Friday Night Smackdown – Aug 5th 2022: Results & Review
Welcome to this review of this past Friday’s episode of Friday Night Smackdown, right here on Nerdly. This week’s show has already caused a stir online thanks to the re-appearance of a WWE superstar that was let go in Vine’s era but has been re-hired under Triple H’s new regime! Let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Ricochet def. Happy Corbin
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After laughing at Corbin’s expense with Pat McAfee’s hilarious video of Corbin being hit below the belt at SummerSlam, Corbin met Ricochet in the ring to teach him a lesson. In a back-and-forth affair, Ricochet took advantage when The Lone Wolf focused too much on berating McAfee on commentary, gaining the win with an impressive 450 Splash.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ludwig Kaiser
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The King of Strong Style once again faced off against The Ring General’s trusted ally, Ludwig Kaiser. The stakes were even higher as Nakamura would earn himself a future Intercontinental Championship Match against Gunther if he defeated Kaiser. Kaiser was impressive during the match, executing an innovative German Suplex on Nakamura. In the end, however, Nakamura prevailed, getting the win with a Kinshasa, earning himself a future Intercontinental Championship Match.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Gauntlet Match – Shayna Bazler wins
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
- Sonya Deville def. Aliyah – The women’s Gauntlet Match began with a bang as the nefarious Sonya Deville battled up and comer Aliyah. Aliyah’s tenacity was no match for Deville, who put her away with the Deville’s Advocate.
- Raquel Rodriguez def. Sonya Deville – Sonya Deville had her work cut out for her as the dominant Raquel Rodriguez awaited her next. Rodriguez wasted no time in dispatching Deville, winning the match with a Tejana Bomb.
- Raquel Rodriguez def. Shotzi – Raquel Rodriguez’s dominance continued with an effortless victory over Shotzi, hitting the Tejana Bomb to seal the deal.
- Raquel Rodriguez def. Xia Li – The high voltage kicks of Xia Li were up next in Raquel Rodriguez’s path to victory. Rodriguez swatted away Li’s kicks and put her away with the Tejana Bomb.
- Raquel Rodriguez def. Natalya – At this point, Natalya capitalized on an exhausted Rodriguez, controlling much of the match. Just when things were looking down for Rodriguez, she hit a devastating Tejana Bomb out of nowhere, sending her one step closer to Clash at the Castle.
- Shayna Baszler def. Raquel Rodriguez – The sadistic Shayna Baszler was Rodriguez’s final hurdle in the Gauntlet Match. Rodriguez gave it her all, but Baszler capitalized on Rodriguez’s exhaustion, slapping her in the Kirifuda Clutch. Rodriguez fought through the pain, but succumbed to a unique pinning combination by her opponent, sending Baszler to Clash at the Castle. With Baszler’s victory, she now faces a vulnerable Liv Morgan at Clash at the Castle for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: The Viking Raiders def. Jim Pulkey & Tommy Gibson
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Chaos and destruction were rampant as the Viking Raiders completely dismantled two local competitors, getting the victory with an Assisted Powerbomb, stacking up Pulkey and Gibson.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #5: Kofi Kingston def. Erik
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After emerging from the shadows with a deadly Kendo stick following the aftermath of The Viking Raiders match, Kofi Kingston tangled with Erik. Kingston hit a surprise roll up, snatching a victory in the name of Xavier Woods, who was taken out last week with a vicious steel chair assault to the ankle.
My Score: 2 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Karrion Kross returned to the WWE, taking out Drew McIntyre in the process.
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This episode started strong but then started to fizzle out post-gauntlet match before the brilliant return of Karrion Kross and his decisive take down of Drew McIntyre. Interestingly, it seems Kross could be now in the title picture after ONE appearance back on TV and you know what? I’m here for it. Roman Reigns needs more solid contenders for his title besides McIntyre – who right now feels like the only member of the roster who’s capable of vying for the title. We’re still building into the new vision for the WWE so storylines are being intertwined from the past and present. Give it a few more weeks/months to see the bigger picture… For now, Smackdown is a least back to must-watch wrestling.
