Smackdown Review – 06.05.26

By Niz on 6 June 2026

Writing: Coming off Clash in Italy, WWE remains in Europe and broadcasts tonight’s Smackdown on USA and Netflix from the Unipol Arena in Bologna, Italy. The announcers for tonight are Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on interviews and breaking news. Let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever…..TOGETHER

Paul Levesque called Clash in Italy a “Wrestlemania-level card” during the opening highlights package and well, he’s allowed to have opinions. We have a quad-box of Men’s King of the Ring participant arrivals to start: The Judgement Day lead by AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, Bron Breakker entering alone, WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion Damian Priest, and WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams. The next quad-box features the Women’s Queen of the Ring arrivals and they include: Raquel Rodriguez now leading the Judgement Day group, Bayley, Kiana James, and Fatal Influence lead by Jacy Jayne.

There’s commotion at ringside as Cole informs us that Joe Tessitore is off doing Zuffa Boxing commentary work this weekend, and it’s a highly agitated GUNTHER destroying the Italian announce team’s table and tossing their chairs. GUNTHER’s rampage continues in front of Cole and Barrett, and he grabs a microphone. GUNTHER insists on justice for the outcome of his match with Cody Rhodes at Clash in Italy and promises nothing else will happen on the show until he gets what he wants. GUNTHER claims Rhodes cheated to win, and….

Here’s WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes out to a loud chorus of “Kingdom” by the Bologna crowd. This aisle is LONG, group. The entrances tonight are going to take some time. GUNTHER paces on top of the announce desk and barks at Rhodes while Rhodes kind of mocks him by entering at the exact spot in the ring where GUNTHER’s foot was under the ropes. Rhodes stops to soak in some cheers but admits that GUNTHER was right about how he was cheated. Rhodes says GUNTHER is a 20 year vet and shouldn’t be BIG MAD. Rhodes offers up the rematch for Bologna tonight and….

Here’s Sami Zayn out with a microphone. Zayn slaps hands with a few ride-or-dies and offers up his thanks to them. Zayn says that’s the kind of respect he deserves. Zayn mentions that he was trying to stay in the back and let these guys have their discussion, but both of them did Zayn wrong. GUNTHER says this business does not involve Zayn and he should leave. Zayn says he knows about beating GUNTHER for titles. Rhodes pipes in and wants to know which Zayn is out there right now, because he’s kind of busy at the moment. Zayn says that’s exactly why his and Rhodes friendship is where it is right now because Rhodes is only looking out for himself and his title. Zayn says he might be the actual threat to Rhodes title because Rhodes told him he was going to beat GUNTHER and then teach Zayn a lesson. Zayn wonders when Rhodes is going to give that lesson. GUNTHER has had just about enough of this so he leaps in the ring and pushes Rhodes into Zayn before slapping a sleeper on Rhodes. Zayn goes to GUNTHER’s eyes but GUNTHER dumps him back to the floor. The three brawl and Rhodes hits Zayn with a suicide dive after GUNTHER pushes Zayn into the line of fire. Rhodes offers to help Zayn up but he gets up on his own and walks away from the offered handshake.

Here’s The Miz on Facetime with Kit Wilson. Miz finds some glowing wire and then stumbles into Danhausen‘s lab. Miz destroys some stuff and touches things Danhausen tells him not to. That goes wildly wrong for Miz as he’s left twitching on the ground.

Raquel Rodriguez makes her entrance as we take our first commercial break.

Here’s Smackdown GM Nick Aldis being confronted by the still-grumpy GUNTHER. GUNTHER tells Aldis like he’s being treated like he doesn’t belong and he’s tired of the disrespect. GUNTHER insists that Aldis fixes things or his “legal team” will descend on Aldis so badly that his grandchildren will need lawyers.

Michele Posa and Luca Franchini are the WWE Italian announcing team and we’re introduced to them! Franchini’s tie is incredible, for the record.

