WWE SmackDown Results (05/05) - We Hear From Cody Rhodes, Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Karrion Kross
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE SmackDown" on May 5, 2023, coming to you live from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico!
Cody Rhodes will be returning to the blue brand ahead of his match with Brock Lesnar at WWE Backlash. Rhodes has been looking to get his hands on Lesnar after Lesnar betrayed and subsequently attacked him on the April 3 episode of "WWE Raw" ahead of their scheduled match with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa.
"Raw" Women's Champion Bianca Belair was drafted to "SmackDown" during Night One of the WWE Draft, and tonight, she will be appearing to share something on her mind. Belair is set to defend her title tomorrow against Damage CTRL's IYO SKY after SKY became the number one contender a few weeks ago. Another star also has something to say as Bad Bunny is set to appear before he takes on Judgment Day's Damian Priest in a street fight at Backlash.
Karrion Kross has sent several cryptic messages to Shinsuke Nakamura following his return on the April 14 episode of "SmackDown". Tonight, the two will meet face-to-face in the squared circle before Nakamura makes the jump over to "Raw" next Monday.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson of The O.C. will be squaring off with The Viking Raiders in tag team action. The two teams encountered one another last week after The Raiders and Valhalla confronted Anderson and Gallows, as well as their teammates AJ Styles and Michin. While The O.C. may have been the ones who stood tall after a physical altercation ensued, it remains to be seen if the same thing will happen tonight.
We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as LWO heads to the ring.
Judgment Day Confronts LWO
Rey asks Puerto Rico how they're doing, then says he is proud to represent Puerto Rico as part of LWO. He tosses it over to Zelina Vega, but before she can talk, Judgment Day's music hits. Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik Mysterio appear. On the way down to the ring, Dominik grabs a LWO shirt from a fan and rips it before tossing it onto the floor and kicking it.
Dominik looks to speak, but fans rain down boos on him. Dominik calls Rey a deadbeat father once fans quiet down, and Rey tells him to stop. He tells him that he keeps running his mouth before challenging him to a WrestleMania rematch. Ripley gets in Rey's face and says she has a better idea. He tells him to fight her, but Vega steps up to Ripley. Dominik then challenges Vega and Rey to a mixed tag team match later tonight, and Rey accepts.
Judgment Day looks to leave the ring, but Dominik takes a cheap shot at Rey before they do so.
The O.C. then heads down to the ring, and AJ Styles joins commentary. Viking Raiders follow.
The O.C. (w/ Michin) vs. Viking Raiders (w/ Valhalla)
Anderson and Erik begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Ivar tags in, and The Raiders rain down right hands on Anderson. Erik tags back in and delivers a right hand to his head, then fires off several more on his midsection. Anderson fires back with a chop and a dropkick to Erik's knee, then tags in Gallows. Ivar tags in and delivers a few back elbows, then whips Gallows into the corner. Gallows comes back with a series of right hands and tags in Anderson. Anderson delivers an uppercut before raining down right hands in the corner. Ivar delivers a boot to his midsection, then sends Anderson tumbling to the outside after Valhalla causes a distraction. Michin gets in her face.
Back from the break, Gallows tags in and delivers a pair of clotheslines. He follows it up with a running back elbow. Ivar tags in and Gallows plants him. Erik tags in and delivers a uranage, then tags in Ivar. Ivar ascends to the top and delivers a splash. He goes for a pin, but Anderson breaks the fall. Gallows and Anderson then deliver Magic Killer for the win.
Winners: The O.C.
We then head to a video hyping up the World Heavyweight Championship Tournament.
Bianca Belair then heads down to the ring.
We Hear From Bianca Belair
Belair says she's happy she was drafted back to "SmackDown" because it holds a special palace in her heart, then addresses IYO SKY. She says she's faced the best of the best and flown around the world to defend her title. She says she'll always show up and show out, and if she wins tomorrow, she'll become the longest reigning Women's Champion of the modern era.
Damage CTRL's music hits, and Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY head to the ring. Bayley questions why Belair won't tell everyone why "SmackDown" is so special to her, then says it's because she made Belair. She says SKY will put an end to Belair's reign tomorrow, then notes that herself and Kai feel like becoming the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
Damage CTRL surrounds the ring, but Belair levels Kai and Bayley. SKY then gets in her face, allowing Bayley and Kai to blindside her. Belair manages to get Bayley on her shoulders, but Bayley escapes. Damage CTRL then regains the upper hand before Liv Morgan's music hits. Herself and Rodriguez then appear to provide a hand to Belair, and Damage CTRL is forced to retreat.
The Street Profits then head down to the ring.
Back from the break, we head backstage to The Usos and Solo Sikoa. Jimmy says tomorrow night is their big six man tag team match against Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Matt Riddle. Jimmy asks Jey and Sikoa if they're winning , and Jey says yes but Sikoa doesn't respond. Jey tells Sikoa Jimmy asked him a question, and Sikoa says he'll do his part. He says that The Usos need to do theirs.
Back at ringside, Imperium heads down.
