WWE SmackDown
May 23, 2017
Toledo, Ohio
Commentary: JBL, Byron Saxton and Tom Phillips
Results by: Adam Martin of Wrestleview.com
A video package opens the show focusing on the media coverage of Jinder Mahal defeating Randy Orton at Backlash to become the new WWE Champion.
We go live inside the Huntington Center in Toledo. Tom Philips, JBL and Byron Saxton welcome us to the show. They are interrupted by the sound of police sirens. We see a shot outside where a convoy of police on motorcycles are leading two cars. The Singh Brothers get out of the first car and then put down a rug for WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Mahal gets out of the limo, puts the WWE Championship over his shoulder and laughs.
“Money in the Bank” ladder match participants
Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon is out first to kick off the show. Shane talks about history being made on Sunday night with Jinder Mahal becoming the new WWE Champion. The fans boo. Shane says in four weeks at the Money in the Bank PPV, a Smackdown Live PPV, Randy Orton has instituted his rematch clause. Orton will challenge Mahal for the WWE Championship. Shane talks about the “Money in the Bank” ladder match as we see a briefcase hanging above the ring. He will now introduce the five participants that will take part in this “Money in the Bank” ladder match on June 18.
AJ Styles walks out and is the first official entrant. Baron Corbin is out next as the second entrant. Sami Zayn is the third entrant. Dolph Ziggler walks out as the fourth entrant. All four men stand in the ring with Shane when WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens walks out with a mic in hand. Shane asks for the music to be killed. He tells Owens he isn’t one of the participants. He would now like to introduce the fifth participant: Shinsuke Nakamura.
Big reaction for Nakamura in Toledo. Owens cuts off Shane and wants to know why these five guys get the opportunity. He gets why Nakamura and Zayn are in it because they won on Sunday. Owens points out he beat Styles on Sunday and yet he isn’t in the match. He accuses Shane of favoritism and says is only the “land of opportunity” if Shane decides it is. Owens thinks Shane is jealous because he beat Styles and Shane couldn’t at WrestleMania.
Shane says Owens makes a good argument and puts him in the “Money in the Bank” ladder match. Corbin tells Owens to stop talking and thinks the briefcase should just be handed over now to him. Styles reminds him he built this house. He compares Owens to Eric Cartman. Styles plans to show everyone why he is the franchise player of Smackdown.
Zayn goes to talk when Corbin cuts him off. He says Zayn winning on Sunday was a fluke and compares Zayn to being “Rudy.” Zayn says Corbin might call it a fluke, but he calls it kicking him in the face and pinning him in the ring. Zayn is willing to have another match right now. Ziggler interrupts and says he’s the only one to actually win a briefcase before.
Nakamura takes the mic and introduces himself. He then suggests you can call him Mr. Money in the Bank. Shane books Corbin vs. Zayn in a rematch from Backlash. He also books Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler vs. AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura.
Charlotte and Becky Lynch take on The Welcoming Committee next.
-Commercial Break-
Charlotte and Becky Lynch vs. Natalya and Carmella
We start with Becky Lynch and Carmella. Becky with a quick headlock takedown early. Series of pinfall attempts by Becky. Charlotte with a shot on Natalya when she jumps back in.
-Commercial Break-
Back live, Natalya drops Becky down and gets in a shot on Charlotte on the ring apron. Natalya cuts off a hot tag to Charlotte and Becky avoids a Sharpshooter. Tag to Charlotte who chops away at Natalya. Charlotte with a neckbreaker and big boot combo. Naomi with a shot on Tamina on the outside. Natalya with a quick german suplex on Charlotte. Becky tags herself in and connects with a missile dropkick from the top. Tag to Carmella who kicks away at Becky. Noami knocks James Ellsworth off the ring apron. Carmella taps to an armbar.
Winners: Charlotte and Becky Lynch
Jinder Mahal with have a Punjabi Celebration later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn
We return live as the bell rings. Lock up and Corbin tosses Zayn across the ring. Zayn with a quick roll up and Zayn picks up the pinfall! He’s done it again!
Winner: Sami Zayn
After the match, Baron Corbin immediately attacks Sami Zayn. On the outside, Corbin tosses Zayn into the timekeepers area and yells at the referee to stay back. Corbin grabs a steel chair and cracks it over the back of Zayn. Corbin smiles and throws elbows at Zayn on the floor in the crowd. Corbin yells at a referee to not touch him and launches Zayn into a wall in the audience area. Corbin drops Zayn face first off a barricade in the crowd. Zayn starts throwing repeated elbows over the head of Zayn on the barricade. Corbin walks off. WWE referees call for a stretcher. EMT officials walk out with a stretcher.
-Commercial Break-
Backstage, AJ Styles talks with Shinsuke Nakamura and the history they had in Japan. He tells Nakamura to follow his lead tonight. Nakamura says tonight they are a team, but at Money in the Bank he is going to grab that briefcase.
A new Fashion Files segment airs. They “turn in their badges” to Shane McMahon backstage. Shane books Tyler Breeze vs. Jey Uso and Fandango vs. Jimmy Uso tonight.
Jinder Mahal’s Punjabi Celebration is up next.
-Commercial Break-
Jinder Mahal’s Punjabi Celebration
The segment kicks off with dancing and live music being played. The Singh Brothers walk out smiling. The new WWE Champion Jinder Mahal is introduced. JBL points out that Mahal is the 50th WWE Champion in company history during his walk to the ring.
Mahal enters the ring with The Singh Brothers and smiles. He talks about over 1 billion people of the great country of India celebrating. Mahal says the fans didn’t believe in him, but he enlightened everyone at Backlash by defeating Randy Orton.
