By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,190)
Live from Baton, Rouge, Louisiana at Raising Cane’s River Center
Aired June 10, 2022 on Fox
[Hour One] The broadcast team of Michael Cole and Pat McAfee checked in from ringside. Cole plugged the show’s sponsor and said it was one of the most historic episodes of Smackdown to date. They announced that Riddle will face Sami Zayn in the main event. If Riddle loses, he is barred from Smackdown, but if he wins then he will face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship next week. They also hyped the previously advertised matches…
Drew McIntyre was shown walking through the back to make his entrance when Butch stood in his way. McIntyre threw Butch at Sheamus, who was standing behind him. Ring announcer Samantha Irvin handled the ring introductions…
1. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (w/Butch) in a Money in the Bank ladder match qualifier. The broadcast team played up an 85 percent success rate when the MITB winner cashes in. They also stressed that the MITB contract holder and cash in anytime (so it’s not just for WrestleMania despite the odd ad with Cody Rhodes).
McIntyre performed the Sheamus style chest clubs on him. Butch distracted McIntyre by climbing onto the apron. Sheamus took advantage of it and performed White Noise on the ring apron heading into a break. [C]
McIntyre came back with White Noise from the middle rope and covered Sheamus for a good near fall. McIntyre counted down and went for a Claymore Kick, but Sheamus caught him with a high knee for a good near fall of his own. Sheamus went for a Claymore, but McIntyre caught him and powerbombed him for another near fall.
Butch ran in and ate a Claymore from McIntyre. Sheamus took advantage of the distraction and clotheslined McIntyre to ringside. Sheamus went up top and clotheslined McIntyre on the floor. McIntyre rallied with a suplex on the floor. Sheamus dumped McIntyre into the timekeepers area. Both men picked up chairs and swung them together while the referee counted them out.
Drew McIntyre fought Sheamus to a double disqualification in 11:50 in a Money in the Bank qualifier.
After the match, Sheamus and McIntyre continued to fight. McIntyre picked up Sheamus and drove him onto the broadcast table and then both men tumbled behind it… [C]
Powell’s POV: The usual kick ass match from McIntyre and Sheamus. McIntyre has a title shot at the Cardiff stadium show over Labor Day weekend, so it’s not like he needs to be in or win the Money in the Bank match. I thought they might have Sheamus win with help from Butch for that reason, but apparently neither man will be in MITB unless they have a second chance qualifier.
McIntyre and Sheamus continued to brawl when the show came back from the break. Cole said they were both disqualified for hitting each other with a chair (I changed the match result above from double count-out). Several producers and referees pulled them apart as they brawled into the crowd…
Cole set up a video package on Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell and the angle that followed on Monday’s Raw…
Powell’s POV: Are they still going on and on about Cody working through that glorified hangnail? Yes, I’m joking. We’ll be talking about that match for years to come and rightfully so.
Cole announced that Cody underwent successful surgery on Thursday, and added that he would be out of action up to nine months…
Lacey Evans was interviewed by Kayla Braxton. She spoke about the possibility of winning MITB. She spoke about now wallowing in self pity and said that she doesn’t think Xia Li is better than she is, then added that Li damn sure isn’t better than her. Evans made her entrance. She saluted once she was on the apron and then blew a kiss to the crowd once she was inside the ring… [C]
Cole hyped Sunday’s NASCAR event on Fox with The Bella Twins as the honorary grand marshals… Xia Li made her entrance. A pre-taped promo aired with Li saying Evans is not a winner, she’s a whiner. She said she would make her cry tears of shame when she beats her to qualify for MITB…
2. Lacey Evans vs. Xia Li in a Money in the Bank ladder match qualifier. Cole said it was Evans’ first match in over a year and questioned whether that would come into play. Evans pressed herself up in the corner and tried to drive her knees into Li, but it didn’t look good. She ended up hitting the Women’s Right punch and scored the pin…
Lacey Evans defeated Xia Li in 2:30 to qualify for the MITB ladder match.
Powell’s POV: Well, they kept it short. I’m still disappointed that they turned Li heel after that elaborate introduction of her Protector character. Meanwhile, Evans was a babyface here despite all the talk that her character would end up being a heel. Of course, they could be saving that turn for a key moment such as MITB.
Backstage, Drew McIntyre told Adam Pearce that he wants in the MITB ladder match. Pearce pointed out that he didn’t actually win the match. Pearce said it was a lot to process, and McIntyre intimidated him…
Smackdown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey made her entrance… [C] Imagery of the LSU football team winning the NCAA Championship was shown… A Viking Raiders video package aired. They were listed as “coming soon” to Smackdown…
Powell’s POV: I didn’t even know the Viking Raiders actually left aside from their brief NXT run.
