WWE Smackdown Report – 7/28

– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens live from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Wade Barrett.

– We go right to the ring and Mike Rome introduces “Main Event” Jey Uso, who is already in the ring and in your city. The music quickly interrupts and out comes Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman.

The Bloodline stops on the stage to raise their 1s as the pyro goes off. Cole hypes Uso vs. Reigns at WWE SummerSlam for the title and Tribal Chiefdom. Reigns and his crew take their time getting into the ring as Jey looks on. Reigns raises the title to more pyro. Fans chant “Uso!” now. Reigns but then calls on NOLA to acknowledge him. Fans chant “Uso!” again. Reigns says fans like The Usos because of him.

Reigns says Jey must’ve forgot he was appearing tonight, because he opens his own show. Reigns takes credit for Jey’s “Right Hand Man” and “Main Event” nicknames, and goes on about how Jey is out here trying to open the show and be The Tribal Chief. Jey says he wanted none of that, he had Reigns’ back no matter what as his right hand man. Jey goes on and says he believed in Reigns to lead this company and this family, but you broke the family and now I have to do what I have to do.

Jey blames Jimmy Uso’s injury on Reigns but Reigns dismisses this idea. Reigns recalls how Jey was pushed while Jimmy was injured a while back, and says he took that from Jimmy. Reigns goes on and knocks the crowd. Reigns says Jey screwed over his twin brother, and his little brother respects Reigns more than Jey. Reigns says when he beats Jey, he will be done, wiped off the face of the Earth, no longer a part of this history or legacy.

Reigns says if somehow Jey does win, he will no longer be champion or Tribal Chief, but he will always be Roman Reigns and he can do what he wants. Reigns goes on and says Jey will have nobody… Reigns says Jey cannot beat him. Reigns asks what makes Jey think he can win. Jey steps to Roman and they face off. Jey says it’s because… I already beat you. Fans pop as Reigns smirks. Jey says he’s the only one to do it and at SummerSlam… Jey steps closer, then reaches around with his hand on the back of Reigns’ neck. Jey continues, looks Reigns in his eyes, and says he’s going to beat Reigns again. Jey drops the mic as his music starts up. Reigns seethes as Jey exits the ring to a pop.

– Tonight’s Progressive Match Flo looks back at the first Fatal 4 Way in the WWE United States Title Invitational.

Finals of the WWE United States Title Invitational: Santos Escobar vs. Rey Mysterio

We go back to the ring for the finals of the WWE United States Title Invitational as 2023 WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio makes his way out. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Grayson Waller stops Jey Uso backstage. Waller predicts Jey will lose as WWE SummerSlam, then offers to give him the Waller rub. Waller suggests “Little Jey” be a guest on The Grayson Waller Effect. Jey suddenly rocks Waller with a punch, knocking him onto production cases. Jey walks off. We go back to the ring and out comes Santos Escobar. The winner of this match will become the new #1 contender to WWE United States Champion Austin Theory, earning a title shot on an upcoming SmackDown episode. The bell rings and the LWO stablemates have a real show of respect.

Escobar and Mysterio lock up to start, then Escobar grounds Mysterio now as we see Theory watching the match from his own skybox up high in the arena. More back and forth for a few minutes. Things get heated as they trade stiff slaps. Rey goes for 619 but Santos knows what he had planned, so he goes to the floor. Rey then runs the ring and leaps out, taking Escobar down on the floor for a big pop. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and they go at it with Escobar in control. Rey fights back and hits 619, then some of his signature offense. Santos kicks out at 2 as we see Theory looking on. Santos fights back with more offense now.

Fans rally while Theory eats popcorn in the skybox. They’re both slow to get back up again. Santos with a tilt-w-whirl backbreaker but he can’t put Rey away. Santos looks to launch Rey into the corner but Rey counters and unloads with forearms. Rey ends up on Santos’ shoulders, then sends him face-first into the edge of the apron.

Rey ends up running the ring and going for the sliding splash under the bottom rope but he smacks the floor when Santos isn’t there. Santos with a suicide dive now. Theory looks on as Santos gets to his feet first. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and a medic is tending to Mysterio. We get a replay of Santos’ suicide dive from right before the commercial, and they say Rey suffered some sort of injury on the dive. The referee calls the match.

