WWE SmackDown live results: CM Punk returns
After making his somewhat surprise return on this past Monday’s WWE Raw to defeat Sami Zayn for the undisputed WWE Championship, CM Punk will return live on tonight’s SmackDown from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Punk filled in for Cody Rhodes who was injured by Gunther and deemed unable to compete for the title, leading to a show-long storyline as to who would challenge Zayn.
Whenever Punk’s first match on SmackDown is, it will be his first in over 12 years.
Former friends turned rivals Carmelo Hayes and reigning United States Champion Trick Williams will compete in a non-title match.
Finn Balor will be in action against Tama Tonga in the only other segment/match announced for the show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 pm Eastern.
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– Following the opening signature, we went right to a live shot of Oklahoma City as Joe Tessitore set the stage for tonight with a recap of the Undisputed WWE Championship situation on Raw this past Monday.
Nick Aldis opens SmackDown
SmackDown’s General Manager opened the show by stating that he took responsibility of the incident involving Gunther at Night of Champions, and that after an internal review, he can continue as SmackDown GM. With that out of the way, Aldis introduced the new Undisputed WWE Champion, CM Punk.
The sounds of “Cult of Personality” heralded the arrival of CM Punk, who was all smiles after his big title win on Monday. As Punk got into the ring, Aldis said that he had been working on this with Punk for a while, suggesting that he was the one who brought Punk to SmackDown. Aldis then allowed Punk to speak to the crowd.
With Punk alone in the ring, he said that he missed the crowd. He mentioned how NBC Universal, USA Network, and Nick Aldis negotiated to get Punk to SmackDown. And those negotiations were expedited last Monday because as championship opportunities fall, CM Punk catches them. He then asked if it was “great to be alive on a Friday night in OKC as the new Undisputed WWE Champion or what?” Punk said he wasn’t like other wrestlers or other champions and that if we saw what he did on Raw with the World Title, it meant defending that championship on TV because he’s the Best in the World.
Punk talked about how he liked to put a target on his own back because he knew the locker room was filled with talented individuals that want that he held. Punk said that he was going to make this very simple: if the locker room wanted a piece of him, they could come get it. He said he was going defend his belt with all the blood and sweat and tears and he’d do it for the crowd. Punk then addressed Sami Zayn’s remarks on social media. Punk was more than happy to give Zayn a shot at the title. He then turned his attention to Gunther, because the two weren’t strangers to one another. He was ready to prove it all over again. Punk then challenged Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest, Trick Williams… that was before Cody Rhodes interrupted him, pomp, circumstance, and all.
As Rhodes got into the ring, he said that the last time he was in the ring with Punk, he and him were having a discussion about championship opportunities that fell out of the sky, and the championship matches that have been building for years. Punk assumed that Rhodes was talking about their title match against one another, stating that he might’ve avoided it just so that nothing got in the way of their friendship…. but, he didn’t think he could avoid it was anymore.
Rhodes reminded Punk of the last time they were in the ring and he said “just say when” in terms of their title match. When Punk asked, Rhodes offered a simple answer of “SummerSlam”. The two shook on it, as Nick Aldis declared that this match would be official: Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam.
As great as this match may be, it’s kind of odd that the build was just kind of simply just “Cody asks for a match, gets it”. I understand it’s largely a move to move the slow-selling SummerSlam tickets, but you have to wonder about the things teased on Monday like Gunther’s unfinished business with Cody and Sami Zayn’s meltdown. Seems like another case of WWE booking for the moment above all else. Not a fan of the rather lazy way they got to this match, even with the pre-established history between the two mentioned.
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Finn Balor vs. Tama Tonga
The match started fast with Balor battering Tama with punches in bunches as he followed that with a chop in the corner. Tama bounced back with a running elbow to the face of Balor, but a sunset flip of his got countered into a basement dropkick by Balor. Tama got clotheslined out of the ring by Balor, who looked to dive to the outside. However, Talla Tonga grabbed at Balor’s leg, which allowed Tama to take advantage of the distraction as we took a break.