Sheamus confronted Pearce and held back Butch from going after him. Sheamus also wanted in the MITB ladder match. Pearce recapped what he told McIntyre. Sheamus said he didn’t want to hear his excuses…
Powell’s POV: They both lost. Seems like a pretty simple decision, but I suspect they are going with a rematch.
Ronda Rousey stood in the ring while Cole hyped her title defense against Natalya for the MITB event. Rousey said three weeks can’t come soon enough. She spoke about using the armbar that her mother taught her and called Natalya’s Sharpshooter a cheap imitation that he got from her uncle Bret Hart.
Shotzi interrupted Rousey and told her to shut up. Shotzi said she might not have Natalya’s experience or a fancy submission move, but she has serious aggression and a killer instinct. Shotzi said that if Rousey is a real champion, she won’t wait for MITB for a fight. Shotzi assumed the Baddest Woman on the Planet would have no problem facing her on the spot. Rousey played to the crowd and asked if she should grant a “title shotzi” and then said “you’re on-ski”… [C]
3. Ronda Rousey vs. Shotzi for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Shotzi got a little offense, including a kick to Rousey’s head. Shotzi covered her for a two count. Shotzi applied an armbar. Rousey rolled out of it and went for an ankle lock that Shotzi avoided. Shotzi suplexed Rousey and covered her for a two count.
[Hour Two] Rousey avoided a charging Shotzi in the corner. Shotzi caught her with a kick, a knee, and a weak punch. Rousey caught her going for a kick. Shotzi slapped Rousey twice. Rousey got upset and performed a big slam. Rousey took Shotzi down with a couple of judo tosses and then rolled onto her and powered her up for the Piper’s Pit. Rousey put Shotzi in an ambar for the win…
Ronda Rousey defeated Shotzi in 7:20 to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
After the match, Natalya attacked Rousey and put her in the Sharpshooter. Natalya eventually released the hold. Rousey sold the move and jawed at Natalya before she left the ring. Rousey remained down in the ring while selling back pain…
Powell’s POV: Although the outcome was never truly in doubt, it was nice to see Shotzi get some offense rather than just being destroyed in short order. The post match angle was what it needed to be with Natalya getting the better of Rousey. No one thinks Natalya has a chance to win, so she needs to get as much heat as possible leading up to the match with the goal of making fans want to see Rousey get revenge.
Riddle was interviewed by Megan Morant, who recapped the stipulations of his match against Sami Zayn. Riddle said he thrives under pressure and he’s motivated by what The Bloodline did to Randy Orton. Riddle, whose eyes were slits, said he could see it now – the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Riddle…
Ludwig Kaiser introduced Gunther and then they made their entrance for the Intercontinental Championship match. A tale of the tape was shown for the match… [C] Happy Corbin and Carmella were advertised for WWE Night at a USFL game in Birmingham, Alabama…
Ronda Rousey was shown bickering with a trainer. Kayla Braxton stood outside the room and questioned whether Rousey would be able to compete at MITB… Ricochet made his entrance…
4. Ricochet vs. Gunther (w/Ludwig Kaiser) for the Intercontinental Title. McAfee noted that it was Gunther’s first title match since arriving on Smackdown. Ricochet went for an early head-scissors move that Gunther stuffed. Gunther chopped Ricochet and then placed him on the top turnbuckle and chopped him again. Gunther bent Ricochet like a pretzel over the turnbuckle before letting him go. [C]
Ricochet got Gunther on one knee and threw kicks at him. Ricochet went for a springboard move, but Gunther sidestepped it and put him in a sleeper. Ricochet rolled out of the move and hit Gunther with a knee to the head. Gunther came right back by turning him inside out with a clothesline that led to a near fall.
Ricochet ended up on the apron and then threw kicks at Gunther and Kaiser. Ricochet performed a springboard moonsault and a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Ricochet went for a top rope move and landed on his feet when Gunther avoided it. Ricochet rolled into a dropkick, but then Gunther put him down with a dropkick and powerbombed him before pinning him…
Gunther defeated Ricochet in 8:35 to win the Intercontinental Championship.
Powell’s POV: An entertaining match. I like that they gave Gunther the title in his first attempt, yet also gave Ricochet a decent amount of offense. Ricochet chasing Gunther could be fun, but only time will tell if they intend to book a full program between the two.
