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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (May 7, 2019) from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for later this month in Hartford.
Advertised for tonight: Shane McMahon crowns new tag team champions, Ali vs. Andrade, Kevin Owens responds to Kofi Kingston, 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 7
All non-believers stand aside in fear, a new day’s marching through the door. How could you ever think you’d make it here? Did it bleed? Was it sore through the struggles you’ve endured? You’ve come so far from innocence, provided all the consequence, only what does it matter now? Cause you’re going home, you’re running free, and me? I’m liveblogging this here pro wrestling show, folks.
The show opens with AJ Styles making his entrance, presumably our first of four wild cards tonight.
He recaps the nature of the Wild Card rule and reminds us that SmackDown is still the House That AJ Styles Built.
Enter Sami Zayn, wild card number two.
He says he doesn’t want to be here either and runs the crowd down as a bunch of hillbillies before saying he knew AJ would pull something like this, so he needed to show up to be able to call Styles out on his toxic ego that’s spiraled out of control. Styles looks like he smells something sour and says he’s glad Sami made it out of the dumpster he got thrown in last night but he smells like a foot and could have taken a shower.
Zayn says he did take a shower but it doesn’t come out that easily and then he accuses AJ of trying to distract him--
Enter New Day, Kofi Kingston once again joined by Xavier Woods.
They tell Zayn and Styles they can’t have a party without their boys, before Kofi says he hopes AJ isn’t talking about his architectural achievements again, because it’s an amazing catchphrase but fact is he doesn’t live there anymore. So what he wants to know is what’s he doing here tonight-- to which he says he wants to return the favor from last night.
Woods suggests AJ check himself before he wrecks himself, and Kofi says yeah, he is the champ now. THE champ, and Styles came all the way over here, and now they’re both in the same ring, so what does he want to do about it? Sami interrupts and tells Kingston he’s not gonna offer AJ a WWE Championship match tonight. He loves him, so he’ll tell him the truth nobody else will-- these people aren’t happy for him.
He got a taste of their affection but now he’s trying to please him even to his own detriment, handing out title matches, and besides, if anybody deserves a title match, it’s Zayn. Xavier says Sami smells like his tenth grade sock drawer, and Kofi says he defended his title last night to show that WrestleMania wasn’t a fluke, but that he’s a fighting champion, so he wants to put the title on the line tonight against either of them!
A “triple threat!” chant goes up and Kingston says it doesn’t matter who it is, because he’s going to retain and remain your WWE Champion.
Commentary hypes up our new tag champs to be crowned as well as a women’s tag match.
We get a handcam promo from Kevin Owens where he says today’s his birthday and once he got to the building he realized he didn’t want to deal with this crap on his birthday, so he’s going home, good news for Kofi. But his good news ends at Money in the Bank, because KO is winning that title.
Mustafa Ali makes his entrance, he’ll be in action after the break.
Back from commercial we’re informed that Kofi Kingston will be defending the WWE Championship in a triple threat against both AJ Styles and Sami Zayn.
We get a Mustafa Ali vignette about searching for light in dark times. The light shows you a path and sometimes it seems too far away, but as long as you see the light, then you MUST run to it. Just like at Money in the Bank, where that briefcase is gonna be high above the ring, but as long as Ali sees it, he’s fighting for an opportunity that was ripped out of his hands earlier in the year.
At Money in the Bank, he takes that opportunity back.
Zelina Vega gets on the mic during Andrade “Cien” Almas’ entrance and talks about how everyone’s going to tune into Money in the Bank just like they did the Kentucky Derby, to see all the thoroughbreds, but here there’s only one such horse-- Almas. Cien gets on the mic himself and says he’s going to win the ladder match and become Mr. Money in the Bank.
Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Mustafa Ali
Ali with a superkick that sends Almas to the floor, a front kick to block him when he charges back in, out after him, going for a leap off the barricade but Vega gets in the way and lets her man knock Mustafa down to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Almas with a body slam, headed up top but Ali cuts him off with a forearm. Climbing up after, Cien swats him down, Mustafa runs back up... SPRINGBOARD SPANISH FLY! Both men slow to rise... RANDY ORTON OUTTA NOWHERE WITH A SHOULDER BLOCK!
Mustafa Ali wins by disqualification, presumably.
Orton goes for the hanging DDT but Vega grabs Almas by the feet to block, and when Randy shifts to Ali he gets kicked in the face! Mustafa goes for a superkick, block the RKO, Orton knocks Andrade off the apron and Ali hammers him with overhand blows! Off the ropes... ORTON CATCHES HIM WITH A POP-UP RKO! ALMAS SPRINGBOARDS INTO ANOTHER RKO!
Commentary recaps the end of Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns from last night and the attack from Shane McMahon and Elias that followed before tossing things to a Roman Reigns video package recapping particularly the last year or so of his career.
Shane McMahon makes his entrance, and he’ll crown new SmackDown Tag Team Champions after the break.
Back from commercial we get a video package celebrating WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish.
We get a recap of Shane McMahon’s shenanigans from last night before he begins on the microphone.
