:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59804473/20180521_SD_Bryan_Hardy__51e0b4a5ce904794cc0322e90967ed89.0.jpg)
WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (May 22, 2018) from the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for next month in Chicago.
Advertised for tonight: Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy, Lana vs. Billie Kay, Naomi vs. Sonya Deville, Miz TV with The New Day, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR MAY 22
Loving, knowing, giving, showing; love is seeing and ever being. Motor cruising, midnight boozing, altar singing and bells that are ringing. You got a reason to listen to me for I am a messenger carrying the key, and that’s the liveblog for this here pro wrestling show, folks.
The show opens with commentary hyping up our last chance Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy qualifier.
Miz is in the ring to welcome us to MizTV.
MizTV is all about exclusives and he has two for us tonight. One is huge, years in the making, something people have been asking about for ages and he has a date. On July 24, his new show Miz & Mrs. will debut on USA at 10PM! And his other exclusive is from his guests tonight, New Day!
Big E does the deal and they make their entrance. They’re happy to be here but, uh, not so committed to Miz & Mrs., and Miz doesn’t think they know a good opportunity when it presents itself to them. One member gets to be in Money in the Bank, and he asks them which one it’s gonna be. They do the owl gimmick and he admits he walked into it and rephrases with “which”, and they do the gimmick with that word as well.
Big does his best Mr. Owl impression and they all say it’s gonna be them at once. Miz says he doesn’t think they’ll ever reach their full potential as long as they’re holding each other back. Xavier Woods says that’s the difference between New Day and Miz. Don’t get him wrong, he’s got a lot going for him, the Marine franchise, a Grand Slam, maybe even the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, and to top it off, he’s main evented WrestleMania!
Miz is a living legend, but... the thing that no one likes about him is that through his entire career, through every relationship he’s ever had, he always makes sure Miz comes first. The A-Lister asks Kofi Kingston if he’s won Money in the Bank and become WWE Champion, since he’s been in six such matches and hasn’t won one, but maybe he should give someone else a chance.
Like E, with his size, charisma, fire, speed, and strength, he has everything it takes to be a true champion, but he’ll never be taken seriously, since he never takes himself seriously. Woods, though, Woods takes himself seriously, and he has a YouTube empire that he built from the ground up. Imagine, Miz says, streaming a game of Fortline or Fortnite or whatever it is, with the WWE Championship around his waist.
He’d be a real life superhero! Each of them has a chance to go down as one of the greatest WWE Champions in history with this Money in the Bank contract, so again, who’s it gonna be? Xavier wants to give it to Big, E wants to give it to Kofi, and Kingston wants to give it to Woods. They put each other over and Miz throws a fit because he wants the exclusive.
The A-Lister says he’s walking out with the contract because he can beat any one of them any day of the week, and New Day have a huddle to discuss this development. Kofi announces that it’s gonna be Big E, and Miz carries on, but Xavier says they’re not talking about Money in the Bank. Oh no, they’re talking about tonight. Miz asks if they’re asking for E vs. him and Miz says if he doesn’t get what he wants, they don’t get what they want, and he’ll see them at Money in the Bank.
Each New Day man throws a pancake at Miz to shame him and the pelting continues as Miz flees from the pancake onslaught. We see Miz walk into Gorilla where he runs into Paige. He looks incredulous and points, which leads her to say she gets it, not everyone likes pancakes. She continues, saying he said he could beat any member of New Day, so it’s happening right now. She shoos him out of Gorilla and back on the stage, and we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for the bell and to see that Xavier Woods has joined the commentary booth.
Big E vs. the Miz
Circling, collar and elbow, Big pushing Miz around the ring and into the corner. The A-Lister steps up the turnbuckles and E just steps away and lets him drop. Waistlock, hip swivel to break, into a fireman’s carry takeover and Miz is looking for a test of strength. Big accepts, it was a ruse and the A-Lister clubs away at New Day’s big man.
