The road to WWE Backlash: Tampa winds down tonight.
WWE SmackDown emanates from “The Sunshine State” 24-hours before the highly-anticipated premium live event, as the blue brand go-home show takes place this evening at 8/7c on USA Network from Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL.
In Memory Of Ted Turner
The show surprisingly kicks off with an “In Memory Of” graphic in tribute to the late business mogul and former WCW owner Ted Turner. We then shoot into the usual ‘WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.’ opening signature narrated by Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. We then see Superstar arrival shots, and a gathering for the Funeral of Gingerbread Man.
Jacob Fatu & The Usos Kick Things Off
We see a recap of the Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu saga. We then cut to ringside and Fatu makes his way out to the ring. Fatu gets on the mic and says he’s not fighting Reigns for the title, tomorrow he is taking the title. Fatu says since he was young, Reigns was the future and he was nothing.
He says now everyone is being nice to him and telling him to fall in line and he refuses. Fatu says Reigns was born with opportunities and he was born with doubt. Fatu gets interrupted by The Usos. Jimmy & Jey get in the ring and stand across from Fatu.
Jimmy starts first and says they’re not out here to change Fatu’s mind and they know nothing they’ll say will change Fatu’s mind. Jimmy says they’re proud of Fatu for main eventing Backlash and a part of him is rooting for him and another part of him is worried for Fatu.
Jimmy asks what happens if Fatu loses tomorrow night? Jey says Fatu hasn’t thought that far ahead but Jey knows. Jey says he’s lived it and tomorrow night The Tribal Chief will beat Fatu’s ass. Jey says Reigns will break Fatu down, emotionally and physically, right in front of Fatu’s family.
Jimmy talks about how Fatu is risking Fatu’s wife and children having to acknowledge Reigns. The Usos raise their hands acknowledging Reigns. Fatu says no and breaks it down for The Usos. Fatu says he isn’t losing, he can’t lose and reminds Jey that Jey has never beaten Reigns.
Fatu says this is for his family and he doesn’t care if he’s main eventing Backlash and his family will watch him become the top champ tomorrow. Fatu tells The Usos that if they even think of interfering in the match tomorrow night he’ll burn the whole family tree down. Fatu drops the mic and the segment wraps up there.
Backstage With Nick Aldis, Ricky Saints & Matt Cardona
We see coverage of Ricky Saints’ debut last week. Backstage, Cathy Kelley is with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis. He is asked about Gunther, from Raw, being here tonight on SmackDown. Aldis says that’s the case for now, and that he plans to make it clear to Gunther that what he did last week is unacceptable.
As the talk continues, Ricky Saints walks up and talks to Aldis about how after the debut he had last week against QB1, he should be in for big things. Instead, however, he mentions being scheduled for a match tonight against QB4. In walks Matt Cardona calling Saints a rookie.
Backstage With Nick Aldis, Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa & Royce Keys
Nick Aldis talks to Jacob Fatu and tells him to get ready and be rested for his match tomorrow. Royce Keys approaches Fatu and reminds Fatu that Fatu is from the streets and isn’t afraid of anyone. Fatu and Keys embrace and Fatu leaves.
As Keys walks away he is approached by Solo Sikoa. Keys gets in Sikoa’s face and Sikoa says last week Keys was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and offers Keys a spot in his Family Tree and tells Keys he needs an answer soon. The show moves on from there.
WWE Women’s United States Championship
Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Kiana James
Up first with in-ring action on tonight’s three-hour Backlash go-home show is a championship contest, as newly crowned Tiffany Stratton defends her WWE Women’s United States Championship against Kiana James. But first, we shift gears and head into a quick pre-match commercial break.
The show returns and we head down to ringside for our opening contest. We get the bell and the two lock up. Stratton pushes James and James gets Stratton in a headlock. Stratton hits a springboard snapmare and Stratton flips around James and clotheslines James to the mat.
James is tossed to the apron and Stratton punches her. James gets Stratton tied up on the ropes and then slams Stratton’s leg into the ring post. James keeps slamming Stratton’s leg into the ring post and we cut to a break. The show then returns to Stratton and James throwing down.
James kicks Stratton and continues to attack Stratton’s left leg. Stratton punches James and gets kicked back to the mat. James kicks Stratton’s left leg. The two trade punches and Stratton misses a double dropkick. James locks Stratton in a half crab and Stratton tries to get to the ropes.
Stratton gets to the ropes and James kicks Stratton to the outside. James gets in Giulia’s face as to why she didn’t attack Stratton. Back in the ring, Stratton punches James and clotheslines her down to the mat. Stratton hits a back handspring elbow, followed by a handspring stunner.
She then hits a basement dropkick and covers James for a near fall. James kicks Stratton down and hits a roundoff kick and gets Stratton on her shoulders and slams Stratton down with a modified death valley driver. Stratton is covered for a near fall. James punches Stratton and slams into her in the corner.
James collides with the ring post shoulder first and Stratton then gets James on her shoulders and Giulia gets on the apron. James rolls up Stratton but the ref is distracted. Stratton knocks James off the apron hits a rolling senton on James followed by the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to retain. Giulia and James bicker afterwards.