He calls Miz a coward for attacking him with a steel chair and says he finds it lamentable and deplorable and, for Kentucky, disgusting. But Miz won’t get the job done at Money in the Bank because it’s gonna be just like WrestleMania.
But onto the tag titles, he recounts Jeff Hardy’s injury and the Hardy Boyz’ subsequent need to vacate the titles. He kept saying to himself “who would be worthy tag champions?” and he scoured the roster until it stared him right in the face. So, ladies and gentleman, that worthy tag team...
DANIEL BRYAN AND ERICK ROWAN!
(Rowan’s wearing an Amon Amarth shirt tonight, nice.)
Enter the Usos, tonight’s third wild card, before Shane can hand the titles over
They say Roman Reigns told them they can slide through his yard whenever they like, but also they’ve got the Wild Card rule and so hey, welcome to the Uso Penitentiary. They ask if McMahon’s really just gonna hand the titles away after they, the New Day, the Hardy Boyz, the Bar, and even Shane himself earned those titles. Knowing the value of the titles, they’re gonna just hand them over to Beavis and Butthead here?
McMahon says he’ll enjoy watching the match that he’s gonna book right now between Bryan & Rowan on one hand and the Usos on the other!
...after the break, of course.
Back from commercial, Finn Balor gets a handcam promo from his native Ireland where he pledges to win Money in the Bank and cash in to be a double champ.
Daniel Bryan & Erick Rowan vs. the Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship)
Bryan and Jimmy to start, collar and elbow, Uso with a wristlock, Dan rolls through and bridges out to reverse, takedown, into a keylock but he gets rammed into the corner and a tag is made. Cover for two, front chancery into the corner, hammer whip across, tag back to Jimmy, double back elbows into double elbow drop but Bryan kicks out and tags Rowan in.
Circling, Erick drops Jimmy with a boot, scoop and a slam, off the ropes with a big splash... NOPE! Into the corner to work Uso over, tag to Bryan, assisted running dropkick into a corner body avalanche, Dan makes the cover, again just a nearfall. Standing surfboard, then kneeling on Jimmy’s neck before tagging Rowan in. Big man in with a kick, dragging him around, knees to the back into a standing neck crank.
Jimmy out, right hands, clear the apron, off the ropes, duck a lariat but a freight train crossbody takes him out and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Bryan takes Jey’s legs out from under him with a basement dropkick! Chest kicks ensue, buzzsaw denied, waistlock, tag to Jimmy and he comes in with a superkick... NOPE! Up top... KNEES UP ON THE SPLASH AND THE AMERICAN DRAGON CONVERTS IT INTO THE LEBELL LOCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! Jimmy reverses to a cover and hits a superkick and both men are down and out!
Tags made, Jey off the top but Rowan catches him and hosses him up into a delayed vertical! Float over, no impact, kick combo, caught by the claw but he tagged Jimmy in! Superkicks in singular and then in stereo, Jey dives, Jimmy off the top... NOT ENOUGH! Big man still down and out, tag made, Bryan knocks Jimmy out of the corner only for Jey to superkick him to the floor!
Low bridge sends Erick out, off the ropes... STEREO SUICIDE DIVES CAUGHT BY ROWAN! Bryan hits the Busaiku Knee, Rowan throws his Uso into the barricade and back inside but Jey’s got superkicks for everybody! Erick blocks the second... CLAWSLAM! IT’S OVER!
Daniel Bryan & Erick Rowan win by pinfall with a clawslam from Rowan on Jey Uso to win the vacant SmackDown Tag Team Championship.
We get a replay of this week’s Firefly Funhouse to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Shane McMahon is in the ring with the Money in the Bank briefcases on a pair of pedestals.
He says there’s some information he needs to get out about the ladder match itself. It only happens once a year and any superstar that can ascend the ladder and grab the briefcase is almost guaranteed to become champion. He says it’s one of the most brutal, physical--
MIZ ATTACKS HIM FROM BEHIND! TO THE FLOOR, INTO THE BARRICADES! The A-Lister wails on McMahon as he runs away up the ramp! The B-Team make the save and beat their former leader down! Miz fights them off but here comes Shane with a steel chair to cut him off!
Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan are walking backstage, Bryan chatting excitedly about the titles, when they run into Heavy Machinery, who coldly congratulate them.
Ember Moon makes her entrance, she’ll be in action after the break.
Carmella & Ember Moon vs. Fire and Desire (Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville)
Deville and Carmella to start, whip across, Mella ducks a lariat, satellite headscissors, a lariat, only a nearfall. Into the ropes, Sonya with a spear for two! Tag to Rose, right hands, Carmella gets away and tags Moon in. Dropkick, kick combo, big forearm sets up a fallaway slam and Ember’s fired up! Charging in, back elbow, off the ropes, springboard crossbody... NOPE!
Superkick for knee as Mella comes in and the match breaks down, Moon with an enzuigiri, off the ropes... SUICIDE DIVE WIPES DEVILLE OUT! Mandy with a knee strike, back inside, underhooks...
