WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
April 21, 2023
Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Commentary: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with the Judgment Day walking down to the ring.
Finn Balor and Damian Priest vs. Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar
The bell rings and we are under way. Rey and Finn start the match. Rey with a hurricanrana off the ropes followed by a basement dropkick. Rey goes for a moon sault off the second rope but Finn gets his knees up. Damian is tagged in and they double team Rey. Priest with a right hand and he slams him into the turnbuckle. Priest with an elbow to the face. He goes for the cover but Rey kicks out. Finn is tagged in and forearms to the head followed by a head lock in the middle of the ring. Rey with elbows as he tries to fight out of it but Balor throws him in the corner.
Elbows to the face by Rey as he climbs the second rope but Finn lifts him on his shoulders and Rey hits him with a bulldog. Escobar is tagged in and a flying forearm onto Balor. Escobar knocks Priest off the ring apron and he hits Balor with a back breaker. A clothesline by Escobar. Priest get sin the ring and Escobar hits him with a knee to the face. Escobar throws Balor on the ring apron and pushes Priest into him. Escobar and Rey double team Priest and he falls to the outside. Rey goes for a slide onto the outside but Priest moves out of the way. Escobar runs to the ropes but Balor hits him with a clothesline.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Priest throws Santos in the corner but Escobar with elbows to the face and he knocks Finn off the ring apron. Santos tries to make a tag but Priest with a kick to the face. Priest runs to the ropes but Escobar with a drop kick. Rey and Finn are tagged in. Rey throws Priest to the outside of the ring but as he is about to throw him out, Priest is tagged in. Rey trips Santos up and hits him with the 619. Santos with a big splash onto Finn. Priest slams Rey into the ring post. Santos goes for the cover but Finn isn’t the legal man. Priest hits Santos with the South of Heaven. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Judgment Day
Priest gets on the microphone and says he has a message for his friend. He says this Monday in Chicago on Raw, it’s the return of Bad Bunny. Priest tells him he hopes this visit goes differently than the last time as he laughs.
-Commercial Break-
Adam Pearce is backstage and in comes Zelina Vega. She says with everything that the Judgment Day has been doing, she wants to challenge Rhea Ripley for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship at Backlash. But with Bad Bunny hosting the show in Puerto Rico, she is also the only female Puerto Rican on the roster. She has been told her entire life that because of her height, she can’t make it. Pearce says he will talk to WWE management and Rhea and that he will get back to her.
Karrion Kross cuts a promo backstage about identity and how it takes a lifetime to find out what yours is. But in three seconds it can be destroyed. He tells Shinsuke Nakamura that he has never hurt anyone a day in his life. It was the cards. He asks how do we know who we really are until it gets taken away from us. He says McIntyre got taken away his temperament. Moss had his joy taken away. Rey had his patience taken away. And now for Nakamura, they are going to take away his honor.
-Commercial Break-
The Viking Raiders vs. Braun Strowman and Ricochet
Braun and Ivar start the match. Ivar with right hands in the corner but Strowman throws him in the corner and hits him with right hands. A big right hand by Strowman as he runs to the ropes and a shoulder tackle onto Ivar. Strowman knocks Erik off the ring apron and Ivar with a right hand. He tries to throw Strowman to the ropes but Strowman grabs him and hits him with a clothesline. Ivar to the ropes but Erik makes the tag and they double team Strowman in the ring. They grab Strowman but he pushes them away and Ricochet is tagged in. Strowman grabs Ricochet and throws him towards the Viking Raiders but he misses them and Ricochet fall onto the mat. Ricochet gets up and fight both the Viking Raiders and knocks them to the outside. He runs to the ropes and a flying corkscrew over the top rope and onto the Viking Raiders on the outside of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Strowman with a shoulder tackle onto Erik. Strowman knocks Ivar off the ring apron. Strowman with a dropkick onto Erik and Erik falls to the outside of the ring. Strowman to the outside of the ring and he runs and slams into the Viking Raiders. Strowman gets on the ring apron and Valhalla distracts Strowman. Erik with a knee to the face. Ivar is tagged in and he climbs the top rope. Ivar with a splash onto Strowman as he goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out. They grab Strowman but Strowman with a double shoulder tackle. He tags Ricochet in and Ricochet with a springboard elbow onto Erik. Ricochet with a knee to the face and a kick to the face onto Ivar. Strowman is tagged in and they double team Ivar. Strowman with a big boot onto Erik, knocking him off the ring apron. Ricochet climbs the top rope and he tags himself in. Ricochet climbs onto Strowman’s shoulders and he jumps off hitting a senton onto Ivar. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Braun Strowman and Ricochet
-Commercial Break-
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match – Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan (c’s) vs. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville
Before the match, Sonya and Chelsea walk down and Chelsea is holding a water bottle. They cut a promo about how they will become the new champions. Chelsea pretends to throw water onto Liv just like she did on Raw.