Off the ropes, drop down, leapfrog and into the abdominal stretch! Spanking him for emphasis, Miz out, off the ropes, big uppercut and he’s knocked to the apron. E stomping away, setting him up... BIG SPLASH ON THE APRON! Woods and Kingston tend to E like boxing cornermen, pouring syrup in his mouth, and he walks over to Miz. Shrugs off a punch, Miz panics and runs inside, slip through, and trips him face first into the apron!
Miz throws Big into the barricade and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Miz has a sleeper in but E rams him back-first into the turnbuckles to break the hold. Big to his feet, he catches the Awesome Clothesline and turns it into a belly-to-belly suplex! A second such suplex, duck the lariat and the third puts him down with authority! Hip swivel, off the ropes, big splash connects, but the A-Lister bails before E can follow up on it.
Drawing him up, Miz gets a boot off, a kick to the leg, basement DDT countered and Big catches him with the huge Rock bottom on a charge! Going for the spear through the ropes... MIZ COUNTERS WITH A KNEE TO THE FACE! Basement DDT hits this time, the A-Lister sizes him up, counter the Skull-Crushing Finale with an arm drag, Miz slips out of the Big Ending, off the ropes, and they’re both wiped out with double lariats!
The Bar come to ringside and attack the other New Day men, Kofi manages to fend them off for a good minute but gets run over with a Brogue Kick! When Big turns his attention to them, Miz takes advantage of the distraction...
Miz wins by pinfall with Skull-Crushing Finale.
The A-Lister celebrates with Yes! fingers on the stage.
Commentary hypes Bryan/Hardy up and this feeds into a recap of Bryan’s completely justified attack on Big Cass last week.
Cass is shown walking backstage (Hi RD Evans!) on crutches and we get an explanation of the way they’re filling his qualifier spot for Money in the Bank.
Daniel Bryan is interviewed backstage about his second chance. He says it means everything, and nobody knows what second chances mean like he does. Last week he showed Big Cass how it doesn’t matter how tall you are, and tonight if he beats Jeff Hardy, he has a chance to get into Money in the Bank. Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan, in 2018? It’s crazy! He puts Jeff over and says he’s a very difficult mountain to climb, but he loves a challenge and he’ll tap a legend out.
Lana is shown getting ready backstage ahead of her qualifying match against Billie Kay, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Aiden English sings Lana out.
The Iconic Duo cut a promo on their way out, saying this calls for a duet. They spend a moment warming their voices up by making bird noises and begin singing their song, an acapella number about how Lana is a loser. When they win Money in the Bank, SmackDown will be Iconic.
Billie Kay vs. Lana (Money in the Bank Qualifying Match)
Aiden English clears his throat as they square up and walks at ringside holding a giant “Lana Day” sign. They Iconics go and confront him about it, Peyton slapping him in the face. Lana slaps her back and puts her into the barricade! Billie takes it to her, throwing her back inside, Lana with a roundhouse kick...
Lana wins by pinfall with an X-Factor, qualifying for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
Commentary informs us the Usos and the Club will be doing battle for a #1 contendership to the tag titles.
We go backstage with Zelina Vega and Andrade “Cien” Almas. She says her guy has traveled the world for years making his name and he’s gotten VIP treatment the whole way, but what did he get last week? He got nothing, in Spanish. She then says he’s the future (also in Spanish), and if he doesn’t get what he deserves, they’re going to take. (That bit was in English. Also Almas was mugging the entire time.)
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Andrade “Cien” Almas makes his entrance, flanked by Zelina Vega.
Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Kevin Bennett
Almas taking it right to his unannounced opponent, putting boots to him in the corner. Off the ropes, Bennett gets a back elbow off, a forearm, he runs the ropes again and Andrade wipes him out with a rolling back elbow into more stomps! Setting Kevin up in the corner, the running knees connect, a second set to the back of the head for good measure, he draws him up...
Andrade “Cien” Almas wins by pinfall with the hammerlock legsweep DDT.
