WWE SmackDown Results (05/26) - KO Show Returns, United States Title Match & More
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE SmackDown" on May 26, 2023, coming to you from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina!
The go home show for WWE Night of Champions will see Kevin Owens host Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa on "The KO Show". The three men, along with Sami Zayn, will meet in the ring tomorrow night in a blockbuster match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.
Austin Theory will put his United States Championship on the line against Sheamus in his ninth televised defense. The pair faced one another in a First Round Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship Tournament two weeks ago, and "The Celtic Warrior" caught Theory with a Brogue Kick after hearing some choice words Theory had for him.
Speaking of the World Heavyweight Tournament, AJ Styles looks to gain some momentum going into his match for the finals against Seth "Freakin" Rollins at Night of Champions as he takes on Karrion Kross. Kross sent a message to Styles last week, even providing him with his own tarot card.
Before they meet in a Fatal Four-Way Match for the Women's Tag Team Championship this coming Monday on "WWE Raw", Damage CTRL's Bayley and IYO SKY will square off with Raquel Rodriguez and her new tag team partner Shotzi. Shotzi provided a hand to Rodriguez after she was blindsided by a post-match attack at the hands of Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green.
We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as The Brawling Brutes heads to the ring. Austin Theory follows.
Austin Theory (c) Sheamus (w/ Butch and Ridge Holland) for the United States Championship
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before Sheamus delivers a clothesline and an uppercut. Theory sends Sheamus into the middle turnbuckle face first, then lands a dropkick that sends Sheamus tumbling onto the apron. He sets up for The Ten Beats of the Bodhran, but Sheamus fights his way out. He gets Theory up on his shoulders, but Theory escapes and plants Sheamus on the apron with a sidewalk slam.
Back from the break, Theory delivers a back elbow to Sheamus before wearing him down with a chinlock, but Sheamus escapes and whips Theory into the corner. He follows it up with a Blockbuster, but Sheamus catches him with a pair of back elbows and a splash in the corner. He lands the Irish Curse Backbreaker, then plants Theory and gets him up on his shoulders before ascending to the top. Theory escapes Sheamus' grasp, then rains down right hands across his spine and gets him up on his shoulders. He plants him with a slam and looks for a second Blockbuster from the apron, but Sheamus catches him with a knee and looks for The Ten Beats of the Bodhran. Theory lands a boot to escape and grabs a chair from the timekeeper's area. Holland grabs the chair from Theory, allowing Sheamus to land The Twenty Five Beats of the Bodhran. Pretty Deadly appears out of nowhere and levels Butch and Holland on the outside. They go after Sheamus from the apron, but Sheamus fights them off and delivers The Ten Beats of the Bodhran to Kit Wilson. Theory takes advantage and rolls up Sheamus for the win.
Winner (and still): Austin Theory
We then head backstage to The Bloodline's dressing room. Roman Reigns calls on Paul Heyman, and Heyman informs The Usos that they are welcome to join him and Reigns in the ring next week during Reigns' 1,000 day celebration as champion to make up for their absence at Night of Champions. Jimmy expresses his frustrations and looks to leave, but Reigns stops him and tells him to sit down. Jimmy refuses to do so, and Reigns tells him to do something. He says he'll whoop him now like he did when they were kids, then tells him to respect him and acknowledge him. Reigns kicks him out of the dressing room, and Jey escorts his brother out.
Back at ringside, Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi head down. Damage CTRL follows.
Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi vs. Damage CTRL
Rodriguez and Bayley begin the action. The bell rings and Rodriguez shoves Bayley into the corner. SKY and Shotzi tag in before all four women begin brawling with one another. Shotzi and Rodriguez dump Damage CTRL to the outside, and Shotzi delivers a tope suicida to Bayley and SKY as Rodriguez holds the ropes for her. Shotzi gets SKY in the ring, then tags Rodriguez back in. Rodriguez delivers a pair of shoulder tackles, but SKY tags in Bayley. SKY delivers a dropkick and Bayley rolls Rodriguez up, but Rodriguez kicks out.
Back from the break, Bayley is wearing down Rodriguez. SKY tags in and beats down Rodriguez, then tags Bayley back in. Rodriguez delivers a boot to both SKY and Bayley, then tags in Shotzi. Shotzi delivers a splash to Bayley as SKY rolls out to the apron, then delivers a suplex. SKY tags in, and herself and Bayley deliver a double kick to Shotzi. She goes for a pin, but Rodriguez breaks the fall. Bayley levels her before SKY delivers a kick to Shotzi's head. Shotzi catches her and delivers a double underhook suplex, then tags in Rodriguez. Rodriguez and Shotzi look to double team on SKY, but SKY takes out Shotzi. Rodriguez then sends her into the corner, where she tags in Bayley. Bayley looks for a sunset flip, but overshoots it and still looks to pin Rodriguez. Rodriguez stays on her feet and SKY looks to level Rodriguez with a senton off the top, but Rodriguez doesn't go down and sits into the pin on Bayley for the win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi
We head to a re-run of the fourth part of the sitdown interview between Seth "Freakin" Rollins and Corey Graves.
We then head to a video hyping up AJ Styles ahead of his Night of Champions match against Rollins in the World Heavyweight Tournament Finals.
Back at ringside, Hit Row heads down. Cameron Grimes follows.