Women’s Queen of the Ring Fatal Four-Way: Raquel Rodriguez vs Bayley vs Jacy Jayne vs Kiana James

Interestingly, despite the no-DQ aspect of this match, Rodriguez, Bayley, and Jayne are out alone, while James insists that Giulia join her at ringside. Everyone goes after Rodriguez at the bell and Bayley sends her to the floor with a lariat. Bayley then dumps James to the floor and hits a Bayley-to-Belly on Jayne for two. Bayley hits a between-the-ropes dropkick on Rodriguez but gets caught in a James roll up that gets two. James grabs a backslide on Bayley for two and then Jayne rolls both of them over for two. Bayley, Jayne, and James have a small skirmish that’s ended by a Rodriguez cross-body on all three of them. We go to commercials.

James and Jayne are pounding away at Rodriguez when the show returns. Bayley flies in from behind and sends Rodriguez into the ring steps. Bayley and James turn into a Jayne rolling tackle. Jayne dumps Bayley in and hits a neckbreaker for two. Jayne whips Bayley to a corner and splashes her before kicking away. Jayne snapmares Bayley over and blasts her with some kicks and a senton that gets two. James flies in and Jayne mashes her with a running back elbow. Jayne misses a charge and James starts hitting running shoulders on Jayne and Bayley. Jayne hits some cannonballs and then gets crushed by a POUNCE from Rodriguez. Rodriguez mashes James and Bayley down in a corner and ascends for a corkscrew splash that gets two. Rodriguez yanks Bayley up and mounts her on a top turnbuckle before ascending for some right hands. Jayne drags Rodiguez down for a superkick and then hits an enziguri on Bayley. Jayne ranas Bayley down and she goes right to Rodriguez who yanks up Bayley to toss her at Jayne. Rodriguez chokeslams Bayley and Jayne and James breaks up the cover at two. We go to commercials.

Bayley kicks out of a James jackknife cover at two when the show returns. Rodriguez lariats James down and a Jayne running knee breaks up the cover at two. Jayne clubbers away at James and then eats a running knee from Bayley. Bayley ascends and hits the Savage Elbow on Jayne. James breaks Bayley’s cover up at two and then hits an Eat Defeat and a standing moonsault that gets two. Jayne pushes Giulia down at ringside for no reason and then mashes an irate James with a right. Bayley sends Jayne to the floor with a right and James puts her feet on the ropes to try to pin Bayley. Jayne pulls James feet off the ropes to break the count and Giulia flies back in to shove Jayne down. James thinks Giulia pulled her feet off the ropes and they start bickering. Bayley hits a Rose Plant on James, Jayne wallops Bayley with the Rolling Encore, and Rodriguez mashes Jayne with a high boot. Rodriguez hits the Tejana Bomb on James and that ends things.

No complaints with this one. It was well-agented, and despite being a three segment match, never dragged or had any major awkward sequences. For a four-person match, in that regard, I’ll take it. 3.5*

Winner – Raquel Rodriguez (Tejana Bomb on James)

Post-match sees a short highlights package before the tournament graphic is shown. Rodriguez will face IYO Sky in the semi-finals. Giulia tries to mend fences with James who seems to be done with her. There’s some verbals from James about doing everything for Giulia while she’s done nothing for James. Giulia leaps on James and starts pounding away. James escapes and goes to the floor while the verbals continue between both of them.

Here’s a livid Sami Zayn backstage smashing water bottles around before having a conversation with a silent and potentially-comatose Sad John Wrestling. Zayn laments getting the short end of the stick during his opening segment fiasco. Nick Aldis marches in and orders Zayn to stay out of Rhodes and GUNTHER’s business. Aldis says Zayn made a bad situation worse, and doesn’t have time for Zayn’s complaints due to a meeting. Zayn wants to know who’s so important that he can’t get a minute and here’s Chad Gable back to a thunderous greeting from the crowd in the arena. We go to commercials.

