WWE Smackdown 5/24/2024

WWE Smackdown 5/24/2024

Last week's show is here:  https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/wwe-smackdown-5172024.html

We see various wrestlers arrive. We then see Triple H saying the King and Queen of the Ring will receive title shots at Summerslam.

Queen of the Ring Tournament Semifinals - Nia Jax vs Bianca Belair

They lock up and Nia pulls her down. Nia hair throws her, splashes her then does it again. BB gets her back and puts a sleeper on her. Nia rams her backwards into the buckles to get her off. Nia goes to hair throw her and BB cartwheels out. BB running shoulders her then hits a running spear. BB hits corner punches then bangs Nia's head off the buckles. BB pounds on her on the buckles. BB is thrown off the top, Nia misses a spear and spears the post. BB plancha's her outside.

We go to break and return. Nia has a sleeper on her and puts some small crown thing on her head. Nia headbutts BB, knocking her down. Nia stretch mufflers her, BB rolls her up and Nia misses a butt drop. Nia samoan drops her for 2. BB pulls Nia's throat down over the top and top rope crossbodies her. BB holds her knee for 2.

BB hits forearms and Nia legdrops BB's leg. Nia goes up to the 2nd rope and is powerbombed down. BB gets a 2 count on the pin. Nia hits her in the knee then bangs BB's knee off the mat. Nia bangs the leg off the mat then gets stuck on the buckles. BB goes for a KOD and drops her.

Nia sentons her then banzai bombs her for the win.

Thoughts: It was a solid big vs small match here with Nia using her size against BB and BB using various opportunities to try and sneak the win out. The girls wore full body costumes here.

Nia is interviewed in the ring after. She calls out Lyra Valkyria in the front row. She said that's Bianca Belair and she just buzzed through her. She said she did the same thing to Becky, Rhea and Valkyria to become QOTR. She says she will be queen and champion at Summerslam. She says it all starts tomorrow when she buzzes through Lyra.

Tiffany Stratton goes up to Bianca and says better luck next time, loser. Byron interviews Bianca. she says she's disappointed but took her knee to the limit. Indi Hartwell and Candace LeRae come up to her and mock her. We couldn't hear it most of it due to sound issues. They say she is welcome for that loss. Bianca wants to do something then Jade comes in and asks them what they want to do. Jade says it seems like they want their wig split.

The Grayson Waller Effect

Waller says this is a special Championship Edition of the show with Austin Theory. They say they know they are the best and call the crowd idiots. Austin goes to bring out someone then Carmelo Hayes comes out unexpectedly.

Melo thanks them for the intro. He said it sounded like they were describing him. He said he's Smackdown's first round draft pick, the hottest new star on SD and HIM. Austin said he forgot what happened last time he was on SD. Melo says guys like them have to stick together. Waller says Melo would be a better guest than LA Knight anyway. Melo says he gets the rub and they get the ratings, so we all win.

Melo says they gotta take out the veterans and show them how its done. Austin says the only advice Lashley gives to The Street Profits is how to lose to them. Melo says Lashley and Corbin are selfish egomaniacs. He then brings up LA Knight. Melo said LA is a veteran that never accomplished anything yet wants to talk all this talk. They call LA the guy who can't win the big one and the guy drafted after Melo.

LA Knight comes out. He does his "let me talk to you" bit and Waller complains. LA throws some of the plants off the set. He says Melo is poking a mean dog with a sharp stick. He said this mean dog will bite the hell out of him. He says it won't take long for Melo to know whose game this is. LA goes to leave. Melo hits him, LA hits back and LA is triple jumped by the heels. The Street Profits come out and clean house.

We get a video from Blair Davenport. She says it's embarassing that everyone thinks they can live their truth and their dream. She says we're lazy and bad things happen because they let them. She says we're not successful and says while we feel overlooked, she has taken her spot. She says come and do something about it if it hurts your feelings.