Winner by Referee Stoppage: Santos Escobar

– After the bell, Rey and Santos have a show of respect as they accept the ruling by the referee. Escobar vs. Theory for the title will take place in 2 weeks. Theory raises the title in his skybox as Escobar taunts him back.

– Kayla Braxton is backstage with Bianca Belair. She talks about facing WWE Women’s Champion Asuka and Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam and says while the numbers do not favor anyone in a match like this, she is ready. They’re interrupted by WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green. The champs talk some trash and are upset over how they still have not had a proper celebration for their title win. They are tired of hearing people talk about Belair and Flair, the non-champions. Belair is ready to fight tonight. Flair shows up and calls the champs bullies. Flair wants Belair as her best for SummerSlam… so how about a tag team match tonight? Belair is not interested in working with Flair. Flair says that makes her want to do it even more. Flair is going to talk to Adam Pearce to get the match made. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and Hit Row is in the ring – Top Dolla, B-Fab and Ashante “Thee” Adonis. They’re about to start rapping but have to insult the crowd first. The music hits and out comes LA Knight to a big pop. Knight wants to talk to ya. Yeah. Knight says B-Fab is horny for him, yeah, but it’s business before pleasure and his business is with Adonis. Knight says a lot of people claim to be undeniable and inevitable, but he lives it and tonight, Adonis can be next to get dropped on his head, courtesy The Mega-Star. Fans spell “L-A-K-N-I-G-H-T!” and he says, yeah!

Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs. LA Knight

The bell rings and Ashante “Thee” Adonis nails a cheap shot. Adonis chokes LA Knight on the middle rope now as Top Dolla talks trash.
Fans chant for LA as Adonis drops him on the apron.

Dolla decks LA with a cheap shot while B-Fab distracts the referee. LA kicks out at 2. Adonis charges from the opposite corner but LA moves, then drops Adonis with the inverted neckbreaker. LA knocks Dolla off the apron, then powerslams Adonis. LA plays to the crowd for a pop, then drops his big elbow drop. LA finishes Adonis off with BFT for the pin to win.

Winner: LA Knight

– After the match, Knight stands tall as the music hits. He poses in the corner for a pop as w go to replays. LA continues to pose for the fans to cheers.

– Jey Uso and Adam Pearce are backstage now. Pearce says Grayson Waller has been beating on his door wanting to face Jey. Jey says Waller has been running his mouth, so he will make quick work of him. Uso walks off.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green vs. Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair

We go back to the ring and out comes Charlotte Flair for this tag team match. Flair heads to the ring as the pyro goes off. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and The Street Profits are somewhere having champagne with Bobby Lashley. They thank him for the hospitality. Lashley says last week he talked to WWE NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, and they spoke very highly of The Profits. Lashley says because they are stars, they should be treated like stars, and they should look like stars. The Profits joke about their styles. Lashley says he has something more fitting than their sweatpants. A woman brings in a rack of suits now. The Profits thank Lashley and he says this is on him. We go back to the ring and Bianca Belair is out. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green are out next for this non-title match.

The bell rings as Green starts off with Belair. Belair controls early on but Flair tags herself in, and they have words. Flair dominates now, slamming Green’s face into the mat. Belair mocks Flair. Flair launches Green around, then kips-up for a pop.

More back and forth now. Flair blocks a big boot and kicks Green back. Belair comes in and works Green over, stunning her with a slam. Deville tags in but Belair slams her and hits the handspring moonsault for a close 2 count. Deville unloads on Belair in the corner now. Belair counters with a dropkick and kips-up for a pop.

Deville with a big kick to Belair for a 2 count as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and there’s more back & forth for several minutes. Flair ends up hitting a cartwheel slam, then she flips into a lariat for a close 2 count. Deville tags in as Flair hits a Spear on Green. Flair side-steps Deville and we get a roll-up for 2.

Flair ends up hitting a fall-away slam but the Figure Four is blocked. Belair tags in and unloads on Deville. Green tags in as Belair hits a Spinebuster for 2 as Deville hangs on. They tangle and Green tries for the Unpretty-Her but Flair takes Deville out. Belair gets ready for a KOD to Green but Flair tags in and steals it, hitting a big boot on Green to knock her to the mat. Flair covers for the pin to win.

Winners: Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair

– After the match, Flair and Belair argue as the announcers plug the Triple Threat at SummerSlam.