Talla Tonga vs Royce Keys

Tonga is flanked by Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga. Keys eyes up Tonga from below before Tonga shoves him away. Fisticuffs break out and Tongs trucks Keys down. Keys cannot pick up Tonga and Tonga clubbers away. They slug it out and Keys manages to stagger Tonga with a running tackle. Keys lariats Tonga to the floor and we go to commercials.

Keys cannot lift Tonga again and collapses with Tonga on top of him as the ref counts two. Tonga misses a charge and Keys clubbers away from behind. Keys hits some standing lariats and then some running ones. Tonga won’t go down and Keys again cannot lift him. Tonga misses another charge and Keys keeps hitting splashes. Keys hits a POUNCE and Keys finally hoists Tonga up for a powerslam. Keys drops the straps and Sikoa leaps on to the apron. The ref deals with Sikoa so Tama Tonga grabs Keys and pulls him to the floor. Keys catches Tama with a right and walks right into a Talla high boot. Talla hits the T-Bomb chokeslam and that ends things.

Hey, a HOSS FIGHT on a Friday night. I thought it was okay, not great, I’ll be honest. Keys seems slow and maybe is showing some age? This wasn’t his best effort. Talla is what he is, a kind of big old lumbering oaf who hits all the “big man” greatest hits and wears face paint. It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it got the point across that Keys might need a family behind him to really make some waves on Smackdown. 2.5*

Winner – Talla Tonga (T-Bomb chokeslam)

Post-match sees the MFT’s continue assaulting Keys and here’s WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion R-Truth flying out to give some help. It doesn’t work in the slightest as Truth gets his ass handed to him immediately. Truth’s tag team partner Damian Priest drags him out of the ring and pulls Truth away while telling him to leave this situation be. The MFT’s laugh at that before Tama Tonga delivers his Hidden Blade. Sikoa tells a fallen Keys that it didn’t have to be this way but Keys wouldn’t listen and it’s going to get worse. Sikoa’s descent into Nino Brown-level paranoia is great stuff.

Here’s JD McDonagh deep in conversation with Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio and they all celebrate when Raquel Rodriguez joins them. Morgan hopes she can face Rodriguez in the finals and wants them to focus on Mysterio winning his four-way. We go to commercials.

Here’s a look at Finn Balor who’s now officially part of the Smackdown roster. YAY! Balor will be in next week’s Fatal Four-way KOTR qualifier alongside Royce Keys, Los Angeles Knight, and MAIN EVENT Jey Uso.

Damian Priest is upset with R-Truth and tells him that their partnership is all that matters, not Royce Keys. Here’s AAA Tag Team Champions The War Raiders in to tell Truth that they want to go title for title with Truth and Priest. Truth says he never met either one of them and leaves.

Cole runs down the competitors for next week’s Smackdown Women’s QOTR qualifier that will include WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Sol Ruca, Lyra Valkyria, Charlotte Flair, and Jade Cargill.

“Demon In Your Dreams” brings out WWE Women’s Undisputed Champion Rhea Ripley. Ripley talks about her match with Jade Cargill at Clash in Italy and says that chapter is behind her. Ripley’s knee is banged up from the encounter but Cargill failed to take her out completely and Ripley is still the champ. Ripley talks about the numbers game that Cargill tried to play and talks about her “friend” who helped mitigate that.

Here’s Charlotte Flair out in gear (Ripley is not in hers) to a healthy reception from Bologna. Flair says she knows Ripley didn’t ask for her help and she gets that because she’s not one to ask for help a lot either. Flair says she’s had fun with Ripley the last few weeks including getting tattooed together after Clash in Italy, but she’s in the Queen of the Ring and is still The Queen and the 14 time champ. Flair says despite all the fun it will be her standing in front of Ripley at Summerslam.

Here’s WWE Women’s US Champion Tiffany Stratton out in gear to tell Flair that it’s wild they aren’t out there beating the crap out of each other. Flair wants an apology from Stratton, who declines. Stratton says she came out to talk to Ripley because despite loving how she looks with the US title, she’d look better with Ripley’s belt.

