By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,304)
Washington, D.C. at Capital One Arena
Aired live August 23, 2024 on Fox
Footage aired of the Bloodline saga between Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu from last week’s final segment. If you missed it, the New Bloodline beat down Roman Reigns and put him through the announce table to close the show. All four members of the Bloodline were shown walking into the arena backstage. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory were then introduced for the Grayson Waller Effect.
They didn’t waste time, and Waller said their guest likes to make everything about himself. He then brought out Cody Rhodes. He walked out and played to the crowd, but Waller interrupted him and said his pyro and his “cringe woah” was enough about him and told him to get in the ring for the interview. Cody then grabbed a mic to do his crowd opening “So….” bit, but was interrupted again and again said that was enough about him. Waller called Cody selfish and that the crowd only cheers him because they don’t know the real him.
He brought up Orton and Owens getting beaten up on his behalf, and asked him what kind of friend he actually was. Rhodes described Kevin Owens as having beated a who’s who of opponents, and called him one of the strongest opponents of The Bloodline even before he got back. He then drew attention to the friendship between Austin Theory and Grayson Waller, and said that everyone watches Waller take advantage of Theory and are just waiting for him to do something about it.
Waller said he wasn’t going to make this about them, and then introduced a video package that showcased previous footage of Kevin Owens being violent and unpredictable against previous friends like Sami Zayn, John Cena, and Kofi Kingston. Owens music then hit and he headed to the ring after the video. KO said he can’t stand back there while they try to make the point that he’s going to stab him in the back and end his career.
Owens said everyone in that video, aside from Kofi Kingston, probably had it coming. He apologized to Kofi again. Owens said he and Cody has never had beef, so that’s not going to happen. Owens said he knows how this is going to go, so let’s just skip the brawl for this segment and have Nick Aldis come out and make the tag match for later. Aldis obliged and made the match. KO asked if he could punch Waller anyways, and Aldis told him to make it quick. A brief fight ensued, but Waller and Theory escaped by shoving Owens into Rhodes.
LA Knight was shown in the back heading towards the ring for his match with Santos Escobar…[c]
My Take: A bit of silliness at the end there by Owens, but it was a fun segment for the most part. I’m curious if they actually pull the trigger on Owens turning heel or just tease it heavily. I think you could make a case to go either way.
LA Knight made his entrance for the next match. Santos made his entrance with Elektra Lopez, Angel and Humberto. As ring announcements started, Angel and Humberto pulled Knight from the ring and gave him a beating on the floor. They threw him into the barricade and then the ring steps, before sending him back into the ring. Jessika Carr then tossed the extra members of Legado Del Fantasma from ringside.
1. LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar for the United States Championship: Knight was able to surprise Escobar with a roll up early one for a close near fall. Escobar recovered and delivered a butterfly suplex into a chestbreaker to regain control…[c]
Escobar controlled the action during the break. Knight fired back with a neckbreaker as the show returned and forced Escobar to roll to ringside to recover. On the floor, Knight slammed Escobar into the announce table repeatedly. Escobar begged off, which baited Knight in and he tripped him onto the announce table. He then climbed the barricade and delivered a Meteora onto the announce table, followed by a Frog Splash in the ring for a near fall.
After a ref separation against the ropes, Knight landed a back elbow. He then landed a manhattan drop and a clothesline, and both men were down. Escobar tried to charge into the corner, but got cut down by another clothesline. Knight followed up with stomps to the chest in the corner and a Side Effect for a close near fall of his own. Knight lined up for a BFT, but Escobar stuffed him. Escobar tried for the Phantom Driver, but had to settle for a superkick when Knight slipped out.
Both men battled on the turnbuckles and Knight punched Escobar back into the ring. He then delivered a big elbow drop and a BFT to get the win.
LA Knight defeated Santos Escobar to retain the United States Championship at 8:56
After the match, the announce team introduced footage of Carmelo Hayes defeating Andrade last week, and the brawl that took place after their match. Hayes then cut a promo backstage. He was in a barber shop and talked some trash about how Andrade wasn’t good enough to beat him last week and never would be again. Andrade crashed into the barber shop and said what happened last week after the match was disrespectful to him and he would see him next week to set it right. Hayes agreed, and after Andrade left he told the barber to lock the door while he’s in there talking.