Back from the break, Balor attempted to fight back as he avoided Tama’s attacks and hit a side Russian legsweep. Balor got himself up and began to turn the tide with punches to the face, followed by the forearm. Balor with the stomp to a downed Tama as he again went to the chop to the chest. Balor was caught in a move by Tama, but he turned that into a final cut neckbreaker for a near-fall. Balor stomped at Tama, who hit him in the gut with a punch. Spinout side slam by Tama only got a two. In the corner, Tama had Balor reeling and got him with the big running splash. Tama taunted Balor and went for the splash again. Balor intercepted with the Slingblade, wich was immediately followed by the shotgun dropkick. With Tama in the drop zone, Talla Tonga provided a distraction, as Tama struck like an Australiasian osprey with the Cutthroat. That was followed by the big driver, but Balor kicked out at two.
Balor sent Tama out of the ring as he took him and Talla out with a big dive over the top rope. Shotgun dropkick by Balor once more as Tama was at his mercy. From the heavens came the Coup de Grace. One, two, three… this one’s done.
Finn Balor def. Tama Tonga via pinfall
This was an okay match, but the former M.F.T.s feel kind of heatless right now, which isn’t much of an upgrade from when they were with Solo Sikoa. At least it’s good to see Balor on a winning note.
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– R-Truth was bummed that the USMNT lost in the World Cup as he gave some money to Fraxiom. Nathan Frazer (supporting England) and Axiom (supporting Spain). The War Raiders wanted a title match against Truth and Damian Priest as Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu were also there. Fatu was searching for Royce Keys and was told that he was here.
– Elsewhere, Nick Aldis was on the phone with Sami Zayn, who was on a mental health break and not in the building tonight. Before the conversation could continue, Gunther confronted Aldis and said that he needed to fix this. He wanted Aldis to give him a championship match and gave him an ultimatum of until the end of the night to fix this. Aldis said he’d “take it under consideration”.
The Bloodline call out Solo Sikoa
Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu were in the ring and demanded that Solo Sikoa get in the ring right now. Instead, they got Royce Keys.
With a mic in hand, Keys said that he didn’t look like Solo, but he had an issue with his name being mentioned last week and this name. Keys said that the Bloodline’s family business was starting to affect everyone around here, and it was starting to affect him. Jimmy said that he and Fatu were running the OTC’s business, to which Keys responded by stating that Roman Reigns wasn’t even here.
Fatu interjected and said that he and Keys were tight, and he wanted to keep it like that. Keys could say anything about anyone else, but when it came to the OTC, Fatu warned him not to go there. Keys responded that it didn’t need to be like that. Jimmy said that Keys wasn’t part of the family.
Keys answered by saying that blood didn’t make one a family, loyalty made them family. Keys mentioned the family he’s lost over the years, and that for the last fourteen years, Fatu was his brother. And he refused to let Fatu fall, so to speak. Jimmy warned that Keys was going to cross the line he couldn’t come back from. Keys didn’t come to fight, but he was ready to cross the line that Jimmy was talking about.
Jimmy kept speaking as Fatu walked out on him, stating that this was all on Jimmy. That meant it was time for an apparent match. Jimmy attempted to sneak attack Keys, but got clotheslined out of the ring for his troubles as this makeship match was going to begin after some ads.
Dreadfully dull segment, as the case with most of the Bloodline segments as of late. This reunion just doesn’t grab my attention and I’m not sure I needed a fifteen minute-or-so segment dedicated to this. Just awful stuff.
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Royce Keys vs. Jimmy Uso
Jimmy went for a standing headlock, but Keys powered out of it and hit him with a running shoulder block. Keys backed Jimmy into a corner and punched away before he flattened him with a standing clothesline. Powerslam attempt by Keys was countered by Jimmy. The DDT from Jimmy was reversed into a stalling suplex by Keys. Jimmy took a breather outside the ring as Keys gave chase. He tried to run at Jimmy, who dodged at the last second to send Keys crashing into the steel steps. With Keys back in the ring, Jimmy launched himself for a crossbody and a near-fall.
