SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JUNE 7, 2024
LOUISVILLE, KY. AT KFC YUM! CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON FOX
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 8,077 tickets had been distributed so far; arena set up for 9,331
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by Javier Machado from PWTorch to review Smackdown LIVE. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
If you can’t join us live on YouTube, stream the show on demand later at YouTube or listen on a podcast app. Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a recap of the A.J. Styles-Cody Rhodes angle last week including photos of Styles early in his career and a photo of him with his son who just graduated high school.
-As Corey Graves introduced the show, they showed a wide angle of the big crowd in the arena. Then the Bloodline made their entrance to Solo Sikoa’s entrance theme. Wade Barrett pointed out that Heyman has yet to be consulted on anything in the Bloodline since Roman Reigns left. Graves said Heyman seems to be all nerves around Solo.
Heyman nervously introduced himself as the crowd said his name along with him. He said as the Wiseman, he said it is within his scope of services, at all times he must set the record straight. He said until Roman Reigns returns, Solo sits at the head of the table. Fans loudly chanted, “We Want Roman!” He said Solo has “upped the ante” and declared it a double proclamation. He said that from this moment forward, Toma Tonga will be known as “The Right Hand Man.” Another “We Want Roman!” chant broke out. “From this moment on, the story of Bloodline will never be complete if you don’t include the fact that a fully pledged member of The Bloodline stands before you right now in the form of the infamous Tonga Loa.
Solo hugged Tonga. Heyman looked relieved and then wished everyone good night. Solo said, “Whoa whoa whoa, hold on Wiseman.” He asked if he is forgetting something. Heyman stammered nervously and said no. Fans chanted “Solo sucks!” He asked Heyman if he shouldn’t be thanking Loa and Tonga for saving him from Kevin Owens last week. Heyman did that, again full of nervousness. Loa and Tonga leaned in to hear his expressions of gratitude. Tonga looked at Heyman with expectations. Heyman said, “Tonga Loa, the right hand man.” Tonga said they could have let KO kill him, but they saved him “by orders of the Tribal Chief.”
Heyman said he wanted to return the gratitude. He said he arrived early and all he’s heard since he arrived and KO is looking for a piece of every single member of The Bloodline. Kevin Owens’ music played. He charged into the ring and got into it with Solo, Loa, and Tonga. He was soon overwhelmed. The Street Profits ran out for the save, joined by B-Fab. Owens cleared the ring with a chair. Solo held Tonga and Loa back at ringside.
(Keller’s Analysis: This chapter of the Bloodline keeps getting better. Solo and Heyman are both developing more of a chemistry playing off of each other. Heyman is walking up to the line without crossing into any overacting, which seems like it’d be easy to slip into in a role like this. He seems truly terrified. The crowd is really invested in wanting Roman to return and starting to really boo and chant against Solo, which is a good sign.)
-They showed Cody Rhodes pacing intensely in the parking garage.
-They showed Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill walking backstage. [c]
-As they showed scenes of New York City, Graves plugged a Fanatics Fest in NYC including Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, and Hulk Hogan.
(Keller’s Analysis: Paul Levesque is certainly not shying away from bringing Hogan back into the mainstream of WWE.)
-Solo caught up to Heyman and spun him around asked him if he was really trying to leave. He told Heyman to make sure they have a six-man tag match later against “those fools who jumped the Bloodline.” He said if not, the main event will happen in the locker room, “You vs. Tama Tonga.” Heyman said he likes the six-man a lot better. Solo said, “That’s a wise choice, Wiseman.” At the end, the QR code flashed on the screen.
(1) JADE CARGILL & BIANCA BELAIR vs. INDI HARTWELL & CANDICE LERAE
Jade came out first, then Belair, each to their own music. They walked to the ring together. They replayed Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn interfering in their tag match last week. As Hartwell and LeRae came out, they showed a clip from earlier in the day complaining to Nick Aldis about Jade bullying Indi. Nick revealed to them he booked them in a tag match. Indi, in a panicked voice, said that’s not what they came there for.
