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WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (May 17, 2024) with a live show emanating from VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, featuring the latest build to the King and Queen of the Ring premium live event in Saudi Arabia later this month.
Advertised for tonight: Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul have a contract signing to make their Champion vs. Champion match official at King and Queen of the Ring.
Also on the card: The King of the Ring tournament continues with LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga and Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes, the Queen of the Ring tournament continues with Bianca Belair vs. Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax, and more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on FOX. It will be below this line here. (Note: Links to illegal streams are prohibited. Pics and GIFs are allowed.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR MAY 17
Music hurts the head, rock & roll is dead that’s why it’s cool. The intimacy vampire said “Fantasy is never enough, never cut it,” but me? I’m just here to liveblog this pro wrestling show for you folks.
The show opens with a recap and thence to the now-familiar video package of talent arriving at the arena.
Bianca Belair vs. Tiffany Stratton (Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals)
Belair backs her into the corner, clean break, collar and elbow, back into the corner, another clean break. A shoving match breaks out, Stratton with a huge right-hand palm strike and then she uses Bianca’s braid to trip her up! The EST kips up, big right hand of her own, waistlock takedowns follow!
Handspring moonsault, cover for two, Belair’s knee bugging her but she stays in the fight. Shoulder block in the corner, up top, jockeying for position, Tiffany tries to use the braid but Bianca just pulls her face-first into the turnbuckles! Over the ropes, again with the braid, and this time Stratton does get the better of her, hanging her knee up in the ropes!
To the floor, smashing Belair’s knee into the steel steps, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Stratton in control with a bridging stepover toehold, Belair makes the ropes! Dragging her into the middle of the ring, Tiffany tries to post her knee but Bianca kicks her away and gets a breather! Stratton pulls her to the post but the EST pulls her leg in and Tiffany goes face-first into the post!
Back inside, duck a lariat, shoulder block, scoop and a slam, Bianca getting fired up, a fallaway slam connects! Waistlock, Belair out with a back elbow, into the corner slugging it out, back and forth, chickenwing, Tiffany reverses, reversed back, stalemate! Bianca with an elbow, backbreaker rack, Stratton lands on her feet!
Putting Bianca into the ropes, hip attack, running basement dropkick... SO CLOSE! Throwing the EST into the corner, handspring back elbow caught, overrotated German suplex... STILL NO! Thumb in the eye, chop block, Stratton off the ropes, sliding lariat... BIANCA BELAIR WILL NOT STAY DOWN!
Up for the moonsault, Belair cuts her off, backbreaker rack...
Bianca Belair wins by pinfall with KOD.
Post-match, Bianca is interviewed in the ring.
She says her knee isn’t 100% but she doesn’t make excuses and next week, injury or not, nothing will stop her from becoming Queen of the Ring.
We get a recap of the confrontation between Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul.
Logan Paul walks backstage and opens Nick Aldis’ door right as LA Knight steps out. Nick follows and defuses the situation by inviting Paul into the office and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Jade Cargill is interviewed backstage.
She says Nia Jax is a beast and an immovable object, but to Jade, she’s just in the way.
We get a recap of Solo Sikoa explaining to Paul Heyman that until Roman Reigns comes back, he’s HIS Wiseman, by orders of the Tribal Chief.
Backstage, Tama Tonga is walking back and forth making gremlin noises and Solo Sikoa tells him to go, and Tonga Loa gets up and leaves with him. Paul Heyman asks if he’s talked to him today and Solo says all the time.
LA Knight is interviewed backstage.
He says Tama Tonga can get himself introduced to the BFT on his way to winning King of the Ring.
Carmelo Hayes rolls up to introduce himself and crow about being first draft pick, and LA cuts him down but Melo is all confidence, and we go to break.
LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga (King of the Ring Quarterfinals)
Knight with jabs out the gates, whip across, uppercut, Tonga with a sleeper hold, LA rams him into the corner to break but Tama jumps right back on him! Knight slings him over his shoulder, Tonga off the ropes, big lariat, LA recovers with a big back body drop and boots in the corner and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Knight with a head of steam, Tonga crawling for the corner, and Tonga Loa pulls his brother out of the ring! LA dropkicks Loa, squares up wtih Solo Sikoa and offers his jaw for a free shot. Sikoa doesn’t take it, Knight back inside...
Tama Tonga wins by pinfall with the jumping reverse STO.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get the WrestleMania 41 hype reel we’ve been getting.
Back from commercial, LA Knight is walking with referee Charles Robinson when Carmelo Hayes rolls up to talk trash about him not getting it done. Robinson gets between them and does his best to diffuse the situation as they bicker. Road agent Jamie Noble arrives on the scene and helps pull Knight away.
In the ring, Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul are seated for their contract signing.
Cody opens, asking Logan if he knows what happened here 32 years ago today, and of course he doesn’t, but 32 years ago to the day here was WarGames 1992. Sting’s Squadron against the Dangerous Alliance, widely considered the best WarGames match of all time, and the reason he knows this is just like the people in this crowd, he is a fan of professional wrestling.
And Paul is not a fan. The only way Rhodes can describe him is as a tourist, he’s passing through and making viral memories and he thinks it’s time to get off the train and drop that title and make Cody for the first time in his career a WWE Grand Slam Champion.