Here’s Jade Cargill out with Michin and B-Fab. They’re all in gear, and Cargill claims Flair didn’t actually help Ripley, she just jumped the line. Cargill promises to reward Flair’s side quest when they meet in next week’s four-way and calls Alexa Bliss “stupid”. Cargill tells Stratton to stay out of grown folks business before telling Ripley to enjoy her title. Cargill wants a fight right now and here’s Nick Aldis. Aldis tells Ripley to calm down, and Flair offers up a tag match with her and Stratton versus Cargill and one of her “back up dancers”. Aldis likes that idea and IT IS ON. We go to commercials.

Charlotte Flair and WWE Women’s US Champion Tiffany Stratton vs Jade Cargill and Michin

It’s Michin and Flair to start and Flair wants Cargill. That doesn’t happen and Flair eats a rana from Michin. Flair mashes Michin with a kick and hits her rolling leg slam thing she’s using now. Flair tries to bait Cargill again and Michin takes advantage with a release German on Flair. Stratton grabs a tag and dumps Michin over the ropes for a Hip Attack and a shotgun dropkick that gets two. Cargill tags in and tosses Stratton over with a fall away slam. Cargill mashes Stratton with a spinebuster and gets two. Michin tags in and clubbers away. Flair grabs a blind tag as Stratton fires up with a lariat. Flair ascends for a cross body on Michin and then wallops her with her walkover lariat. Flair chops away and goes to the apron. Flair kicks Michin down and then mashes a charging Cargill and B-Fab with kicks as well. Flair hits a cross-body on Cargill and B-Fab on the floor. Michin hits Flair with a tope suicida and we go to commercials.

Flair has been getting smashed around all break long according to Cole. Flair tries for the tag and cannot fight her way out of the heel corner. Michin hits Flair with a Styles Clash and Stratton breaks up the cover at two. Michin mocks Flair with a woo and wants the Figure Four, so Flair calmly rolls her up for two. Michin misses a charge and Flair finally tags in Stratton. Stratton runs wild on Michin and crushes Cargill with a shotgun dropkick. Stratton crushes Michin with an Alabama Slam and then ascends. Stratton hits a swanton and covers Michin for two. Stratton wanders into a Pele Kick and Cargill tags in. Stratton snaps off a springboard cutter and Michin has to break up the cover at two. Flair and Michin kick each other at the same time and go to the floor, while Cargill and Stratton slug it out mid-ring. Cargill snaps off a sit-out powerbomb and covers Stratton for two. Flair gets yanked off the apron and she takes exception to that by smashing Michin into a ring post. Flair turns into a high boot from B-Fab as Stratton looks on in horror. Stratton turns into a Cargill pump kick and Cargill wants Jaded, but Stratton rolls through and covers Cargill for two. Stratton hits a rolling Death Valley Driver and ascends, but Cargill springs up and smashes her down. Cargill pulls Stratton into Jaded and that ends things.

I think Jade Cargill, out of nowhere, is making a run at being the women’s wrestler of the year in this promotion. She’s really doing a great job with in ring stuff right now, and while her selling is mostly “I’m going to the floor until it’s my turn to do stuff again” in tag matches, this one really worked even with that. Michin is fine for what she’s meant to be. Flair and Stratton had decent chemistry and just lost to the numbers game, so while there still might be acrimony, Stratton saw what happened to Flair and cannot have too much anger over it. Good match, this. 3.5*

Winners – Cargill/Michin (Cargill Jaded on Stratton)

Jacy Jayne is bitter backstage with her pals Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid. Cathy Kelley wants a word and Jayne isn’t interested. Jayne says she’s better than her opponents and on a different level…and then she sees WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Brie Bella and Paige doing a quick photoshoot. Jayne stops the camera person and Bella mocks Jayne for taking her first loss. Reid and Henley fly in for some fisticuffs and Fatal overwhelm the champs with numbers. Henley and Reid snatch up the title belts and then toss them on the fallen champions. We go to commercials.

