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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (May 21, 2019) from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, featuring the fallout show from the Money in the Bank pay-per-view (PPV) that went down this past Sunday night in Hartford.
Advertised for tonight: Big E returns, Roman Reigns vs. Elias, 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 21
I’m just looking. Just looking for a way around. It disappears this near, you’re the rod, I’m water. I’m just looking for the divine hammer, but until I can find it, I’ll settle for liveblogging this here pro wrestling show for y’all, folks.
The show opens with Shane McMahon on the phone in his office when Elias rolls up.
He wants to apologize for Money in the Bank-- he smashed Roman Reigns and he was ready but when the crowd refused him a standing ovation it affected him and he lost focus and got Superman Punched and didn’t even realize the bell rang! He feels he let Shane down and he deserves better, and that’s why he’s looking beyond SmackDown to Super Showdown where he’s going to be in McMahon’s corner.
Shane says he doesn’t need anyone in his corner, but tonight he WILL be in the Drifter’s corner, because he needs the help. Elias says he’s going to go wait for Roman and they agree to take care of it.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods make their entrance.
They got on the mic and say tonight is a very special night and after six long, hard, cold weeks, Big E is back! They bring a man out onstage under a curtain and reveal him, but it is not Big E. They ask who he is and say he looks like E got left in the dryer and he’s got ashy knees so he’s gotta get out of here after getting the curtain they brought him out under.
Without further ado, they introduce the real Big E and he does his usual voiceover.
They get in the ring, festooned with presents and a “Welcome back Big E” banner. Big E smells his pals, Woods by the head and Kingston by the armpit, and they say he’s not medically cleared to compete, but he IS medically cleared to sniff. E talks about how he’s missed his boys and us, the fans, and Xavier says he’s been crushing it on Twitter. Big says he’s got a tweet to send but Woods tells him to back off Becky’s mom, she’s taken.
He wants her anyway, but they move on to celebrating Kofi’s successful title defense against Kevin Owens and then back to E’s return.
Enter Kevin Owens, followed moments later by Sami Zayn as our first Wild Card of the evening.
Sami Zayn complains, saying he was gone for nine months and got nothing when he got back, and E says that’s a good point and they should get him something. After a moment deliberation they settle on giving Zayn the same thing Owens got at Money in the Bank, nothing. They sing it like a barbershop trio, mind.
This gets KO to walk off and Sami berates them, explaining the only reason Kev didn’t win is that he was distracted because his best friend got beaten up, hung upside down, and missed his shot at Money in the Bank. But none of that matters, this whole celebration is disgusting and he takes issue with New Day placating the people with all their shenanigans.
Zayn continues trying to rant but Xavier cuts him off with toots of his trombone, so Sami changes tactics and tells them to have their fun, because their night isn’t going to end in fun after he beats Kofi in front of his little friends and all these trash people and when he’s done he’ll be lucky to be walking out of here at all.
Kingston tells him not to let the smiles and hip swivels fool him, because when it’s time to throw down, they throw down, and not only is he walking out on his own two feet, he’s walking right through him, because New Day rocks.
Cut to Carmella backstage looking for R-Truth and asking undercard guys about his whereabouts, but they all want to know where he is so they can win his title. She finds him wearing a blonde wig and tells him his idea of disguise isn’t working. He says it’s been a hard 24 hours but seven more to go and it’s his for good! Mella explains the actual rules and calls his wig cheap, which he takes offense to because he spent $12 on it.
He says he came to SmackDown because he needs her help and she agrees as they leave together.
Mustafa Ali makes his entrance, he’ll be in action after the break.
Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Mustafa Ali
Collar and elbow, wristlock from Ali, whip, tranquilo in the ropes and Zelina Vega poses on the apron with her client. Hip toss sends Almas to the floor, kick when he rolls back in but he decks Mustafa with a lariat and gets two. Chop against the ropes, dragging him to the middle of the ring, shoulder armbreaker, arm wringer, back suplex, land on his feet, Ali snaps off a Poison Frankensteiner... NOPE!
Shoving Mustafa away, charging into an uppercut, spring to the second, Vega runs interference, springboard crossbody countered with a dropkick to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Ali hits the tornado DDT but is clutching his arm in agony and can’t capitalize! Almas rolls to the floor, Mustafa off the ropes... torpedo suicide dive! Back in, off the ropes again... SLINGSHOT TOPE CON GIRO! Slow to recover, up to the apron and Andrade blasts Ali off and into the barricade hard! Referee Charles Robinson counting but Ali makes it back in!
Cien putting boots to him, Three Amigos but instead of the third suplex he slams Mustafa into the turnbuckles hard! Chop against the barricade, slamming him back-first into the post, and he press slams him hard into the timekeeper’s area! Robinson counting again, count of nine he’s hanging on the apron... MUSTAFA ALI BEATS THE COUNT! Andrade putting boots to him in the corner, stomp to the back and then the running knees to the back of the head... STILL NO!
Thinking about the DDT, Ali counters...
