Smackdown results: Jade Cargill returns, Dragon Lee joins LWO

March 29, 2024 Jack Wannan NEWS

With just a little over a week left before WWE heads to Philadelphia for Wrestlemania 40, Smackdown took place from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA. The show featured a pair of qualifying matches for the upcoming tag team scramble match, plus the return of Jade Cargill.

Logan Paul interferes, stops Kevin Owens and Randy Orton from winning

The show started by showcasing arrivals from The Bloodline (without Roman Reigns or The Rock), Bianca Belair, and Dakota Kai. We then went to the ring, where Randy Owens and Kevin Owens faced off against Eldon Prince and Kit Wilson of Pretty Deadly. For anyone who didn’t see last week, this match was set up in a backstage segment where Owens challenged Prince and Wilson to a match.

It became clear early on that this match would get a not-insignificant amount of time, as we went into a commercial break after Pretty Deadly started to gain control of the fight.  Orton achieved a hot tag as the match returned from a break, getting Owens into the ring. Owens put together a series of moves against Prince but had a Swanton Bomb blocked. Wilson tried preventing Orton from a tag. Orton left the ring apron and engaged with Wilson, taking him over to the commentary booth for an RKO. Prince left the ring to stop Orton from doing anything to Wilson. Orton fought in a two-on-one situation while Owens was left alone in the ring.

Logan Paul emerged from under the ring while Orton fought Pretty Deadly near the commentary booth. He struck Owens in the head with the brass knuckles, causing him to collapse to the canvas. The referee, who was outside of the ring and paying attention to Orton and Pretty Deadly, did not see this. Prince came into the ring and pinned Owens to win the match.

Orton went under the ring and grabbed Paul after the match. He brought him over to the commentary table, which he had already torn apart for a planned spot on Wilson. While Orton nearly hit a move on Paul, he was stopped once again: Pretty Deadly returned and brought him into the ring. Owens and Orton got their act together and were able to stop themselves from being hurt further. Owens gave Prince a stunner, and Orton hit an RKO. The attention returned to Paul, who was chased backstage by Orton and Owens. Orton kept trailing Paul, but Paul eventually got into a car and drove out of the arena.

Bayley jumps Iyo Sky at a video shoot

The show returned with a video package from IYO SKY. She said that Bayley started Damage CTRL to elevate herself only: “It was never about helping new talent.” She called fans hypocrites for siding with Bayley, and that the group outgrew her. “There was a time when I saw Bayley as my friend and I’ll regret that for the rest of my life,” she said.

Once Sky’s video package concluded, footage was shown of her being attacked by Bayley at that same shoot. Bayley speared Sky through the background set after they brawled for a few moments.

Jade Cargill joins the Smackdown roster

Smackdown manager Nick Aldis introduced the newest member of Smackdown, Jade Cargill.

Cargill, a long-time TBS Champion in AEW, made her WWE in-ring debut two months ago in the women’s Royal Rumble match.

“It’s about damn time,” Cargill said. “Let me make myself crystal clear. We have one of the best female rosters in the world, but they’re not Jade Cargill. They’re not the headline. They are not a once-in-a-lifetime superstar. And let me give you another weather update, the storm has arrived.”

Cargill posed as the segment concluded.

Damage CTRL was interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton. Dakota Kai hyped up her match against Bianca Belair, saying that she would regret sticking her nose in their business.

AJ Styles approached Nick Aldis backstage, asking if LA Knight wouldn’t be allowed at tonight’s show. Aldis said he asked Knight to not show up. “You should have told him,” Styles replied.

Theory and Waller advance to Wrestlemania, The Final Testament attack Street Profits

The first of two qualifying matches for the Wrestlemania 40 tag team championship six-team ladder match saw Austin Theory and Grayson Waller face Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford of The Street Profits.

Dawkins scored a big pounce on Waller just before the break, sending him flying over the commentary desk. Waller and Dawkins continued to fight as the match came back from commercials. Ford got the hot tag against Theory, scoring a standing moonsault for a two count after putting together a few other moves.

Dawkins was tagged in for a double team move. They landed the Blockbuster, but a pin attempt was broken up by Waller. Dawkins hit Theory with a powerbomb, then tagged Ford in. Just as Ford was about to head to the top rope, a video from backstage showed that Karrion Kross attacked Bobby Lashley and B-Fab. Lashley and B-Fab had set up an afterparty for a Dawkins and Ford win. Ford tried for a moonsault afterward, but the delay allowed Theory to put his knees up. Theory then scored a pinfall for the win. The match had a similar length and formula to the opening contest of the night. Theory and Waller will now appear in the upcoming Wrestlemania ladder match.

AOP along with Kross did a run-in on the Street Profits after the match, landing dual powerbombs. Lashley tried to make the save for Ford and Dawkins but was beaten down almost immediately. Kross landed a forearm on the back of Lashley’s head to end the fight. “You understand Bobby? Now nobody goes to Wrestlemania,” he shouted afterward.

Rey Mysterio proposes a new tag match for Wrestlemania 40

Santos Escobar showed up to thank Dominik Mysterio for interfering last week and costing Rey Mysterio a win. “I outsmarted you Rey. All it took was one phone call,” Escobar gloated. He then brought out Dominik.