R-Truth is chatting with a hurting Royce Keys when the show returns. Keys says he appreciates Truth helping him out and tells him once he gets to know DP they’ll all be pals. Keys says he knows Priest doesn’t care about him, but Truth and Keys are cool. If Priest has an issue, Keys says they can work that out.

Ricky Saints vs Carmelo Hayes

I could read a couple of novels during these entrances. LET’S MOVE IT ALONG FELLOWS. This same match ended in a double count-out last week, but it’s the CONTENT ERA, so let’s run it back. Saints attacks prior to the bell and then continues the assault after the ref checks on Hayes and gets the bell rung. Hayes dumps Saints to the floor and waffles him with a tope con hilo. Hayes dumps Saints back in and ascends for a frog splash that gets two. Hayes finally gets his ring jacket off and dumps Saints to the floor again. Hayes eats a boot from Saints when he gives chase but crushes Saints with a springboard lariat in response. Saints gets dumped to the floor again and we go to commercials.

Saints is clubbering away when the show returns. Saints lifts a knee and covers Hayes for two. Saints pounds away and then yanks Hayes up for a running elbow. Saints hits a bulldog and covers Hayes for two. Saints runs into a Hayes double boot, but Saints yanks Hayes into a back suplex for two. Hayes snaps off a DDT and both guys are down. They slug it out and it ends with a Hayes Dirty Diana that gets two. Hayes wants First 48 but Saints slips out of it and they exchange two count covers. Saints hits his Revolution DDT and Hayes kicks out at two. Saints wants Rochambeaux but Hayes counters immediately with a First 48 for two. Hayes ascends but Saints hits the ropes and crotches Hayes. Saints runs Hayes over the barricade and then pounds Hayes with a right when he leaps back over to continue the fight. Hayes barely beats the count and Saints argues with the ref. Hayes grabs a roll up for two and then blasts Saints with a reverse thrust kick. There’s a roll up exchange and Saints uses Hayes tights to get a three count.

It feels to me like these two have bland chemistry with each other. Like nobody really sells much and it’s move after move after move and while it all looks crisp and clean, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones. We’ll get another match out of this because of the finish and at some point, I’ll get really tired of this and go off on this “we have to fill time with SOMETHING” booking of these three hour Smackdowns. Thank god there’s only three more of them after tonight. 2.5*

Winner – Ricky Saints (Roll up with a handful of tights)

Cathy Kelley is with WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams and she wants to know how he’s feeling about tonight and his opponents. Trick says he’s only concerned with himself but he likes watching “the Siamese twins” try to get close to what he’s got. Trick says he’s the King and will be the King of the Ring. Trick promises to punch his ticket to Summerslam. Here’s WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker in for a silent stare-down with Trick.

Here’s WWE Women’s US Champion Tiffany Stratton grimacing in pain backstage, and she’s joined by Chelsea Green. Green wonders why Stratton didn’t want her as a tag partner and calls them the Dream Team. Green would like Stratton’s support tonight but Stratton is on her way to Medical and cannot assist Green in her efforts tonight.

Lash Legend is flanked by Nia Jax and they make their entrance as we go to commercials.

Blake Monroe has some words for her diary about Tiffany Stratton when the show returns. Monroe says it’s like looking in a mirror when she considers Stratton and says it will be box office gold when they meet. Monroe says Tiffy Time is about to run on Monroe Minutes. Monroe is COMING SOON.

