By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,295)
Chicago, Illinois at Allstate Arena
Aired live June 21, 2024 on Fox
Footage of Drew McIntyre getting screwed at Clash at the Castle was shown, as well as Drew quitting WWE on Monday’s Raw. Corey Graves and Wade Barrett joined the show on commentary. CM Punk’s music hit to kick things off in the arena. The Chicago crowd was excited to see him, as you’d expect. Punk said it was great to be alive in Chicago on a Friday Night. He called Live TV “pressure” and said wrestling or speaking in front of your home town is “pressure”, and making promises to your hometown is “pressure”. Punk then said every time before his music hits he still wonders if he can handle the pressure.
He then compared Drew’s situation to 2011 when he promised Chicago he would leave WWE Champion, and didn’t embarrass Chicago in the process. He spoke about the pressure at various points in his career, and then shifted to talk about Drew McIntyre. Punk spoke about how Drew had kicked him and Chicago when he was down, and how he promised himself that he would return the favor by burning him and his career six feet under in return. He then said he didn’t think it would be this easy, because Drew had quit and taken his ball and went home.
Punk was then interrupted by Paul Heyman. He said he had just gotten to the arena. Heyman commented on it being hot as balls outside, and when Punk opens the show at the Allstate Arena, it’s hot as balls inside. He further complimented Punk for sitting next to his children at the Hall of Fame, and said he meant it when he said he’s his best friend. The crowd chanted for Roman Reigns, and Punk said Heyman doesn’t look so good, but he’s the only one who can interrupt his promos and get away with it.
Heyman got into the ring and gave Punk a hug. He said he needed that. Heyman went on to say he heard on the radio on the way that Chicago is CM Punk’s town, and that really pissed off Solo. Now that Solo is the “head of the table”, he wants every town to be his town. Heyman said he came out to do him a favor, and he wants one in return. He told Punk to get the hell out of there, because a bunch of wild Samoans and Tongans are coming after him. Punk asked him if he was serious, because Solo and the Tongans are going to try and jump him in Chicago?
Before Heyman could answer, Solo and the Tongans walked out towards the ring. Solo said if Punk wanted to be on Smackdown, on his show, and in his city he had two options. He could pay his respect to the Bloodline or the could make sure he never gets cleared to wrestle again. Punk asked Heyman what the return favor was, and Paul said “Take me with you” as pathetically has humanly possible.
Punk responded to Solo and said he acknowledges that he sees a bunch of fake ass Usos and a Cosplay Tribal Chief in front of him. As Solo and the Tongans got in the ring, Cody Rhodes showed up with baseball bats and they were forced to back down. He grabbed the microphone and said he’s already beaten one head of the table and he could leave his family backstage and they will settle this tonight. Solo agreed and then headed to the back.
Backstage, Bianca Belair prepared for her next match. Jade walked up and said she needed to ask Nick Aldis about getting their tag team title rematch. Bianca said she had to focus on Money in the Bank first, and Jade’s match is next week, and then they can focus on getting their titles back…[c]
My Take: That was a great opening segment. Everybody delivered and the crowd was with them the entire way.
Notre Dame Football Coach Marcus Freeman was shown attending the show with his family. Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa was confirmed for the Main Event. Cody was then shown backstage with his baseball bat. Kevin Owens and Randy Orton walked up and Randy asked if he really wanted to take on Solo by himself? Owens said he didn’t like this idea, Solo always has a plan. Cody promised that he has a plan of his own.
1. Bianca Belair vs. Michin vs. Chelsea Green in a MITB Qualifier: Green and Michin did not get televised entrances. Chelsea got sent to the floor early on. Soon after all three women were on the floor trading punches. Chelsea disappeared from frame and suddenly reappeared with a suicide dive that took down the fighting Belair and Michin…[c]
There was a tower of doom spot out of the corner as the show returned. Michin attempted a cover on Bianca but got a two count. She then landed Eat Defeat and Bianca fell out of the ring. Chelsea got a roll up on Michin for a two count. Michin managed to turn the tables and land a Styles Clash. Bianca had to scramble back into the ring to break up the pin. She then landed a KOD on Michin, but Chelsea dumped her out of the ring and stole the pin for the victory.
Chelsea Green defeated Michin and Bianca Belair at 7:14
After the match, Chelsea Green celebrated. Backstage, Blair Davenport approached Bayley and said she was looking forward to cashing in on her after she wins Money in the Bank. Elsewhere, Solo threatened Paul Heyman over his attempts to leave. He asked him to tell the Tongans to make sure Kevin Owens and Randy Orton don’t make it into the Money in the Bank Match. He then told Paul that they had to have a conversation later…[c]
My Take: Chelsea stealing the win was unexpected but not a bad choice. She’s been great lately and earned a push.