Blair Davenport, Isla Dawn, and Alba Fyre made their ring entrance for the next match…[c]
My Take: Good stuff from Knight and Escobar. I’m looking forward to the eventual future where Escobar gets a real push. It feels like he’s been in the bullpen for a long time for a guy who has that level of talent. The Andrade and Hayes feud has been good for both of them.
Backstage, Santos Escobar chewed out Humberto and Angel for getting tossed from ringside. Apollo Crews and Barton Corbin walked up and mocked them, and Escobar said he would go talk to Nick Aldis so they could sort out this disrespect next week. In the arena, Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair, and Naomi made their entrance for the six woman tag match.
2. Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Blair Davenport & Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn: Bianca and Isla started the match. Isla slammed Bianca early on, but got planted by a spinebuster a few seconds later. Bianca taunted Isla from the corner and backflipped over her as she charged in. Isla rolled to the floor, but Bianca vaulted herself over the top rope and splashed her on the floor…[c]
Blair Davenport was in control of Bianca Belair when the show returned. The heel trio made rapid fire tags and landed a superkick and stomp combination of triple team moves on Bianca in their corner. The double and triple teams continued while Cargill and Naomi argued with the ref. Dawn landed a Meteora, and then tagged in Fyre. She applied a body stretch of sorts, and Bianca broke free with a backbreaker. Dawn tagged in and prevented Bianca from making the tag.
Belair fired back with a vertical suplex, and both women were down. Bianca then made a hot tag to Jade Cargill, who wrecked all three opponents with power moves. She landed a powerbomb on Davenport, and tossed Alba Fyre into Davenport with a fallaway slam. Naomi made a blind tag as Davenport fired back with a superkick on Cargill. Naomi then splashed all three opponents and took control in the ring. Fire and Dawn double teamed Cargill on the outside.
Bianca Belair splashed Fire and Dawn from the top rope on the floor. Naomi landed a comeback kick and a split legged moonsault on Davenport and made the cover for the win in the ring.
Naomi, Jade Cargill, and Bianca Belair defeated Alba Fyre, Isla Dawn, and Blair Davenport at 10:01
After the match, The Big 3 celebrated their victory as the heels headed to the back. The Bloodline is up next…[c]
My Take: Jade does well as a hot tag machine. She gets to come into the match and land her impressive power moves without being put into the position to carry the bulk of these matches while she continues to gain experience and improve as a performer. The match itself was fun. Fyre, Dawn, and Davenport showed some good chemistry together as a trio.
A video narrated by Natalya spoke about the first European Championship match in Berlin between Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart. The Bloodline made their entrance while footage of last week’s assault on Roman Reigns was shown picture in picture. Solo spoke and told the Washington DC crowd to acknowledge him. He claimed the OTC was done, and that whoever won the WWE Championship at Bash in Berlin, he had next. Solo screamed that the crowd could chant Roman all they want, he wasn’t there.
He then addressed the Tag Championships, and asked Jacob Fatu to step up. He asked him to give him his Tag Title, but then changed his mind and had him give it to Tonga Loa. He told Fatu that he couldn’t be a tag team champion if he was going to be his own personal enforcer. The Street Profits music hit and they walked out with B-Fab. They said they had to get back to family business later, because they had Tag Title business to take care of first.
Ford called them Bloodline version 8675309, and said Fatu looked all happy because he got a promotion. Dawkins then said it was time for a demotion because they were coming to take those World Tag Team Championships. That match is up next…[c]
My Take: Jacob Fatu isn’t cleared yet obviously, and they are going with Freebird Rules. I guess it is what it is.
LA Knight was interviewed backstage, and called himself a bicoastal champion. He then said he was traveling across the world to defend it again, and issued an open challenge for the United States Championship next week.
3. The Bloodline (Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) for the WWE Tag Team Championships: Angelo Dawkins and Tama Tonga started the match. The match was shot from a different camera angle than usual for the first few minutes. Dawkins got the early advantage and tagged out to Ford, who quickly succumbed to double team offense from the Champions. Ford landed an enziguri on Tonga Loa, and then managed some double team offense with Dawkins to retain control. Dawkins landed a Sky High and Ford followed up with a Frog Splash.