Fire and Desire win by pinfall with Angel’s Wings from Mandy Rose on Ember Moon.
Enter Paige, Asuka, and Kairi Sane.
Paige congratulates Fire and Desire on the win and reminds them that she used to represent them when they actually meant something, but she traded way up and her team are going to rip through the tag division starting next week with the two of them.
Matt Hardy is interviewed backstage.
He says it was heartbreaking for Jeff to have to vacate the titles, but his surgery was successful and he’ll be back better than ever. R-Truth rolls up to tell him something but he forgot, and Matt asks if it was about Lars Sullivan, and Truth says he forgot because he didn’t want to remember. He says Lars isn’t like anyone he’s ever faced and his hands are like death traps-- you get caught, you get got.
Hardy says Lars is a true monster and speak of the devil, he rolls up and headbutts Truth! Matt takes the fight to him but Sullivan throws him through a door! Ron charges in but Lars shrugs him off as he hammers him with forearms before popping him up for a powerbomb through a table!
He breathes heavily for a moment and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get an Aleister Black promo in a black room.
He talks about dealing with the sins of the mother and of the father and the marks left on us and left by us. He’s both our wrath and our salvation, and he has to apologize to his opponents for his overcompensatory need to prevail at their expense, because they’re the embodiment of the sins of which he speaks. Now that he’s revealed this part of himself, he must as for forgiveness from his own sins, sins that he’ll seek absolution for in the form of victory.
Victory that he’ll take from you.
We get entrances for our main event, but the match will have to wait for after the break.
AJ Styles vs. Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Championship)
Three-way standoff to start, Zayn jawing as the crowd chants “take a shower!” at him, Styles with a kick to Kingston and he hammers Sami with punches! Kofi back in, elbow strikes, whip reversed, springboard out of the corner with a dropkick for two! Off the ropes, Penalty Kick, again, into the slingshot Vader Bomb for another nearfall! Zayn in with a forearm, Kingston nails him with a dropkick and he bails!
Turning around, AJ double legs him into the corner for shoulder thrusts! Backbreaker connects, chops to Sami in the corner while Kofi recovers. Back to Kingston, he gets a schoolboy for two, kick in the corner, clubbing blow, whip reversed, boots up in the corner and the champion heads up top. Shadows Over Hell connects... NOT ENOUGH! Zayn back in, peppering Kingston with punches, smashing his face into the turnbuckle, whip across, stack ‘em up but Kofi comes charging out with a lariat!
Styles has one too and shifts into the Styles Rush on Kingston only for him to explode off the ropes with the Superman lariat! Boom Drop follows, but Sami pulls him out of the ring! AJ with a springboard, Zayn with a back heel trip and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Zayn is toying with Kingston but Kofi fires up with big overhand chops! Sami off the ropes, drop down, leapfrog caught into a powerbomb... KINGSTON KICKS OUT! Styles back in, Zayn meets him with strikes in the corner only for AJ to turn it around on him and put boots to him. Whip denied, clawing at the Phenomenal One’s face, Sami hits a tornado DDT for follow but Kofi breaks it up!
Trading right hands, Zayn rams Kingston into the corner, whip reversed, Kofi slips out and hits the gamengiri from the apron before heading up top. Sami cuts him off with a forearm, climbs to meet him... SUPERPLEX! Shifting his attention to AJ Styles, back up into the turnbuckles, looking for a repeat but AJ slips out and pulls him face-first into the turnbuckles!
Big right hand, setting Zayn back up top... AVALANCHE FRANKENSTEINER! Styles back to his feet, Ushigoroshi on Kofi! Whip reversed, Sami charges into a back elbow, AJ springboards looking for the moonsault inverted DDT but Kingston comes in and completes it with the SOS! All three men down and out, Kofi rises first, big right hand to Styles, trading desperate shots.
Headbutt from Kingston puts AJ in the corner, right hand as he comes back out, more punches, Styles ducks one and hits the Pele kick! Charging in, back body drop to the apron, AJ with a forearm, lining it up, springboard but Kofi cuts him off and hits Trouble in Paradise to knock him off the apron! KEVIN OWENS IS HERE! HE ATTACKS XAVIER WOODS AND THEY BRAWL FOR A BIT UNTIL HE TAKES CHARGE AND THROWS HIM INTO THE STEEL STEPS!
KO leaves, Zayn from behind, Blue Thunder Driver... SO VERY CLOSE BUT KOFI KINGSTON’S WWE CHAMPIONSHIP REIGN WILL NOT END LIKE THAT! Another one... STILL NO! A THIRD BLUE THUNDER DRIVER BUT KOFI WILL! NOT! STAY! DOWN! SHIFTING GEARS, CHARGING IN FOR THE HELLUVA KICK... KOFI COUNTERS! TROUBLE IN PARADISE! IT’S OVER!
Kofi Kingston wins by pinfall with Trouble in Paradise on Sami Zayn to retain the WWE Championship.
Kofi checks on Xavier Woods at ringside.
Kofi is interviewed and says KO isn’t in his head, and at Money in the Bank there’ll be hell to pay!
That’s the show, folks.