WWE Friday Night Smackdown results (9/6): Barnett’s review of Cody Rhodes responding to Solo Sikoa, The Bloodline vs. The Street Profits and DIY, and Tiffany Stratton vs. Bayley

By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)

WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,306)
Edmonton, Alberta at Rogers Place
Aired live September 6, 2024 on Fox

Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcomed the TV audience to Edmonton. Bayley was shown walking into the arena backstage. She will face Tiffany Stratton later. A car pulled in and Giovanni Vinci exited, and Cody Rhodes was shown signing autographs. A video package then went through highlights from Cody Rhodes title defense against Kevin Owens at Bash at Berlin. 

Cody Rhodes’ music hit in the arena and he made his way to the ring. The crowd cheered as Cody asked them what they wanted to talk about. Rhodes said he was victorious at Bash at Berlin, and congratulated Kevin Owens on his performance. He then welcomed back Michael Cole to Smackdown, and then went on to say that it was very likely that he was about to be interrupted. He extended an invitation to The Bloodline, and they obliged by making their way out to the ring. 

Jacob Fatu was without his walking boot this week. Solo entered the ring by himself and instructed his crew to remain at ringside. Solo asked Cody if he was done running his mouth and playing around. He then asked if he was ready to defend his title against a real challenger like him, and insisted he could have been champion if it wasn’t for Roman Reigns. Solo asked for a rematch. Cody called out next week as the season premiere of Smackdown, and said it deserves an Undisputed Championship Match.

Cody called out an unhinged athlete who defied the tribal chief, but said he wasn’t talking about Solo, he was talking about Jacob Fatu. He called on him to step up, and he got on the apron. Solo looked at him and Fatu said he loved him. He gave a hand signal and Fatu backed off the apron. Cody told Solo that he is getting better every day, and the bloodline currently revolves around him, but he has the WWE Title and the company revolves around it. Cody told Solo that he would win the title some day but it certainly isn’t going to be next week. 

Solo replied that Cody was driving to drive a wedge between him and his enforcer, but it wasn’t going to work. He said if Cody wanted him next week, he was on. Solo then said they didn’t have to wait, and called the Bloodline into the ring. Suddenly the Street Profits and DIY showed up and they had the odds advantage. Nick Aldis showed up and quieted things down, and announced an 8-man Main Event. He then confirmed Cody Rhodes will face Solo Sikoa next week. Aldis said he agreed with Cody about Bloodline interference getting a little old, and said it would take place in a steel cage match.

Backstage, Nia Jax approached Tiffany Stratton. Nia said the whole locker room thought she was going to cash in on her last week. Tiffany said it was all hateful rumors started by Chelsea Green. Nia said she hoped that was true, because she knows Tiffany wouldn’t lie to her. Tiffany said of course not, and asked Nia to be at ringside for her. Nia said she would be helpful just like Tiffany was last week. 

Bayley made her entrance for the first match…[c]

My Take: A decent opening promo, but there’s still something missing with Solo. Almost all of the heightened threat level of the Bloodline comes from Fatu, and that’s something they need to correct for.

Tiffany Stratton made her ring entrance for the opening match. Footage was shown form Nia Jax vs Michin from last week…[c]

1. Tiffany Stratton vs. Bayley: Bayley landed some early offense and tied Stratton up in the ropes. She gave her a noogie to add insult to injury. They battled back and forth for a bit, until Tiffany was able to land a basement dropkick on the ring apron to take control…[c]

Stratton remained in control and hit a handspring back elbow in the corner. Bayley managed to land a huge body block to get back into the match. Stratton fired back with a hip attack of her own and covered for a near fall. The action spilled out to the floor, and Bayley shoved Stratton into the ring post. She then landed a suplex on the floor and tossed her back in the ring. Bayley landed a back suplex and a running knee strike for a close near fall. 

Bayley then took to the top rope and landed an elbow drop for another near fall. Nia Jax then walked out to ringside to “help”. Stratton used the distraction to land a huge Alabama Slam and covered for a close near fall of her own. Bayley fired back with a Bayley to Belly, but was unable to make the cover due to selling her shoulder. Nia gave Stratton some counseling, but Bayley dove on her at ringside. Jax then got on the apron, which kept the ref from seeing Stratton pull Bayley into a backslide. Bayley reversed out of the backslide and landed a Rose Plant for the win. 