Cameron Grimes vs. Ashante Adonis (w/ Top Dolla and B-Fab)
The bell rings and Grimes delivers a shoulder tackle. He follows it up with a hurricanrana and a standing Shooting Star Press before Adonis shoves him into the corner and fires off right and left hands. Grimes runs the ropes, but Top Dolla trips him. This allows Adonis to take advantage and wear down Grimes, but Grimes manages to level Adonis before landing the Cave In for the win.
Winner: Cameron Grimes
Grimes looks to head to the back, but Baron Corbin blindsides him on the ramp as retribution for losing their match last week.
We then head to a video recapping what has transpired between Bianca Belair and Asuka a couple of weeks ago.
Belair then heads down to the ring.
We Hear From Bianca Belair
Belair says she's not stepping in the ring with the same Asuka she did at WrestleMania tomorrow night. She says she respected the Asuka at WrestleMania, but the current Asuka is not the same. She expresses her frustrations with Asuka humiliating her in her hometown and the week after. She says even though her hands are green and her eyes burn, she wants a fight with Asuka at Night of Champions until she hears "and still".
Asuka's music hits, and "The Empress of Tomorrow" blindsides Belair. She locks in an Arm Bar, but officials run down and separate Asuka. Belair then sets Asuka up for the KOD, but Asuka escapes and retreats.
LA Knight then heads down to the ring. Rick Boogs follows, as do The Street Profits (who join commentary).
LA Knight vs. Rick Boogs
The bell rings and Boogs delivers a shoulder tackle. He follows it up with a hip toss before the action spills to the outside and Boogs sends Knight crashing into the announce desk. Boogs then tosses Knight in the ring and follows him inside. Knight catches him with right hands, but Boogs whips him into the corner and delivers a splash. He charges at Knight, but Knight ducks out of the way and Boogs goes crashing into the ring post shoulder first. Knight then lands a running knee and looks for a knee, but Boogs rolls out of the way. Boogs plants Knight face first, then executes a gut wrench and sets up for a Pump Handle Slam. Knight escapes his grasp, then rakes Boogs' eyes and follows it up with BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
After the match, Knight grabs a mic and addresses The Profits. He says he knows they were talking trash, and says The Profits' time is coming. He says they won't be getting the smoke, but will rather be getting smoked.
AJ Styles then heads down to the ring. Karrion Kross and Scarlett follow.
AJ Styles vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
The bell rings and Kross fires off right hands. He sends Styles colliding with the turnbuckle, then delivers a splash and a back elbow. Styles fires back with a dropkick, then delivers a series of right hands and chops. He then lands a dropkick and winds up on the apron, where Scarlett grabs his ankle. This allows Kross to blindside him and knock him off the apron before Michin marches down to ringside and chases Scarlett to the back.
Back from the break, Kross delivers a back elbow. Styles responds with an enziguri and a splash in the corner. He gets Kross up on his shoulders and plants him, but Kross lands a pair of suplexes and goes for a pin. Styles kicks out and sets up for the Styles Clash, but Kross escapes. Styles then delivers a forearm to Kross' back and follows it up with the Phenomenal Forearm for the win.
Winner: AJ Styles
Back from the break, we see Styles heading through the curtain. Kayla Braxton approaches him and asks if his win gave him some momentum going into his match tomorrow night against Rollins, and Styles says that Rollins can be unbeatable, but he will never be phenomenal. He then says he will be crowned World Heavyweight Champion and walks off.
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett then run down the card for Night of Champions.
We then head to a video recapping what has transpired between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar over the past few months.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens then head to the ring.
The KO Show Doesn't Go As Planned
Owens welcomes fans to "The KO Show", and Zayn says he thought they could do the show together. Owens reintroduces his show as "The Kevin and Sami Show", then introduces Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa.
Paul Heyman appears and says Reigns doesn't appear when Owens, Zayn, or the fans want him to come out. He says Reigns decides to come out when he wants to, but before he can continue, The Usos' music hits. Jimmy and Jey march their way down to the ring and say they have a bigger problem standing in front of them than defending their titles tomorrow night.
Owens says he doesn't care that Reigns didn't appear because he wanted to talk to The Usos. He says Zayn has been talking about helping Jimmy and Jey, but he doesn't get it. Owens says maybe if he tells them what he wants to say, he'll get through to them. He says Zayn has been right about everything, and says the heart of the table is right in front of him. He asks what The Bloodline would be without them, and says Reigns treats them like the appendix of the table. He says Reigns uses them and asks what goes through their head knowing they went from the greatest tag team in WWE history to being Reigns' errand boys.
Jimmy tells Zayn to open his ears and says the best tag team in the world is standing in front of them. He says he is the Tribal Chief as Jey holds up The One symbol.
Reigns' music hits and the man himself appears. Reigns is enraged and stares down The Usos. He grabs the mics out of their hand. Zayn pipes up and asks Reigns if he knows The Bloodline is over. He says the group is collapsing and it's his fault. Reigns grabs the mic out of his hand, which leads Owens to hitting him with a Stunner. The Usos then begin brawling with Zayn and Owens. Zayn hits Jey with an Exploder as Jimmy brawls with Owens on the outside. Solo Sikoa then appears and levels both Zayn and Owens with Samoan Spikes. Reigns levels Zayn with a Spear before The Usos grab the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. Jey hands over the belts to Sikoa, and Reigns demands Jimmy do the same for him. Jimmy thinks things over for a second, but takes a little too long. Jey looks to grab the titles, but Jimmy has trouble handing them over. Jey eventually grabs them and gives them to Reigns. Reigns then holds up all four titles as he's flanked by Sikoa, The Usos, and Heyman.