LA Knight and The Street Profits vs Carmelo Hayes, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller

Melo wristlocks Ford. Ford does it back to him Ford rolls and headflips out of wristlock. Ford armdrags him. Ford goes up and over and cartwheels then dropkicks Melo. Melo's arm is double axe handled off the buckles. Dawkins flapjacks Melo. Theory and LA get in.

LA yanks on Austin's arm. La nails Waller then LA is stomped on by Waller and Austin. LA lariats Waller. Dawkins flying back elbows Waller then twisting splashes him in the corner. Austin slingshot rolls in and dropkicks Dawkins. Waller slides out and lariats Dawkins on the floor.

We go to break and return. Melo springboards and is caught with an exploder from Dawkins. Waller and Austin knock the faces off the apron and beg Dawkins for the tag on the faces side of the ring. Waller comes off the top and is nailed by Dawkins. LA lariats Austin outside.

LA hits punches and stomps on Waller. He lariats Melo on the apron then running knees Waller in the corner. LA then gets on the apron and mocks Waller, asking for a tag from the heels side of the ring. LA slingshot shoulderblocks Waller, powerslams him and elbow drops him for 2. Everyone gets a move in and Dawkins hits a great mid-air pounce during it. Waller runs and rolls into the ring and takes a BFT.

LA spears Melo over the commentary table then Ford top rope splashes Waller. Ford then picks up the win.

Thoughts: It was a shorter but solid match with the pace being fast and them having a fun finishing stretch here. I don't like Melo being on the losing side again though.

We see clips from the Logan/Cody segment yesterday the PPV Kickoff. He gives Cole his brass knucks and tells him to make sure he doesn't use them. He says he will take Cody's title fair and square.

Cody runs into Orton in the back, shakes his hand and Orton thanks him.

We get some kind of spooky voice talking over a dark screen.

Tama Tonga is warming up.

Cody Rhodes comes out to talk. He is immediately interrupted by Logan Paul. Logan comes out. He says Cody got played. He says Cody is the victim tomorrow as he walks out with the title on his shoulder along with the US Title. He says Cody may have the edge of experience, he says he's smarter than him. He says the bleach must be getting in Cody's brain and making him dumb. He says he's a better athlete, performer and entertainer.

Logan says anyone who says he uses cheap tactics is wrong. He says he will not use his brass knucks tomorrow. Cody says he's not an idiot and Logan is a scared kid. He said Logan is afraid people will see him as a fraud and cosplay. He says Logan has imposter syndrome and says he thinks Logan has another set of brass knucks.

Logan asks if Cody is calling him a liar. Cody says let's prove it and make it official. Cody asks the ref to check Logan out. Logan asks if this is airport security or the TSA. He says to do Cody first. The ref finds something on Logan and Logan is shocked by this. It turns out to be more brass knucks.

Logan said these aren't his pants and he doesn't know how those got here. Logan says to take them and says he wasn't being 100% truthful. He says those were for his protection. He says those are illegal and tells police/security to escort him out.

Logan says he doesn't need brass knucks and can beat him fair and square. Cody says the knucks are a crutch and a difference between them. Cody says the title is his whole life and says him and his family are as real as real gets. He said he doesn't think of him as a youtuber. He believes he's a pro wrestler and a WWE star. He says he won't be on his level until he dedicates himself to this full-time. He says he will beat him so bad that he will regret having ever stepped foot in the ring with him.

Thoughts: I liked the end of it, but this just isn't the best program. They didn't build it up well and haven't really figured out the theme/angle of it and with the show being tomorrow, it's too late.

Randy Orton is interviewed. He says Tama Tonga is vicious and unhinged, but he says he's Randy Orton and made a career off of that. He said Bloodline has the numbers on their side, but he has overcame the odds many times. He says he will see it coming with the three most dangerous letters in sports entertainment - RKO.

Bayley runs into Nia Jax backstage. Nia says to keep the title clean for Summerslam.