Lash Legend vs Chelsea Green

Legend seems unimpressed by Green and wants her to wade in when the bell rings. Green gets shoved to a corner and ducks out of the way when Legend charges. Green smacks Legend in the face and then bails to the floor for some running. Green ducks Jax and then mashes Legend with a kick and a Codebreaker as she makes her way back into the ring. Legend waffles Green with an uppercut and Legend stomps away. Legend hits a splash and covers Green for two. Legend pulls Green up for a bear hug and then dumps her right in front of Jax. Legend keeps the ref busy while Jax smashes Green around but Green fights her way off the apron and wants a sunset flip. Legend prevents it and blasts Green with a pump kick that gets two. Legend misses another splash and Green greets her with a kick and some double knees. Green tries to lariat Legend down, but when Legend ducks it Green just smashes Jax instead. Legend yanks Green from the apron but Green catches her with a drop that sends Legend throat-first on the top rope. Green crushes both Jax and Legend with a cross-body and then tosses Legend back in. Green ascends again and hits a missile dropkick that gets two. Green wants the Unpretty-her but Legend fights out of it and crushes Green with a Lash Extension that ends things.

Hey, I love a good one-segment match that was still pretty competitive! I’ll take it. Legend looks physically dominant and Green, while still a heel (I think) looked like a competent underdog babyface. Yeah, it had the look and feel of a squash but at least Green’s story will continue with her losing to the numbers game while being out there by herself. HELP A GIRL OUT TIFFANY SHEESH. 2.75*

Winner – Lash Legend (Lash Extension)

Cole and Barrett discuss the Tribal Combat match and Jacob Fatu’s subsequent acknowledgement of Roman Reigns as the Tribal Chief. I know the Bloodline stuff doesn’t work for everyone anymore but your humble reviewer will always love that story no matter what.

Royce Keys is icing his ribs when he’s joined by Solo Sikoa, who says he’s alone. Sikoa wants to know why Keys is being so obstinate and talks about Jacob Fatu “kneeling like a dog” and that being Keys last hope of having someone as his running buddy being gone. Keys says he didn’t work so long and hard to get to WWE only to have to listen to Sikoa. Sikoa asks if anyone from the Anoa’i family called him prior to him being able to join WWE, and knows none of them did because he was the only one who talked to Keys. Sikoa points out that he’s lead men to titles and says no matter what’s happening with Roman and his crew, they have to get ready for war. Sikoa warns Keys to stop being so difficult or he will make things extremely difficult. We go to commercials.

Cole throws to highlights of the Mask versus Mask match from Noche de los Grandes. Chad Gable was unmasked after a bloody war with El Grande Americano, and he promised to come back to AAA. For whatever this is worth, Dave Meltzer called it potentially the greatest WWE match of all time.

Here’s AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix chatting with Axiom and Nathan Frazer. Frazer talks up maybe getting a shot for Fenix’s title, and here’s Chad Gable in to talk about their match at Wrestlemania, and how he learned about the responsibility of wearing a mask. Gable came to Italy to apologize to Fenix and Fenix forgives him, but reminds him that there are others he should make amends with.

Here’s Nick Aldis with Cody Rhodes, and Aldis has been on the phone with GUNTHER’s legal team. GUNTHER will accept the rematch but he wants to name a stipulation next week and then have the match in Kansas City in two weeks. Rhodes is fine with that, so it appears to be the plan.

WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion Damian Priest makes his entrance as we go to commercials.

Men’s King of the Ring Fatal Four-way: WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion Damian Priest vs AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio vs WWE Men’s World Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker vs WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams

The entrances take forever, and Liv Morgan is out with Mysterio. Everyone else is out alone. If Breakker or Mysterio win, Raw will be 4 for 4 so far in having semi-finalists in these tournaments. Breakker jumps Trick at the bell and dumps him with a German. Mysterio bails immediately and Breakker and Priest start slugging it out. Breakker hits a German and then walks into a Trick high boot. Breakker hits a German on Trick, and then pounds Mysterio with a right. Priest hits Breakker with a right, but Breakker runs the ropes and mashes Priest with a lariat. Breakker crushes Mysterio with a shoulder tackle on the floor and we go to commercials.