Dominik tried talking a few times but struggled to speak over the booing crowd. Escobar was interrupted by Rey Mysterio’s music after calling him a deadbeat. Mysterio came out alongside the LWO.

The groups stared each other down in a five-versus-five lineup. Rey mentioned that he thought he was done fighting with Dominik. Rey said that he has the chance to “beat some respect” into both Rey and Escobar. He proposed facing them at Wrestlemania, with Rey being able to pick his opponent.

Dominik questioned “which one of these dorks” would be Rey’s Wrestlemania teammate. Rey said that nobody in the ring would be alongside him. Instead, a new member of LWO would be his tag partner: Dragon Lee.

Lee came out to the ring, and a brawl broke out between the groups right after. Dominik was stopped from doing a 619 onto Rey by Carlito, who threw him out of the ring. Lee did a dive off the top rope to outside of the ring, onto Legado del Fantasmo.

Naomi was seen for a moment offering help to Bianca Belair in tonight’s main event, if needed. Dominik returned came backstage to talk with the Judgement Day. The group felt betrayed because Dominik didn’t tell them that he would be in the ring for that segment. 

New Catch Republic secures final six-pack Wrestlemania match spot

Back in the ring, Berto and Angel faced off Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate of the New Catch Republic in the second of two six-pack ladder match qualifiers on this card. The New Catch Republic had an advantage, since Berto and Angel already sustained damage in the brawl.

The match had already started by the time WWE cut over to it. Bate kicked out after getting hit with a powerbomb and then absording a springboard moonsault from Angel. Legado del Fantasma hit a double press slam off the second rope, although Dunne was able to break up the pin. Angel tried for a powerbomb after, although Bate escaped. The New Catch Republic landed a double Tyler Driver to win the match in just over seven minutes.

The win made The New Catch Republic the sixth and final team booked for the tag team title ladder match. They’re joining The Awesome Truth, The Judgement Day, #DIY, The New Day, and Waller & Theory.

LA Knight was at Smackdown after all

In a backstage segment, Solo Sikoa said that he will face Jey Uso next week “by orders from the Tribal Chief.” Jimmy says that Jey won’t be able to face him at Wrestlemania after the match.

AJ Styles made an appearance in the ring for the next segment. He promised to expose LA Knight at Wrestlemania. He mentioned that he believed Knight was at Smackdown this week, even if Nick Aldis said he asked him not to show up.

Security stopped a man in a hoodie from getting into the ring. Styles was convinced it would be Knight, but it just ended up being an extra. “Are we done with the games?” Styles asked. As he said this, Knight appeared in the background dressed up as a WWE security guard. He attacked Styles, bringing him into the ring for a brawl.

Knight tried to hit Styles with a chair, but Styles was able to flee the scene. Knight grabbed a microphone and got on top of the commentary booth. “AJ, you talk about ‘I’m trash.’ You’ve got to be the biggest piece of human garbage I’ve ever seen.” Knight said his catchphrase before the segment concluded.

A video package aired promoting Tiffany Stratton. Her last in-ring appearance was on the March 8 episode of Smackdown, beating Michin in two-and-a-half minutes.

What seemed like the entire lineup for next week’s Smackdown was announced before the main event. The KO Show, hosted by Kevin Owens, will have Randy Orton as a guest. Zelina Vega will face Elektra Lopez, New Catch Republic will meet Waller & Theory, and Jey Uso is booked to face Solo Sikoa. The annual Andre The Giant Battle Royal will also take place.

Bianca Belair wins, Cargill makes save against Damage CTRL

Smackdown concluded with a singles match between Bianca Belair and Dakota Kai.

The match started with a fast pace. Belair tried for a modified Three Amigos but was stopped near the end. Kai’s counter sent Belair outside of the ring as the match went to a commercial break. WWE tried a different camerashot as the match came back, with a single shot going all around the outside of the ring before showing the match from a corner for roughly a minute. It’s rare to go to long without a single camera cut.

There was a solid back-and-forth sequence around eight minutes into the match, ending with Kai whiffing on a knee strike and instead hitting a ringpost. Belair landed a deadlift suplex off the second rope, then speared Kai. Belair then connected with the KOD for the win, but was jumped by Kairi Sane and Asuka right after. The way they ran in made it seem like they were attempting to break the pin of the match, although it was hard to tell.

Naomi ran in and made the save for Belair. It became a three-on-two situation once Kai recovered from the KOD. While it looked like the night would end with Damage CTRL on top, the brawl ended after Jade Cargill’s music hit. Cargill beat up the three members of Damage CTRL one by one, then had a star down with Asuka as the shome cam to an end.

Quick results

  1. Pretty Deadly (Eldon Prince and Kit Wilson) def. Kevin Owens & Randy Orton (7:03)
  2. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory def. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) (WWE Tag Team Championships #1 Contendership Qualifying Match) (6:25)
  3. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate) def. Legado del Fantasma (Angel & Berto) (WWE Tag Team Championships #1 Contendership Qualifying Match) (7:18)
  4. Bianca Belair def. Dakota Kai (9:21)
About Jack Wannan 182 Articles
Jack Wannan is a journalist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He writes and reports on professional wrestling, along with other topics like MMA, boxing, music, local news, and more. He graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He can be reached at [email protected]
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