– Bayley is backstage when IYO SKY walks in. SKY asks why Bayley walked out on her last week. Bayley says she was just trying to make it to valet to help SKY out. Bayley spots something in her luggage from Shotzi, who says she will see them soon. They are spooked and ready to leave but WWE Women’s Champion Asuka walks in to taunt them. Asuka says if SKY is planning a cash-in for SummerSlam, she will regret it. SKY respects Asuka but says no matter who wins at SummerSlam, SKY will be champion. Bayley mand SKY leave as we go to commercial.

– Back from the break and a SummerSlam Battle Royal is announced, featuring RAW and SmackDown Superstars. Adam Pearce is on the phone with someone and says he will have the match line-up figured out by next week. LA Knight walks in and goes on about how he’s not on the SummerSlam card. LA says Pearce needs to right that wrong by putting him in the Battle Royal. The Brawling Brutes interrupt and Sheamus taunts LA. They have words and Pearce books them both in the Battle Royal, and against each other next Friday in a singles match.

– We see what happened earlier with Grayson Waller and Jey Uso. Waller is backstage training now when Cathy Kelley stops him, and asks about provoking Jey earlier. Waller dismisses this idea and says Jey isn’t ready for this, he’s too focused on his other issues with The Bloodline. Waller says Jey will pay tonight because he’s not ready for The Grayson Waller Effect.

Karrion Kross vs. Karl Anderson

We go back to the ring and out comes Karrion Kross with Scarlett. We see last week’s backstage attack to set this match up. Kross and Scarlett pose in the middle of the ring as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Kross waits in the ring as we see The O.C. backstage. Karl Anderson appreciates them always having his back but tonight this is personal and he needs to go at it alone. He thanks them and they all do a show of respect. Anderson heads to the ring now as Mike Rome does the introductions.

The bell rings and Anderson unloads. They fought back & forth for several minutes. Anderson with a big boot and a neckbreaker from the middle rope for a 2 count.

Kross beat Anderson down in the corner, then Scarlett distracted Anderson to allow Kross to deliver a big kick. The finish saw Kross hit a clothesline and a rolling elbow, then the Doomsday Saito suplex. Kross hit the running forearm to the back of the head, then the Final Prayer for the pin to win.

Winner: Karrion Kross

– After the match, Kross stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. The referee raises the arm in victory but Kross snatches his arm back. Kross applies the Kross Jacket while yelling at AJ Styles in the camera. AJ runs out and Kross breaks the hold, going to ringside to stand with Scarlett.

– We see Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa backstage.

Jey Uso vs. Grayson Waller

We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event and out first comes Jey Uso to a big pop. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Grayson Waller is out. They go back & forth, trading counters early on. Waller drops Jey but gets dropkicked. Jey ends up beating Waller down in the corner while talking trash.

Jey with a scoop slam and stomping. Waller turned it around and man-handles Jey some to keep him down. Jey eventually nails the step-up enziguri and more offense. Jey readies for the Rikishi splash but the music of Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns hits. Jey is distracted but there’s no sign of Reigns.

Reigns finally appears with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa. Jey looks on and shakes his head, but then turns around to a big kick from Waller. Reigns looks on while Jey is down and we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Waller is in control while Reigns watches from a chair at the bottom of the ramp, Sikoa and Heyman stand next to him. Jey turns it around with big strikes but Waller counters and springboards with a big elbow for 2.

More back and forth now. Reigns keeps smiling and laughing when Jey takes offense from Waller. Jey rocks Waller but Waller comes right back with a Spinebuster. Waller calls for The Rock’s People’s Elbow but he misses and Jey catches him with a Samoan Drop. They go on and Jey nails a superkick. Jey stares Reigns down, then hits Waller with a big Spear. Jey then goes to the top for the Uso splash for the pin to win.

Winner: Jey Uso

– After the match, Jey stands tall as the music hits but Solo attacks from behind and beats him down. Reigns gives approval for a Samoan Spike but Jey side-steps and superkicks Solo. Reigns rushes in but Jey hits him with a Spear for a big pop. Jey goes to the top for a splash but Solo shoves him off. Solo with the Uranage to Jey. They go on and Reigns hits a Spear on Jey, sending him right into a Samoan Spike by Solo. Reigns talks trash and taunts Jey but the crowd is fully behind Jey. Reigns and Solo respond with another Spear – Spike double team combo. SmackDown goes off the air with Reigns and Sikoa standing tall while Jey is laid out.