WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
May 31, 2024
MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
Commentary: Corey Graves and Wade Barrett
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with then, now, forever, together.
We cut to The Bloodline and The Street Profits entering the arena.
Highlights of the WWE King and Queen of the Ring airs.
Live in the arena, Nick Aldis is in the ring with the Queen of the Ring crown. He welcomes everyone to the show and says that there is no better feeling as a general manager than when one of his top draft picks comes through clutch. He welcomes the 2024 Queen of the Ring, Nia Jax.
The crowd boos as she comes down to the ring.
He congratulates her and says the floor is hers. She grabs the crown and places it on her head and the crowd with loud boos. Aldis leaves the ring and the crowd chants “you suck”. She says to get the facts straight.
It is a fact that she is our Queen of the Ring. And it’s a fact that as the queen, she gets a title shot at SummerSlam. She tells Bayley that the queen is commanding her presence in her ring right now.
Bayley’s music hits and out comes the WWE Women’s Champion. Piper Niven and Chelsea Green run behind Bayley and attack her. Niven throws her into the barricade. Niven throws her into the ring and hits a splash onto Bayley. Niven looks at Nia and Nia looks confused. The fans chant “Bayley”. Chelsea tells Nia that Nia does not have to worry about facing Bayley because by the time SummerSlam rolls around, her new WWE Women’s Champion will be Piper Niven.
Nia tells them that she does not give a damn who the Champion is because she is going to annihilate her regardless. Nia drops the microphone and leaves the ring.
We cut to the back and see Nick Aldis entering his office and AJ Styles sitting on the couch. AJ tells him that he thought about what Nick said last week and if there was time, he would appreciate addressing his future tonight. Aldis says he can find him the time and asks AJ if there is something he wants to tell him. AJ says it will be hard enough to do it once, he would like to do it just once in the ring tonight. Aldis shakes his hand and says he has his time.
Out comes Tommaso Ciampa with Johnny Gargano for his match against Austin Theory.
-Commercial Break-
Bayley is backstage with the trainer and in comes Naomi who asks her they are not getting away with this. She asks Bayley if she is good to fight tonight and Bayley says she is, Naomi goes to talk to Nick Aldis.
Tommaso Ciampa with Johnny Gargano vs. Austin Theory with Grayson Waller
The bell rings and we are under way. Theory gets Ciampa in the corner but the referee breaks it up. Ciampa with a right hand and a chop to the chest. A spinning back elbow by Ciampa onto Theory followed by a chop to the chest. Ciampa gets Theory in the corner and he hits him with right hands but Waller gets on the ring apron and Ciampa hits him with a right hand. A right hand by Theory and he slams Ciampa neck first onto his knee.
An elbow to the face by Theory. He runs towards Ciampa but Ciampa hits him with a boot to the face. Ciampa goes for a flying clothesline but Theory ducks and Ciampa hits the mat. Theory drags Ciampa towards the outside and he hits him with a neck breaker onto the outside.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Theory goes for a right hand but Ciampa with right hands and a chop. He runs to the ropes and lands a flying clothesline. Ciampa with a reverse DDT. He goes for the cover but Theory kicks out. Ciampa goes for the Fairytale Ending but Theory with a back drop and a kick to the back of Ciampa’s head. Theory slams Ciampa face first onto the mat. He goes for the cover but Ciampa kicks out. He goes for the A-Town Down but Ciampa picks Theory’s leg and he hits him with a right hand. Both men with double boots and Ciampa with a knee to the face. Theory rolls to the outside of the ring. Waller begins to yell at the announce team about how he is the one that helped Theory and that distracts Theory. Waller gets on the ring apron and they argue and that allows Ciampa to roll Theory up and gets the pin.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
We cut backstage to see Nick Aldis with Blair Davenport. In comes Naomi who says enough is enough, her and Bayley want a match tonight against Piper Niven and Chelsea Green.
Blair Davenport says she is bothering her and with time, she will know exactly who she is. Blir leaves the office and Aldis tells Naomi her match is on. In comes LA Knight who asks Aldis if AJ is really going to retire an Aldis says he doesn’t know. LA Knight says he can’t find Logan Paul and Aldis tells him to take a seat.
-Commercial Break-
We see clips of Cody Rhodes defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against Logan Paul at King and Queen of the Ring.
