WWE Smackdown 5/17/2024

WWE Smackdown 5/17/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/wwe-smackdown-5102024.html

Queen of the Ring 2nd Round - Tiffany Stratton vs Bianca Belair

BB = Bianca Belair

They lock up a few times then shove each other. Tiff slaps her then pulls her down by the hair. BB slaps her then takes her down. BB shoulders her over and forward cartwheels over her.  BB tries a backroll into a headscissors but is kicked. Tiff boots her in the corner then takes a tilt-a-whirl gutbuster. BB handspring moonsaults her for 2. BB hits corner punches. Tiff pulls on BB's hair and is pulled into the buckles face first. Tiff yanks her back on the apron by her air then throws her into the steps.

We go to break and return. Tiff indian deathlocks her then is pulled into the post when she tries to bang BB's leg off of it. BB shoulders her over and slams her. BB fallaway slams her then spinebusters her for 2. Tiff rolls out of a double chickenwing. BB rolls her back and hits a big forearm.

BB misses a KOD. Tiff pulls her into the ropes and hip attacks her there. Tiff then M. Bison stomps her for 2. BB blocks Tiff's handspring backflip back elbow then release germans her for 2. Tiff is dragged and holds onto the ring skirt. She eye rakes BB then clips her. Tiff sliding lariats her for 2. Tiff is crotched on a prettiest moonsault ever attempt then BB hits a KOD. BB wins.

Thoughts: It was an average match. It was athletic, much more so than the average's women's match but I thought it could have been better. The legwork here didn't really add much to this.

Bianca is interviewed by Cathy Kelley in the ring after. She said her knee isn't 100% and she didn't become the EST by making excuses. She says she shows up every time and says nothing will stop her from becoming QOTR.

Byron interviews Jade Cargill. She said she's heard all about Nia Jax. She says Nia is just in her way. Bianca Belair walks in. Jade congratulates her and asks how her knee is. Bianca says it will be fine if she has to stand in the ring across from her. Jade says let's just take it one match at a time.

We see Bloodline in the back. Tama is hyping up and Solo says it's time to go. Paul asks if Solo talked to Roman today. He says "all the time".

LA Knight is interviewed. He says Bloodline doesn't look like it used to and he doesn't know these guys. He says Tama can get his head introduced to a BFT. Carmelo Hayes walks in and says he's giving LA the chance to welcome him to SD. He says it's a big deal that he was the first round draft pick. LA said Melo reminds him of Tom Brady. He asks who the first pick was the year Brady got drafted and he said he doesn't know his name either. He tells him he's making a mistake by looking past Orton. Melo says the most important letters won't be R-K-O tonight but H-I-M. LA says nobody will say that stupid crap and then has the crowd do his LA Knight, Yeah chant. He then tells Melo to play somewhere as he's busy.

Thoughts: I like Melo going up to various top wrestlers but it's not good when he gets clowned like he did here.

King of the Ring Tournament 2nd Round - Tama Tonga vs LA Knight

Tama misses a charge and takes punches. LA running back elbows him. Tama sleepers him and LA throws him over. Tama lariats him then LA lariats him back. Tama misses a corner charge and takes a back body drop. LA stomp flurries him in the corner then running knees him.

Solo and Loa get on the apron. LA goes after them and then gets hit from behind by Tama. Tama throws LA's shoulder into the post. Tama jumps off the steps and lariats him outside. We go to break and return.

Tama stomps on him and is in control. Tama sliding lariats him. Tama misses a top rope splash. LA hits punchest then crossbodies him. LA lariats him over the top and bangs his head off the apron. LA powerslams him then hits an elbow drop.

Loa pulls Tama out then LA dropkicks Loa through the ropes. Solo stares down LA and LA dares him to hit him. Tama hits a jumping flatliner and wins it.

Thoughts: It was a so-so match with a lame finish. Tama's better as a face than a heel. Tama couldn't really lose here but LA shouldn't have lost here either. This is one of the problems with tournaments - it often forces matches that may not be good ideas due to the structure of it.

LA Knight talks to a ref backstage then runs into Carmelo Hayes. Melo says he didn't get the job done. They push each other and argue with Charles Robinson and Jamie Noble trying to stop it.

Nick Aldis brings out Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul for a contract signing. Logan has some of his crew with him. Cody talks about Wargames 1992. He said it was considered the best Wargames match of all-time. He said like the fans, he's a fan of what he does. He says Logan is not a fan, he's a tourist. He said it's time for Logan to get off the train and make him a grand slam champ.

Logan said he didn't come here to talk, he came here to sign a contract. Logan says the contract doesn't say what he agreed to and the crowd chants "you can't read". Logan said he didn't agree to put his title on the line so he had his lawyer draw up his own contract. Nick says this isn't what they agreed to and he won't stand for it.