The bell rang 24 minutes into the hour. As soon as the bell rang, Fyre & Dawn and Zoey Stark & Shayna Baszler arrived at ringside. Belair got in early offense including a handspring moonsault for a two count. They cut to Fyre and Dawn reacting at ringside. LeRae yanked on Belair’s braid and tagged in Indi. Indi slammed LeRae onto Belair mid-ring. They cut to a break as Indi posed mid-ring. Graves said they might’ve won and it’s a terrible time to pose [c]
Back from the break, Belair leaped and tagged in Jade. She beat up both LeRae and Hartwell. Graves said Jade was making it look easy. Jade made the cover after a superkick on Hartwell, but LeRae broke up the cover. Jade and Belair finished Hartwell with a double-team move seconds later for the win.
WINNERS: Cargill & Belair in 6:00.
-As Belair and Cargill celebrated, Fyre and Dawn jumped them. Baszler and Stark entered the ring and held the tag titles. Fyre and Dawn entered and they got into a fight. Cargill and Belair entered and cleared the ring of Baszler and Stark, then gave a KOD and a Jaded to Fyre and Dawn.
-Aldis approached Cody and said he knows how he feels. He said he got played by Styles too, but it’s not in the company’s interest to have them fight on the loading dock. Cody said somebody’s going to get hurt, but it’s not him. Cody told Aldis he should understand as much as anyone that “this is between myself and A.J. Styles.” Aldis walked away.
-Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa made their ring entrance. [c]
-Barrett confirmed the main event would be the six-man tag Solo wanted.
-Sarah Schreiber interviewed Apollo Crews backstage. She said she was excited to interview Crews. She asked what to expect in his match against Angel Garza. As he began talking, Angel and Humberto attacked him. Referees helped him up as Aldis called for medical. L.A. Knight walked up to Aldis and asked where Logan Paul was. Aldis showed him his phone which apparently showed Logan watching Tetris. Carmelo Hayes walked in and said they’re talking about someone who isn’t even there. Knight said since Aldis lost the Crews-Angel match, how about he get a match against Hayes. Aldis agreed to it. Hayes nodded. Aldis said Hayes has a lot to learn. Knight said, “Yeah!”
(2) GRAYSON WALLER (w/Austin Theory) vs. JOHNNY GARGANO (w/Tomasso Ciampa)
Barrett said he has been assured by Waller and Theory that their momentary disagreement last week isn’t an issue anymore. The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. They cut to a break at 2:00 after a Gargano dive at ringside. [c]
Waller landed a top rope flying elbowdrop after the break. Gargano caught Waller with a slingshot spear for a two count seconds later. At 7:00 Theory helped Waller stand. Theory helped Waller stand at ringside. When Gargano dove through the ropes, Waller pulled away and pulled Theory into Gargano’s path. Waller threw Gargano into the ringpost and then hit his finisher for a three count.
WINNER: Waller in 8:00.
-They cut back to Cody. Aldis, with security flanking him, told Cody that Styles just told him he’s pulling in. [c]
-They showed aerial shots of Louisville.
-They went back to Cody pacing and huffing and puffing. Styles arrived and stood through a sky roof opening in the SUV. Security blocked Cody from going after him. Cody marched away to the ring. Fans cheered as the camera followed him. Barrett said Cody is the most professional man in the industry, but that goes out the window after “the sickening attack last week by A.J. Styles.”
Cody entered the ring and told Styles to “get your ass to the ring right now.” He said they don’t need security. Aldis marched out and to the ring and ordered security to keep them apart. Styles walked onto the stage with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Styles asked Cody if he thinks he cares what he wants. He said what Cody wants is irrelevant to him. He said he can tell he wants to fight so badly. He told Cody to give him what he wants. Fans chanted, “A.J. sucks!” He asked for a championship match at Clash at the Castle.
[HOUR TWO]
Cody said, “100 percent you got it.” He said it won’t be a regular match. He said he won’t just beat him, he’s going to make him say what he should’ve said last week: “I quit.”
When Cody left the ring, security intervened. Cody tossed a couple of them around. The ref held him down as fans chanted “Cody! Cody!” Styles charged at Cody and hit him with a forearm as Cody was being held. Barrett said it was a cheap shot since Styles already got what he wanted.
(Keller’s Analysis: Cody showed a different category of intensity and fire tonight and he succeeded. Styles is well practiced being a heel, and he was good here.) [c]
-As Belair and Cargill left Aldis’s office. Byron Saxton asked them what was discussed. They revealed they agreed to a have a triple threat match at Clash at the Castle against the two teams who attacked them earlier.
