WWE SmackDown live results: Money in the Bank go-home show

On the eve of Money in the Bank, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns returns to SmackDown for the first time since being superkicked by The Usos two weeks ago.

Reigns will team with Solo Sikoa on Saturday against Jimmy & Jey Uso in what’s being billed as the Bloodline Civil War.

Also slated for tonight are two title matches. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens defend against Pretty Deadly, while Asuka defends her WWE Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair.

Also on tonight’s show: Logan Paul appears on The Grayson Waller Effect, Bayley puts her Money in the Bank spot on the line against Shotzi, LA Knight, Santos Escobar & Butch collide in a triple threat match, and Ridge Holland faces Austin Theory. If Holland wins, he’ll be in contention for a shot at Theory’s United States title.

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

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– The show opened with a graphic remembering Droz, who died Friday. 

– Michael Cole welcomed everyone in to open the show. We then got a recap of the what happened with the Bloodline two weeks ago. Wade Barrett and Cole ran down the card for the evening. 

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn defeated Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) [11:07]

This was a very fun opener that was taken to a higher level thanks to the hot London crowd, which was both welcome and expected. It still feels like Zayn & Owens don’t have any legitimate contenders to take the tag straps off them, but we’ll see how the rest of the summer plays out. Owens selling his leg was interesting and I wonder if that means he’ll be selling it moving forward and it will put the team’s matches in doubt. For now, these four worked really well together and Pretty Deadly have come a long way in a short amount of time on WWE’s main roster.

Zayn and Wilson started the match with Zayn getting the best of things at first before Wilson worked a side head-lock. Zayn came right back with an arm-drag and took back control. Prince got in a cheap shot on Zayn, which gave Wilson control. Prince tagged in and took Zayn to the outside, where Prince slammed Zayn off the commentary table. The show then went to a commercial break. 

Back from break, Wilson covered Zayn for a two-count. Wilson worked a side head-lock on Zayn. Prince tagged in, but Zayn almost instantly got the hot tag to Owens, who came in and stomped Prince. The action spilled to the outside and Owens landed clotheslines on both members of Pretty Deadly. Back in the ring, Owens hit a cannonball on Prince. Owens went to the top and landed a Swanton and pinned Prince until Wilson broke it up. 

Owens went for a Stunner, but Prince pushed Owens away and Owens was selling a leg injury. Prince worked Owens’s leg and Wilson tagged in to land a Dirty Martini for a two-count. Prince tagged in and landed a double-team move for a two-count. Zayn broke up the pin and Owens suplexed Prince to get the hot tag to Zayn, who landed a Blue Thunder Bomb on Wilson for a two-count. Wilson was the recipient of an Exploder and a Helluva Kick and Zayn pinned Wilson for the win.

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– Adam Pearce was talking backstage until Sheamus interrupted him. Ridge Holland spoke up and Pearce told Holland he can face Austin Theory later tonight. If Holland wins, he’ll get a shot at the U.S. Title. Austin Theory’s music then hit and we went back to the ring. 

Austin Theory defeated Ridge Holland [2:56]

The story here was Holland had a bad throat and Theory’s dropkick hit Holland in the throat for a win. But … three minutes? Really? The finish felt like it came out of nowhere and it was even more bizarre considering how hot the crowd was for Holland and the Brutes. So the match was fine for what it was, but it didn’t last long enough to leave much of an impression.

The two locked up to begin the match. Holland had control early. Holland landed a long-stalling suplex for a one-count. Theory got control with a kick to Holland’s leg. Holland fired up and hit a series of suplexes on Theory. Eventually, Theory found his way onto the apron and that led to Theory hitting a roll-through dropkick for the win.

After the match, Theory attacked Holland until Sheamus ran out for the save. 

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– A Karrion Kross vignette aired with Kross calling AJ Styles out. Kross said he beat Styles in only three moves. Kross said next week will be checkmate for Styles. 

– A video recapping the Bloodline saga aired. 

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Bayley defeated Shotzi to keep her spot in the Money In The Bank match [3:31]

In a weird way, it was easy to think this could go either way because SKY was the one to accept the challenge for Bayley, but in hindsight, of course Bayley was going to keep her spot in the MITB match because my guess is we see the implosion of Damage CTRL Saturday afternoon. Still, Shotzi didn’t look like she might suffer a catastrophic injury here, so that’s a win all around. 

Shotzi had control early. Bayley rolled to the outside and Shotzi dove to the outside, taking out IYO SKY, who accompanied Bayley. Back in the ring, Bayley it a Bayley-to-Belly for a two-count. Shotzi hit a DDT as the crowd, two minutes into the match, was still doing the Bayley chant. Shotzi hit a step-up enziguri. Shotzi tweaked her knee while doing it and Bayley came back with a roll up and a two-count. Shotzi hit a reverse bulldog and went for a pin, but SKY put Bayley’s foot on the rope for the break. Bayley then landed the Rose Plant for the win.

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– Shotzi confronted Bayley backstage after a commercial break and Bayley, along with SKY, suplexed Shotzi onto a table before cutting Shotzi’s hair. 