The bell rings and we are under way. Liv and Chelsea start the match. Liv with a drop kick and Chelsea tags Sonya into the match. Liv with a sunset flip but Sonya kicks out. Liv with a knee to the face followed by a kick to the side of the head. Raquel is tagged in and they double team Sonya in the corner. Raquel with a shoulder tackle.
Raquel lifts Sonya on her shoulders but Sonya lands on her feet. Sonya with a chop to the left leg. Chelsea is tagged in. She goes for a kick but Raquel catches her leg and she slams Chelsea onto the mat. A waist lock take down by Raquel. She lifts Chelsea up and Liv is tagged in but Chelsea throws Raquel to the outside. Chelsea with a right hand onto Liv. Chelsea runs and goes for a suicide dive but Raquel catches her. Sonya with a knee to the face off the ring apron. Liv jumps onto Sonya and Chelsea on the outside. Liv throws Chelsea back into the ring and goes for the cover but Chelsea kicks out. Liv climbs the second rope but Sonya holds Liv. Chelsea with a Russian leg sweet off the second rope. She goes for the cover and Chelsea puts her legs on the ropes for leverage but the referee sees it. Sonya is tagged in and they land a double suplex. Sonya with right hands.
Sonya with kicks as she distracts the referee. Chelsea with right hands onto Liv. Sonya goes for the cover but Liv kicks out. Chelsea is tagged and they got for a double suplex but Liv lands on her feet and hits them with a double neck breaker. Raquel is tagged in. Raquel with uppercuts and right hands on Sonya and Chelsea.
Raquel with a clothesline onto Chelsea followed by a fall away slam. Raquel with a springboard cork screw elbow off the second rope. She goes for the cover but Sonya breaks it up. Raquel places her on the top rope and she hits her with a superplex. Liv with a drop kick onto Chelsea who gets in the ring. Liv with the backstabber onto Chelsea. Sonya with a kick onto Liv. Raquel with a kick onto Sonya and Liv is tagged in. Chelsea throws Raquel to the outside. With the referee distracted, Liv empties the water bottle onto Chelsea. She goes for the cover and Raquel pushes Liv onto Chelsea and she gets the pin.
Winners: Still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan
Kayla is backstage with Matt Riddle. He tells her that he knows Zayn and Owens are not there tonight but they are getting ready for their big match. The last time he got in the ring with Solo, he was left buried under a table. But tonight, after their No DQ match, Solo will be the one buried under the table.
-Commercial Break-
WWE Intercontinental Championship – Gunther (c) vs. Xavier Woods
The bell rings and we are under way. Gunther goes for a chop to the chest but Woods moves out of the way. Gunther with a head lock take down but Woods gets out of it. Woods with a head lock but Gunther throws him to the ropes. Right hands by Gunther as Woods runs to the ropes but Gunther with a chop to the chest.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Gunther with chops onto Woods in the corner but Woods tries to fight back. Gunther with a big chop. He goes for the cover but Woods kicks out. Gunther with a double under hook suplex. He goes for the cover but Woods kicks out. Gunther grabs Woods but Woods with right hands and kicks. Woods with a spinning clothesline knocks Gunther down and he rolls to the outside of the ring. Woods runs to the ropes and a splash over the top rope onto Gunther. He throws Gunther back into the ring. Woods on the ring apron but Gunther with a chop to the chest. Gunther climbs the top rope but Woods kicks him down onto the mat. Woods climbs the top rope and a leg drop onto Gunther. He goes for the cover but Gunther kicks out.
