WWE SmackDown results: Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa, business picks up for The Street Profits, shaven Shotzi returns

August 4, 2023 Neal Flanagan NEWS, Show Reports
Image Courtesy: WWE

Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are on commentary duty at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio for the final SmackDown before SummerSlam.

Let him talk to ya

LA Knight comes out to kick off proceedings, to a big reaction. Michael Cole pushes the groundswell of support that Knight has been getting from the fans.

Knight talks about the 25-man SummerSlam Battle Royal, doing down several of his opponents. He particularly goes after Sheamus, whom he is about to face in the opening contest of the show, calling him a “pasty goof.”

LA Knight def. Sheamus

Sheamus dominates Knight at the start of their match, knocking him to the mat several times. As things get more competitive, the two spill out of the ring.

At this point, a number of the battle royal competitors make their way to ringside, including Santos Escobar, AJ Styles, Karrion Kross, The Miz and Grayson Waller.

Sheamus delivers White Noise to Knight on the ring apron as the show breaks for commercials.

As the show resumes, Sheamus is still in control. They trade blows and then Knight takes over with an elbow drop. Sheamus recovers and manages to deliver a White Noise from the second rope for a two-count.

Sheamus is on the top rope when LA Knight jumps up to join him but slips. Both men then appear to slip off and land outside. At this point, the other battle royal participants attack one another, with The Miz getting 10 Beats of the Bodhrán.

LA Knight capitalizes on the chaos and hits Blunt Force Trauma for the win.

Previews and recaps

A stony-faced Solo Sikoa is seen backstage as Michael Cole hypes tonight’s main event: Jey Uso vs. his younger brother.

After another break, we see a number of battle royal participants still arguing backstage, particularly The Brawling Brutes and The OC. Adam Pearce sends Gallows & Anderson and Butch & Ridge Holland to the ring for a match as Sheamus and AJ Styles stay in the back staring each other out.

We get a video package recapping the feud between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar all the way from the Raw after WrestleMania up to Monday’s episode of Raw. We are told the saga will end at SummerSlam in “one of” the main events.

Gallows & Anderson vs. Butch & Ridge Holland — no contest

Holland and Gallows begin the match in front of a fairly muted crowd. After a pair of tags, Butch goes for the finger manipulation on Karl Anderson. Butch then twists Anderson’s ear and nose. Anderson gets to the corner to make the tag. A pinning attempt on Butch after a double-team is broken up by Ridge Holland.

We return from a commercial break to Ridge Holland making a “hot” (lukewarm, really) tag to Butch, who takes control for a spell. At this point, the Street Profits enter the ring from nowhere and take out both teams. A serious-looking Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are wearing suit pants and button-up shirts.

On the entranceway, they are greeted by a very proud Bobby Lashley.

** Charlotte Flair hypes her achievements from the deck of a luxury yacht in a pre-taped promo. She will win the WWE Women’s Championship in the SummerSlam triple-threat match with Asuka and Bianca Belair, we are told.

An Oral History of Tribal Combat

Michael Cole explains that Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns is not just for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship but for the title of Tribal Chief. He introduces Paul Heyman, who is already in the ring.

Heyman cannot understand how things got to this point. He says that Roman Reigns never wanted this, and that what happened to Jimmy Uso was Jey’s fault. There will be no remorse or regret after Reigns destroys Jey.

Paul Heyman then throws to a video package explaining that tribal combat has been a Samoan tradition for generations. The package features Rikishi, Afa and Sika, speaking about the significance of the Ula Fala garland. After the video, as Heyman is about to deliver a “spoiler” for SummerSlam, The Usos’ theme plays and Jey comes to the ring.

Jey says he is bringing the culture, the spirit of his ancestors and his family to become the new Tribal Chief.

Solo Sikoa then makes his way to the ring. Jey and Solo face off. Jey addresses him as “little brother” and tells him he doesn’t need to take orders from Reigns or from Heyman. Solo and Heyman argue and Jey delivers a superkick, knocking Sikoa out of the ring. Jey then leaves, setting the stage for the main event later.

US Champion Austin Theory def. Cameron Grimes (non-title match)

We throw to a video package recapping last week’s #1 contender’s match for the United States Championship. Rey Mysterio suffered severe whiplash, Cole tells us, and is “day to day.”

Backstage, Theory says he will retain his championship against Escobar next week on SmackDown and will dedicate his win to Mysterio. He then heads to the ring for a match with Cameron Grimes.

Theory is almost defeated very quickly after being distracted by Escobar coming out to the entranceway. He cannot be pinned as his leg is on the rope. Grimes gets a good showing with a couple of near-falls before Theory gets his act together and wins with the A-Town Down. Escobar attacks Theory after the bell.

** A video of Asuka working out with a punch bag follows. She says she has a plan to retain her WWE Women’s Championship.

The Grayson Waller Effect

After Michael Cole mentions that Kid Rock will open SummerSlam, Grayson Waller welcomes this week’s guests, Ms. Money in the Bank IYO SKY, and Bayley.

Both are wearing ‘Money in the Bank winner’ T-shirts. Waller asks IYO questions but Bayley answers. Bayley nearly runs away after a ghostly “Bayley” call is heard. A laughing Waller says he set it up but then Shotzi’s music hits and the ‘Taking Care of Business’ tank appears. Shaven headed Shotzi, however, appears in the ring and runs Bayley off with hair clippers in hand.

Zelina Vega is revealed to be driving the tank. She will face IYO SKY in a match after a commercial break.

Zelina Vega def. IYO SKY

IYO SKY is dominating the match when we see Bayley and Shotzi fighting on the stage. The distraction is enough for Vega to deliver a powerbomb followed by the Code Red for the win.

**The final WWE Women’s championship package features Bianca Belair showcasing her strength in the gym. She says it will be “KOD, 1,2,3.”

** A rundown of the card for SummerSlam is delivered by Cole and Barrett.

Jey Uso def. Solo Sikoa

Jey Uso is back out for the main event as we go to a commercial break. When we return, Solo Sikoa is making his entrance, followed by Paul Heyman. After a slow start of exchanging holds, Sikoa starts to assert physical dominance. The action spills out of the ring and Solo attempts to slam Jey into the announce table. Jey escapes and builds up speed in the ring before diving through the ropes, slamming Solo into the table to even things up.

After a commercial break, Sikoa has taken control back in the middle of the ring. As the pace picks up again, Solo delivers a chop to the face of his older brother. Sikoa once again is dominating. He has Jey down in the corner but as he runs in for a splash, Jey slips out of the way.

Jey manages to get back some momentum with a cross-body from the top rope, but he only gets a two-count and Sikoa gets back in it. As he goes for the Samoan Spike, Jey dodges, delivers a superkick, then a spear, and finally an Uso Splash for the win.

With the match won, Jey takes a chair to Sikoa, trying to make him less of a factor at SummerSlam. We go off air with Jey Uso standing tall on the announce desk.

Results:

  • LA Knight def. Sheamus
  • The OC vs. The Brawling Brutes — no contest
  • US Champion Austin Theory def. Cameron Grimes (non-title match)
  • Zelina Vega def. IYO SKY
  • Jey Uso def. Solo Sikoa

Announced for next week:

  • United States Championship: Austin Theory (c) vs. Santos Escobar
About Neal Flanagan 791 Articles
Based in Northern Ireland, Neal Flanagan is a former newspaper journalist and copy editor. In addition to reporting for POST Wrestling, he co-hosts The Wellness Policy podcast with Wai Ting and Jordan Goodman.
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