WWE Smackdown Review – June 9, 2023
Kicking off this week’s with a video recapping the events of Roman Reigns’ 1,000 day celebration as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion last week.
Paul Heyman looks to introduce himself but The Usos’ music cuts him off and Jey Uso heads down to the ring.
Jey tells Sikoa he let a lot of things slide but you don’t stab your big brother in the back. He says he doesn’t know if he can forgive him for what he did to Jimmy last week and tells Sikoa & Heyman to say what he needs to.
Heyman says Jey has everything wrong. He says Jimmy is the one at fault for everything that’s happened because he made up his mind not just for himself but for Jey as well. Heyman tells Sikoa to back up then says he’s taking a chance by standing so close to Jey. He questions if Jimmy asked Jey about superkicking Roman Reigns at Night Of Champions, then says Jimmy has always resented Jey because Reigns wants to prepare Jey to be the next Tribal Chief. He says that has always been Jey’s fate and says he’ll prove the truth to him tonight. Heyman says he’s arranged a match for him per the instructions of Reigns but it’s not a tag team match. He says due to Jimmy’s actions, The Usos are no more and informs him that he will be taking on Austin Theory for the United States Title. He says his path to become Heavyweight Championship starts tonight and he will become Tribal Chief when the time is right. Heyman says he needs Jey’s answer about who he’ll side with and hands the mic over to him.
Jey says he’ll take Heyman up on his United States Title match. Heyman extends his hand out to Jey but Jey declines to shake it and tells him he’ll get back to him on whether or not he’ll back Reigns or Jimmy.
Money In The Bank Qualifying Match
Santos Escobar vs. Mustafa Ali
Santos Escobar & Mustafa Ali get in one another’s faces then Ali lands a chop but Escobar fires back with one of his own. Ali executes a hurricanrana that sends Escobar tumbling to the outside. Escobar pulls Ali out to join him and hits a chop. They go back & forth with right hands before Escobar delivers an enziguri and a kick to Ali’s midsection.
He follows it up with a hurricanrana off the apron then tosses Ali back in the ring and goes for a pin but Ali kicks out and rolls to the outside. Escobar delivers a tope suicida then ascends to the top and lands a crossbody as we go to a break.
After the break they teeter on the top rope. Escobar sends Ali crashing to the outside then looks to go flying but Ali catches him with a dropkick mid air then chucks him back in the ring and ascends to the top rope & sets up for a 450 Splash but Escobar rolls out of the way and sends Ali crashing into the middle turnbuckle face first. He then hits a reverse hurricanrana and goes for a pin but Ali kicks out.
Escobar delivers the double running knees in the corner before Ali executes a tornado DDT and ascends to the top rope but Escobar meets him up there and lands the Phantom Driver off the middle rope for the win.
Winner & Gets Into The Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Santos Escobar
After the match the rest of LWO appears to celebrate with Escobar & Rey Mysterio at ringside.
We then head backstage to Jey Uso & Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Sami Zayn approaches him and says their time in The Bloodline was some of the best of his career. He says he knows the same goes for Jey and starts reminiscing. He says when Reigns takes over bad things happen and paranoia sets in. He says Reigns pushes too far and says he did everything he could to keep The Bloodline together. Zayn says Reigns made him test his loyalty to his brother just like he did with his own then says he hopes he wins the United States Title to prove himself. He tells Jey to think about the consequences and listen to his heart rather than what’s in his ear. Jey then walks off.
We are back from the break Kayla Braxton introduces NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn then they head down to ringside.
Braxton looks to welcome Fyre & Dawn to Smackdown but before she can, Ronda Rousey’s music hits and she appears alongside Shayna Baszler. Baszler says Dawn & Fyre want to call themselves NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions but questions how much they know about their history. She says if it weren’t for her, the NXT Women’s Tag Team Title wouldn’t exist. Rousey says herself & Baszler have ran through the competition and as a result, they want a shot at Dawn & Fyre’s title.
Dawn & Fyre accept then blindside Baszler & Rousey. Rousey & Baszler eventually gain the upper hand. Baszler sends Dawn crashing to the outside then looks to help Rousey attack Fyre. Dawn attacks Baszler from behind and Fyre sends Rousey out of the ring. Baszler is sent to join her.
We then head to a video taking a look at the iconic career of the late Iron Sheik.
Women’s Money In The Bank Qualifying Match
Michin vs. Bayley
Bayley wastes no time as she sends Michin crashing face first into the announce table then tosses her back in the ring and gloats in front of AJ Styles. Michin surprises her with a tope suicida then tosses her back in the ring and rains down right hands then follows it up with a hurricanrana and a DDT then goes for a pin but Bayley kicks out.
Bayley fakes a nose injury but Michin calls her bluff and delivers a kick to her face. Bayley then sends Michin face first into the middle turnbuckle before landing Rose Plant for the win.
Winner & Gets Into The Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Bayley
After the match Scarlett appears and blows red powder into Styles’ face. Karrion Kross appears behind him in the crowd and locks in the Kross Jacket before relinquishing it.