He says Orton is just like America. “He’s on the decline.” Mahal proclaims himself the greatest WWE Champion of all time. “I celebrate my accomplishment. I celebrate for my people. I celebrate for India.” Mahal holds up the WWE Championship. He wants to talk to his people in his language of Punjabi. Mahal cuts a promo and then holds the title up once more on the corner. A big display of pyro goes off above the ring and in the entrance area.
-Commercial Break-
Another “coming soon” video for Lana airs.
Jey Uso vs. Tyler Breeze
The bell rings and Jey calls for a mic. Fandango starts squirting him with a water gun distracting Jey. Jey was trying to say they don’t even deserve a singles match right now. Breeze then charges and rolls up Jey while distracted to get the pinfall!
Winner: Tyler Breeze
After the match, Jimmy Uso jumps in the ring and we are ready for the next match.
Jimmy Uso vs. Fandango
Jimmy with big uppercuts early to Fandango. Jey chases Breeze on the outside. Jimmy pulls off the wig Breeze put on from the outside. Fandango rolls up Jimmy for the win!
Winner: Fandango
After the match, Breezango suggests a rematch against The Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships. Fandango shakes his hips. The Usos suggest to the referee that they are ready to do this right now. The referee leaves the ring and puts on a headset to talk to the back. The ring announcer makes the championship match official.
-Commercial Break-
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships
The Usos (c’s) vs. Breezango
We return live as Tyler Breeze is in the ring with Jimmy Uso. Breeze drops Jimmy out of the ring. Tags to Jey and Fandango. Fandango with right hands and clotheslines. Jey catches Fandango with an uppercut and Fandango responds with a spin kick. Fandango kicks Jimmy away and catches Jey with a tornado DDT for a close two count. Jey drives Fandango shoulder first into the corner. The Usos superkick Breeze and Fandango. Jimmy gets the tag and Fandango gets his knees up countering a splash for a close two count. Jimmy and Jey with shots to Fandango up top. Jey tags himself in. Fandango drops a leg over Jimmy from the top after kicking him away. Jey immediately splashes Fandango and gets the pinfall.
Winners and still WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler is up next.
-Commercial Break-
Backstage, Natalya, Carmella, Becky Lynch, Tamina and Charlotte all argue with Shane McMahon demanding a shot at the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Shane books a Fatal 5-Way elimination match next week. The winner faces Naomi in four weeks at the Money in the Bank PPV for the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
The Brian Kendrick promotes his match with Akira Tozawa on 205 Live tonight.
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler
We start with AJ Styles and Dolph Ziggler. Both exchange headlocks to slow things down. Styles catches Ziggler with a dropkick after they both attempt one. Tag to Shinsuke Nakamura. Ziggler quickly bails to the corner and tags in Kevin Owens. Nakamura with big knees to Owens early. Owens bails out of the ring to slow things down.
-Commercial Break-
Back live, Nakamura drops a knee over the face of Owens and chokes him in the corner with his boot. Owens with a quick shot and then stomps away at Nakamura. Tag to Ziggler who rakes the eyes of Nakamura over the top rope. Ziggler with chops to Nakamura and follows it up with a neckbreaker. Ziggler throws Nakamura down by his hair and tags in Owens keeping Nakamura grounded. Owens walks in with a quick stomp to Nakamura. Owens with a knee to the back of Nakamura and jumps down into a headlock. Tag back to Ziggler who punches Nakamura in the ribs. Nakamura with elbows to Ziggler and Owens in the corner. Ziggler prevents a tag to Styles, tags in Owens, Owens takes out Styles and clotheslines Nakamura in the corner. Owens backs up and connects with his cannonball to Nakamura.
-Commercial Break-
We return live as Owens gets back the tag and connects with a senton splash over Nakamura for a two count. Tag back to Ziggler. Owens yells at Ziggler to get his revenge “for last night.” Tom Phillips quickly changes that to “48 hours ago” at Backlash. Ziggler misses a shot on Nakamura in the corner. Hot tag to Styles. Styles with clotheslines to Ziggler. Styles with a flying forearm catching Ziggler for a two count. Styles with a forearm to Owens on the corner. Styles counters Ziggler and connects with a firemans carry neckbreaker for another two count. Ziggler dumps Styles over the ropes. Ziggler tosses Styles to the outside and tags in Owens. Owens drops down and senton splashes Styles on the floor! Owens pushes Styles back first into the ring, props him up on the apron, hits the ropes and then connects with a big kick to the lower back launching Styles to the floor. Owens with a high back body drop on Styles. Owens drops elbows and then a big stomp over Styles. Ziggler gets the tag and is up top with Styles. Styles slides under Ziggler’s legs. Ziggler is planted face first by Styles. Hot tag to Nakamura. Nakamura with big kicks to Owens. Nakamura with a high knee in the corner, props Owens up on the corner and throws a high knee. Nakamura catches Owens with a big spin kick and Ziggler breaks it up. Nakamura with an overhead exploder on Ziggler. Owens with a shot to Nakamura. Pele Kick to Owens by Styles. Ziggler with a superkick to Styles. Nakamura with a dropkick to Ziggler. Nakamura connects with his Kinshasa knee on Owens for the win.
Winners: AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura
After the match, AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura celebrate the win.
Thanks for joining us tonight!
Quick Match Results:
* Charlotte and Becky Lynch def. Natalya and Carmella
* Sami Zayn def. Baron Corbin
* Tyler Breeze def. Jey Uso
* Fandango def. Jimmy Uso
* The Usos def. Breezango to retain the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships
* AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura def. Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler