By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,303)
Orlando, Florida at Kia Center
Aired August 16, 2024 on Fox
Footage was shown of Roman Reigns appearance on Smackdown last week and how Tama Tonga prevented him from reclaiming the Ulafala. Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline were shown entering the arena backstage. Tiffany Stratton stood in the ring with Pretty Deadly to start the show. She said it was Tiffy Time to celebrate, and then introduced her bestie Nia Jax, who made her way out to the ring being rolled out on a throne. Pretty Deadly bowed to Nia as she got into the ring.
Nia grabbed the microphone and told Tiffany she shouldn’t have. Tiffany said it was her time to celebrate. Nia told her she appreciated her and this all wasn’t her style. She said her style is destruction, and she proved it when she destroyed Bayley and proved she was a woman of her word when she captured the title. Nia introduced herself as the Queen of the Ring and the WWE Women’s Champion. She then asked Tiffany to bow down, but she first deferred to Pretty Deadly, who would sing her a sing and then they would all bow down.
They then said a new song “Ode to the Queen”, and it was humorous as you’d expect. Michin snuck up from behind Tiffany and Nia and hit them both with a kendo stick. They fled the ring, and Michin took out her wrath on Pretty Deadly. Michin stood tall and stole Nia’s champagne to close the segment. Naomi, Bianca, and Jade were shown backstage. They joked with each other and said they would take back their Tag Team Titles and Naomi would beat Blair later on tonight. Carmelo Hayes walked up and invited them to his after party for when he defeated Andrade. Jade cracked a joke that Andrade was already two up on him so he better focus on that. The ladies walked off, and Andrade made his entrance in the arena…[c]
My Take: Pretty Deadly is a fun addition to the Nia and Tiffany pairing. Michin got a mild pop for the sneak attack, but I’m not sure she can make me believe that she’s got any real shot to capture the Women’s Championship. I hope I’m wrong.
Footage aired of NBA star Jalen Brunson joking about getting into a WWE ring with rival Tyrese Haliburton. Carmelo Hayes then made his entrance for the opening match.
1. Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade: It was very back and forth in the opening minute, with Melo finally gaining control with a springboard flying clothesline. Andrade fired back with a dropkick that sent Hayes to the floor. He then followed up with a moonsault from the top rope to the floor. Hayes hung Andrade on the top rope to buy some recovery. They battled in the corner on the turnbuckle, and Hayes managed to pull Andrade off the ropes and he crashed onto the apron and eventually the floor…[c]
Both men battled on the turnbuckle again, but this time it resulted in Andrade landing a top rope spanish fly for a close near fall. He then fired up the crowd, but walked into a superkick. Hayes countered a three amigos suplex into a cutter and covered for a near fall of his own. Both men traded pinfall attempts until Andrade landed a gnarly back elbow for a 2.9 count.
Andrade went to the top rope, but Hayes was able to get out of the drop zone. He then went for The Message, but Hayes managed to slip away and catch him in a pinfall attempt and get a win.
Carmelo Hayes defeated Andrade at 9:59
After the match, both men brawled around the ring until they got separated by WWE officials. Backstage, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga had a discussion about the Ulafala. Solo told Tama Tonga that he would acknowledge Roman as Tribal Chief if he could take the necklace back from him, and the rest of The Bloodline would too. Back in the arena, Naomi made her entrance for the next match. She will face Blair Davenport up next…[c]
My Take: A solid entry into the series of matches between Andrade and Carmelo Hayes. It was time for Melo to pick up a win, and the post match animosity was well done. I get the feeling that Solo’s claim of being willing to acknowledge Roman if he can take back the Ulafala will be put to the test eventually.
A video package aired for Giovanni Vinci, who spoke about coming to Smackdown to win. Naomi remained in the ring doing her dance routine. Blair Davenport then made her entrance. Roxanne Perez was shown at ringside with her NXT Women’s Championship.
2. Naomi vs. Blair Davenport: They traded strikes to open the match, and Blair got the better of it. Naomi slid underneath a clothesline and delivered a rear view. Davenport rolled to the floor to retreat, but Naomi gave chase and leapt off the apron with a Thesz press. She then followed up with a flying cross body back in the ring to get a two count…[c]
Blair Davenport landed a double stomp during the break. Both women collided in the ring shortly after the return from commercial and were slow to their feet. Naomi fired up and delivered some strikes and a springboard kick to regain control. She then performed a split splash for a two count. Naomi set up for a split legged moonsault in the corner, but Blair stuffed it and landed a big knee strike and scored the win.
Blair Davenport defeated Naomi at 6:52
Blair celebrated after the match. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory badmouthed Kevin Owens and the fact that the world title match was handed to him. Waller called a match against Kevin Owens an easy dub, and failed to notice Owens walking up from behind him. Owens told Waller that he was absolutely right, and that they should go out to the ring so they could prove how easy his victory would be. Owens slapped both Waller and Theory on the chest and said he would see them both out there.
Corey Graves introduced a video package to celebrate the life of Afa Anoa’i…[c]
My Take: A bit of a surprise win for Davenport considering they were in Naomi’s hometown of Orlando. But I think it serves the current program and sets up the six woman tag match for next week. The video package for Afa was very tasteful and well done as these usually are. RIP Afa and I send my sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Kevin Owens made his ring entrance for the next match. He was followed by Grayson Waller with Austin Theory. NXT Champion Ethan Page was shown in the crowd with his NXT Championship.
3. Grayson Waller (w/Austin Theory) vs. Kevin Owens: Owens blitzed Waller with a shotgun dropkick and stomped him in the corner. He followed up with a lariat and a running senton. Owens set up for a cannonball in the corner, but Waller rolled to the outside. On the floor, Owens gave chase and delivered a lariat before slamming Waller into the announce table. Owens was distracted by Austin Theory, and Waller blindsided him with a running knee.
He quickly recovered and landed strikes on Waller and a clothesline on Theory. Waller surprised Owens with a lariat and then tossed him into the ring post. He followed up with a springboard elbow drop but only got a two count. Both men battled in the corner, and Owens knocked Waller off the turnbuckle with a series of headbutts. He followed up with a swanton for a near fall. Waller managed to turn things around with some strikes and set up for a rolling stunner, but Owens countered with a stunner of his own. Owens fired up and delivered a pop up powerbomb and covered up for a win.
Kevin Owens defeated Grayson Waller at 5:07
Owens continued to talk trash and asked if Waller really wanted the old KO back. He setup for an apron powerbomb, but Austin Theory reappeared to stop him. He then grabbed a few chairs, which prompted help from Cody Rhodes. They took out Theory and Waller with chairs and sent them packing. Owens picked up the WWE title and looked at it before handing back to Cody and heading to the back.
Solo spoke to Tama Tonga again backstage, and said tonight Roman needs to acknowledge him…[c]
My Take: A fun and relatively short match from KO and Waller. It seems like KO is teasing a return to his angry and violent old ways, but we’ll see how far they go with it.
Titus O’Neil was shown in the crowd promoting his upcoming book. A video package then aired with Legado del Fantasma. Santos Escobar interrupted a story at dinner and said they had gotten complacent about being disrespected. He said they needed to remind everyone about who they are. Escobar said their name is Legado del Fantasma, and that’s a legacy as well as a name. He instructed them to focus, and said he would send the trash LA Knight back to the trailer park where he belongs.
In the arena, LA Knight made his entrance onto the stage with a microphone. He mocked the Legado del Fantasma dinner and said Escobar is trying to convince everyone that he can be just like him. Knight said he would put Escobar’s churro in the dirt next week with a BFT. He then said he didn’t have time to worry about some cross eyes moron calling him trash, and any week he wants his trash will put him on his ass. Knight performed some catch phrases and said he would see Escobar in DC next week.
Backstage, Michin was approached by Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. They said they thought about doing what she did earlier, but it was too much fun to sit back and watch the chaos. They said they tried to warn tacky time, but she must not actually care about Nia. Michin told them they should have came down to the ring, because now she has a Women’s Championship match. Green and Niven stormed into Nick Aldis’ office. Nia Jax then attacked Michin from behind and tossed her into a door and then an equipment crate. Nick Aldis emerged from his office and told her he wanted her in his office immediately.