Cody asks him and Logan finish up the paper work and he will relieve him of the situation. Logan said Cody hasn't done anything to deserve a shot at his title. Logan says he proves every time he is in the ring that he is worthy of every title in the industry. He tells Cody to sign the contract.

Cody says the honeymoon is over with Logan. He says Logan will find out who he is on the inside. He says Mike Tyson will knock Logan's brother out and says a future hall of famer will beat Logan. Cody then signs the contract. Logan tries to hit him, misses and is lariated over the top. Cody hits one of Logan's crew then powerbombs him through a table.

Nia Jax is interviewed. She says Jade has to hype herself up. She says Jade is strong and impressive, but she is not going to be QOTR. Nia says she will be QOTR.

Queen of the Ring Tournament 2nd Round - Nia Jax vs Jade Cargill

They stand off and Nia drops her with a punch. Nia shoulders her over then Jade spinebusters her. Nia throws her. Jade hugs her kid at ringside and Nia says "your mom sucks" LOL. Jade nails Nia then Nia pushes her into the rails. They both get in and Jade shoulders her over. Nia's banged off the commentary table and the apron. Jade goes into the post then is lariated over the rail.

Jade tries to block a chair shot but is hit with it and Jade then chairs Nia. The ref then DQ's Jade.

Jade and Nia grab each other by the throat and push each other into and over the rails. Jade spears Nia into the post and bangs her off the rails. Jade is rammed into the post and the fight is broken up for a bit. They then go at it again.

Thoughts: They had a short but fun brawl here. I loved Nia telling Jade's kid "your mom sucks". It was a wild and chaotic. The finish sucked though. Jade didn't block Nia's chair shot when she was supposed to. Nia didn't get DQ'd for it though Jade got DQ'd for hitting her with a chair. That didn't make any sense. 

DIY vs Legado del Fantasma (Berto and Angel)

Berto headflips out of a wristlock. JG trips him and rides Berto. Berto suplexes him then JG takes him over. JG flying headscissors him. Berto takes a double team in the corner then LdF are lariated over the top together. DIY then plancha them together.  Ciampa is thrown into the ropes and goes out when the top rope is lifted. We go to break and return.

Ciampa throws Berto out and step up enzugiri's Angel. Ciampa hits chops and punches on Angel. Angel gori specials him then Berto does a slingshot diamond dust on him while he's in it. Ciampa suplexes Berto.

Jg is tagged in. He beats up on both opponents then does a spinning bulldog + dropkick combo.JG hits a slingshot spear and topes Angel. Santos Escobar gets on the apron and Elektra Lopez crotches JG on the buckles. Berto takes a meet in the middle and is pinned.

Thoughts: It was a shorter and rushed match. It wasn't anything special and Berto/Angel take yet another loss.

We see clips from WWE's Twitch channel. It seems like a psychologist is checking on on someone.

AJ Styles is interviewed and asked where he goes from here. AJ  doesn't know as he lost to Cody and lost to Orton. He says next week he will go to Nick Aldis' office and find out where they go from there. 

Bayley is interviewed. Chelsea Green and Piper interrupt. They blame Bayley for Piper losing next week, saying she sprayed her bad juju on them. Bayley said let's talk next week - in the ring.

King of the Ring Tournament 2nd Round - Carmelo Hayes vs Randy Orton

Orton ducks a boot then Melo boots him in the knee. They stare down. Melo shoves him and is booted. Orton throws him into the post shoulder first then hits euros. Orton throws Melo over the top to the floor. Melo's head is banged off the commentary table. Melo avoids a backdrop on the table but is swept onto it. Orton headbutts him then backdrops him on the table three times.

We go to break and return. Melo bangs Orton's knee off the mat then kicks the knee. Melo wraps Orton's leg around the ropes and kicks it. Orton hits lariats and misses a powerslam. Melo misses a punt then is powerslammed. Melo codebreakers him for 2 then pounds on the knee.

Orton bridging ddt's Melo over the middle rope. Melo rolls him up for 2. Melo springboards and is caught with an RKO. Orton then wins it.

Thoughts: There was some good stuff here with Melo working the knee. The commentary table spots kind of went on longer than they needed to though and slowed the match down some. They really shouldn't have done two "work the leg" matches in the same night though like they did here. I really liked the finish was it was out of nowhere and looked great. It was okay overall. I don't love Melo losing though.

Randy Orton is interviewed after. Bloodline immediately interrupts. Orton asks if they will come down and intimidate him. Orton talks about himself and said he will introduce his foot directly up Tama's @ss next week. He says he will introduce him to an RKO as well.

Overall thoughts: It was an okay show overall. Cody isn't lighting the world on fire yet with his reign and the show had a lot of longer and mostly acceptable matches. I wouldn't recommend this one though.