WWE SmackDown Results 8/11 - We Hear From The Bloodline, Charlotte Flair Vs. Asuka
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on August 11, 2023, coming to you live from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada!
The issues within The Bloodline all came to a head this past Saturday at WWE SummerSlam when Roman Reigns retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Jey Uso with a little help from a returning Jimmy Uso, which left Jey and the WWE Universe with a lot of unanswered questions. Tonight, The Bloodline is set to make an appearance as Jimmy hopefully sheds a light on why he did what he did.
Austin Theory will be putting his United States Championship on the line as he collides with LWO's Santos Escobar. Escobar secured his spot in tonight's match after he defeated Rey Mysterio in the finals of the United States Championship Invitationals on the July 28 edition of "SmackDown".
AJ Styles and Karrion Kross have met one another in the squared circle on a handful of occasions, including two televised singles matches, a mixed tag team match and the Slim Jim Battle Royal last Saturday. They will meet once more as they go head-to-head once more. Styles and Kross have not kept their disdain for one another a secret, with the former coming out on top in their two previous singles bouts.
Asuka and Charlotte Flair were defeated by Bianca Belair in a Triple Threat match as the latter captured the Women's Championship in Detroit, but was quickly dethroned after IYO SKY cashed in her Money In The Bank briefcase following the conclusion of the match. Tonight, "The Empress of Tomorrow" and "The Queen" look to gain back some of their momentum as they go one-on-one in single's competition.
Additionally, SKY, Belair, Bobby Lashley, and LA Knight are all slated to be in town tonight, as per WWE's event page.
We are live! Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Kevin Patrick greet audiences at home as Charlotte Flair makes her way down to the ring. Asuka follows.
Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with forearms before Flair knocks Asuka to the mat. Asuka fires back with several kicks to Flair's chest, but Flair ascends to the top. Asuka pulls her down and delivers a dropkick off the middle rope.
Back from the break, Flair delivers a crossbody to Asuka over the top rope and to the outside. She ascends to the top and lands another crossbody, then fires off chops before Asuka lands a back elbow. Flair responds with a Spear and looks to lock in the Figure Eight Leg Lock, but becomes distracted by Damage CTRL, who appear at ringside. This allows Asuka to roll up Flair, but Flair kicks out and lands a big boot.
The pair go back and forth with forearms before Bayley hops up on the apron. Flair knocks her down to the floor, but SKY does the same and double dropkicks both women, causing a double disqualification.
Winner: N/A (double disqualification due to outside interference)
After the match, Bayley and SKY continue beating down Flair and Asuka. Bayley sends Flair into the middle turnbuckle face first, and SKY sends Asuka crashing into the ring post shoulder first.
We then head over to a video recapping the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso at SummerSlam.
Back from the break, we head backstage for an interview between Kayla Braxton and Santos Escobar. Theory blindsides Escobar and sends him into a road cast spine first, then uses the lid to crush his leg. LWO then runs in to check on Escobar, and Theory retreats.
Back at ringside, AJ Styles and Michin head down.
Back from the break, we see Santos Escobar being checked on in the medical office as Rey Mysterio flanks him.
Back at ringside, Karrion Kross and Scarlett head down.
AJ Styles (w/ Michin) vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
The bell rings and Styles wastes no time. He delivers a dropkick right out of the gate, but Kross fires back with a suplex and sends him crashing into the top turnbuckle face first. He then whips him into the corner and sends him into the top turnbuckle face first once again, then sits him on the top and joins him up there. Styles escapes his grasp and sends Kross crashing out of the ring with a clothesline, but Kross sends Styles crashing into the announce desk off his shoulders.
Back from the break, Styles delivers a sliding forearm and a right hand in the corner. He sets up for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Kross catches him and looks to lock in the Kross Jacket. Styles escapes and plants Kross, then delivers a series of kicks to his face. He lands a 450 Splash, then goes for a pin but Scarlett puts Kross' foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Michin goes after her, but Scarlett levels her.
Kross clocks Styles from behind and delivers a Saito suplex. He sets up for Kross Hammer, but Styles ducks it and lands a step-up enziguri. He looks for the Styles Clash, but Scarlett hops up on the apron to distract him. Michin sends her crashing over the announce desk before Styles lands a Pele Kick and the Styles Clash for the win.
Winner: AJ Styles
We then head over to a video recapping what occurred in the SummerSlam match between Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes.
Back from the break, we head backstage to Cathy Kelley outside of the medical room. Austin Theory walks in and complains about being unable to defend the United States Championship. Rey Mysterio emerges and assures Theory that Escobar will be ready to go later tonight, and Theory mocks Escobar. Rey looks to attack Theory, but is held back.
Back at ringside, Edge is waiting inside.
We Hear From Edge
Edge says he knows he was unadvertised for tonight's show, but before he celebrates 25 years in WWE next week, he saw Calgary was on the docket and it's been too long since he's been there. He says he's in the ring tonight because he wants to face Sheamus, then delves into their history and explains "The Celtic Warrior" was the one who inspired him to return to in-ring competition after nine years away from the ring. He recounts being featured on Sheamus' YouTube channel, Celtic Warrior Workouts, and says after taking a tumble while they were mountain biking, he thought people would question why he couldn't wrestle and the lightbulb lit up in his head. He recalls training with Sheamus while he was gearing up to return to the ring. He then introduces the man himself, and he makes his way to the ring alongside Butch and Ridge Holland.