Winner and STILL WWE Women’s United States Champion: Tiffany Stratton
The Funeral Of The Gingerbread Man
Backstage, the funeral for The Gingerbread Man is in progress. Sami Zayn asks Nick Aldis how he’s allowing this to happen. Aldis says some people need closure. With that in mind, R-Truth shows up on Zayn’s shoulder.
Truth gives Zayn a rose and tells Zayn he’s sorry for Zayn’s loss. Truth says he sees the resemblance and that Gingerbread always talked about Zayn and was proud of him. Truth leaves and Zayn is frustrated. We head to a break.
Backstage With Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair
The show returns. Backstage, Cathy Kelley is talking with Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss, and Charlotte Flair. Ripley says Fatal Influence made an impression, but on the wrong people and she’s excited to remind them who they’re messing with.
Charlotte says they’ll all get their hands on them, then she and Ripley bicker a bit. Bliss gets between them and soothes their egos and says if they’re not on the same page they’ll lose. Mild progress is made, Bliss looks like she’s about to lose it with those two.
Backstage With Damian Priest & R-Truth
R-Truth shows up to talk to Damian Priest about Sami Zayn. Priest is focused on Talla tonight, and Truth wants to help but Priest says Truth isn’t fully healed up and knows their game plan then asks Truth to stay back here and safe. Truth still wants to help, but Priest is glad their champs together. He asks Truth to hang in the back.
Damian Priest vs. Talla Tonga
We head back to the ring for our second match of the evening. Talla Tonga makes his way out for scheduled one-on-one action against Damian Priest. As he does, the show shifts gears and settles into another quick pre-match commercial break.
Priest attacks Tonga before the bell and punches Tonga out in the corner and then slams into him. Tonga is knocked out of the ring and Priest comes off the apron jumping onto Tonga. Priest backs Sikoa into the barricades and then attacks Tonga with some strikes.
Tonga kicks Priest and Priest superkicks Tonga. Priest goes for a jumping kick and Tonga catches Priest and throws him into the ring post. Tonga strikes Priest outside the ring and slams Priest into the apron. Tonga slams Priest onto the announce desk and we get a commercial time out.
The show returns and Tonga hits a stalled vertical suplex on Priest and covers him for a near fall. Tonga locks Priest in a pressure point neck submission and Priest punches out of the hold. Priest kicks Tonga and Sikoa interferes behind the refs back, allowing Tonga to strike Priest and connect with an elbow drop.
Priest punches at Tonga and Tonga doesn’t budge. Tonga strikes Priest back to the mat and then goes for an elbow drop and misses. Priest gets on his feet and Tonga charges at him, Priest moves and Tonga hits the ring post. Priest kicks Tonga, Tonga strikes Priest back and gets caught on the ropes. Priest hits three spinning kicks and then hits another after almost being caught.
Priest kicks Tonga again and Tonga rolls out of the ring. Priest gets out for the ring and runs the length, jumps off the steel steps and strikes Tonga. Priest then kicks Sikoa and tosses Tonga back in the ring. Priest climbs the ropes and comes off the top rope with a flying clothesline and covers Tonga for a near fall.
Tama Tonga runs out to the ring, Sikoa interferes as the ref is occupied by Tama Tonga. Talla Tonga hits a discus lariat and covers Priest and Priest kicks out at two. Priest rolls out of the ring and he’s surrounded by Tama and Sikoa. Truth comes out and tries to even the odds. Priest saves Truth from Tama and Sikoa. Talla attacks Priest and then sends him in the ring. Talla Tonga chokeslams Priest and gets the win.
After the match, Truth gets in the ring to check on Priest. Sikoa, and the Tongas surround Priest and Truth. Royce Keys comes out and sides with Truth and Priest. The Tonga and Sikoa leave the ring before anything happens.
Winner: Talla Tonga
Danhausen’s WWE Backlash Partner Search Continues
Danhausen is backstage looking for a tag team partner for Backlash. Kit Wilson and The Miz make fun of Danhausen for not having a tag partner. Wilson says Danhausen is toxic and The Miz wants to attack Danhausen now.
Wilson says they should wait to beat him up tomorrow. Wilson says the only person toxic enough to team with Danhausen is Danhausen himself. Danhausen says that’s a great idea and zooms away.
Paul Heyman Talks To Nick Aldis
From there, we see Paul Heyman walking backstage. “The Evil Genius” goes into the office of SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis.
We gets a video package for The Gingerbread Man and he’s been superimposed into pictures from memorable WWE moments from the past.
We cut to Nick Aldis’ office. Heyman asks Aldis for a contract and Aldis gives Heyman the contract. Gunther comes in and Heyman gives Gunther the contract. Aldis tells Gunther what Gunther did last week was unacceptable but welcomes him to SmackDown.
Gunther says that’s not how a manager should talk to his top talent. On the TV, we see Cody Rhodes come out to the ring, Gunther gets pissed and says he doesn’t do this kind of business and hands the contract back and leaves. Heyman says he’ll handle it and we cut to ringside.