Carmella is interviewed backstage while wearing one of Asuka’s masks. She takes it off and says it does seem like there’s an expiration date on her title reign... psyche! She says all the haters are waiting for her to slip and fall, but she’s not afraid of Asuka. At WrestleMania Charlotte Flair shattered that myth, and she’s beat Charlotte twice, so it’s simple math, making her twice as good as Asuka.
She can use all the smoke and mirrors she wants but Carmella sees through and will moonwalk over her and prove that Mella is money.
Commentary hypes up a face-to-face between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura and promises a reveal of the stipulation for their next title match, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Renee Young introduces AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura.
She starts off and AJ interrupts, saying he just wants to hear the stipulation. Shinsuke tells him to relax and remember why he gets to choose the stipulation, rolling footage of his win last week. Styles says he remembers and Nakamura should enjoy that because it’ll never-- Shinsuke tells him to be quiet and listen very carefully. He’s not just going to beat him, he’s going to dishonor him such that he never recovers.
AJ’s title is his, his house is his house, and again Styles demands to know the stipulation. Nakamura builds it up and announces it as a PILLOW FIGHT! He immediately falls over himself laughing as AJ loses his mind and says he always knew Shinsuke was the King of Soft Style. Nakamura says he jokes because he has the upper hand, but AJ jokes because he’s weak and all he see in his eyes is a desire to put his knee into his face.
Knee to face, knee to face, knee to face, knee to face, knee to face-- Styles says he’s got it and he doesn’t care what the stipulation is since Nakamura can’t beat him when it matters, hence the cheap shots. He thinks he speaks for the WWE Universe when he says he’s not the Shinsuke Nakamura we wanted on SmackDown. Pick what you won’t, you can’t level the playing field, and he’ll see him at Money in the Bank.
Shinsuke goes to throw a punch but AJ blocks it and they head to the floor! He passes the King of Strong Style over the timekeeper’s barricade and Styles dismantles the announce table! Shinsuke attacks with a steel chair and Styles sends him into the crowd! AJ goes to dive off the barricade and gets cut off with a chairshot! Nakamura counts while Styles is down and out.
Knee to the midsection, gourdbuster onto the announce table, Shinsuke’s fired up... KINSHASA! More counting and he announces it-- it’s a Last Man Standing Match!
Commentary hypes up our other announced matches and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Karl Anderson has a mic and asks the Usos what’s up.
Luke Gallows says they respect them, but respectfully, they had their shot and blew it, so the Good Brothers are gonna take their spot on top of the tag division. The Usos snatch the mic away and ask if they know where they’re at. This ain’t Japan, it ain’t Raw, it’s SmackDown, where the Usos reside and they’ll have to earn it.
Anderson doubts that it’s the Uso Penitentiary and they build up to the big NEEERDS but the Usos cut Gallows off! They brawl on the floor and back in and referee Danilo Anfibio calls for the bell!
The Club (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. the Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Match)
Gallows on Jey, Jimmy comes in and runs him off, low bridge plancha and the Usos are rolling as we go to break!
Back from commercial, Anderson is coming back, corner bicycle kick, up top, diving neckbreaker... NOPE! Charging in, Jey gets the boot up but Karl cuts him off on top with another kick! Climbing to meet him, Uso knocks him down with a headbutt, enzuigiri clobbers Anderson but he backs into a tag to Gallows! Stinger splash sidestepped, stereo enzuigiris, Jimmy tags in, superkick, quick tag back, another superkick, diving splash... NOT ENOUGH!
Anderson takes Jey out, Jimmy blocks Gallows Pole, dueling superkicks, they set him up...
The Club win by pinfall with Magic Killer, becoming #1 contenders to the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship.
This is followed by a recap of the Styles/Nakamura segment.
Naomi makes her entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for her opponent’s entrance.