Imperium vs. Street Profits
Kaiser and Ford begin the action. The bell rings and Kaiser rains down right hands. Vinci makes the blind tag before Kaiser delivers an uppercut and an enziguri. Vinci then delivers a crossbody to The Profits off the top, then tosses Ford back in the ring. He delivers a rolling senton and a moonsault, then tags in Kaiser. Kaiser delivers an open palm strike to Ford, then follows it up with an enziguri and a double underhook suplex. Ford fires off a series of right hands and a back suplex, then tags in Dawkins. Vinci tags in and Dawkins catches him with a corkscrew. He follows it up with a splash and tags in Ford. Dawkins delivers a spinebuster before Ford ascends to the top and delivers a Frog Splash for the win.
Winners: The Street Profits
Back from the break, we head to a video recapping everything that's happened between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar.
Back at ringside, Rhodes heads down.
We Hear From Cody Rhodes
Rhodes asks San Juan what they want to talk about, then addresses Brock Lesnar. He says there are a lot of nicknames he could attach to Lesnar, but one name comes to mind when he thinks of him: gatekeeper. He says Arn Anderson used to tell him when you really made it as a top guy in the industry, you reached the kingdom. He says Lesnar looms over the kingdom and when you work for WWE, you don't have to compete against Lesnar to make a good living. He says Lesnar picked a fight with him and he has yet to explain why. He says maybe Lesnar will when he beats it out of him and brings up his earlier comments about being afraid of Lesnar. He says that still holds true, but he has no time to be afraid. He says tomorrow is a fair fight and he'll leave Puerto Rico claiming his kingdom.
Shinsuke Nakamura then heads down to the ring. Karrion Kross and Scarlett follow.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
The bell rings and Kross fires off several right hands. Nakamura responds with a series of kicks, but Kross delivers a right hand. Nakamura hits a kick and Kross rolls out of the ring. Nakamura follows him to the outside, where Kross is waiting with a knee. He powerbombs Nakamura into the ring post.
Back from the break, Kross delivers several kicks to Namakura's head and calls him "The King Of Trash". He then delivers a headbutt, but a fired up Nakamura delivers several kicks to his chest. He follows it up with an enziguri and a knee to Kross' midsection, then goes for a pin but Kross kicks out. Scarlett hops up on the apron and gets in Nakamura's face, allowing Kross to deliver a Doomsday Saito Suplex. Nakamura looks to lock in an Arm Bar, but Kross counters it into a pin. He looks to set up for a powerbomb, but Nakamura locks in a Guillotine. Kross escapes and Nakamura delivers a German suplex. He sets up for the Kinshasa, but Kross catches him with a clothesline that turns him inside out. Nakamura lands an enziguri and a kick to the back of his neck, then lands the Kinshasa for the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Back from the break, we head to a video recapping all the "NXT" Superstars called up to "SmackDown" during the WWE Draft.
We then head backstage to Adam Pearce and Cameron Grimes. Pearce welcomes Grimes to "SmackDown" before Baron Corbin walks in. He congratulates him on being the last pick, and Grimes says he's saying that like it's worse than not being picked. Corbin says he wasn't picked because everyone wants him, then says all his career will be irrelevant. Grimes challenges him to a match, and Pearcce makes it official.
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett then run down the card for WWE Backlash before throwing it to a video of the confrontation between Bad Bunny and Damian Priest earlier today.
Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega head down to the ring. Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley follow.
Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega vs. Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley (w/ Finn Balor)
Ripley and Vega begin the action. The bell rings and Vega fires off a few kicks. Ripley becomes angered before Vega ascends to the top and delivers a diving hurricanrana. Rey and Dominik tag in. Dominik delivers a boot to Rey's midsection. Rey runs the ropes, but Ripley delivers a cheap kick. Vega and Ripley tag in. Vega gets an assist from Rey and delivers a hurrcanrana, then sets up for the 619, but Ripley enters the ring and catches her with a boot before she lands it.
Back from the break, Ripley delivers a right hand to Vega's spine. Vega pins Ripley, but Ripley kicks out. Ripley continues to beat Vega down, but Vega manages to send her crashing into the ring post shoulder first and tags in Rey. Dominik gets in the ring and Rey levels him with a right hand. He then follows it up with a crossbody off the ropes, but Dominik gets him up on his shoulders in an electric chair position. Rey rains down right hands, but Dominik plants him with a Michinoku Driver. Rey sets up for a 619, but Ripley distracts him. Vega levels her and Rey lands the 619. Balor distracts Rey, allowing Dominik to deliver the Three Amigos. However, after Dominik lands the second suplex, Rey rolls him up for the win.
Winners: Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega
After the match, Judgment Day beats down Rey. Damian Priest joins in, but Bad Bunny's music hits and he heads down to the ring with a kendo stick in hand and the rest of LWO. LWO takes out Balor and Dominik, leaving Bad Bunny in the ring with Priest. Dominik charges at him, but Bad Bunny hits him with the kendo stick. Priest sneaks out of the ring and stares down Bad Bunny. Rey then hands Bad Bunny a LWO shirt and he puts it on.