The Street Profits and B-Fab are interviewed. Ford said they feel good because they didn't lose here. Dawkins talks about pinning Waller. DIY walk in. Johnny says the agenda is DIY as WWE tag champs. Ciampa grabs Ford's cup. He says they are so optomistic and says the cup is always half-full. Ciampa pours out the drink and says it's empty now.

Bayley vs Chelsea Green

CG punches her and slaps her. CG hits a top rope dropkick for 2. Bayley is tripped and kicked as her head hangs off the apron. We go to break and return. Bayley hits lariats then backdrops her. CG does a jumping russian legsweep then rough ryders her.

Bayley powerbombs her then hits a roseplant to win it.

Thoughts: It was a quick waste of time that was over just as quick as it started.

Piper Niven attacks Bayley after. Bayley fights back then Piper blackhole slams her. Piper sentons her twice more.

AJ Styles goes up to Nick Aldis in the back. He says Nick saw what happened in France and he said he was 1 second away from getting Cody and later Orton in KOTR. He asks for one more chance to face the winner between Logan and Cody. AJ says he needs this. Nick says he knows AJ wants to be champ. He said he'd say yes if it was personal, but he can't do it on a professional level. He says the chance he wants has to be earned and it takes time. AJ says he doesn't have time. Nick says that's not something he can help him with.

Thoughts: This was an interesting segment and seems part of a new character for AJ. I'm interested to see where it goes.

We get an Andrade promo. He says he's a third generation luchador and its his blood. He says he's here to show he's not the only luchador from Mexico. He syas people have tried to control him and says fitting others expectations doesn't control his destiny. He said he knows who he is and he said he knows what we wants. He says he will show everyone who Andrade El Idolo is.

Legado Del Fantasma talking the back. They say they can't stand Andrade. Lopez says to be intelligent. Santos says let bygones be bygones and think about business.

The bloodline is in the back. Paul says Solo knows Tama and says Tanga loa isn't here. Paul says they couldn't get Tanga across the border due to the background check. Paul says Solo is recruiting various dangerous people into Bloodline. He said there's a reason we didn't do this with Roman. Solo says until Roman comes back, he's in charge. He says if Paul has problems, it's up to him to fix it.

Paul gets scared by Tama. Tama asks if he had a problem. He says he was recruited because he is that dangerous. He said he came here by orders of The Tribal Chief. 

King of the Ring Tournament Semifinals - Randy Orton vs Tama Tonga

Tama rushes Orton and hits a bunch of shots on him. Tama hits a headbutt flurry. Orton fallaway slams him. Tama's shoulder is sent into the post. Orton hits uppercuts then corner punches. Tama is then thrown out. Tama's head is banged off the commentary table and he clips Orton. He then sends Orton's leg into the post. We go to break and return.

Tama stomps the leg then misses a frogsplash on it. Tama trips him then ddt's Orton's leg. Tama sleepers him then Orton backdrops him out of it. Tama runs at him and is lariated. Orton powerslams him then Tama back body drops Orton to the floor.

Orton eye pokes him then backdrops him on the commentary tables. Orton bridging ddt's him over the 2nd rope. Solo is hit on the apron and Orton RKO's Tama. Orton gets the win.

Thoughts: I didn't like Tama taking the loss here. I was buying into him being some vicious dude and this hurt that aura. I didn't like Orton losing either to be honest. This is why I personally don't like tournaments so much. Someone has to lose. Tama worked the leg a little here but it didn't lead to that much here.

Gunther is in the first row and has words and smirks for Orton.

Solo nails Orton from behind after. Kevin Owens comes down and hits Solo. Solo slides out to avoid a stunner.

Overall thoughts: The wrestling was okay but it wasn't a super exciting show. WWE was just not ready for the King and Queen of the Ring show in time and due to it being a tournament, it limited how much build you could really do for it since you didn't want to spoil results. There wasn't anything real memorable from this one and the show could have moved a bit faster. I wouldn't recommend this.