Mustafa Ali wins by pinfall with a leg crucifix cradle.
Backstage, Carmella’s making R-Truth over properly to hide him from his would-be contenders, giving him a coat of hairspray before realizing something’s missing. She hands him a bra and he asks for help, saying he never knew how to open one of those. (It’s really not that hard, I went from doing the ol’ “hook in front and turn” to fastening mine behind me within a couple days, buddy, you got this.)
Fire and Desire make their entrance, Mandy Rose will be in action after the break.
Back from commercial, we’re informed Roman Reigns is up for an MTV award for “Best Real Life Hero.”
We get a video package covering Lars Sullivan and his trail of destruction.
Carmella vs. Mandy Rose
R-Truth is out in disguise with Carmella, doubling her entrance.
Carmella right in with the ground and pound to the point where Rose slides out of the ring. Back in, Mella decks her and then hip tosses Sonya Deville in and beats on her, too! Mandy with roll-up, only two, Carmella goes back to beating Rose up but here come all the superstars who want the 24/7 Championship! The bell rings...
The match goes to an unannounced no-contest, presumably.
The superstars chase Carmella and Truth to the back.
Bayley is interviewed backstage.
She says she’s exceeded everyone’s expectations but they still doubt her, and that’s why she created her own opportunity at Money in the Bank. The people need to know that she’s moved past the hugs and she wants everyone in the locker room to bring their best.
Cut to Mella and Truth running backstage. They try to cut through the women’s locker room but they chase them back out just in time for the assembled superstars to arrive and chase them off. Sami Zayn appears on the scene, and he’ll be in action after the break.
Back from commercial, Elias is playing guitar in a loading dock, waiting for Roman Reigns.
Sami Zayn makes his entrance and we cut backstage to see Big E yelling in agony and clutching his surgically repaired knee as referees and his stablemates check on him. Xavier Woods tells Kofi Kingston to go take care of his business and beat Sami.
Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn
Kingston charging in, right hands, stomping away, Zayn bails and Kofi follows around after him to deck him on the floor. Back in, blocking punches, throwing his own, backing Sami into the corner and putting boots to him unitl referee Jason Ayers admonishes him. Zayn with a back body drop to the floor, throwing Kingston shoulder-first into the steel steps and celebrating after, raining punches down, back inside, putting boots to him in the corner.
Ayers warns Sami off and he backs off a moment. Coming back in, Kofi throwing punches, side headlock, whip, up and over into a missile dropkick and again Zayn rolls to the floor and we go to break.
Back from commercial, jockeying for position and Zayn gets a superplex! Slow to cover... NOT ENOUGH! Helluva Kick countered with a leaping lariat into grounded punches, Stinger Splash, whip across, boot up on the charge. Kingston with the pop-up double stomp, fired up, calling for it, Zayn ducks Trouble in Paradise, Blue Thunder Driver floated out of, Kofi hits it...
Kofi Kingston wins by pinfall with Trouble in Paradise.
While Kofi celebrates his victory, Paul Heyman comes out with the Money in the Bank briefcase in hand, teasing the cash-in, saying it’s the perfect time now... AND DOLPH ZIGGLER ATTACKS FROM BEHIND?! Punches to the head, tearing at his face, slamming him into the mat repeatedly before dragging him into the corner and shoving him neck-first into the post!
To the floor, throwing Kofi into the announce desk, Ziggler drags him over and horsecollars him with a chair from the timekeeper’s area before doing an EVIL and ramming him into the announce desk chair-first! Medics check on the WWE Champion but Dolph comes back for more, wrapping the chair back around his head... AND PILLMANIZING HIM WITH A STOMP!
EMTs come down with a board and they work with the medics to get Kingston on it so he can be stretchered out. They get him up on it and wheel him up the ramp and Kofi stirs as they get to the stage, trying to get off. He sits up and gets on his own two feet to walk out, with his title in hand, under his own power.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw and commentary promises us an update on Kofi Kingston later tonight.
We see Roman Reigns walking into SmackDown when he hears guitar strumming but doesn’t see an obvious source. The camera pans up and we see Elias is standing on a production truck and playing, and he begins singing, his song running Roman down for being jealous of his soul and his heart.
We get heel entrances for a women’s tag and Becky Lynch is interviewed.
She says she doesn’t feel right without the blue belt, but if somebody had to get it, she’s glad it’s Bayley. Bayley rolls up and says she enjoys the thought of Bayley Two Belts, to which Lynch says if she tries she’ll drop her and she’s coming for her next. The Hugger says she wouldn’t have it any other way and they go to make their entrances.
We go to break before the match can begin.
Bayley & Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair & Lacey Evans
Back from commercial, Bayley is in control and smashing Flair’s face into the turnbuckles but Charlotte turns it around on her and lays a chop in. The Hugger charges in, shoulder blocks, Flair sidesteps, northern big boot and she puts boots to Bayley until referee Drake Wuertz warns her off! Yanking the ponytail in the ropes, tag to Evans and she comes in slamming Bayley’s head into the mat repeatedly.