Sheamus says he's had the footage of Edge taking a fall for four years, then calls for the production team to roll the footage. Edge then shows a picture of him and Sheamus as Sheamus sits on Edge's daughter's bike, and Sheamus tells the production crew to take him down. Sheamus says in 2004, he was trying to decide if he was going to make it to WWE in the early days of his career or work an IT job. He recalls seeing the crew at a local show and looking for advice and while everyone else ignored him, Edge didn't. He says Edge gave him some great advice and says it's astonishing they haven't wrestled each other. Sheamus says he wouldn't be standing in the ring if it wasn't for Edge, and Edge formally challenges Sheamus to a one-on-one match next week. Sheamus asks Calgary what they think of the idea, and accepts after hearing their overwhelming positive reaction. The pair then shake hands, but before leaving, Sheamus tells Edge he hopes he didn't make a mistake.
LA Knight then makes his way down to the ring. Hit Row follows.
LA Knight vs. Top Dolla (w/ Hit Row)
The bell rings and Knight wastes no time. He sends Top Dolla into the top turnbuckle face first, then fires off right hands. Top Dolla fires back with a shoulder tackle before he receives some help from B-Fab and Ashante "Thee" Adonis on the outside. He gets Knight up on his shoulders and looks to plant him, but Knight lands on his feet and plants Top Dolla with a Bulldog off the middle rope. He then delivers an elbow drop and BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
After the match, Knight grabs a mic and says it doesn't matter where you go in the world or what show he's on because you will know whose game it is when you hear the name LA Knight.
We then head backstage to Adam Pearce, Santos Escobar, and Rey Mysterio. Pearce says Escobar has been cleared by the trainer, but he wants to make sure he's ready to go and Escobar assures him that such is the case.
Back from the break, we head backstage to Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits celebrating their new alliance with a drink. Lashley says the saddest thing in life is untapped potential, and he sees lots of potential in them. Montez Ford says he still doesn't feel like the job is finished after last week, and Lashley tells him that the possibilities are endless. He says "SmackDown" is ready for some new blood, and the three toast to that.
Back at ringside, Santos Escobar heads down.
Austin Theory (c) vs. Rey Mysterio for the United States Championship
Theory delivers a chop block to Escobar on the ramp before LWO runs out to check on him. A medical official and Adam Pearce run down to check on Escobar as Theory starts running his mouth and says he was really looking forward to defending his title. He says he's going home, but Rey Mysterio steps up to the plate and takes Escobar's place.
Rey wastes no time and fires off strikes. He sends Theory crashing out of the ring, then delivers a hurricanrana off the apron.
Back from the break, the bell has rung and Rey delivers a hurricanrana to Theory. He ascends to the top and delivers a senton, then lands a springboard crossbody. He follows it up with a back elbow and looks for a springboard moonsault, but Theory catches him and gets Rey in an electric chair position. Rey escapes with a Sunset Flip to Theory in the corner before Theory lands a boot and looks for A-Town Down. Rey escapes and delivers an enziguri, then dials it up for the 619 on Theory's spine. He looks for a second one to his face, but Theory catches him and gets him up on his shoulders. Rey delivers a hurricanrana to escape and dials it up for the 619, then gets back inside the ring with a splash over the apron for the win.
Winner (and new): Rey Mysterio
After the match, the rest of LWO comes out to celebrate with Rey.
Back from the break, Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, and Solo Sikoa head down to the ring.
We Hear From The Bloodline
Reigns tells Calgary to acknowledge him, then asks Heyman where Jimmy is. Heyman says he doesn't know, and Heyman says he hasn't seen him. Reigns asks if he's talked to him as Jimmy appears at ringside behind Reigns, Heyman, and Sikoa. The trio spot him, and Jimmy gets inside the ring. Reigns says he owes Jimmy one for SummerSlam and tells him to name his price. Jimmy says he wants nothing from Reigns, then says what he did at SummerSlam had nothing to do with him. Reigns tells Jimmy he must be confused, then asks him once again what he wants.
Jey Usos' music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He slaps the mic out of Jimmy's hand, then stares him down and asks Jimmy why he did what he did on Saturday. Jimmy says he did what he did because he loves him, then says it wasn't out of jealousy but out of fear of losing him. He asks what would've happened to The Usos if Jey became Tribal Chief, then says he would've become corrupted like Reigns. Jimmy says he would never been able to live with himself if he let Jey become an egotistical monster like Reigns, then says Jey doesn't have to believe him because he told him what he wanted to. He tells Jey he loves him, then offers Jey a superkick.
Jey (literally) turns his back on Jimmy, and Jimmy steps next to him. Jey turns around once again, and Jimmy gives up. He slides out of the ring as Reigns laughs and says there was no more of a perfect time to tell Jey he told him so. He tells Jey he thinks with his emotions, and says tonight is not about The Usos because it's about acknowledging him.
Jey has heard enough and superkicks Reigns. Sikoa jumps him and sets up for the Samoan Spike, but Jey escapes and lands a superkick. Reigns then delivers a Superman Punch to Jey and sets up for a Spear as Jimmy saunters to the back. He charges, but Jey delivers a superkick and a Spear of his own. He grabs a mic and stops Jimmy, then starts walking towards him and opens his arms. Jimmy does the same and looks to hug him back, but Jey blindsides him and delivers a superkick. He then says he's out of The Bloodline, "SmackDown", and WWE before retreating through the crowd.