-They show some UFC reps at ringside and plugged their event the next night.
(3) L.A. KNIGHT vs. CARMELO HAYES
The bell rang 10 minutes into the hour. Knight beat up Hayes at ringside early and they cut to a break at 2:00. [c]
Knight eventually landed a pop-up powerslam and flying elbowdrop. He then went for a BFT. Hayes escaped and tried to roll him up with a yank of the tights, but Knight reversed it and got a three count.
WINNER: Knight in 9:00.
-Afterward, Knight used Barrett’s headset to say that if Logan won’t come to him, he’ll find him. “I’ll bring Smackdown to you,” he said. “Yeah!”
-They showed Tiffany Stratton at ringside who approached Nia Jax. She said Jax was her pick to win Queen of the Ring. She said she has her back now that so many are gunning for her. She said together, no one could stop them. She told Jax to think about it. Michin then showed up as Jax turned around. She threw a drink at Jax. Jax attacked her. Referee’s pulled them apart.
-They went to Barrett and Graves at ringside. Graves said Bayley has had her hands full lately. They went to a sponsored video package on her situation with Piper Niven.
-Bayley began her ring entrance. [c]
-Bayley stood in the ring as Barrett plugged Bayley vs. Niven at Clash at the Castle. When Bayley began to talk, Chelsea Green and Niven walked out. Chelsea said Bayley has been losing lately and that will happen again at the Clash. Bayley mocked Green’s laugh and said she beat her in Saudi Arabia. She said Piper doesn’t need Green and she actually respects Piper. Bayley said she watched her live at the Mae Young Classic and immediately had respect for who she is. She said she could’ve just asked for a title match, but instead she jumped her from behind. She said shes going to have some fun beating her in her home country.
Piper said she’s so glad she has respect for her. She said maybe she’d take it more to heart if she knew more about her and her journey. She said the Moe Young Classic was in 2017. She said she’s been digging her way out of the trenches since then while Bayley was giving out high fives at the Performance Center. She approached Bayley in the ring and said she was a trailblazer winning titles all over the U.K. and Japan. She said she was a world champion before she stepped into WWE. She said she wouldn’t dare stand so close to her if she knew what she’s capable of.
-A promo aired with Logan Paul at home. He said he’s not at Smackdown. He said he’s in Los Angeles to compete tomorrow at the Tetris World Championships. He said he has competed with the best in the world, while Knight has done nothing to merit his attention. He called him a walking catch phrase in a denim vest who looks like a hillbilly. He mocked his catch phrase delivery and told him to “go back to the mid-card where you belong.”
-Owens and then the Profits made their ring entrance. [c]
-Backstage Green and Niven walked up top Aldis who was chatting with Naomi. Naomi told Green that she heard what she said, and she warned her to keep her name out of her mouth. Aldis cut them off and asked if they’d like to wrestle each other next week on Smackdown. He said he’d make the match if they keep their hands off each other now. They bot agreed.
-Graves plugged next week’s Smackdown: Michin vs. Nia Jax, The Grayson Waller Effect with DIY as his guest.
-They showed UFC fighter Valentina Shevchenko at ringside.
(4) THE STREET PROFITS & KEVIN OWENS vs. THE BLOODLINE (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Solo Sikoa w/Paul Heyman)
The bell rang 45 minutes into the hour. Dawkins got in early offense, but the Bloodline took control. They cut to a break at 2:00. [c]
The Bloodline beat up Ford for a while after the break. Owens got a hot-tag. He landed a top rope senton onto Solo for a two count. Solo fired back with a superkick. Solo then set up a Samoan Spike. Owens ducked and landed a stunner for another two count. Loa and Tonga yanked Owens to the floor. Everyone joined in the brawl at ringside, with Ford leaping off the top turnbuckle with a flip dive onto them. Solo hit Ford with a chair. The ref called for the bell.
WINNERS: Bloodline in 9:00.
-The brawl continued after the match. They slammed Owens through the announce desk. They posed at ringside.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by Javier Machado from PWTorch to review Smackdown LIVE. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
If you can’t join us live on YouTube, stream the show on demand later at YouTube or listen on a podcast app. Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.