WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
June 16, 2023
Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Commentary: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with clips of last week’s show with the segments involving Jey Uso and Paul Heyman.
Live in the arena, Kayla is in the parking lot as a black SUV parks. Out steps Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa. Kayla asks Roman about an update on Jey as Roman leaves. She asks Heyman as he looks at her, huffs and leaves.
No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Gauntlet Match: The OC, Latino World Oder, Street Profits, Brawling Brutes, and Pretty Deadly
Out come the Street Profits to the ring with The OC, the LWO and Pretty Deadly already surrounding ring side. The Brawling Brutes are the last to come out as Sheamus and Ridge Holland come down to the ring.
The bell rings and we are under way. Montez Ford and Sheamus start the match. Both men with reversals. Sheamus with a shoulder tackle. He runs to the ropes and Ford hits him with a drop kick. Both men on their feet. Ford with a chop to the chest but Sheamus is standing. Ford runs to the ropes but Sheamus hits him with a back breaker. Ridge Holland is tagged in and he spints Ford around before hitting him with a double underhook suplex. He grabs Ford but Ford with right hands.
Ford with chops to the chest followed by a kick to the side of the head. Dawkins is tagged in and he hits Holland with a clothesline. Dawkins knocks Sheamus off the ring apron. Dawkins with a spinning elbow onto Holland. Ridge is thrown to the ropes and Sheamus tags himself in. Ridge moves out of the way and Sheamus hits Dawkins with the Brogue Kick. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
The Street Profits are eliminated.
-Commercial Break-
The Brawling Brutes vs. The OC
Back from commercial, Anderson with right hands on Sheamus in the middle of the ring. Gallows is tagged in and they double team Sheamus in the corner. Gallows with a snap suplex followed by a head lock. Sheamus slowly gets to his feet and right hands on Gallows. Sheamus slams Gallows onto the mat. Anderson is tagged in and he knocks Holland off the ring apron. Sheamus hits Anderson with the Brogue Kick. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
The OC are eliminated.
The Brawling Brutes vs. The LWO
Joaquin Wilde on the top rope and he hits Sheamus with a drop kick. Del Toro is tagged in and he hits Sheamus with a moon sault off the top rope. He goes for the cover but Sheamus kicks out. Sheamus with a right hand onto Del Toro and he tags Holland in. Wilde jumps off the top rope but Holland knocks him down. Holland picks Del Toro up and slams him onto the mat. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
The LWO are eliminated.
The Brawling Brutes vs. Hit Row
Five Dolla gets in the ring and Sheamus hits him with the Brogue Kick. Holland goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Hit Row are eliminated.
-Commercial Break-
The Brawling Brutes vs. Pretty Deadly
Back from commercial, Kit Wilson with a neck breaker onto Holland in the middle of the ring. He goes for the cover but Holland kicks out. Elton Prince is tagged in and they double team Holland. Prince with right hands. He goes for the cover but Holland kicks out. Prince with a head lock but Holland gets to his feet. Prince with an elbow onto Holland’s knee. Wilson is tagged back in. They try to double team Holland but Holland with a double back body drop. Sheamus is tagged in. Sheamus with right hands onto both men in the ring. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick but Wilson moves out of the way. Sheamus with the Alabama slam. He goes for the cover but Prince breaks it up.
Holland with a rugby tackle onto Prince and they fall to the outside of the ring. Prince throws Holland into the ring steps. Wilson gets on the ring apron. Sheamus grabs Wilson as Prince gets on the ring apron. Sheamus with a right hand and he hits a double 10 Beats of the Bodhrán. Sheamus goes for the Celtic cross onto Wilson as Prince tags himself in. Sheamus goes for the cover but Wilson is not the legal man. Prince with a leg drop off the top rope onto Sheamus. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Pretty Deadly
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Pretty Deadly are still celebrating in the ring. Kevin’s music hits and out come Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to a pop from the crowd. Zayn congratulates Pretty Deadly. He said he did not expect them to win, no one expected them to win but they won.
Zayn says they won about five minutes ago and they are still in the ring celebrating. And they have overstayed their welcome by five minutes. He tells them to leave the ring as the fans cheer. Prince says that was cute but they just beat five teams and their hair is drier than Zayn’s hair.
Wilson says when they become the new Unified Tag Team Champions, they will celebrate for even longer. And every one can celebrate and they’ll celebrate even longer. And when you think they are done, they will celebrate even longer.
Owens starts to yell and snaps. He says listening to them, he feels like running to the ring and hitting them. Zayn says he thinks they should do it. Owens and Zayn run to the ring as Pretty Deadly leave the ring.
Roman is sitting backstage with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa. Heyman asks Roman if he has spoken with Jey. Roman laughs and says he hasn’t. He asks Heyman who the Tribal Chief is. Heyman says he is. Roman says when Jey is the Tribal Chief, people will reach out to Jey. But he is still the Tribal Chief, people will reach out to him. Heyman says that is very wise. Roman asks if he has spoken to him, Heyman says he hasn’t. Roman says it’s not a question but to go speak with Jey now. Heyman agrees as he stands up and leaves.