Bayley defeated Tiffany Stratton at 10:34

After the match, Bayley jawed with Nia a little bit. Backstage, Kevin Owens ran into Theory and Waller. They claimed he wasn’t friends with Cody Rhodes anymore because he didn’t save him from the Bloodline earlier. Kevin said they were idiots and morons, and since he and Cody got in the ring together, they should have no problem doing it either. Owens gave a nonsense Wayne Gretzky quote about how it was a great day for a Triple Threat match. Owens said he would get Nick Aldis to make the match. He then stole Waller’s Edmonton Oilers themed belt and told him to get a better shirt…[c]

My Take: A decent match from Bayley and Tiffany, but I guarantee they will have a better one sooner than later. Kevin Owens remains a light hearted act after the PPV. I’m curious how long that lasts.

Santos Escobar approached a dinner table where the rest of Legado del Fantasma was seated. He asked what they were so excited about, and they said defeating Corbin and Crews last week. Escobar told them not to be surprised by success, and that it was theirs to take. Lopez said Smackdown was bound to be their turf, and Santos said it belonged to the Emperor Santos Escobar and his familia Legado del Fantasma. 

In the arena, Giovanni Vinci made his ring entrance. Apollo Crews was already in the ring. 

2. Apollo Crews vs. Giovanni Vinci: Vinci took his time getting his coat off, and the referee rang the bell. Crews rolled up Vinci with a crucifix and pinned him immediately. 

Apollo Crews defeated Giovanni Vinci at 0:04

Backstage, Chelsea Green and Michin had a confrontation in Nick Aldis’ office. Chelsea talked trash about Michin losing last week, and Michin offered to kick her ass on the spot. Aldis made a match between them after Chelsea attempted to weasel her way out of a beating. Kevin Owens made his ring entrance for the next match…[c]

My Take: Vinci being oblivious and arrogant was funny but I hope it doesn’t become a trend.

Theory and Waller made their entrance after the break. 

3. Kevin Owens vs. Grayson Waller vs. Austin Theory: Owens quickly sent both men to the food and splashed them with senton. They brawled around the announce table and Waller set up a table. Owens sent Theory into the barricade and then put Waller through his own table with a powerbomb…[c]

Owens pummeled Theory with right hands and stomped away at him. Waller had not gotten back to his feet after being put through a table. Theory fought back with a running forearm, and Owens replied with a DDT. After both men got to their feet, Owens landed some heavy chops and a lariat. He followed up with a running senton and a cannonball in the corner. Owens landed a senton from the top rope, and Waller entered the ring to break up the fall. 

Theory followed up with a rolling blockbuster, and Waller made a cover. Theory pulled them off and they started arguing with one another. All three men ended up on the top turnbuckle brawling it out, and Owens put them down with a noggin knocker. Theory recovered quickly, but got trapped in a rolling senton from the top rope, but Waller broke it up again. 

Waller and Owens climbed the opposite turnbuckle, where Owens rejected a superplex and landed a Fisherman’s buster. Theory attempted an A-Town Down, but Owens avoided it and shoved Theory into Waller on the apron. Theory avoided knocking him down, but Owens took him out a moment later. Owens then landed a Stunner on Theory and picked up the win. 

Kevin Owens defeated Grayson Waller and Austin Theory at 10:40

After the match, Waller and Theory got their revenge but hitting an A-Town Down and Rolling Flatliner on Owens. We then got a video recap of the Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes feud. LA Knight was then shown heading towards the ring. He’s up next…[c]

My Take: A fun triple threat. I assume that feud continues since Theory and Waller got their heat back immediately.

Cole and Graves introduced a video package that recapped Smackdown’s era on Fox that comes to an end tonight. LA Knight made his ring entrance after the video was over. 

Knight wore a shirt that appeared to show him on a boat in a similar position to George Washington crossing the Delaware River in the American Revolution. Knight bragged about having two US title defenses in 30 days on two different continents. He was quickly interrupted by Carmelo Hayes, who quickly bragged about carrying Smackdown on his back with match of the night over the past month. Knight said two title defenses is important because it’s more than his predecessor in 10 months. He then said while Hayes was focused on the match of the night, he was focused on winning and that’s why he’s champion and Hayes is not. 

