WWE Smackdown 8/23/2024

WWE Smackdown 8/23/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/wwe-smackdown-8162024.html

The Grayson Waller Effect

A-Town Down Under is in the ring and brings out Cody Rhodes. Waller interrupts Cody when he goes to talk and says everything is about him. He says he only cares about the title and is selfish. He says Cody's friend got beaten up because of him while he took all the glory. Cody says Kevin Owens hasn't stopped fighting since he got here and may not be champ without him. He said he has never used him and asks if Waller can say the same thing about Theory.

He asks Waller if he's using Theory. Waller says that's his partner and says they would never turn on each other. He says Owens would though and shows a video of Owens turning on Sami Zayn, John Cena, Kofi Kingston and Chris Jericho.

Kevin Owens comes out. KO says we get the point and said all those guys but Kofi had it coming. KO says instead of a fight breaking out and this being made a tag match, let's just get to the point. He asks Nick Aldis to come out and make the tag match. Nick says it's a done deal. KO asks if he can punch Waller in the face and Nick says to make it quick. KO and Cody beat up the heels and are pushed into each other which stops things.

Thoughts: I didn't like Nick allowing them to fight here. That's just wrong and there's no real explanation for it. I do think whether KO will turn on Cody or not is the real meat of this feud though and I'm glad they hit that here.

WWE United States Title - LA Knight (c) vs Santos Escobar

Angel and Berto pull LA out before it starts and beat him up. They throw him into the rails. The ref sees it and does nothing because the bell hasn't rung. Angel and Berto are kicked out. Elektra Lopez protests and is kicked out too.

Santos misses a splash and is rolled up for 2. Santos pumping knees him then does a chestbreaker on him. We go to break and return. LA neckbreakers him and then bangs Santos' head off the commentary table. LA is then pulled into it. Santos double knees him off the rails onto the commentary table.

Santos hits a frogsplash off the top for 2. Santos stomps him. Santos misses an elbow drop. LA atomic drops him and lariats him. LA hits another lariat then jumping neckbreakers him. LA stomps on him in the corner. LA hits a side effect for 2.

Santos superkicks him. LA top rope elbow drops him then hits a BFT and wins.

Thoughts: I never like it someone gets beaten up before the bell. It's stupid and makes everything hard to believe. It was average for the most part and LA was a little better than usual.

Carmelo Hayes says Andrade is only as good as his last match and he lost last match, so he wasn't as good as him. Andrade then walks into Melo's barbershop. He said what Melo did to him was disrespectful and he says he'll see him next week. Melo says they need to lock the doors while he's talking.

Legado Del Fantasma argue in the back. Santos gets mad and says nothing Angel says will make up for what happened. Crews and Corbin come in and laugh. Santos says he won't tolerate the disrespect and says he will talk to Nick to get this sorted out next week.

Jade Cargill, Naomi and Bianca Belair vs Isla Dawn, Alba Fyre and Blair Davenport

Isla pounds on Bianca. Bianca then throws her down and hits a handspring moonsault. Bianca dropkicks Isla then plancha's her. We go to break and return.  Bianca is going for the tag. Bianca spears Blair in the gut then does a slingshot roll-up on her.

Blair grabs Bianca by the hair and Alba superkicks Bianca. Blair top rope double stomps Bianca's back. Bianca is choked on the ropes. Bianca takes a double gordbuster then a meteora.  

Alba christo's Bianca and Isla helps out. Bianca suplexes Alba. Jade gets the hot tag in and beats up on the heels. Jade powerbombs Blair then fallaway slams Alba into Blair. Blair superkicks Jade. Naomi tags in and hits a top rope double crossbody on the heels. Naomi shotgun dropkicks Alba. Naomi hits a dddt on Isla while doing a heatseeker piledriver on Blair.

Bianca does a top rope plancha outside and Naomi hits a split-legged moonsault on Blair to win.

Thoughts: It was a short but okay trios match. Nothing great and it was a bit rushed but it was fine for what it was. Everyone got a nice spot or two in before this one ended.

We get a video on the WWE in Germany as they talk about The Bash in Berlin. They had some cool clips here from the 1995 I think with The British Bulldog, Sid and Mankind.