Logan says he’s saying the same thing as the last guy and the guy before him, we’ve heard it. He doesn’t understand what he’s doing, is he stalling? He didn’t come here to listen to Cody talk, he came here to sign a contract, and he looks at the contract and says it’s all here theres’ just one little thing, and he tears the contract up.
He says that contract didn’t say what he agreed to, which is that only Cody’s WWE Undisputed Championship should be on the line. He didn’t agree to put his title on the line, so he had his lawyer draw up a contract and he hands it to Nick Aldis and tells him to get it done.
Nick says this isn’t what they agreed to, it’s unprofessional, and he won’t stand for it. The lawyer grabs a microphone and asks Aldis if he’s threatening his client. Cody tells Aldis to hold up, he knows what happens when he gets angry, he’s doing a great job, they put us all on the spot here and tells him to let them have the ring and he’ll bring the paperwork by the office when he’s done.
Aldis obliges and leaves the ring. Logan brandishes his contract and says it’s a done deal, the match is made, and Cody hasn’t done anything to deserve a United States Championship match. Cody calls him a glorified hat rack and says he can do a flip, whoop-de-do, and Mike Tyson’s gonna knock his brother out, and then at King and Queen of the Ring, and in Saudi he’s going to knock Logan out, so he’ll sign the damn contract!
Logan tries to cheap shot him, Cody ducks and sends him to the floor and then knocks out his pal that tries to rush him! He powerbombs the guy through the table! He has the United States Championship and holds his world title up before throwing Paul’s belt at him!
Nia Jax cuts a promo on Jade Cargill saying she’s very impressive but she’s not going to be Queen of the Ring.
She makes her entrance and we go to break.
Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax (Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals)
Jax in control early shoving Cargill down but Jade slams her! To the floor, Nia biels her across the ringside area and jaws at Jade’s kid at ringside! Shoving Cargill into the barricade, back inside, Cargill shoves Jax right back to the floor, bounces her face off the announce table and apron but Nia shoves her into the post!
Clothesline into the timekeeper’s area, Jax throwing chairs around, headbutt, throwing Jade back over to ringside! Nia grabs a chair, Cargill takes it from her and whacks her with it but of course the referee calls it...
Nia Jax wins by disqualification.
Post-match, the brawl continues, spilling over the barricade and back to ringside! Jade with right hands, and soon enough we go to break.
#DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. Legado del Fantasma (Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo)
A-Town Down Under are on commentary for this one.
Carrillo and Gargano to start, Humberto in control, electric chair, Johnny with a slick reversal to an arm drag, tijeras, tag made. Stereo strikes in the corner, big lariat from Tom, elbows on elbows, sending LdF to the floor and then stereo planchas!
Back inside, Ciampa distracted by Garza running interference, off the ropes, low-bridge through to the floor and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Ciampa passes Carrillo to the floor, enzuigiri on Garza, but Humberto pulls Gargano from the apron, no tag! Right hands, kick caught, reversed into a Gory Special, springboard Ace Crusher finishes the Gory Bomb, cover for two! Jockeying for position over a suplex, Tom completes it and the path is clear!
Tags made, Gargano in hot, off the ropes, dropkick sets up a bulldog! Slingshot to the apron, back inside with the Superman Spear, Elektra Lopez and Santos Escobar run interference but referee Jessika Carr ejects them! Meet in the Middle, she’s late but it works...
#DIY win by pinfall with Meet in the Middle on Humberto Carrillo.
We get some cryptic footage from Twitch which is clearly some Uncle Howdy business.
Byron Saxton interviews AJ Styles backstage.
He doesn’t know where he goes from here and he says he has a doctor’s appointment next week and we’ll see how things go from there.
Randy Orton makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Byron Saxton interviews Bayley backstage.
She talks about how Queen of the Ring is packed and Piper Niven makes a show of falling asleep right next to her. Chelsea Green gives her crap and Bayley challenges Piper to a match next week.
Commentary hypes next week’s show up for us.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Randy Orton (King of the Ring Quarterfinals)
Hayes takes Orton to a knee with a leg kick and then licks his hand before slapping the back of the Viper’s head! Randy rises and gives him a “son you done goofed” look before kicking him hard and throwing him into the corner a few times! Uppercuts in the corner, to the floor, he wants the back suplex into the announce desk but his knee gives out and Melo poses on the table!
But he poses on the table a little too long and Randy trips him up anyway! Back suplex into the announce desk connects this time, a second time for good measure, he breaks the count and goes back for a third as we go to break!
Back from commercial, Hayes trying to work Orton’s leg but the Viper is just a little too canny for him. Snap scoop powerslam dodged and Randy’s knee gives out! Off the ropes, second try lucky, snap scoop powerslam connects... NOPE! Melo with a nearfall, tearing at the tape on Orton’s knee, straight-up punching it!
Randy hurting on the mat, Carmelo up top, Orton ducks him, throws him to the apron for the hanging DDT! The Viper goes to that special place, RKO blocked, schoolboy, only two! Randy kicks him aside, duck a lariat, Melo springboards... RKO OUTTA NOWHERE!
Randy Orton wins by pinfall with the RKO.
Post-match, Randy Orton is interviewed in the ring, but before he gets to speak—
Enter the Bloodline.
Orton gets on the mic and scoffs about them trying to intimidate him.
That’s the show, folks.
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