out.
RK-Bro was interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton. Riddle said that he and Randy Orton have beaten The Usos one by one over the last few weeks. Orton said that after they unify the tag titles, Reigns will look down on The Usos with utter shame.
Shotzi, Aliyah, and Raquel Rodriguez were involved in a war of words. The heel Shotzi had a barrage of insults to throw at Rodriguez. Shotzi and Rodriguez faced each other in the ring right after the backstage argument.
Rodriguez used her power to dominate the match once it started. Shotzi kicked in the rear naked choke but Rodriguez broke the lock by pushing Shotzi against the turnbuckle. Shotzi jumped off the top rope but Rodriguez caught her and delivered a Fallaway Slam. The babyface hit a Corkscrew moonsault and won the match with a unique one-arm powerbomb. Few wrestlers from the SmackDown roster were watching the match from backstage.
Winner – Raquel Rodriguez
Grade – C
Xavier Woods was interviewed backstage. He was asked to comment about Kofi Kingston’s match last week versus Butch. Woods said it was Butch’s biggest win to date.
The 2021 King of the Ring winner said he wants to find out how good Butch can be without the help of his Fight Night mates. Woods informed that Kingston is not in the building and he challenged Butch to come out alone for the match.
Sheamus and Ridge Holland fired up Butch at gorilla. Sheamus wanted a high five but Butch slapped him instead and made his way to the ring.
Woods started the match strongly. He sent Butch outside the ring and leapt outside the ring to take him out with a dropkick. Back inside the ring, Butch began his joint manipulation. Butch with a headlock but the fans cheered for Woods to get The New Day member out of the predicament.
Butch set up Woods on the top rope and delivered a series of punt kicks. Woods got the victory in the end after rolling Butch up for a three count. Butch was furious as he went into the crowd area. As Woods was celebrating in the stage area, Sheamus and Holland came from behind. Woods was ready for them but he was not ready for Butch, who attacked him from behind before being pulled away by Sheamus and Holland.
Winner – Xavier Woods
Grade – B
Xavier Woods said in a backstage interview that he is tired of the numbers game of Fight Night. However, he has someone in mind that he and Kofi can team up with next week to take on Fight Night in a six-man tag team match.
Michael Cole informed the WWE Universe that Sasha Banks and Naomi have been suspended indefinitely for walking out of this week’s episode of Raw. The experienced commentator also revealed that WWE will host a tournament to crown the new Women’s Tag Team Champions.
It is time for the main event. After returning from the break, Cole revealed that Riddle has suffered bruised ribs after being whipped into the corner by Jimmy Uso. Riddle continued anyway and was being dominated by Jimmy and Jey. Riddle managed to muster some offense as he delivered a knee to Jey. Orton was tagged in and he powerslammed Jey and hit Jimmy with a vintage DDT followed by the RKO. However, Jey saved the match for his team. Orton tagged in Riddle who looked fired up. Jey seemed rattled with the flurry of offensive maneuvers from Riddle. The former fought back with a pop-up neckbreaker.
Jey went up on the top rope but Riddle caught him. He attempted to deliver a Super RKO. Heyman tried to enter the ring and distracted the referee. Reigns appeared and knocked down Riddle off the top rope. Jey delivered a Frog Splash and The Usos managed to Unify the tag team titles.
After the match, Reigns attacked Riddle. Orton tried to save his partner but The Usos superkicked him outside the ring. The new unified tag team champions used the steel steps to assault Orton. Reigns locked in the guillotine on Riddle. The Tribal Chief placed an incapacitated Riddle on the announce desk. Jey delivered a Frog Splash from the top rope on Riddle and both men went through the desk.
Young fans in the crowd were in tears after the assault from The Bloodline on the popular former RAW Tag Team Champions. Reigns locked in a guillotine on Orton as referees and officials came out to stop the beatdown. The Usos made history by unifying the tag titles. The Bloodline’s domination continues.
Winners – The Usos
Grade – A
Overall show grade – B
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