WWE SmackDown live results: IC title tournament continues

The build to Backlash continues as SmackDown takes place from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida tonight.

The Intercontinental Championship tournament also continues with the final two first round matches taking place on tonight’s show. Jeff Hardy takes on Sheamus in a first round match. The winner will advance to take on Daniel Bryan in the next round.

Raw’s AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura is tonight’s other IC title tournament match. WWE said last week that Styles decided to participate in the tournament since he’s never won the Intercontinental title. The winner of this match takes on Elias in the semifinals. 

A non-title champion vs. champion match is set for tonight, with SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley facing NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. Flair returned to SmackDown last week because of the brand-to-brand invitation. Bayley and Sasha Banks confronted Flair but continue to tease problems.  

Plus, Mandy Rose & Otis take on Sonya Deville & Dolph Ziggler in a mixed tag team match. Last week, Otis teased cashing in his MITB briefcase on Universal Champion Braun Strowman after Rose caused a distraction.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time

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They showed a video honoring veterans for Memorial Day weekend. 

The Dirt Sheet

The Miz and John Morrison were already in the ring. Miz was furious that Otis is Mr. Money In The Bank.

Miz was mad that Universal Champion Braun Strowman tagged with Otis last week. They showed footage of Otis winning MITB. Morrison threw in a line mocking Becky Lynch for having a child with Seth Rollins. 

Morrison pointed out that Bray Wyatt kicked Strowman out of The Wyatt Family and replaced him with puppets. Miz and Morrison than showed a series of rejected Firefly Funhouse puppets. The puppets made an overwhelming amount of fart jokes. 

Braun Strowman interrupted and made his way to the ring. He said they’re pretty funny and their show is good. Strowman told them to ask him about Bray Wyatt and his puppets. Miz noted he dealt with Wyatt, and it nearly destroyed him.

Luckily, Miz had Morrison to help him. Morrison got in Strowman’s face and said Miz could beat him. He pointed out that Miz might not be as big or strong as Strowman, but he can still win. 

Miz tried to stop Morrison from talking, but Strowman took that as a challenge. He demanded a referee come down to the ring. Miz wasn’t happy about the match. Miz and Morrison had some funny moments, but the puppets dragged the segment down. 

Universal Champion Braun Strowman defeated The Miz (w/John Morrison) 

Miz had a brief flurry of offense, but Strowman quickly took over. He rocked Miz with a shoulder tackle and a big knee. Strowman charged at Miz, but he dropped down, and Strowman fell over the top rope. 

Morrison leaped off the barricade and rocked Strowman with a kick to the side of the head. Strowman tried to fight back but ran into the ring post. Miz had the advantage, but Strowman kept fighting back. 

Strowman made a comeback and tossed Miz across the ring. Strowman then hit the running power slam for the win. 

After the match, Morrison challenged Strowman to take on Miz and Morrison at Backlash for the Universal title. Strowman laughed and agreed to the match. This was a fine opening match but didn’t do a great job building anticipation for the Backlash match. 

Intercontinental Championship Tournament: A.J. Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura 

As Styles made his way to the ring, Michael Cole announced that Styles is officially part of the SmackDown brand after being traded for superstars to be named later. 

Styles and Nakamura had a good hard-hitting match. They started slowly by trading headlocks. 

Nakamura attacked the knee and charged at Styles.

Styles did a leapfrog and dropped down. Styles then leaped up and hit a huge dropkick. 

Nakamura and Styles traded forearm strikes in the middle of the ring. Styles hit an enziguri, but Nakamura recovered and hit a sliding German suplex.  

Back from the break, Styles and Nakamura traded strikes in the center of the ring. Styles rocked Nakamura with a Pele kick to regain control. Nakamura backed Styles in the corner. Styles fought back and locked on the calf crusher, but Nakamura made it to the ropes. 

Styles hit a hard foreman for a near fall. Nakamura fought back and hit the Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Nakamura set up for the Kinshasa, but Styles rolled him up for a near fall.

Nakamura countered into the triangle, but Styles reversed into a modified Styles Clash for a close near fall. Styles attempted the Phenomenal Forearm, but Nakamura cut him off. Styles fought back and hit the Phenomenal Forearm for the win. 

Styles advances in the I.C. title tournament and takes on Elias in the semi-finals. 

They recapped SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and Sasha Banks confronting Charlotte Flair last week.

In the back, Bayley and Banks were getting ready for her match against Flair. Banks had a plan, but Bayley cut her off. Bayley wants to do it herself without Bank’s help. She told Banks to stay in the back. 

SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defeated NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair in a non-title match

Bayley and Flair had a good match, but it dragged at times and picked up towards the end. Flair had the early advantage and rocked Bayley with hard chops in the corner. Bayley fought back and scored a near fall. 

Sasha Banks watched the match in the back. 

Bayley reversed a waist lock, but Flair nailed her with a back elbow. Bayley rolled up Flair and put her feet on the ropes. The referee caught her. Flair then did the same thing but didn’t get caught. 