Jimmy’s chinlock was reversed by Keys, who blasted him with a back elbow. Keys attempted to clothesline Jimmy, but got jettisoned out of the ring. Jimmy launched himself for the rough-looking suicide dive as he then threw him over the announce desk to take us to another ad break.
Back from the break as Keys had the advantage in the ring with the pop-up powerslam on Jimmy for a close two. Keys pulled down the straps as Jimmy rolled out of the ring. That didn’t do him much good as Keys grabbed him and dropped him for two World’s Strongest Slams onto to the top of the announce table. Keys then hoisted Jimmy on his shoulders, but he was reversed and pushed right into the ringpost. Jimmy called for a timeout, but Solo Sikoa attacked Jimmy Uso, behind the referee’s back. Before Solo could finish Jimmy off, Jacob Fatu ran in to fight Solo off. In the ring, Jimmy hit Keys with the spear for the three.
After the match, Fatu continued to beat up on Sikoa in the ring until Keys stopped him. An Irate Keys was mad about what Fatu was doing, and got met with a superkick and senton for it. Jimmy gave Fatu a chair, who wrapped it around the neck of Sikoa, which led to near-calamity. Fatu stopped and said that Solo better listen on Monday when they spoke to him because he would not stop next time.
Jimmy Uso def. Royce Keys via pinfall
This match was just lousy, and the very baffling heel/face alignments of the Bloodline and Solo Sikoa just makes it a complete mess. It highlights the complete state of mess that WWE’s creative in is right now.
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– Sami Zayn’s very angry remarks after Raw this Monday were shown before the source of his anger, CM Punk, was interviewed backstage. During Punk’s interview, the antics of Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae interrupted. Punk wasn’t going to have it as he said that Gargano better get back in the ring because whatever it was that Gargano and LeRae doing, it wasn’t working. As Punk left, he was met by Finn Balor, who welcomed him to SmackDown.
– We got a Chime-sponsored promo from Fatal Influence as they talked about their upcoming WWE Women’s Tag Title at Saturday Night’s Main Event on the 18th of July against Brie Bella and Paige.
Alexa Bliss (w/ Charlotte Flair) vs. Jade Cargill (w/ B-Fab & Michin)
Cargill brushed off Bliss and turned her attention to Charlotte Flair, but paid for it as Bliss jumped on her back to attack. Bliss chopped down Cargill by clipping her leg and targeting the back of her head. Bliss followed it with an attempted tilt-a-whirl headscissors, but Cargill caught her for a backbreaker as we took a weirdly timed pausa publicitaria at this early stage of the match.
Back fromt he break as Bliss fought back and hit Cargill in the back while her foe was trapped in the corner. Another chopdown of the knee led to Cargill being stunned in the corner, as Bliss got her with the modified Natural Selection for the near-fall. Jade rose to her feet and threw Bliss into the corner. Attempted crossbody by Bliss was caught by Cargill, but she reversed that into the Sister Abigail DDT. However, Cargil countered that instead. Charlotte attacked Cargill behind the referee’s back as Bliss almost got the win. The Baddies took out Flair at ringside, which led to a pump kick and Jaded from Cargill and the win.
Post-match, The Baddies launched a three-on-one attack on on Charlotte. Meanwhile, Cargill wrapped Bliss’s arm around the chair and bent it as Flair was forced to watch.
Jade Cargill def. Alexa Bliss via pinfall
I’ll admit that while I’m not too hot on Cargill and The Baddies, this was an effective post-match angle and a really good use of Bliss’s double-jointed arm to make this look all the more impactful. Probably the highlight of the night so far, which is kind of not saying much.