Out comes LA Knight from Nick’s office and Kayla Braxton is there waiting. She stops him and he tells Kayla that Nick did not have much for him, the only thing he had for him was that Logan Paul is not there this week. And that just means he will talk to her next week. Wrong. Because he is here tonight and what that means is that if he’s not going to get the answer he wants, he will tell Logan Paul what he wants. He tells Logan that he wants that United States Championship.
In comes Carmelo Hayes and he says LA Knight does a lot of talking but is never saying anything. He tells him why Logan would want to face him and not a first round draft pick. Hayes says Logan knows ball and LA Knight is not that. If he wants to talk the talk, LA Knight is the guy but if he wants to walk the walk, Carmelo Hayes is him.
We see a clip from earlier during the day of Andrade entering the arena and being stopped by Angel. He tells Andrade that he spoke to the guys in Legado Del Fantasma and they are willing to forgive him for what he did at WrestleMania and to join them. He tells Angel thank you but no thank you.
Andrade vs. Apollo Crews
The bell rings and we are under way. Apollo to the ropes and Andrade with a drop kick. A back drop by Andrade and he goes for the cover but Crews kicks out. Andrade gets on the ring apron and out comes Angel, distracting Andrade. Crews with a kick onto Andrade and a moon sault off the ring apron onto Andrade on the outside of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Andrade with a cross body off the top rope. Andrade to the ropes and he hits Crews with a flying forearm. Andrade with the double knees into the corner. He goes for the cover but Crews kicks out. Angel is shown at ringside. Andrade goes for a right hand, Apollo ducks and he lands a German suplex. He goes for another German but Andrade pushes him away and he hits him with a big boot. Andrade gets on the second rope and Crews with a kick. He lifts Andrade up into a gorilla press and he drops Andrade and hits him with a standing moon sault. Crews goes for the cover but Andrade kicks out. Angel gets on the ring apron and that distracts Crews. Andrade with a spinning back elbow and he hits him with the Message. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Andrade
Out come Legado Del Fantasma smiling. Andrade leaves the ring and walks right passed them and to the back. Santos Escobar looks at Angel and Angel apologizes and runs to the back.
We cut to the back to see The Bloodline. Solo Sikoa is talking to them and says to put an end to The Street Profits. In comes Paul Heyman and he tells Solo that he has been doing a lot of thinking about how he can better serve Solo while Solo is in charge. Heyman tells him that with Roman as their Tribal Chief, there was a lot of violence in The Bloodline but that was to preserve the family, what they were working for. And before Roman ever said yes to an act of violence, there was a lot of council from the wise man. He sees Solo recruiting some very violent men into The Bloodline and all he sees are random acts of violence but he does not see any strategy at all. He says the strategy has to be that when Roman comes back, they have Cody Rhodes in check.
Solo tells him that they got Cody in check and he doesn’t even know it. Heyman asks him who is we? Kevin’s music hits and we see Kevin Owens walking down to the ring. Solo tells Heyman they have a strategy and Heyman better go out and fix Kevin, now.
-Commercial Break-
Andrade is backstage and in comes Angel. Apollo attacks Angel from behind and WWE officials break it up.
We cut to the ring and Kevin Owens is sitting on the top rope. Owens says last week he made his return to SmackDown and he went all the way to Saudi Arabia to do it because he wanted to make sure that he had Randy Orton’s back. He says over the last few months, even years, Randy Orton has had his back and he wanted to make sure that Solo and his crew weren’t going to ruin Randy’s chances at becoming King of the Ring.
Owens says Randy isn’t King of the Ring, but we saw what happened, he didn’t lose. And while Randy is not there tonight, he does know who is there tonight and that is Solo and his little crew.
Out comes Paul Heyman.
He introduces himself and says how he has served for almost four years for the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns. And in his absence, he serves as the wise man for Solo and The Bloodline. It is within that capacity that he comes out to talk to Owens, man to man, professional to professional, father to father as he thinks there is a mutual interest at the moment that he is hoping he can serve. Owens tells him to get in the ring and get to the point.
