WWE SmackDown live results: World title tournament continues

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will make his return to SmackDown in Knoxville, Tennessee, in his first appearance since the night after WrestleMania edition of Raw.

Tonight’s show will feature two triple threat matches in the WWE World Heavyweight title tournament.

In one, it will be Edge vs. AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio. This will be Styles’ first match since breaking his ankle at a late-December house show. In the other, WWE United States Champion Austin Theory will face Sheamus and Bobby Lashley.

The winners of each match will square off later in the night to determine who faces Seth Rollins at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia later this month to crown the new champion.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez will defend their gold against Bayley & Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL following the challengers’ non-title win over the champions last week.

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– Michael Cole welcomed everyone in, saying we are on the road to crowning the World Heavyweight Champion. Cole and Wade Barrett mentioned that Roman Reigns was going to appear later and Edge’s music hit. We went right into the first match because the Styles and Mysterio entrances were not televised. 

AJ Styles defeated Edge and Rey Mysterio Jr. [16:13]

Styles got the win in one of the better opening matches on WWE television in recent memory. I was surprised to see how long this went, but the guys worked really hard despite a few clunky moments. With Edge cutting that social media promo earlier in the week, they had me wondering who might come out on top, which is a rarity in WWE. The match held its own in that it followed up said promo with a worthy pay-off. Add in a few interesting, creative double-team moves and you had a very good first half-hour of wrestling TV. 

Mysterio and Styles tried to team up on Edge to begin the match, but Edge came right back with some stiff shots to both opponents. There were a series of three-person team moves that didn’t work great before Edge landed a reverse DDT on Styles for a two-count. Styles eventually regained control with a forearm to Edge and a tilt-a-whirl back-breaker to Mysterio. 

Mysterio got his turn to take control and went for a splash on Edge, who caught Mysterio for a fallaway slam. Edge went for a spear, but Styles and Mysterio caught Edge with a double boot. Mysterio landed a Canadian Destroyer on Edge for a nice early match near-fall. With Edge and Mysterio on the outside, Styles took both out and we went to our first break. 

When we returned, Styles had Mysterio lifted on the apron, but Mysterio fought out of it. Edge came through the middle rope and speared them both to the floor, inspiring the crowd to chant “Holy s—.” Mysterio and Edge rolled into the ring and Mysterio got a two-count. Edge got up and stomped on Mysterio before Styles threw Edge to the outside. Inside, Styles worked a calf-crusher on Mysterio, but Edge added a cross-face on Mysterio as well. The spot ended with a series of headbutts between Styles and Edge. 

Styles and Edge traded blows until Mysterio set both guys up for a 619, but Mysterio ran into a double-dropkick from Styles and Edge, who then double-clotheslined each other. Edge ran Styles into the middle turnbuckle and went to the top, but Mysterio cut Edge off. Styles broke it up via a powerbomb on Mysterio for a two-count. Styles went for Edge and Styles was joined by Mysterio, who landed a sunset flip on Styles, who super-plexed Edge, for a good two-count.

Mysterio set up Edge for a 619, but Styles cut Mysterio off. From there, Mysterio went for another 619, but Edge countered into Edge-ucator on Mysterio. Edge did the same to Styles, but Styles made it to the ropes for a break. Mysterio then came back for another 619 attempt on Edge. Mysterio went for something on Edge, but something was miscommunicated and nothing quite happened. From there, Styles hit the Phenomenal Forearm on Edge and got the pin. 

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– Michael Cole recapped The Usos/Sami Zayn/Kevin Owens storyline and Sheamus made his entrance for the second WWE World Heavyweight title tournament match. 

Bobby Lashley defeated Austin Theory and Sheamus [13:00]

It felt like a surprising win for Lashley because Theory was the only traditional heel in the match and a babyface won the other tournament match of the night, but so it goes. Lashley was bleeding pretty heavily, and it made me wonder if they went home early because of it, but kudos to Lashley for working through it. That’s two matches in the first 45 minutes of SmackDown, which is/was always welcome. All three involved worked hard here as well, but the first match packed more of a punch for reasons I can’t quite articulate. It was nice to see a couple surprise winners for these matches, though. 

Austin Theory went to the outside after the bell rang, but Lashley and Sheamus chased him, pounded on him and threw him back inside the ring. Lashley clotheslined Theory to the outside and worked over Sheamus until Sheamus landed a slam on Lashley for a one-count. Sheamus set up Lashley for 10 Beats, but Theory broke it up, only to then be the victim himself of 10 Beats. From there, we went to break. 