Andrade then interrupted and reminded everyone he defeated Hayes twice too, and they argued about who was more deserving of an US Title Match. Knight said if they wanted to fight over who got dropped on their head by him it’s fine by him. Andrade said that title used to be his, and spoke in Spanish a bit. Knight told him he didn’t understand him, but he should check his tone. Melo got in his face, and they started to fight. Knight dropped both of them with BFT’s while they were distracted with each other and left the ring. 

Backstage, A-Town Down Under asked for a tag match against Kevin Owens and whoever he could find next week. Aldis agreed and got on the phone. In the arena, Chelsea Green made her entrance with Piper Niven. She will face Michin up next…[c]

My Take: A solid segment. I assume a triple threat US Title match is in the works.

Michin made her entrance after the break. She favored her ribs after she was crushed by an Annihilator last week. 

4. Michin vs. Chelsea Green: Michin landed some arm drags early, followed by a dropkick. Chelsea fired back with a knee lift to the ribs. She then stomped on Michin’s back, followed by a seated dropkick. Michin fired back with a double knee facebuster out of the corner. Michin set up for a piledriver, but Piper created a distraction. She then set up for Eat Defeat, but Chelsea avoided it. Chelsea then tried for an Unprettyher, but got shoved out to the floor. 

Michin dove at Chelsea on the floor and tossed her back in the ring. Chelsea distracted the ref, and Piper dropped Michin on the floor and landed a running senton. Chelsea then followed up with an Unprettyher for the win.

Chelsea Green defeated Michin at 4:21

The Bloodline will take on DIY and The Street Profits next…[c]

My Take: Good to see Chelsea get a win. The pairing with Piper and Chelsea has a lot of upside in both the singles and tag divisions if they want to give them a push.

A video package recapped the Women’s Tag Team Title match from Bash in Berlin. Kevin Owens and a Mystery Partner vs. A-Town Down Under would take place next week, along with Match 5 between Carmelo Hayes and Andrade and Solo Sikoa vs. Cody Rhodes in a Steel Cage. DIY, The Street Profits and B-Fab were interviewed backstage. They agreed they weren’t best of friends, but there was respect between them. They agreed to put their differences aside to take down the Bloodline and prevent them from taking the tag titles hostage again. B-Fab said it would be nothing but disrespect to the Bloodline in the ring tonight.

In the arena, The Bloodline made their entrance for the main event…[c]

My Take: There was tension between DIY and The Street Profits, so smart money says they implode at some point in the match.

The Street Profits made their entrance during the break, and walked through the crowd as the show returned. DIY then made their ring entrance. The match started in a brawl as everyone got in the ring. 

5: DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa) & The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Jacob Fatu): DIY and The Profits cleared The Bloodline from the ring, and they regrouped on the floor. Ford and Dawkins then isolated Tonga Loa as the match began to resemble a tag. Gargano tagged in and landed a spear, and then tagged in Ciampa. The match changed completely when Jacob Fatu entered, as he smashed Ciampa quickly and sent him to the floor. Solo tagged in and jumped off the apron, and then sent Ciampa crashing over the announce table with a throw…[c]

Ciampa clawed back into the match with a vertical suplex on Tama Tonga, and made a tag to both Ciampa and Dawkins simultaneously. Both men entered the ring and took down Solo and the Tongans. Ford then dove over the top rope onto Jacob Fatu on the floor. Dawkins landed a side slam on Solo and covered for a near fall. Ciampa tagged back into the match and ate a Spinning Solo for a close near fall. Solo barked orders at Tama Tonga, but the match completely broke down with everybody getting involved. 

Both Tama Tonga and Ciampa climbed the turnbuckles, where Ciampa suplexed Tama Tonga onto the pile on the floor and everybody was down. Ford got Ciampa back in the ring for a tag, and then landed a 450 on Tama Tonga. Jacob Fatu broke up the pinfall and destroyed everybody on the babyface team. He delivered an Impaler DDT on Montez Ford and tagged in Solo. He delivered two Samoan Spikes to Ford and covered for the win.

The Bloodline defeated DIY and The Street Profits at 10:59

The announce team plugged Solo Sikoa vs Cody Rhodes in a Steel Cage for the WWE Championship for next week as the show went off the air.

My Take: A chaotic final match with the expected Bloodline Dominance. Solo needed to look strong going into next week, but Jacob Fatu remains the stand out star of the faction. Overall this was a decent episode of Smackdown, but not an electric one. Hopefully the “Series Premiere” of Smackdown on USA next week feels like a bigger deal.