Woods tries to lift Gunther up but Gunther lands on his feet and gets Woods in a sleeper. He goes for a power bomb but Woods lands on his feet. Woods slams Gunther face first onto the mat. He goes for the cover but Gunther kicks out. Woods with a kick to the side of the head. He rolls Gunther up but Gunther kicks out and gets Woods in with a sleeper as Woods passes out and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Still WWE Intercontinental Champion, Gunther
-Commercial Break-
Out come The Usos to the ring. They tell Ohio that The Bloodline is in their city. And they have been asking them since WrestleMania, how they have been feeling ever since they lost at WrestleMania. They mock Riddle by saying dude after every word. Jey says they are going to complete the mission and bring back the gold. Because they don’t look behind them, they are coming straight at them. They have a big six man match at Backlash but more importantly, next week, it’s a big rematch. But not just any kind of rematch. This is a WrestleMania main event rematch. Jey says this is the kind of rematch they will dedicate to the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns. And next week Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will get bodied, just like how Riddle will get bodied by Solo Sikoa tonight.
-Commercial Break-
No Disqualification Match – Solo Sikoa vs. Matt Riddle
Solo is standing in the ring as Riddle’s music hits. Riddle surprises him and attacks him as the bell rings and we are under way. Riddle with right hands but Solo hits him with a clothesline. Riddle in the corner as Solo runs towards him but Riddle gets him in a triangle choke. Solo lifts Riddle up and slams him onto the mat. He goes for the cover but Riddle kicks out. Solo goes to the outside of the ring and throws kendo sticks and steel chairs into the ring. Solo hits Riddle with a kendo stick. Solo throws Riddle to the outside of the ring. Riddle hits Solo with a kendo as he was on the ring apron. Riddle grabs a table from under the ring but Solo with a right hand. Solo places the table back under the ring. He lifts Riddle up but Riddle with a kick to the face and he throws Solo into the ring steps. Riddle jumps off the ring steps and hits Solo with an elbow.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Solo with the Samoan drop in the middle of the ring. He goes for the cover but Riddle kicks out. Solo gets Riddle in the corner and he places a chair in between Riddle’s head and neck. Solo backs up and runs towards Riddle but Riddle throws the chair at him. Solo runs towards Riddle but Riddle moves out of the way and slams into a chair which was placed in between the ropes. Riddle hits Solo with a kendo stick and a steel chair. He goes for the cover but Solo kicks out. Riddle places two chairs in the middle of the ring and he slams Solo through the two chairs. He goes for the cover but Solo kicks out. Riddle places several chairs on top of Solo and he climbs the top rope. Solo rolls to the outside of the ring.
Riddle on the ring apron as he goes for the running knee but Solo trips him up. Solo throws Riddle over the announce table. He tries to flip the table over but Riddle pushes back with his legs. Solo and Riddle get on the announce table and Riddle hits him with a knee to the face. Riddle flips the table over onto Solo. The Usos jump the barricade and attack Riddle on the outside. They throw Riddle back into the ring. Riddle throws them both to the outside. Riddle jumps off the second rope onto The Usos. Solo flips the table back and gets to his feet. Riddle jumps off the ring steps but Solo catches him and slams him onto the ring apron. Riddle rolls into the ring. Solo goes for the Samoan Spike but Riddle ducks and hits him with a knee. Riddle runs to the ropes but Solo hits him with the Samoan Spike. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
The Usos grab a table from under the ring and place it in the ring. They hit Riddle with the 1D through the table. The Bloodline stand in the middle of the ring and celebrate.