The fans chant “We want Roman”. Heyman says he doesn’t think there is a person in the arena that wants Roman here more than he does. Heyman says Owens keeps calling out Solo and Roman Reigns had and has great respect for Owens. And anything Owens went through with Roman was because of how much Roman respected and admired him. Even acknowledged him as a true threat for his Championship. He says Solo has no respect for him. Heyman and Roman turned down people to join The Bloodline. These are people Owens is picking a fight with, they are not people, they are blood thirsty, sadistic thugs. And that is bad for WWE.
Heyman says he likes Owens in WWE and the fans love him in WWE. And if Owens keeps calling out Solo, they are going to do something really bad about it. He is asking, pleading and begging Owens to back off The Bloodline, please.
Owens asks Heyman if he is really out there trying to help him. Owens asks him what in the last few years has he done to make him believe that. He is not falling for this act. He knows this is all Heyman pulling the string, this is what Heyman does, He went from Brock to Roman, now who can keep him relevant, it’s Solo. He is not falling for it. He doesn’t know what this act is all about but he fought the Bloodline for four years. They threw him, they handcuffed him, superkicked him, hit him with a golf cart and he is still standing and had a great time.
But that was The Bloodline, that was Roman, Jey and Jimmy. Guys that he respects. He says he doesn’t respect Solo and the two guys and that’s not The Bloodline. He doesn’t know them and no one wants them. And he will keep fighting them and make sure to get them out of his world. And as for Heyman’s help goes, he doesn’t want it and he doesn’t need it.
Heyman says maybe he is trying to save Owens. They have met each other’s families. Heyman asks if he can redeem himself, Owens has redeemed himself but Heyman apparently can’t. He calls The Bloodline thugs and he is a Hall of Fame wise man. Heyman asks why no one will believe him and he accidentally throws his microphone onto Owens. Heyman looks in feat and Owens looks confused.
Owens walks towards Heyman but Solo’s music hits and out come The Bloodline. Owens looks behind him and in come The Street Profits. Solo tells them to attack. The Street Profits fight Tama Tonga and Loa in the ring. Owens and Solo fight on the outside and over the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
The Street Profits vs. The Bloodline
Back from commercial, Dawkins and Ford double team Tama Tonga in the ring. Ford goes for the cover but Tonga kicks out. Ford gets on the ring apron but Tonga with a right hand, knocking Ford off the ring apron. Loa throws Ford into the barricade. Loa throws him back into the ring and Tonga with right hands. A clothesline by Tonga and he goes for the cover but Ford kicks out. Loa is tagged in. Loa with a powerslam. Tonga is tagged in and they double team Ford. He goes for the cover but Ford kicks out. Right hands by Tonga in the corner. Tonga to the ropes, he goes for a clothesline, Ford ducks and Dawkins is tagged in. Dawkins with a spinning back elbow. A splash followed by a kick to the side of the head by Dawkins. He goes for the cover but Tonga kicks out. Tonga is thrown to the ropes, Loa is tagged in and he clotheslines Dawkins. He throws Dawkins to the outside of the ring. Tama grabs Dawkins and he slams him face first into the announce table. Loa to the outside and they double team Dawkins on the outside.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Tama with right hands onto Dawkins in the ring. Tama goes for an elbow but Dawkins moves out of the way. Dawkins with a right hand and an overhead throw by Dawkins and both men are down. Loa and Ford are tagged in. Ford with right hands and a kick. He hits Loa with a super kick, he runs to the ropes and a clothesline onto Loa. In comes Tama but Ford slams him onto the mat. A kick to the side of the head by Ford onto Loa. Ford with a splash in the corner and Dawkins is tagged in. Dawkins lifts him up onto his shoulders and Ford with the blockbuster. Dawkins goes for the cover but Tama breaks it up. Dawkins throws Tama onto the ring apron and Loa with a clothesline. Loa runs towards Dawkins but Dawkins pushes him away, Tama tags himself but Dawkins doesn’t see it. Dawkins slams Loa and tags Ford in. Ford with a frog splash off the top rope. In comes Tama and he slams Ford onto the mat. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: The Bloodline
We see Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill walking backstage. In comes Indi Hartwell who tells them that Candice is stuck at home because of them. Bianca tells her that Candice went after her first. Candice started it and Bianca finished it. Bianca tells her that she will gladly take her out too.
Bayley’s music hits and out she comes for her match.
Kayla is backstage with Michin. She tells Kayla that AJ is not really talking to them. In comes Nia Jax who tells her that they should be talking about her, not AJ Styles. Michin gets in her face. Nia tells her that she is going to regret that and walks away.