Back from commercial, Lashley was beating up Theory on the outside. Lashley ran Theory into a ring post and returned to the ring to stare down Sheamus. Lashley and Sheamus brawled. With Sheamus went to the top and went for an elbow, but Lashley caught him and threw him before going for the Hurt Lock until Theory broke up the attempt with a dropkick. Theory hit a Blockbuster on Lashley for a two-count. 

Theory stomped a mud hole in Sheamus and clotheslined Lashley over the top rope. Theory ran Lashley into the ring steps. Theory went for a rolling DDT, but Sheamus countered with the Irish Curse. Sheamus hit a series of clotheslines on Theory and hit a middle-rope White Noise for a two-count on Theory. Sheamus lifted Theory, but Theory rolled through for a two-count. Sheamus came right back with a knee to Theory’s head. 

Sheamus riled up the crowd, but ran into a spear from Lashley. Theory threw Lashley into the ring post and tried a cover on Sheamus for a two-count. Theory went for A-Town Down, but Lashley, who was bleeding heavily from his head, went for the hurt lock. Sheamus broke up with with a Brogue Kick and Lashley threw Sheamus out of the ring and covered Theory himself for the win. 

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– Adam Pearce was shown on the phone backstage, but he was interrupted by Grayson Waller, who said the winner of Styles/Lashley should appear on the Grayson Waller Effect next week. Pearce obliged. We went back to the ring and Baron Corbin was already in the ring as Cameron Grimes made his entrance. 

Cameron Grimes defeated Baron Corbin [0:06]

There wasn’t much to this, but I’m happy to see Grimes not get buried right away. We didn’t see too much from him during his last months on NXT, so here’s hoping he gets some love on the main roster. Poor Corbin. At least he still has Paris. 

Before the bell rang, Corbin introduced Grimes as the last pick in the draft. Corbin said Grimes had guts and in two minutes, Grimes would be on his way back to NXT. Grimes hit the Cave-In as soon as the bell rang for the win.

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– We received a video package recapping the Cody Rhodes/Brock Lesnar feud. 

– Roman Reigns’s music hit and Knoxville loved them some Roman Reigns. Reigns was accompanied by the entire Bloodline. Reigns stood in the ring and soaked in a crowd that didn’t not like him. When Reigns asked Knoxville to acknowledge him, the crowd so. Reigns said greatness garners respect. Reigns said there’s only one royal family in the wrestling business and it’s the family in the ring. The crowd gave Reigns the “What?” treatment. 

Reigns said Solo Sikoa stepped up at Backlash. Reigns said there was initial concern with taking Sikoa on the road because it was sink or swim for Sikoa, but Sikoa proved he swims like a shark. The crowd broke into a “Sami!” chant. Reigns said Sami and Kevin Owens aren’t the problem, but there is a problem. Roman said the problem was Sikoa’s brothers. Sikoa nodded. 

Reigns confronted the Usos, asking them if they thought they weren’t going to talk about them losing at WrestleMania. Reigns called the Usos out for dedicating a tag-team match to Reigns and then losing. Reigns said they disrespected the family bloodline. Reigns said the Usos embarrassed him. Reigns demanded an apology from the Usos. The crowd chanted “No!” Daniel Bryan style. Reigns palm-faced Jimmy Uso. Jey got in the way of a confrontation and apologized. He said if they get one more shot, they’ll bring the titles back to the Bloodline. 

Reigns called on Paul Heyman to make an announcement. Heyman said there will be a tag title match at Night Of Champions when Owens and Zayn face Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns. Reigns said he will dedicated the match to Afa and Sika, the greatest tag-team of all time. Reigns and Sikoa left the ring as the Usos stood in the ring, looking concerned. 

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– Kayla Braxton welcomed in Damage CTRL for an interview backstage. Bayley said she and Roman have so much in common, being Grand Slam champions and exceptional leaders. Bayley told Iyo not to worry about her loss at Backlash because maybe Iyo wasn’t ready yet. Bayley told Kayla to tell Roman that SmackDown belongs to Damage CTRL. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez’s music hit and we went back to the ring for the women’s tag title match. Before the match began, we got a Backlash recap video. From there, the Usos confronted the LWO backstage. The Usos mean-mugged them and walked away.