Naomi vs. Sonya Deville (Money in the Bank Qualifying Match)
Circling, Deville in with a waistlock takedown, rolling into a pin, no good, again, still no, Naomi reverses to one of her own but she can’t end it either. Sonya catches a kick, Naomi escapes with the splits, into a sunset flip, only one, leapfrog and Deville gets a spear off for a nearfall. Body blows into a snapmare, off the ropes with a sliding knee, only good for two.
Grinding Naomi down with a bodyscissors, adding a reverse chinlock for good measure but she posts to her feet and rams her back-first into the turnbuckles to give herself enough room to execute a judo throw to get her off her back. Spinebuster from Sonya to counter a charge, kicks to the midsection in the corner, boot up, a forearm, Naomi finding her way back in.
Hamstring kicks exchanged, trading rapid-fire kicks and into stereo enzuigiris! Muay Thai knees, disdainful shove, off the ropes, Naomi ducks, rolling...
Naomi wins by pinfall with a rolling Gedo Clutch, qualifying for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
An excited Jeff Hardy is interviewed backstage.
He’s super excited, when he first heard the news, his synapses blasted neurons through his brain about all the things he does with ladders. But just like the ladder, he’s taking things one step at a time, and he gets chills thinking about wrestling Bryan. They’re gonna scorch our cerebrum and he’s taking flight!
Samoa Joe makes his entrance to sit in on commentary for our main event, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary announces a six-man between New Day on one hand and the Bar and Miz on the other for next week’s show.
Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy (Money in the Bank Qualifying Match Last Chance Qualifying Match)
A friendly handshake and they begin circling. Bryan with a waistlock, standing switch, reverse to a wristlock, that reversed, side headlock, shot off and Hardy levels him with a shoulder block! Knucklelock, test of strength, Dan kicks one arm and takes control of the other. Jim Breaks Special, arm wringer, side headlock, shot off again, drop down, shoulder block from the American Dragon!
In a cover, only two, another arm wringer, Jeff reverses, reversed back and again, whip across, backflip up and over, off the ropes, duck the lariat, caught by the Manhattan Drop into the double leg drop and the basement dropkick and the Charismatic Enigma is rolling as we go to break!
Back from commercial, Bryan with another arm wringer, whip, Hardy ducks a lariat and both guys go for crossbodies at the same time and wipe themselves out! Uppercut for kick, into the chest kicks, an enzuigiri when Jeff catches one and Brother Nero crashes to the floor! Off the ropes, slingshot dropkick puts Jeff head-first into the barricade!
Off the apron with the diving knee, nobody home and Hardy hits a diving lariat off the apron! Back inside, Jeff perches up top but Dan cuts him off and turns him around. Tree of Woe, Yes! Kicks follow, off the ropes for a baseball slide, he climbs to meet him and here’s your five minute warning... but Jeff blocks the back superplex with elbows-- WHISPER IN THE WIND CAN’T PUT THE AMERICAN DRAGON AWAY!
Thinking Twist of Fate, Bryan takes his knee out with a dropkick, Yes! Kicks ensue, Jeff ducks the buzzsaw and hits the Twist of Fate! Up top, Swanton Bomb... THE KNEES ARE UP! The buzzsaw roundhouse connects... SO CLOSE! Yes! finger, Busaiku Knee sidestepped, Hardy with a schoolboy... NOPE! Kick ducked, another pin with the same result, uppercuts aplenty, backslide denied, Twist of Fate evaded, dragon screw leg whip!
Bryan falls back into the heel hook, Hardy has nowhere to go! IT’S OVER!
Daniel Bryan wins by submission with a heel hook, qualifying for next week’s Money in the Bank qualifying match against Samoa Joe.
Joe calls Dan out and enters the ring. They square up face to face and Samoa says he doesn’t see cause to celebrate since Bryan has him next week.
Samoa Joe is interviewed backstage and asks why everytime he tells us the truth it’s characterized as strong words. There’s nothing strong or unusual about what he’s saying, and next week, Daniel Bryan goes to sleep.
Bryan celebrates with the crowd.
That’s the show, folks.