Jimmy Uso was all over SmackDown as he faced off with and hinted at his own future with The Bloodline.
On the eve of Payback, it was the 16-time world champion who opened the show as he confirmed he’ll be only to be interrupted by Jimmy.
The two stars swapped verbal digs in a tense exchange with Cena insisting Jimmy should have quit WWE, before swerving a Superkick and laying him out with an Attitude Adjustment.
Backstage, the former tag champ drew the ire of Michin, AJ Styles and The O.C. leading to the Phenomenal One sending him on his backside in the car park only for Solo Sikoa to go on the attack.
‘You out The Bloodline, when we say you out The Bloodline,’ Jimmy’s younger brother warned, before Adam Pearce set up a match between Sikoa and Styles in the main event.
What followed was a great clash between a supremely talented veteran and a rising star, with the Bloodline’s enforcer holding his own here.
Paul Heyman provided a distraction during the bout, while a surprise reappearance from Jimmy gifted his brother the win as his status remains unclear.
He almost got rocked with a Samoan Spike until Heyman called off the attack from Sikoa, and it remains to be seen whether the Bloodline saga has taken another dramatic turn.
Santos Escobar sacrifices himself, LA Knight roasts The Miz and Charlotte Flair helps Shotzi
In the first match of the night, Grayson Waller and Austin Theory stole a win over Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar in a fast paced and frantic bout.
The ending was a fascinating one as LWO star Escobar sacrificed himself for Rey, pushing the Champion out of the way and taking Waller’s rolling stunner.
Bobby Lashley came out to hype up his recent union with the Street Profits, saying ‘real recognises real, and great recognises great’.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins came out looking sharper than ever, voicing their thanks for Lashely as the All Mighty insisted they are coming for ‘power, control and championship gold’.
Their exit was interrupted by tag champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, who had a tense stare down with the trio on the ramp en route to their match against Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wild.
The champs made quick work of the duo before Sami warned Judgment Day that they’re in for the ‘fight of their life’ at Payback.
The Miz and LA Knight traded verbal jabs the night before their own match at this weekend’s premium live event, with so much pride at stake.
Knight, who appeared to forget his lines but recovered well to make sure he didn’t lose any momentum, hyped up his own journey to the top and even took a shot at Maryse before getting laid out with a Skull Crushing Finale.
However, he got to his feet and charged to take out The Miz on the ramp, sparking a brawl as officials pulled them apart on the stage.
Shotzi came out rocking a new spiked hair look as she faced off against Bayley with revenge on her mind, and she got it thanks to interference from Charlotte Flair.
Shotzi and Bayley put on a decent show together with some emotion behind it, but things took a turn as the Damage CTRL leader tried to use Iyo Sky’s WWE Women’s Title as a weapon, with a breakdown in communication and a distraction from Flair leading to something of an upset.
WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am on TNT Sport 1.
WWE SmackDown results and grades - September 1, 2023
- Grayson Waller and Austin Theory defeated Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar (B+)
- Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens beat Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wild (B-)
- Shotzi pinned Bayley (C+)