Priest and Mysterio are pounding away on Trick when the show returns. The former Judgement Day teammates face off and then combine on superkicks to send a charging Breakker to the floor. Mysterio fakes a handshake and kicks out at Priest, but Priest anticipates the chicanery and grabs Mysterio’s ankle. Priest blasts Mysterio with some rights and a lofted face slam. Priest hits Breakker and Trick with kicks and then lines them up for some running elbows. Priest dumps them both and goozles Mysterio. Mysterio breaks out of that and Priest mashes him with a high boot. Mysterio hits some kicks but walks into a Priest high boot when he charges. Breakker flies in to crush Priest with a Frankensteiner and Mysterio breaks up the cover at two. Mysterio gets press-slammed by Breakker and Trick breaks up the cover at two. Trick and Breakker start slugging it out and Trick ends it with a leg lariat. Trick whomps on Mysterio and Priest and ends his flurry with a neckbreaker on Priest before nipping up to a big pop. Trick puts the boots to Mysterio and hits a Bookend on Breakker. Priest breaks up the Trick cover at two. Priest gets dumped to the apron and Mysterio ascends. Trick joins things and puts Mysterio on his shoulders while Priest pounds away. Breakker springs up and they’re joined by Trick. Trick and Breakker combine on a superplex on Priest and we take our last commercial break.

Breakker pounds on Trick but runs into a Mysterio high boot when he charges. Priest dumps Trick to the floor and Breakker misses a charge. Priest and Mysterio face off again and Priest yanks Mysterio up for a Razor’s Edge. Morgan jumps onto the apron for a well-timed chat with the ref as Priest covers Mysterio in vain. Priest wanders over to bark at Morgan. Priest wanders into a Breakker press slam, and then Breakker hits a Bossman slam on Trick. Breakker gets hit with a Mysterio superkick and a dropkick that sends him into 619 position. Priest prevents it with a right hand to Mysterio’s jaw before getting caught with a Breakker spear. Breakker dumps Mysterio and then eats a Trick Shot. Trick covers Priest and gets two before Mysterio yanks the referee to the floor. Trick is infuriated and slaps Mysterio down. Breakker dumps Trick to the floor and follows with a clothesline on Trick over the announce desk. Mysterio crawls back in and hits Priest with a dropkick. Priest no-sells that and smashes Mysterio with a lariat. JD McDonagh flies in from OUTTA NOWHERE to eat a Priest South of Heaven chokeslam. While the ref is checking on McDonagh, Priest hoists Mysterio up for a South of Heaven only to be low-blowed by Morgan. Mysterio hits a 619 and ascends for a frog splash that finishes things.

Congrats, Dom, you get Oba Femi in the semi-finals. Vaya con dios, compadre. ANYHOO, this was pretty good! Damian Priest is still that guy who is a FORMER WORLD CHAMPION and gets these high profile matches because he looks like a wrecking machine, and pins won’t hurt his fully mid-card existence at this point. Breakker and Trick are the future and won’t be hurt by this, as neither took the fall or were involved too much with the finish. This one delivered, for me. 3.75*

Winner – AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio (Frog splash on Priest)

The credits roll as the Judgement Day crew make their way to the back.

I actually enjoyed a bunch of Smackdown for once. Miracles never cease. I thought the King/Queen of the Ring matches were both very good, I enjoyed the women’s tag match a bunch, and I thought the Sikoa/Keys and Rhodes/Zayn/GUNTHER stuff was pretty decent as well. I’ll take it! There are three weeks to Night of Champions so presumably with Rhodes and GUNTHER fighting for the title in Kansas City only one of them is going to Riyadh, and if they do this show the way they have in the past I think Cody vs Roman makes the most sense given their little interaction after Clash in Italy. For once, I don’t really have too many negative things to say, but I do have my ongoing low-key dislike of Ricky Saints simmering away, which is fun.

Thanks for reading and commenting as always. If you’re lurking, get out here and comment away, we like and welcome new opinions. For the regulars, y’all are cool and handsome and/or beautiful. Be cool, dudes.

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