The Grayson Waller Effect with Logan Paul

The crowd booed both guys to begin the segment. Paul said his dreams won’t end until the WWE Champion is “gold around my belt.” So, there’s that. Paul said he might not even ever cash in the briefcase if he wins it and almost instantly, LA Knight’s music hit. Knight received a massive pop had a microphone in his hand. Knight said Paul was given a lot while wasn’t given anything. Knight said Paul was standing in his ring. Paul was booed as soon as he started talking. Paul made fun of Knight for wrestling for 20 years in a lackluster career. Paul told the crowd they were drunk and to go home after they chanted for LA Knight. 

Santos Escobar’s music hit and Escobar came to the ring in an LWO shirt (London World Order). Escobar said they have to get one thing straight, there’s going to be two MITB winners in the LWO. Butch’s music hit and Butch ran to the ring and took out Paul. Paul and Butch fought over the commentary table as the show went to break. 

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Butch defeated LA Knight and Santos Escobar [3:34 of TV time]

This was fine enough, but I have no idea how long the actual match was because it started during the break. As such, this was a triple threat that had a lot of potential on paper, but it was clear this was only going to be used to set up the MITB match. That in mind, it worked. Knight is so gosh darn over that if he doesn’t go over at MITB, I think London burns. Probably not. But, really. At some point, the WWE decision-makers are going to have to take notice and it feels like the most obvious time is Saturday in London.

The match started during the commercial break, and when the show came back, Knight hit a DDT on Escobar as the crowd went nuts for him again. Butch landed a German Suplex on Escobar before Knight hit a wild back suplex on Butch for a two-count. Escobar landed a running knee on Knight. Eventually, Knight hit his leaping elbow for a two-count on Escobar. Knight went to the outside to jaw with Paul. Escobar took out Paul and hit Knight with a knee. Escobar went to the top, but ran into a bunch from Butch. Butch hit the Bitter End for the win.

After the match, Butch set up a ladder, but Knight cut Butch off. Then Paul cut Knight off. Then Butch cut Paul off. Butch then climbed up and grabbed the MITB briefcase to pose for the crowd. 

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– AJ Styles spoke backstage. Styles accepted Kross’s challenge from earlier in the show.

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Charlotte defeated Asuka via DQ [7:32]

Ehhh. I want more from these two. You had to know we wouldn’t get a clean finish, but the match itself wasn’t much to write home about. I’m a huge fan of Asuka’s work and while Charlotte seems to be hit or miss, she always seems to show up for Asuka. Throwing a nothing-happening match like this out there is at least a tiny bit disappointing. This must mean we’re working toward a triple threat at SummerSlam between Belair, Asuka and Charlotte for the WWE Women’s Championship. That’s fine. But on our way there, it’d be great if these one-on-one matches ceased. It’s a waste of talent. 

Bianca Belair was sitting in the front row with a ticket. The two opened by exchanging strikes. Charlotte tried to pin Asuka a few times, but Asuka was under the ropes. Charlotte hit Asuka in the face with a kick, but Asuka came back with a BackStabber before the show went to a commercial break. 

Back from break, Asuka went for the arm bar, but Charlotte got out of it. Asuka rolled up Charlotte for a two-count. Charlotte landed a spear, which was enough for a two-count. Asuka went to the outside and Charlotte climbed to the top rope. Charlotte went for the moonsault from the top and just barely nicked Asuka on the way down, but Asuka sold it. Charlotte hit some chops and tried a boot, but Asuka moved and Charlotte hit Belair, who was in the crowd. Belair regrouped and jumped the rail to attack Asuka and end the match. 

After the match, Belair attacked Charlotte and laid her out. Belair hit the KOD on Asuka, slamming her onto the commentary table, but the table didn’t break. Because of that, Belair did the same with Charlotte and the table still didn’t break. Belair stood tall to end the segment. 

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The Bloodline Segment

After stalling, Paul Heyman gave Roman Reigns a microphone. Reigns told London to acknowledge him. Reigns said it’s been a long time. Reigns said for two years, he’s allowed his cousins to say “We the ones.” Roman said the truth is they ain’t the ones and only Roman is the one. Roman reiterated he is the head of table. Roman said a family that “betrays you sucks.” Roman talked about giving the Usos a second chance, and he said he will give the Usos an infinite amount of chances. All the Usos have to do, he said, is come out and apologize and move on. 

On cue, the Usos’s music hit. Jimmy said they are past apologizing. Jimmy said that now it’s about consequences. Jey said once Roman loses, Roman will be the only one out. Jey said Roman won’t be the Tribal Chief anymore after he loses. Jey and Jimmy said they both don’t want to be Tribal Chief. The Usos said they got someone in mind and the crowd chanted Solo. Roman and Solo had a stare down. Roman told everyone to shut up and the Usos laughed. Jey climbed onto the apron. Roman jawed at Jey. Jey face-palmed Roman and Jimmy super-kicked Roman. The four brawled. Security ran down to break it up and Roman hit Jey with a Super Punch. Roman beat up security … but then Jey hit a splash over the top rope onto Roman and the group to close the show.