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– Before Trick Williams’ match with Carmelo Hayes, L’il Yachty gifted him with a “legacy title” that had a furry white strap.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams
Right away, Williams pushed Hayes aside after a collar-and-elbow tie-up. He then took him down with a standing shoulder block before he hit a bunch of stomps in the corner on Hayes. Backstage, Ricky Saints was watching in the locker room. Hayes responded with a dropkick, followed by the signature springboard clothesline. Williams got him right back with the flapjack and a slap to the face as we took a timeout.
Back fromt he break as Hayes countered a suplex twice from Hayes, but he got put down to the ground with a couple of leg lariats. Williams lifted up Hayes by the ear and hit him with the Book-End for a near-fall. Williams lifted Hayes on his shoulders and looked for a move of some kind, but Hayes countered and then got him with the DDT from the middle rope. One, two… NO! Hayes blocked a Williams chop, but he got dropped with a jumping neckbreaker. Again, Hayes kicked out at two. Williams put Hayes on the top rope and in position for a superplex. Hayes punched Williams down to the mat, which allowed him to connect with the big frog splash. Williams managed to kick out at two.
Hayes’ First 48 was countered into another Book-End, but Hayes turned that into a roll-up pin. Hayes got Williams with the superkick and looked for another Frog Splash. Hayes missed as Williams soon got him with the spinning kick to the face. The cover, but Hayes kicked out again. Outside the ring, Hayes pushed Williams into the ringpost, which knocked L’il Yachty in the crossfire. Back in the ring, Hayes connected with First 48 as he then headed to the top rope. Before Nothing but Net could come, Baron Corbin made a return and attacked both men.
Corbin got Hayes with End of Days, before Williams also fell victim to the signature move of Corbin. The returning Corbin then took William’s U.S. Title and dumped it on his body.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams ended in a No Contest
I’ve been down on this show for the majority of it, but I will say that Baron Corbin’s return was something I honestly didn’t see coming, so that’s a plus here. Credit where credit’s due, this was good stuff. The only matter at hand now is whether WWE can nail the follow-up, because we all should be aware of how they book for the moments, but typically can’t really do a good followup.
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Gunther’s Ultimatum to Nick Aldis
True to his word, Gunther made his way down to the ring, looking for the answer he wanted to hear from SmackDown GM Nick Aldis.
Gunther didn’t waste time and said that he gave Aldis all the time in the world, but it was time for the answer he wanted to hear. On cue, Aldis came out and said that he had all the time to think about what was said to him.
Aldis said that Gunther wanted Punk and Cody Rhodes, and he was going to do just that at Saturday Night’s Main Event, when Gunther teams up with Sami Zayn against Rhodes and Punk. Gunther was not happy to hear that, as Gunther then went after the SmackDown GM with a brutal assault. Gunther applied the sleeper on Aldis as referees and road agents tried to break it up. Gunther laid out Aldis with the big boot as he then applied the sleeper once more. Gunther wasn’t done as the attack continued even as the officials and producers tried to put a stop to this.
Gunther kept the assault going even as the Levesque/Fitting producer credits popped up to end the show. However, things kept going as Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring, but it got cut off just as he was going to run in, as if it were a 1997 WCW Nitro episode.
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Even with the moderately better second half of the night, I did not like tonight’s SmackDown. A lot of it boils down to WWE’s overall booking of going back to the same well and not really doing anything daring. The really lazy way of setting up Punk vs. Cody reeks of desperation and it wasn’t really thought out all that well. Then you get to the increasingly dull Bloodline drama that feels like WWE throwing a dart into a board every week and booking accordingly. It’s just haphazard and not really engaging.
As for what I did like tonight, Baron Corbin’s return was a pleasant surprise (with the crowd reacting well for his return), and the Jade Cargill/Alexa Bliss injury angle was really well done, too.. Plus, I did like what they were setting up with Nick Aldis vs. Gunther another likely SummerSlam match. It’s just that these were few and far between and surrounded by mostly mediocre segments.
All in all, I just couldn’t get into tonight’s SmackDown. Just a largely disappointing, dull show from start to finish with very few things to like.
WWE SmackDown recapper. Former NXT PLE/WWE Saturday Night's Main Event/fill-in recapper.