Bayley and Naomi vs. Piper Niven and Chelsea Green
The bell rings and we are under way. A back elbow by Bayley onto Green and Green tags Niven into the ring. Niven slams Bayley into the corner and hits her with a splash. Chelsea is tagged back in and they double team Bayley. She goes for the cover but Bayley kicks out. She grabs Bayley but Bayley with a suplex. Naomi is tagged in and they double team Chelsea. She goes for the cover but Chelsea kicks out. Bayley is tagged back in and they clothesline Chelsea to the outside of the ring. Naomi with a suicide dive onto Chelsea on the outside. Bayley with a forearm off the ring apron onto Niven.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Chelsea goes for the cover onto Bayley but Bayley kicks out. Chelsea pushes Bayley into the corner and Niven is tagged in. Bayley tries to make the tag but Niven grabs her by the leg. Niven goes for an elbow drop but Bayley moves out of the way. Naomi is tagged in and as is Chelsea. Naomi with a kick to the face. She climbs the top rope and lands a cross body. She hits Niven with a drop kick and a drop kick followed by a kick to the face onto Chelsea. Naomi with a split legged moon sault. She goes for the cover but Chelsea kicks out. Niven pulls Chelsea to the outside. Naomi with a corkscrew splash over the top rope. She throws Chelsea back into the ring. Naomi climbs the top rope but Niven pushes her down and Chelsea hits her with a super kick. She goes for the cover but Bayley breaks it up. Bayley on the ring apron but Niven trips her up and she throws Bayley into the ring steps. Naomi with the rear view. She goes for the cover but Niven with a splash and breaks it up. Niven places Chelsea over Naomi, she goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Chelsea Green and Piper Niven
AJ Styles is walking backstage and LA Knight stops him. He says if the rumors are true, respect. AJ nods at him and continues walking. Cody Rhodes stops him, they shake hands and AJ whispers something into Cody’s ear. AJ keeps walking and is stopped by Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. They all hug and AJ tells them they have been through it all with him and it is only fair that they are out there with him tonight.
-Commercial Break-
AJ’s music hits and out he comes to the ring with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. They get in the ring and AJ looks emotional. Anderson and Gallows clap in the corner.
The fans chant “AJ Styles”. He says he has been thinking about what Nick Aldis said for the last week. If he wants another opportunity at Cody Rhodes, he would have to go to the back of the line. He is doing his job, he understands that and he thought about it all week. And he can’t do that at this point in time in his career and in his life. He has been doing this for over two decades. He has been busting his body in the ring, blood, sweat, tears, all over the world for him to become phenomenal.
But this week, his son graduated high school and he got to be there. They had his graduation party at his house and it was beautiful. And it was at that point where clarity hit him across the head. He asks how many of them has he missed. Instead of being the phenomenal AJ Styles, maybe he stays at home and is a phenomenal father.
AJ tells Gallows and Anderson to join him. He says he couldn’t have done this without them and he loves them. They are better than friends, they are his brothers. If they have to do it one last time, to do it right. They too sweet in the ring and hug. He says before he leaves, he whispered something in Cody’s ear. He asked if he didn’t mind coming out when he called him and now is the time.
Cody’s music hits and out he comes to the ring.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson leave the ring. The fans chant “Cody”. AJ says before he came out here to do what he has to do, he wanted to look Cody in the eyes, face to face and tell him that he had one of the greatest matches he ever had at Backlash in Lyon, France.
AJ says the crowd was electric and if he was going to have one last match, that would be it. But this is still the house that AJ Styles built. And he called Cody out to hand him the keys.
Cody says they have only ever exchanged one text message. After their match at Backlash, he wanted to know if he was okay and AJ’s response was I’m all good little bro. Cody says he can say a lot about AJ’s decision but on behalf of himself and the locker room, that he was a big bro for, thank you very much AJ Styles.
Both of them hug in the ring. Cody raises AJ’s hand and AJ hits Cody with a clothesline. Right hands by AJ. He throws Cody to the outside of the ring and into the steel steps. AJ gets on the steel steps. Anderson and Gallows block the WWE officials from coming out. AJ lands the Styles Clash off the steel steps and onto the mat on the outside of the ring.
AJ looks in anger and SmackDown goes off the air.