The Street Profits made their entrance with B-Fab…[c]
My Take: Green and Niven have fun chemistry being ridiculous people together. Knight’s promo wasn’t his strongest effort but he could read a passage from War and Peace and get a huge reaction.
DIY made their ring entrance for the next match.
4. DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins w/B-Fab) for a WWE Tag Team Title #1 Contendership: Gargano and Montez Ford started the match. They traded reversals and evasions before tagging in Dawkins and Ciampa. Dawkins used his power advantage to land a shoulder block and a big lariat. Ford tagged in and The Profits landed a couple of double team moves on both Gargano and Ciampa. Dawkins then took a running start and landed a big shoulder block on Ciampa out on the floor…[c]
Gargano landed a spear through the second rope on Ford and covered for a two count. Ciampa tagged in, but Ford shoved Gargano into him and made a tag to Dawkins. The profits then landed a pounce into a suplex for a cool double team spot. Dawkins went up top for a swanton but came up with nothing. Ciampa then landed a running knee for a close near fall. Gargano tagged back in and went for One Final Beat, but Dawkins stuffed him and threw him overhead with a suplex.
Ford tagged and they splashed each other’s partners on the floor. They then traded superkicks and Johnny covered for a near fall…[c]
Montez Ford went for a 450 splash onto Ciampa, but he got the knees up. Gargano then entered and they landed a shatter machine, and Dawkins broke up the pin. The Profits landed the Revelation and made a cover on Ciampa, but Gargano broke it up with a kick at the last second. Ciampa and Dawkins traded strikes and Ford was sent to the floor by Gargano. Ciampa landed the Fairytale Ending on Dawkins, and Gargano covered for a close near fall.
Gargano went for a spear on Dawkins but it was reversed into a neckbreaker. The Profits then landed a Super Blockbuster from the top on Gargano and got the win.
The Street Profits defeated DIY at 15:28 to become Tag Team #1 Contenders
They will take on The Bloodline next week in DC. That goes along with Knight vs. Escobar and Naomi, Jade, and Bianca vs. Blair Davenport, Isla Dawn, and Alba Fyre. Solo Sikoa made his ring entrance along with Tama Tonga. Roman Reigns is up next…[c]
My Take: Hell of a match there. The near falls down the stretch were well executed and I think the right team won. Hopefully the Profits and really pick up some momentum off of this.
Solo Sikoa stood in the ring and asked for Roman Reigns to come to the ring and take the Ulafala from him if he wanted it. Roman’s music hit and he made his way to the ring. Solo handed the necklace to Tama Tonga and told him to exit the ring. Roman and Solo traded punches and Roman got the better of it right away. Tama Tonga then quickly assaulted Roman, but was put down with a Uranage. He then tossed Tama to ringside and started to disassemble the announce table.
He set up for a powerbomb on the announce table, but Solo jumped back in and prevented it. He then went for a Spike, but Roman ducked it and landed a Superman Punch and a spear. Roman then grabbed the Ulafala from the corner and held it up before putting it around his neck. Before he could celebrate, Jacob Fatu attacked Roman still wearing a walking boot from his previous injury. He landed a superkick and then a hip attack in the corner.
Roman got tossed to ringside, and the three of them landed a shield style powerbomb through the announce table. Fatu then put Roman back in the ring, and Solo put the ulafala back on before standing over Roman to close the show.
My Take: It was never going to be that easy for Roman, and Jacob Fatu’s return is a big boost to the program. Whooping Roman’s ass in a walking boot is kind of crazy when you think about it. Fatu continues to be booked like an absolute animal.
I like that KO is using the Pop-Up Powerbomb, which could be his Heel finishing move, as it defines the two moves, and you teach the moves before doing something else. Or it could just be Kevin Owens saying to Oba Femi that hey, I used to do this! Eh, whatever, WWE is fun again for predicting.. Though I picked most of Summerslam.