Kneeling rear chinlock into a Cobra Clutch, shoving the SmackDown champion off and tagging Flair in. Putting boots to the Hugger, she’s crawling but Charlotte pulls Becky off the apron to block the tag! Shoulder thrusts in the corner, again warned by Wuertz, tag to Lacey and she starts putting boots to Bayley in equal fashion. Quick tag back to the Queen, Bayley crawling away but she gets cut off again.
Float over the exploder, falling lariat, the path is clear as Charlotte rolls to the floor... TAG MADE! Lynch in hot, fist drop off the apron to Flair, back inside, up top for the missile dropkick! Another kick, combat roll, clear the apron with a baseball slide, roundhouse kick from the apron, up top again, battering ram forearm! Exploder suplex follows, charging in, STO backbreaker / reverse STO into the turnbuckles combo but Lynch turns her around after!
Distracted by Evans, Flair hits the big boot, spinning toehold, kicked off into the turnbuckle, O’Connor roll, reversed, hand on the ropes but referee Drake Wuertz sees it! Dis-Arm-Her applied, Lacey breaks it up with the Woman’s Right but Bayley tags in and blasts her off the apron! Flair with a spinning toehold, the Hugger reverses...
Bayley & Becky Lynch win by pinfall with a small package from Bayley on Charlotte Flair.
Backstage Mella and Truth are still running but Jinder Mahal gets a rollup... NOPE! Ron nails him with a forearm and they keep running out into the loading dock! The B-Team blindside Truth, referee Darrick Moore is here to count but Curtis Axel pulls Bo Dallas off the champ and they bicker about who gets to win! Ron recovers and beats them up and runs off into the night!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Dolph Ziggler is interviewed backstage.
He says an honest question deserves an honest answer, but he’s not telling her why he beat up Kofi Kingston, he’s telling all of us, in the ring.
Ziggler makes his entrance and says he knows, if he was in the crowd right now, he’d boo him too, but this goes way back to Mustafa Ali getting hurt. Kingston stepped up and got the opportunity and knocked it out of the park, but... it should have been him. Kofi jumped through hoop after hoop after hoop and after eleven years of earning everything he became an overnight success and Dolph again says it should have been him.
He recounts Kingston’s career path over the last few months, reiterating every time that he thinks he deserved that arc, coming to a point where he’s nearly sobbing when he talks about Kofi winning the title at WrestleMania. Every day since becoming champ, Kofi’s outperformed every critic and been a fighting champion and we all respect and admire him, but Ziggler again thinks that should be him.
He says he has a title shot at Super Showdown and he’s going to win the title and each of us is going to end up loving and respecting him as WWE Champion.
Speaking of Super Showdown, we get a video package building Randy Orton vs. Triple H for that show on all their history in Evolution and their 2009 feud and whatnot.
Shane McMahon makes his entrance, mic in hand.
He gives Elias a big introduction and the Drifter comes out playing his guitar as they walk down the ramp together.
We see Roman Reigns making his way backstage as we go to break.
Elias vs. Roman Reigns
Reigns with the big slicing rights, sending Elias drifting to the floor. Chasing around after him, more big right hands, smashing his face into the barricade before hitting the Drive-By! Back inside, Elias kicks the rope into Roman’s gentleman’s area and hits a DDT... NOPE! Putting boots to the Big Dog, he throws him into the post, action to the floor and we go to break with the Drifter standing tall.
Back from commercial, Reigns explodes off the ropes into a lariat! Corner lariats follow, off the ropes for the big boot to finish the exchange! Fired up, calling for it, Shane McMahon runs interference and Elias nails the Big Dog with a big knee! Electric chair, Roman floats out, shove into the turnbuckles, big slicing right, double leg up top, another right and Reigns climbs to meet him.
Fireman’s carry, jockeying for position, the Drifter slips out, electric chair and he spins it out into a sitout powerbomb... NOPE! McMahon losing his mind at ringside, Elias looking for Drift Away but Roman fires a headbutt off and we get a slugfest. Knee strike gets the Superman Punch... AND MCMAHON PUTS THE DRIFTER’S FOOT ON THE ROPES! Referee Mike Chioda jaws at him, Reigns hits the Drive-By on Shane and Elias capitalizes, putting him into the barricade, post, and steel steps!
Back inside, up top, diving elbow drop connects... SO CLOSE! McMahon gets the Drifter’s guitar and puts it in the ring before distracting Chioda but Roman hits the spear...
Roman Reigns wins by pinfall with the spear.
McMahon hits the ring and mounts the Big Dog for punches! He goes and gets the guitar and tees up... EL KABONG COUNTERED WITH THE SUPERMAN PUNCH! Roman’s got the guitar but Drew McIntyre hits him with Claymore before he can attack Shane!
Drew and McMahon jaw at Reigns briefly and McMahon holds the Scots giant’s hand up.
That’s the show, folks.