They fought around ringside. Flair tossed Bayley over the barricade. She grabbed Michael Cole’s headset and demanded Banks come down to ringside. 

Back from the break, Flair was firmly in control with a chin lock. Flair tried to drag Bayley out of the ring, but Bayley kicked Flair into the ring post. 

Bayley took back over and applied a chin lock on Flair. Flair fought out, but Bayley cut her off. Bayley attempted a flying crossbody, but Flair caught her and hit a fallaway slam. 

Flair dropped Bayley on her knee and then drove her headfirst into the second turnbuckle.

Flair missed moonsault but rocked Bayley with a boot for a near fall.

Bayley recovered and attempted the flying elbow. Flair got her knees up and applied the Boston crab. 

Bayley rolled up Flair for a near fall and then sent her face-first into the second turnbuckle. Bayley hit the flying elbow for a very close near fall. 

Bayley rocked Flair with hard chops, but Flair laughed and asked for more. Bayley attempted the figure four leg lock, but Flair rocked Bayley with a right hand.

Flair then destroyed Bayley with a series of hard chops. Flair tried to roll up Bayley, but Bayley reversed and held onto the ropes for the win. 

In the back, Bayley and Sasha Banks celebrated her victory. Bayley noted Banks didn’t think she could win without Banks’ help. Bayley laughed and said she’s just joking. 

Sonya Deville & Dolph Ziggler defeated Otis & Mandy Rose

This was a decent mixed tag team match but probably would have done better in front of fans. Rose and Deville teased starting the match, but Otis demanded to begin with Ziggler. 

Otis was firmly in control and hit a spinning slam. He followed up with a big splash in the corner. 

Deville backed Rose in the corner, but Rose fired back. Ziggler pulled Otis off the apron. Otis tried to power slam Ziggler, but Ziggler slipped out the back and pushed him into the steps.

Rose jumped out of the ring to check on Otis. 

Back from the break, Deville was firmly in control. During the break, the referee almost counted Rose out because she was checking on Otis. Otis implored her to get back in the ring. 

Deville slowed the pace down with a chin lock. Deville rocked Rose with a series of stiff kicks to the chest. Rose fought back and nailed Deville with a jumping knee. 

Otis got the hot tag and ran wild on Ziggler. Otis lifted Ziggler in the air and slammed him down. Otis then hit a big splash in the corner and attempted the caterpillar, but Deville tagged back in. 

Rose and Deville picked up the pace. Rose hit a running knee for a near fall.

Otis and Ziggler fought around ringside. Deville fought back and hit a running knee to the back on Rose’s head for the win. 

After the match, Otis was checking on Rose when Ziggler hit a superkick on Otis. 

In the back, Jeff Hardy promised to defeat Sheamus in the final first-round Intercontinental championship tournament match.

They showed an In Memorium for Shad Gaspard. 

The Forgotten Sons did a promo in the back.  

Universal Champion Braun Strowman versus The Miz & Morrison is official for Backlash. 

Renee Young interviewed The Miz and Morrison in the back. Miz and Morrison promised to defeat Strowman at Backlash. 

They recapped the Sheamus and Jeff Hardy feud. 

Intercontinental Championship Tournament: Jeff Hardy defeated Sheamus 

The match had a slow pace and dragged at times. The story of the match was Sheamus dominated Hardy and was firmly in control but couldn’t put Hardy away.

Sheamus had the early advantage and rocked Hardy with shots to the top of the head. Hardy tried to fight back, but Sheamus took over with a back elbow. 

Hardy recovered and backdropped Sheamus to the floor. Hardy followed up with a sliding dropkick, which sent Sheamus into the announce table. 

Hardy attempted a crossbody off the apron, but Sheamus caught him. Sheamus rammed Hardy into the ring post and then dropped him onto the announce table.

Back from the break, Sheamus was firmly in control with a chin lock. Hardy tried fighting back, but Sheamus cut him off. He followed up with a big knee. 

Hardy fought back and hit the whisper in the wind for a one-count

Hardy tried fighting back, but Sheamus cut him off with a knee to the gut. Sheamus hit a series of Irish curse backbreakers. He followed up with forearm strikes to the chest. 

Sheamus missed a charge in the corner and went shoulder-first into the ring post. Hardy made a comeback and hit a basement dropkick for a near fall. Hardy attempted the Swanton Bomb, but Sheamus got the knees up for a near fall. 

Sheamus rocked Hardy with a knee lift for another near fall. Sheamus attempted the Brogue Kick, but Hardy avoided and rolled up Sheamus for the win. 

Jeff Hardy advances in the I.C. title tournament and takes on Daniel Bryan in the semi-finals. 

Next Week: A.J. Styles takes on Elias, and Daniel Bryan goes one-on-one with Jeff Hardy in the semi-finals of the Intercontinental Championship tournament.