Solo Sikoa gets on the mic. He says to acknowledge him. He says he has next on Cody/Owens. He says he will bring the title back to his family. He tells Fatu to step up and give him his title. He tells him to give the title to Tanga Loa. Solo says Fatu can't be a tag champ if he will be his own personal enforcer.

The Street Profits and B-Fab come out. They say they don't care who Solo's bodyguard is. Dawkins says they will be known as former champs soon as they want the smoke.

LA Knight is interviewed. He says he's in his home tonight and is bi-coastal. He says he will defend his title across the ocean and challenges anyone who has enough tender in their loins.

WWE Tag Titles - The Bloodline (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) (c) vs The Street Profits

Loa headbutts Dawkins then Dawkins sunset flips him. Dawkins hits a punch combo in the corner then Loa lariats him. Tama neckbreakers Dawkins off a double team. Dawkins flapjacks Tama then Ford shoulders Tama over. Ford backdrops Tama then standing moonsaults him.

Ford running lariats Tama. Ford takes a reverse 3D for 2. Loa takes a double shoulderblock then Ford is flipped onto him. Tama takes a spinebuster and a top rope splash from Ford. Tama twisting neckbreakers Ford outside and we go to break.

Ford fights out of the corner. Ford ddt's Loa. Dawkins flying back elbows Tama then corkscrew splashes and enzugiri's him. Dawkins hits a twisting double underhook ddt on Tama then Tama takes a double team sky high. Dawkins pounces his opponents outside then Ford tope con hilos them over the post.

Solo gets on the apron and Fatu hits superkicks with his walking boot on. Tama flatliners Dawkins and wins.

Thoughts: The ending was a bit lame but what we saw was a decent tag here. Loa had a better showing than usual here and everyone else was fine.

Bloodline beat up on The Profits after. DIY then come out to help fight Bloodline. Solo takes a double kick but he and Fatu get the edge. Fatu pop-up samoan drops Ciampa then hip attacks JG in the corner. 

KO and Cody talk in the back. Cody says twe got it and don't need to talk about the match. KO says tonight is about shutting up Waller and Theory. KO says all the people in the video earlier deserved it and he says he's not that guy anymore. Cody says all he can do is take him at his word and be ready for what's next.

Byron says The Street Profits and DIY are being attended to in the trainer's room. B-Fab says they are okay and runs into LaRae and Indi who go to check on them. It seems like they might be bringing back JG's old NXT faction with Indi and LaRae.

Nia Jax walks in on Stratton and Pretty Deadly playing around with her crown. Nia says Michin destroyed her celebration. She said she will get her back and said she made a huge mistake by touching her crowd. She says she will get the beating of a lifetime. Tiff asks if there's anything they can do and Nia says they can fix her crown.

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven say Tiff has Nia's back to stab a knife in it. Green says she will cash in on Nia after the street fight. Nia then walks over to them and isn't pleased.

Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens vs A-Town Down Under

Cody hits drop down uppercuts on Waller. KO back elbows and sentons Waller. Waller takes a double back elbow. Waller pulls KO's throat down over the top then Austin slingshot rolls in and hits a dropkick on KO.

We go to break and return. KO top rope splwashes Waller. Cody gets in and powerslams Waller. Cody hits a disaster kick on Waller then is tripped and pulled out by Austin. Cody throws Austin onto the commentary table and Waller flatliners Cody. Austin chinlocks Cody. Cody hits a cody cutter on Austin.

Austin backdrops Cody. Cody pulls Waller over the top and throws Austin over the top. KO is hot tagged in. He beats up the heels outside. KO apron cannonballs Austin. KO corner cannonballs Waller. KO hits a top rope swanton on Waller. Cody hits a cross rhodes on Austin.

KO superkicks Waller then pop-up powerbombs him for the win.

Thoughts: There was nothing wrong with this one. The heels got a little in before the faces made their comeback and won. The heels lost as expected here and there wasn't any real dissension between the faces.

KO grabs Cody's title after. He kind of hustles up to him then hands it to him.

Overall thoughts: It was an okay episode of Smackdown. There was nothing must see here and it was mostly filler. The in-ring work was fine.