-Commercial Break-
IYO SKY with Bayley vs. Zelina Vega
The bell rings and we are under way. Zelina extends her hand but IYO SKY slaps her. IYO SKY with a drop kick followed by right hands. IYO SKY climbs the second rope and stomps onto Zelina’s left arm. IYO SKY climbs the second rope and pulls back onto Zelina’s arm as the referee breaks it up. IYO SKY climbs the top rope and stomps onto Zelina’s arm. IYO SKY with an arm bar. She goes for a body slam but Zelina lands on her feet. She rolls IYO SKY up but IYO SKY kicks out. Bayley gets on the ring apron and distracts Zelina. IYO SKY goes to attack Zelina but Zelina moves out of the way. Bayley accidentally distracts the referee, Zelina rolls her up but IYO SKY kicks out. IYO SKY argues with Bayley and Zelina hits her with a 619. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Zelina Vega
Adam Pearce is backstage and in comes Bianca Belair. He tells her he gave her his word that he will figure it out but he can’t give her an answer tonight. Bianca is saying she can’t be patient. She went about getting her rematch the right way but now, right or wrong, she is doing it her way.
-Commercial Break-
Bayley and IYO SKY are arguing backstage and in comes Shotzi. She tells Bayley if it wasn’t for her, she would be in the Money in the Bank ladder match. Bayley tells her she is not on Damage CTRL’s level. Shotzi tells Bayley if she is so confident, to put her Money in the Bank ladder match spot on the line. IYO SKY says Bayley accepts as Shotzi says she will talk to Adam Pearce.
The Grayson Waller Effect with Charlotte Flair
Grayson Waller says just when you thought the Grayson Waller Effect couldn’t get any bigger, they are about to break the internet. He introduces Charlotte Flair to the show.
Waller says it is great having her on the show. He asks Charlotte if she will become a 15 time champion. Flair says 15 time, 16 time but since they are talking numbers, she has Asuka’s number. Asuka tells him he can wooo when she says that. Waller wooo’s.
Bianca Belair’s music hits and out she comes. Bianca tells Flair her accolades speak for themselves but someone has to explain to her how things work. She lost her title, was told she was going to get a rematch, in comes Flair who says she wants a rematch and got the rematch. Flair stands up as the fans chant “EST”. Flair tells Bianca she calls her shots and gets them, she is not going to apologize. The line starts and ends with her.
Flair tells Bianca she lost to Rhea at WrestleMania and she did not get a rematch. They are both owed a rematch. Bianca tells Flair that she tried to do it the right way. She got defeated and stayed and she tried to do it the right way. She says she didn’t go away and hide for three months. Maybe she should take things into her own hands too. Flair asks her if she thinks she ran away. Flair says she stepped away but did not run away. And if anyone knows anything about defeat, she has beaten the best and gotten defeated but picked herself up 14 times. She is a champion with or without the title. She asks Bianca if she is a champion with or without a title.
Bianca says she is the longest reigning women’s champion of the modern era and she didn’t have to do it 14 times. And to put respect on her name. Bianca tells Flair that the past is the past but the future is that she will be sitting ringside for Flair’s match against Asuka. She is done being patient and playing with them and no matter who will win, she will get in the ring face to face and call her shot. Because that title is coming back to her. Bianca drops the microphone and leaves the ring.
We cut backstage and Jey is standing and in comes Paul Heyman. He tells Jey he is sorry he told him the truth last week. He is sorry he was right last week, he is sorry Jimmy kicked him in the face last week. He tells Jey he knows it was intentional. Jimmy doesn’t miss, he has those accurate kicks. He meant to kick Roman at Night of Champions and he meant to kick him in the face last week. Heyman says it is jealousy. He tells Jey he doesn’t deserve that and for that, he is sorry.
Jey tells Heyman he is sorry too because if he is in, Heyman is still out.
-Commercial Break-
AJ Styles and Michin vs Karrion Kross and Scarlett
The bell rings and we are under way. AJ and Kross start the match. AJ with right hands and a flying forearm. Michin is tagged in and she hits KRoss with a tornado DDT. Scarlett gets in the ring and she takes Michin down. She goes for the cover but Michin kicks out. Michin with right hands and chops. Kicks by Michin followed by a release German suplex. Kross is tagged in and Michin with kicks onto Kross as she and AJ double team Kross. Scarlett throws Michin to the outside. AJ hits Kross with the Styles Clash. He goes for the cover but Scarlett breaks it up. Scarlett gets in AJ’s face as she tries to seduce him. AJ tells her he is married. Michin drags Scarlett to the outside. Kross gets AJ in the Kross Jacket and Kross hits him with the Kross Hammer. Kross slams AJ face first onto the mat. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Karrion Kross and Scarlett
We cut backstage and Roman is sitting. In comes Heyman who shakes his head. Heyman continues to shake his head. Roman looks at Solo and Solo looks towards Heyman as Heyman walks away. Solo asks Roman if he wants him to handle it. Roman tells him they still have plenty of time.