Backstage, Paul Heyman approached Sami Zayn and said the main event is the biggest opportunity of his career. Heyman said that if Zayn beats Riddle, he will give him the ammunition to tell Roman Reigns that Zayn belongs in the Bloodline. “But if you lose to Riddle tonight, Sami…” Heyman said while shaking his head. Zayn made his entrance…
The broadcast team spoke about a woman named Liana, whose home was destroyed during the Ukraine War. Her son Misha has Down syndrome and didn’t understand why they had to move to the Netherlands, so she told him that they were going on a voyage to find his hero John Cena. Cole said Cena heard about the story and made Misha’s dream a reality. Footage aired of Cena meeting the family on June 4… [C]
Powell’s POV: It’s just allergies, stop looking at me! Seriously, Cena did an amazing thing for this family.
Footage aired from the supermarket brawl between Steve Austin and Booker T on the December 13, 2001 Smackdown. McAfee said he was 14 at the time of that video. He recalled watching some comical videos with Booker T throwing up on Cole, plus Cole having JR’s BBQ Sauce poured on him…
Footage aired of The Usos beating Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura when Zayn caused a distraction by having Roman Reigns’ entrance music play… Riddle made his entrance for the main event… [C]
A sponsored ad recapped the Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss feud… Cole announced Corbin vs. Moss in a Last Laugh Match for next week, along with Max Dupri’s first Maximum Male Model. Cole said Dupri apparently ran into travel problems to explain why that segment did not air this week as advertised…
5. Riddle vs. Sami Zayn (Riddle earns an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match next week if he wins or is barred from Smackdown if he loses). Paul Heyman sat in on commentary. Riddle was on the offensive when he went to the ropes and was shoved to the floor by Zayn. [C]
There was a clunky spot where Zayn leapt off the rope and didn’t perform a move, nor did Riddle do anything. Zayn immediately hit him with a brainbuster and dumped him to ringside where he ran him into the ring post casing twice. Riddle fought back and went for a Super RKO, but Zayn headbutted him off the ropes.
Zayn leapt from the ropes and was caught by a knee to the head. Riddle covered Zayn for a near fall while Heyman buried his face in his hand. Zayn came right back and put Riddle down with a Draping DDT. Zayn struck the Viper’s Pose while Heyman begged him to make the cover. Riddle caught Zayn with a knee.
Riddle threw repeated kicks at Zayn in the corner. Zayn rolled to the floor and then Riddle hit him with a PK from the apron and a Floating Bro. Back in the ring, Riddle performed Orton’s power slam and followed up with a Draping DDT. Riddle struck the Viper’s Pose.
Riddle went for an RKO, but Zayn countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Heyman yelled at Zayn to stay on Riddle, who then went for a Bro Derek. Zayn countered into a rollup for a two count. Zayn performed an exploder suplex. Zayn went for a Helluva Kick, but Riddle caught him with the RKO and pinned him…
Riddle defeated Sami Zayn in 13:05 to earn a shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship next week.
Riddle pointed at Heyman while Cole hyped Reigns vs. Riddle for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in Minneapolis next week. Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso attacked Riddle from behind and tossed him to ringside. The Usos stood in the ring and held up their index fingers.
Riddle returned with a kendo stick and beat both Usos with it until they left the ring. Riddle followed to the floor and kept beating on the Usos. Riddle returned to the ring and held up his index finger while his music played. A graphic listed Reigns vs. Riddle for next week’s Smackdown. Riddle looked into the camera and told Reigns that he’s coming for him and the undisputed championship…
Powell’s POV: A really good main event. I like that Zayn was made to look credible with some good near falls. Overall, this was a good episodic show with the strong main event setting up next week’s big title match. I will be back with my weekly same night audio review of Smackdown for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
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Lacy “Hands of Stone” Evans looked pretty rusty, and she was never that convincing to start with.
Riddle is someone I never thought I would buy into, but he’s really finding the right balance of Bro and serious right now and crowds have taken to him as a legit top babyface.
I find it odd that on one brand, if the guy/girl that is a foregone conclusion to win the match wins the match and their opponent, who isn’t a jobber from the town the show is being held in, gets in a reasonable amount of offense, that is scorned most of the time, but on the other brand, its thought of as a positive thing for the loser of the match to have gotten in offense as opposed to getting squashed.
Call me a skeptic,but that title match I don’t see happening next week.Reigns will either not be even on the show again or Riddle will get another beat down.Bait and switch,but it’s not like that never happens!
I agree with your point about Li. All of those protector vignettes only for her to turn heel like 2 months later. Just another poor decision made by Vince McMadMan. What was wrong with L.A. Knight’s name? He could have been a great face calling people out. Now he acts like a used car salesman of men. In case you didn’t notice, I’m never going to let the name changes go. One more thing…if Roman is going to pull a Brock Lesnar with his reduced schedule, take the belt off him soon. I want a champion whose going to be around more than every 4 months. Bianca Belair shows up and out all of the time.