A recap video of last week’s Grayson Waller Effect was shown. Backstage, Waller was interrupted by DIY who again took him to task for abandoning his best friend last week. Loud banging was heard behind them on the accordion steel garage door. It opened to reveal Drew McIntyre standing over a bloodied CM Punk. He picked Punk up and carried him out to the arena, and dumped him onto the floor. He then took a knee and mockingly performed Punk’s entrance motions.
Drew took the bead bracelet off of Punk’s wrist and put it in his pocket. Nick Aldis showed up with officials and shoved McIntyre a little. Drew shoved him back and told him he’d kill him if he touched him again. Medical staff loaded Punk onto a gurney as the show went to commercial…[c]
My Take: There we go. Drew’s not screwing around on Twitter anymore. He aims to beat his ass.
A video recap from the previous segment was shown. Punk was then shown being loaded into an ambulance and taken away from the arena. Tama Tonga finished his entrance in the arena. Carmelo Hayes was already in the ring. Randy Orton made his normal televised ring entrance.
2. Randy Orton vs. Tama Tonga vs. Carmelo Hayes in a MITB Qualifier: The match spilled outside early and Orton dropped both Tama Tonga and Carmelo Hayes on the announce table with suplexes…[c]
Tama Tonga starched Carmelo Hayes with a back elbow and followed up with a running clothesline. He covered, but Hayes kicked out at two. They both traded punches, and Hayes landed a tilt a whirl facebuster and covered for another two count. Hayes attempted a suplex, but Tonga blocked it. He turned it into an inside cradle, but Tonga kicked out at two. Tonga then landed a uranage into a backbreaker and covered, but Orton broke it up.
Orton landed some uppercuts, and then a Superplex on Hayes out of the corner. Tonga interrupted the cover and applied a sleeper on Orton. He broke free, but Tonga quickly started throwing punches. Hayes landed a First 48 on Orton, and Tonga landed his running flatliner. Hayes and Tonga interrupted each other’s pinfall attempts to try and steal the match.
Orton managed to land a draping DDT on both Tonga and Hayes, and set up for an RKO. Tonga Loa ran down, but was interrupted by Kevin Owens. Tama Tonga attempted to capitalize, but got thrown out of the ring. Carmelo Hayes then rolled up on Orton from behind and stole the win.
Carmelo Hayes defeated Tama Tonga and Randy Orton at 8:50
After the match, Carmelo Hayes celebrated on the announce table. The commentary team then threw to video footage of the Wyatts making their debut on Monday’s episode of Raw…[c]
My Take: That’s a big win for Melo. Given Randy staring at Cody’s title at Clash at the Castle, I’m guessing we’ll get to that match a slightly different way.
LA Knight made his entrance as the show returned. He immediately demanded that Logan Paul bring his goofy keister to the ring with his belt. Nobody came out, and Knight said he was tired of Logan Paul no-showing and next week he would have a match with him and Santos Escobar in Madison Square Garden to qualify for Money in the Bank. He said it wasn’t the match he wanted, but he can always win the briefcase and go after Logan that way.
Santos Escobar walked out and told Escobar that he was pathetic and sounded like a Chicago fanboy the way he’s been chasing around Logan Paul. Knight replied that he was a goof, and he has beaten him before and is looking past him. Escobar attacked, but Knight broke free and landed a BFT that sent Escobar to the floor. Knight celebrated, but was attacked from behind by Logan Paul and run into the ring post. Paul then landed his haymaker right hand and gloated over a fallen Knight. Kevin Owens vs Andrade vs Grayson Waller is up next…[c]
My Take: Escobar continues to get treated like week old donuts. So that probably means he’s winning next week’s Triple Threat.
Grayson Waller completed his ring entrance. Andrade was already in the ring. Kevin Owens then made his normal televised entrance, but was attacked from behind by Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa before he reached the ring. Randy Orton came out with a chair to run them off. Owens limped to the ring and decided to continue.