Tama Tonga had to break up the pinfall. Ford was then sent to the floor and crashed into the ring steps. Tama Tonga then landed a DDT on the floor…[c]
Ford battled back in the ring and landed a reversal DDT on Tonga Loa. Both men were down and crawled to their corners for tags. Dawkins entered the match hot and took down Tama Tonga with a splash and a spinning neckbreaker. Ford tagged back in and landed a double team neckbreaker, and Tonga Loa had to break up the fall. Dawkins took out both men on the floor and Ford splashed them by leaping over the ring post. The ref became distracted by Solo, and that allowed Jacob Fato to assault both Ford and Dawkins on the floor.
Tama Tonga then landed a flatliner and covered Dawkins in the ring for the win.
The Bloodline defeated The Street Profits at 9:13 to retain the WWE Tag Team Championships
After the match, The Bloodline beat down Ford and Dawkins until DIY ran down to make the save. DIY got the better of it early on, but eventually Fatu and Solo took control and both Gargano and Ciampa ended up being put down with Samoan Spikes.
Backstage, Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens spoke about their tag match backstage. Owens asked Cody if he understood what he was saying earlier, and insisted that he’s “not that guy anymore”. Cody said yes, and Owens replied that he didn’t want him to think asking for this tag match was a setup. Cody said all he can do is take him at his word. Cody then headed towards the ring…[c]
My Take: A predictable interference finish, but the match was fun while it lasted. The Kevin Owens heel tease continues. I doubt we get a firm answer this week either way.
B-Fab was interviewed backstage and said The Profits and DIY are fine but pissed off. A Michin video package was shown showcasing her and her upcoming street fight with Nia Jax for the Women’s Championship. Elsewhere backstage, Nia told Pretty Deadly and Tiffany Stratton that Michin would never touch her crown again, and grumpily dismissed them from her presence. Around the corner from them, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven gossiped about Nia and said it would be a great opportunity for Tiffany to cash in after the street fight. Nia popped out and told them she was in no mood, and they backed away.
In the arena, Cody Rhodes made his ring entrance for the main event…[c]
My Take: Looks like Pretty Deadly will be hanging around with Nia and Tiffany, which should be fun. The cash in tease was done in a clever way that didn’t require Tiffany to betray her own intentions.
Kevin Owens made his ring entrance, followed by A-Town Down Under.
4. Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens vs. A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory): Rhodes and Waller started the match. Owens quickly tagged in and they cut off Waller in their corner. Cody tagged back in and they landed a double team back elbow and Cody covered for a two count. The rapid tags continued as Waller played the role of heavy bag in the early going. Theory circled around the ring and jumped on the apron as Owens attempted to make a tag. Waller used the distraction to land some punches, Theory then tagged in and landed an impressive rolling dropkick…[c]
Owens knocked Waller off the top turnbuckle and landed a frog splash, but couldn’t make a cover. Cody fired up on the apron for a hot tag, and Owens crawled over to tag him in. Cody landed a lariat and powerslam on Waller, followed by a disaster kick. Waller escaped to the floor. Cody hit the ropes for a dive, but Theory grabbed his legs. Cody dealt with Theory on the floor, but walked into a flatliner from Waller in the ring. Theory then tagged in and continued the assault on Rhodes.
Cody fought to his feet and put Theory down with a Cody Cutter. He crawled to his feet but Waller had pulled Owens from the apron. By the time Owens got back in the apron, Theory was able to cut him off with a suplex. Cody managed to send both Theory and Waller to the floor and make a tag to Owens. He jumped down off the apron and ran around the ring delivering clotheslines and running sentons to Theory and Waller. He then landed a cannonball on Waller, followed by a Swanton, but Theory broke up the fall.
The advantage was short-lived as Cody landed a CrossRhodes on Theory. Owens went for a stunner, but Theory stuffed it. KO then landed a pop up powerbomb and got the win.
Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens defeated A-Town Down Under at 11:29
The announce team went over the Bash In Berlin Card, with a match being added between Fire & Dawn vs. Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair for the Women’s Tag Team Championships. After the promo, KO had the WWE Championship in his hands and appeared like he was going to clip Cody Rhodes with it, but instead aggressively walked over and handed it to him before talking more trash to Theory and Waller at ringside.
My Take: WWE is taking full advantage of Kevin Owens long history of being a total scumbag, and it’s working well. The match itself was exactly what you’d expect in this scenario, full of teases and “can they coexist” opportunities for KO and Rhodes to back into an argument with one another. The effort was there and KO got another win headed into the title match next week. Overall I’d call this another solid if not spectacular edition of Smackdown. I’ll be back later on tonight with my Audio Review for members.
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