We then head backstage to Bianca BelAir & Adam Pearce. BelAir voices her frustrations with Asuka & Pearce begs her not to interrupt Asuka’s Women’s Title presentation. In exchange he offers her a title rematch and BelAir agrees to stay out of the way.
Pearce says he has the honor of unveiling the new Women’s Title then introduces Asuka.
Asuka’s music hits and she heads down.
Pearce unveils the Women’s Title and puts it around Asuka’s waist before Asuka can say anything Charlotte Flair’s music hits and she makes her way down to the ring.
Pearce asks Flair what she’s doing and tells her she has to get in line for a Women’s Title shot. Flair says she doesn’t wait in line because she made the line. She tells Asuka no one respects her more than she does and officially challenges her for the Women’s Title. Asuka accepts and looks to spit the mist in Flair’s face but Flair ducks out of the way and dumps Asuka out of the ring.
We then head backstage to Paul Heyman & Jey Uso. Heyman says he got him with that cliffhanger then requests his passport so he can fly on Roman Reigns’ private jet. He says next week on Smackdown a triple celebration will be held for Reigns’ presence the newly crowned United States Champion Jey and the crowning of Jey as Tribal Chief. Jey says he’s in but asks Heyman why he’s so happy. He says if he’s in The Bloodline then Heyman is out.
After the break a furious Bianca BelAir approaches Adam Pearce. Pearce says he’ll figure it out, and BelAir tells her he better do so.
Back at ringside we see NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams watching on in the crowd as Baron Corbin heads down.
We then head over to a quick video recapping the issues between Hayes, Williams & Corbin over the past couple weeks.
Before the match Corbin grabs a mic and tells Hayes & Williams he hopes they’re watching when he beats Butch. He asks Hayes if he saw what he did to Williams on Tuesday then tells them he hopes they stay on the other side of the barricade so he doesn’t have to destroy them again.
Money In The Bank Qualifying Match
Butch vs. Baron Corbin
Butch wastes no time as he delivers a pair of enziguiris and a tornado DDT. Corbin fires back with a backbreaker then rains down right hands. Butch lands another enziguri and goes to work manipulating Corbin’s fingers. Corbin turns Butch inside out then taunts Hayes & Williams. Corbin looks for a chokeslam but Butch rolls him up for the win.
Winner & Gets Into The Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Butch
After the match Corbin gets in Hayes & Williams face then he takes a cheap shot at Williams causing them to jump the barricade. Officials run down and separate the 3 men.
After the break we go backstage to Megan Morant is with Brawling Brutes & Morant asks Butch how he feels coming off his win but Baron Corbin storms in and complains about losing his match because Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams were at ringside. Cameron Grimes then blindsides him.
Women’s Money In The Bank Qualifying Match
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Iyo Sky
Bayley gains Shotzi Blackheart’s attention & this allows Iyo Sky to land a kick but Blackheart quickly recovers and lands a suplex. She sends Blackheart’s arm bouncing off the ropes then ascends to the top and goes flying. Blackheart ducks out of the way and lands a bulldog then follows it up with a senton.
Sky rolls to the outside and Blackheart catches her with a suicide dive then she tosses her back in the ring and ascends to the top rope but Bayley pushes her off & this allows Sky to deliver the Over The Moonsault for the win.
Winner & Gets Into The Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Iyo Sky
After the break we head backstage to Sami Zayn. Kevin Owens approaches him and asks how his conversation with Jey Uso went. Zayn says he doesn’t know and Owens says now that’s out of the way they need to talk business. Pretty Deadly walks in and requests an Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles match. Brawling Brutes, Good Brothers, LWO & Street Profits walk in to do the same. Owens loses his temper as Adam Pearce appears. Zayn calmly explains the situation to Pearce and Pearce proposes a #1 Contender’s Gauntlet match & everyone accepts.
We then head over to a video hyping up Grayson Waller.
United States Title Match
Austin Theory (c) vs. Jey Uso
Match starts off with a lock up then Austin Theory lands a shoulder tackle before Jey Uso clotheslines Theory out of the ring then he follows him out and tosses him across the announce table as we go to a break.
After the break Theory & Jey go back & forth with right hands. Jey gains the upper hand and sends Theory crashing into the mat then charges at Theory in the corner. Theory slips out of the way and lands a shotgun dropkick then delivers a right hand to his spine and plants Jey.
He then sets up for A Town Down but Jey escapes and delivers a step up enziguri then he ascends to the top rope and lands Uso Splash then goes for a pin but the referee is nowhere to be found and Pretty Deadly appear at ringside. They clock Jey but Jimmy Uso appears and levels both men with superkicks.
Solo Sikoa blindsides Jimmy and sends him crashing into the mat then looks for the Samoan Spike on Jimmy but Jey prevents him from doing so and Jimmy sets up for a superkick on Sikoa.
He inadvertently hits Jey instead before taking Sikoa out on the outside then the referee recovers and Theory pins Jey for the win.
Winner & Still United States Champion: Austin Theory (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
After the match Paul Heyman appears at ringside and stands by Sikoa as Jimmy checks on Jey. He helps Jey up but Jey shoves him and heads over to where Heyman & Sikoa are standing. Heyman apologizes and Jey storms off.