3. Kevin Owens vs. Grayson Waller and Andrade: Waller sent Owens to the floor early on. Andrade landed his signature back elbow on Waller and covered for a near fall. Owens recovered enough to attack Waller on the floor. All three men then began brawling on the ring apron. Owens clotheslined Andrade into the ring. Waller then delivered a back body drop on Owens. Andrade then landed a sunset flip powerbomb that carried Waller out to the floor…[c]
All three men were on their knees in the ring trading punches. Waller landed a running knee on Owens. Andrada then landed a drop toe hold on Waller into the corner. He followed up with a running meteora into the corner on both Waller and Owens. He covered Owens for a near fall. Owens and Waller brawled in the middle of the ring. Waller landed a double flatliner on both men, but couldn’t get a pinfall. Owens attempted a stunner on Waller, but got his knee kicked out from under him instead.
Waller and Andrade brawled in the corner, and Owens entered the ring to complete a tower of doom spot in the corner. He landed a Swaton on Andrade for a near fall. He followed up with a Stunner, but Waller pulled Owens to the floor to prevent the pinfall. He landed a DDT on Owens, and then attempted his Somersault DDT into the ring on Andrade. He failed, though, and Andrade reversed into “The Message” spinning DDT of his own and got the win.
Andrade defeated Grayson Waller and Kevin Owens at 10:34
After the match, a match recap was shown for Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles at Clash at the Castle. Cody will face Solo Sikoa in the main event next…[c]
My Take: A solid match. Money in the Bank seems like it’s going to be filled with people who seem like plausible choices to win the match, which is a good thing.
Backstage, Tiffany Stratton jawed at Michin about losing her Money in the Bank Qualifier. Michin replied that at least she wasn’t crawling to Nia Jax for protection. Stratton tried to slap her, but Michin blocked and slapped her instead. Nia Jax then appeared out of nowhere and slammed Michin into an equipment crate. Stratton and Jax then walked off, with Stratton telling Michin “toodles”.
Naomi vs Blair Davenport vs Indi Hartwell and Logan Paul vs. LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar were advertised for next week. Kayla Braxton then gave an update on CM Punk, who will have to spend the night at a medical facility. Drew McIntyre told her he would see her on Monday. In the arena, Cody Rhodes made his entrance for the main event. He will face Solo Sikoa up next…[c]
Backstage, Paul Heyman interrupted Solo Sikoa on his way to the ring and told him defeating Cody Rhodes wasn’t his job. He was supposed to keep him in check until Roman Reigns returned to reclaim his title. Solo told Heyman that he didn’t want to be the one to tell him this, but he loves him, and Roman Reigns is not coming back. Heyman was left dumbfounded, and asked how that could be as Solo walked away towards the ring. Paul Heyman walked out behind Solo and they completed their ring entrance.
4. Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa: Both men traded punches. Cody sent Solo to the floor and then splashed him with a suicide dive. He then sent Solo into both sets of ring steps and then tossed him back to the ring. The Tongans attacked immediately at this point and the match was called off.
Cody Rhodes defeated Solo Sikoa by DQ at 1:36
After the match, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens made their way back out to even the odds. Owens sent Tonga Loa to the floor and Orton landed an RKO on Tama Tonga. Solo begged off all three men, but suddenly had an evil look on his face as Jacob Fatu entered the ring and superkicked all three babyfaces. He took Kevin Owens to the outside and delivered a Samoan Drop onto the ring steps. He then speared Randy Orton into the barricade, but it didn’t collapse right away.
Cody put up a fight, but was quickly beaten down and placed on the announce table. Fatu then climbed to the top turnbuckle and splashed Cody through the announce table at ringside. A “holy shit” chant broke out as Solo embraced Jacob Fatu in the ring. The Bloodline entered the ring again and held up the ones to close the show.
My Take: A hot finish to a very good episode of Smackdown. Hopefully Randy Orton is ok as he got speared into the barricade which didn’t give way as much as it usually does. The Tongans both looked at each other like they were shocked to see Jacob Fatu, which is an interesting wrinkle to the bloodline story. Jacob arrived right on time, as The New Bloodline has been cooling off over the last few weeks. Overall, this was a very strong show that had several memorable segments. Definitely worth watching on DVR if you have the time.
Okay, I’m now stoked for Chelsea. Bianca doesn’t need the briefcase to be over and command future shots, and she needs a clean dance card for the eventual breakup with Jade.
But Chelsea is one of the ingredients you need in a clusterdump ladder match. She’s got just enough credibility to make it work, has done damned near everything asked of her, and face it — Chelsea with the briefcase would be entertaining as hell.
Here!! Here!!
There’s so much great comedy potential in her having the briefcase. She’s also big enough physically that they could use the chance at getting the belt to take just a bit of the goofiness off her character if they decide to have her cash in successfully.
So if there was a hitlist I’m assuming this show would have had quite a few.
There is, but it’s exclusive for members as a bonus blog.