-Commercial Break-
Kayla is backstage with Cameron Grimes. He tells Kayla he has had a lot of fun on SmackDown. And as he is talking, Baron Corbin attacks him from behind and throws him into WWE equipment. He tells him he has gotten lucky and his luck has just run out.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. He says he has had many accomplishments throughout his career and there is one accomplishment that he is truly proud of. And that is reforming the LWO. He says the person he is about to introduce, represents the essence of the LWO and he has no doubt that he can become the next Mr. Money in the Bank. The emperor, Santos Escobar.
Out comes Santos Escobar and he gets in the ring. He says timing is everything. He has worked hard and he sacrificed a lot for one opportunity. An opportunity of a life time that is competing for the Money in the Bank contract. He tells Rey he wants to tell him something.
Escobar thanks him for believing in him. He tells Rey he loves him as they hug. He tells Rey he inspires him and he is fighting for Rey, for his people, his family. And for anyone and every one in the WWE Universe who has a dream.
LA Knight’s music hits and he gets a pop from the crowd. LA Knight walks down to the ring. LA Knight pushes Rey down and Santos hits him with a clothesline followed by a drop kick. Rey goes for the 619 but LA Knight rolls out of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar
Back from commercial and the match is already under way. The fans are chanting “LA Knight” and Escobar with a flying forearm onto LA Knight. Escobar with a back breaker. Escobar on the ring apron and he climbs the top rope. Escobar with a cross body as he goes for the cover but LA Knight kicks out. Escobar with a knee to the face. He grabs LA Knight but LA Knight pushes him to the ropes and LA Knight with a slam. LA Knight with an elbow. He goes for the cover but Escobar kicks out. Escobar is thrown to the ropes as he jumps onto LA Knight’s shoulders. LA Knight rolls Escobar over but Escobar rolls LA Knight and gets the pin.
Winner: Santos Escobar
LA Knight hits Escobar from behind. He stomps on Escobar and Rey runs down to the ring as LA Knight leaves.
-Commercial Break-
Jey Uso is shown walking backstage and he sees Sami Zayn. They stare at each other as Zayn walks away. Jey continues to walk as Roman’s music hits.
Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa walk down to the ring. Heyman gives Roman the microphone. He tells the fans to acknowledge him. Jey’s music hits and out he comes to the ring.
The fans chant “Uso” as Roman says he knows what they want. They want answers as he asks Jey what it’s going to be. If he’s in or out. Jey looks at Roman and tells Roman “you tell me”. He tells Roman it’s either going to be Heyman or him.
Roman tells Jey when he’s the tribal chief, he can pick anyone he wants to be his wise man. He says Heyman is his wise man. He’s not the Bloodline’s wise man. He’s not Jimmy or Jey’s wise man. He is his wise man. He was only meant to get them to the promised land, Jey is meant to keep them there. To keep them at the top of the mountain. He says Heyman says they just started grooming Jey but they started grooming Jey for three years.
Reigns says hard work and equity. That’s why he is the right hand man, main event Jey Uso. Because Jey is meant to lead, just not yet. Roman says the problem isn’t the wise man. The problem is his brother. Roman tells Jey he has been with them their whole lives, their twins. But Jey has to understand. And as he is talking, out comes Jimmy Uso.
Jimmy tells Jey the problem is not his brother, the problem is their cousin. Jimmy says in reality, Roman is using Jey. He asks Jey if he believes the garbage that is coming out of Roman’s mouth.
Jimmy asks Jey if he believes Roman over him. The fans chant “Uso” as Roman laughs. Roman says they were not doing this 10 years ago. It took them 10 years just to get them to WrestleMania. And since they have been with him, they have main evented every single one. Roman lifts Jey up but Jimmy is an anchor, he brings him down. He tells Jey he is the next tribal chief. But he can’t be a tribal chief and a twin at the same time.
Roman tells Jey he can put on a mask too but the reality is… He asks Heyman that when they named Jey the right hand man, who was the only one that had a problem with it? Roman says it was Heyman’s suggestion but it was Jimmy. Jey looks at Jimmy as Roman smirks.
Jey asks Jimmy if that is true. Jimmy tells Jey it’s true. Jey paces around and he tells Jimmy this entire time, Jimmy has been doubting him. Jey says he didn’t expect that from him. Jey says “listen to your older brother, Joshua”. That’s all he heard growing up. Jey says they have been competing against Roman when the reality is he has been trying to keep up with Jimmy. Jey calls Jimmy the prom king, most likely to succeed. But a blessing happened in disguise. Jimmy got hurt and he main evented SmackDown, WrestleMania, PPV’s and it’s all because of Roman Reigns.
Jey tells Jimmy guess what, he is out. And he is out too. Jey turns around and he super kicks Roman Reigns to a loud pop. Solo runs towards Jey but Jey ducks and the Usos hit Solo with a double super kick. Roman gets to his feet and the Usos hit him with a double super kick as SmackDown goes off the air.