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defeated Bayley and Dakota Kai [8:09]

Liv and Raquel won in a match longer than expected, but a fine match nonetheless. The miscommunication between Damage CTRL continues, but for me, it’s veering on the verge of overstaying its welcome. Maybe I’m wrong, but Bayley felt like a top-tier star in WWE not all that long ago, but since she came back, this faction hasn’t worked as well as anyone thought it would. It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just time for all three to move on. As for Liv and Raquel … it’s hard to buy into them being long-term champs, but perhaps that’s part of the charm. Let’s hope they’re in line for a meaningful program. 

Rodriguez worked over Dakota Kai to begin the match. Morgan tagged in and threw Rodriguez into Kai. Morgan covered Kai for a two-count. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn were shown watching the match on a TV backstage. Kai came back with a punch to Morgan and tagged in Bayley. Morgan rolled up Bayley for a two-count. Bayley eventually pinned Morgan for a two-count after her and Kai worked Morgan over. Then, we got a break. 

We returned to action and Rodriguez received the hot tag from Morgan. Rodriguez hit a fallaway slam on Kai. Rodriguez took out both Kai and Bayley. Morgan tagged in and was promptly thrown into the challengers multiple times. The ring cleared out for Bayley and Morgan. Kai got a blind tag in and kicked Morgan in the head. Bayley held Morgan and Kai landed a double-knees to Morgan. Kai went for the pin, but Rodriguez broke it up at the last second. Bayley tagged in and told Sky to give Bayley one of the titles. Rodriguez stopped the exchange and as a result, Morgan rolled up Bayley for the win. 

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– Backstage, the Brawling Brutes were talking and then interrupted by Pretty Deadly. The Brutes didn’t take kindly to it. Sheamus then went out for a pint. The crew was shown setting up the ring for Bianca Belair’s championship celebration. 

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– Bianca Belair made her entrance to a nice hometown pop. Her family was in the front row. Before the celebration could really kick off, Asuka’s music hit and Asuka hurriedly got to the ring. Asuka extended a hand and the two shook hands until Asuka spit mist into Belair’s face. Belair sold the hell out of it. We went backstage to see AJ Styles warming up for the main event. 

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– Belair was flipping out backstage in the trainer’s room as the show returned from commercial. 

– Next week, Owens and Zayn will meet Reigns and Sikoa face to face. Mysterio and Santos Escobar will go up against the Usos. Also up for next week is the Brawling Brutes vs. Pretty Deadly. This is on top of the Grayson Waller Effect, which will feature the winner of Lashley vs. Styles. 

AJ Styles defeated Bobby Lashley [12:03]

Styles won in a match where both guys slowed down considerably from their first match of the night. That’s not shade. That’s just that. You have to feel for Lashley, who had his head busted open twice in one night to ultimately not even get to the finals of this tournament. Styles vs. Rollins should be very good-to-great when it comes to in-ring work. Here’s hoping they get the time to do it. This match, meanwhile, wasn’t ever in doubt much because Styles vs. Rollins was always going to be the best match WWE could get out of the finals of this tournament. Maybe? Hopefully?

The two locked up to begin the best match TNA never saw in 2009 (or maybe it did?). They felt each other out as Barrett played up the fact that Lashley lost a bunch of blood in his first match of the night. Styles went for a chop, but Lashley stopped him with some elbows and a boot to the face. Lashley threw Styles over the top rope as the action spilled outside. Lashley ran Styles into the apron before running Styles into a ring post. We got a commercial break after that. 

Returning from break, Lashley had control, but Styles quickly came back with a handful of kicks to Lashley’s legs. Lashley immediately got back the upper hand until Styles rolled Lashley into a calf crusher. Lashley worked out of it, but Styles kept control with some right hands and a DDT for a two-count. Lashley’s head was busted open again. Styles responded with punches to Lashley’s head. Styles lifted Lashley, but Lashley countered into a suplex for a two-count. 

Styles came back with a sliding punch, but Lashley went for the Hurt Lock and locked it in (pun intended) until Styles got to the ropes for a break. The action spilled outside, where Lashley went to run Styles into a ring post, but Styles countered and ran Lashley into a ring post before rolling Lashley back into the ring. Styles teased the Phenomenal Forearm, but Lashley cut him off and lifted Styles for a suplex, but Styles fought out of it. It worked until Lashley caught Styles for a running powerslam and a two-count. 

Lashley went for a spear, but instead hit the ring post as Styles moved. Styles then landed a knee to Lashley’s head. Styles hit the Phenomenal Forearm for the win. The broadcast team ran down the Night of Champions card. Styles and The OC celebrated by the World Heavyweight title to close the show.