Ibrahim Oladamola
Riddle found himself at a major disadvantage against The Bloodline in the absence of undisputed tag team champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on WWE SmackDown. Riddle fought bravely but could not overcome the combined forces of Solo Sikoa and The Usos.
Riddle had revenge in mind after being buried under the announcers’ table by Sikoa last week. And while he enacted that revenge, he simply could not balance out the numbers game of The Bloodline.
Friday night also hosted two championship bouts and officially set the stage for three new matches at Backlash. GUNTHER defended his intercontinental championship against Xavier Woods while Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez made the first defense of their women’s tag team titles against Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville.
WWE SmackDown Results:
Solo Sikoa def Riddle via pinfall after dropping him with a Samoan Spike. Riddle attacked Sikoa from behind but it only took moments for The Bloodline’s enforcer to take control of the match. Sikoa powerbombed his way out of a triangle choke before tossing in multiple steel chairs and kendo sticks. The rivals took turns whipping each other with the bamboo swords. Riddle tried to introduce a table into the occasion, but Sikoa shoved it back under the ring, eliciting a chorus of boos from the crowd. Later in the match, Riddle flipped Sikoa over onto a pair of propped chairs.
Riddle earned his revenge as planned in the final stretch, burying Sikoa under the announcers’ table. The Usos entered the fray, but Riddle took both of them out with a springboard Floating Bro to the floor. Sikoa freed himself from the rubble and planted Riddle with a uranage on the ring apron. A Samoan Spike sealed the deal for Sikoa. Post-match, The Usos planted Riddle through a wooden table with their 1-D maneuver. Unfortunately for Riddle, Zayn and Owens were absent this evening.
Judgement Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def LWO (Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar) via pinfall after Priest hit Escobar with South of Heaven. Priest called out Bad Bunny ahead of Bunny’s appearance on Raw.
Zelina Vega demanded that Adam Pearce book her against Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown women’s championship at Backlash in Puerto Rico.
A video package highlighted Shinsuke Nakamura‘s mixed martial arts background.
Karrion Kross called out Nakamura in a video segment.
Ricochet and Braun Strowman def Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar) via pinfall after Ricochet hit a Swanton Bomb off Strowman’s shoulders onto Ivar.
Women’s tag team championship — Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez (c) def Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville via pinfall after Morgan covered Green with a rope assist by Rodriguez.
Intercontinental championship — GUNTHER (c) def Xavier Woods via submission after choking out Woods with a rear-naked choke.
Seth Rollins vs Omos was announced for Backlash.
U.S. champion Austin Theory vs Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed was announced for Backlash.