Cody Rhodes Reacts To Gunther Attack
Cody Rhodes walks out to the ring and asks Jacksonville, what they want to talk about and gets into about Gunther attacking him last week and basically saying he’s next in line. Rhodes invites Gunther out to relay this message to him face to face.
Instead we get Paul Heyman who comes out with the contract in hand. Heyman says he’s here to solve the problem and Rhodes asks Heyman if he’s an advocate for Gunther now. Heyman says he owes Gunther a favour and the favour is a contract for title shot. Heyman says he’s a fan of Rhodes and that’s why he wants Rhodes to know a contract has to be in place for a title match and the contract he has isn’t for a match tonight as Rhodes wants Gunther now.
Heyman tells Rhodes the contract is for them to fight at Clash in Italy. Heyman hands Rhodes the contract and says if Rhodes wants Gunther to sign the contract Rhodes has to do that on his own. Heyman starts to leaves and Rhodes asks Heyman if he’s doing this because Heyman is out of options and that’s why he’s siding with Gunther.
Heyman says sooner or later everyone needs the wiseman and it looks like Rhodes is the one running out of options. Heyman leaves and Gunther tries a sneak attack but Rhodes punches Gunther. Gunther gets Rhodes in a sleeper hold and Rhodes breaks free and knocks Gunther out of the ring.
Gunther keeps trying to get in the ring and Rhodes keeps knocking Gunther off the apron. Rhodes gets on the mic and says he’s ready for Gunther and to come get him.
Latest From The MFTs
Tama Tonga, Talla Tonga and Solo Sikoa talk backstage. Tama Tonga is against bringing Royce Keys into the family and Sikoa wants Keys. Tama says he’s going to take care of business and leaves. Sikoa stops Talla Tonga and tells him to stay behind and to let Tama figure this out on his own.
Matt Cardona vs. Ricky Saints
We get the bell, Cardona and Saints lock up. Cardona gets Saints in the corner and Saints sneaks by Cardona. Saints takes Cardona down with a shoulder tackle and Cardona does the same. Cardona clotheslines Saints to the mat and starts to beat on him in the corner.
Saints sends Cardona into the middle turnbuckle and then kicks the crap out of Cardona and chokes him with his boot. Cardona is chopped in the corner and Cardona comes back at Saints with an elbow and a Flapjack. Cardona rams into Saints in the corner and Saints rolls out of the ring. Cardona kicks Saints through the ropes.
On that note, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break. The show returns to the sight of Saints controlling Cardona on the mat. Cardona rolls up Saints and Saints kicks out at two. Saints runs at Cardona and Cardona takes Saints down and hits Saints with a facebuster. Cardona knees Saints in the corner and hits Saints with a Broski Kick.
Saints is covered and he kicks out at two. Cardona goes for the Unprettier and Saints counters and hits a spinning facebuster and covers Cardona for a near fall.
Cardona slams Saints down and goes for RoughRider but Saints rolls out of the ring. Cardona is tripped and Saints gets back in the ring and walks into a RoughRider and Saints kicks out at two. Saints hits The Revolution DDT and then hits Rochambeau and gets the win.
Winner: Ricky Saints
Gingerbread Funeral Updates
Sami Zayn is at the Gingerbread Man’s funeral and is complaining to Johnny Gargano who is laying on a table in a comatose position. Zayn asks Gargano if Johnny Wrestling is still in there and Gargano moves a little.
Zayn calls Candice LeRae over who doesn’t believe Gargano moved. Rey Mysterio is at the funeral and Zayn is upset Mysterio is there because he says this funeral is only happening to spite him.
Latest From Brie Bella & Paige
Brie Bella and Paige walk backstage. A ladder almost falls on them and Brie thinks something or someone just pulled her hair and they’re all weirded out.
We then see the latest video package for Blake Monroe. Inside the arena, Brie Bella & Paige come out to the ring. Bella gets on the mic and says they have a lot of competition but she and Paige have shown it’s not easy to take the titles off of them.
Paige talks about how people are calling her and Brie’s WWE run as a nostalgia tour and Paige says she and Brie are looking the best they’ve ever looked and they’re the best they’ve ever been. Paige tells the roster to step up if they want to challenge them. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) come out and Jayne says Paige and Bella should be worried about them.
Henley thinks the champs were distracted and didn’t see how they took over SmackDown. Reid says Jayne will be the new women’s champion and she and Henley will be the tag champions. Jayne tells Paige and Bella to leave their ring and watch their match. Nia Jax and Lash Legend come out and ask Fatal Influence why they think they can skip the line.
Legend says this isn’t NXT and Jax says Fatal Influence looks like a bunch of knock off mean girls and then they attack Paige and Bella. Legend hits Lash Extension on Brie and Jax leg drops Paige. As Jax and Legend leave, Rhea Ripley comes out. Legend and Ripley stare each other down before Jax and Legend head to he back and Ripley heads to the ring.
Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) vs. Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
This leads into our next match, which is a six-woman tag bout. We get the bell, Henley and Bliss start the bout. Henley slams Bliss down and Bliss slaps Henley and throws her to the mat. Henley is dropped again and Bliss jumps on her on the ropes. Henley is hit with some knees and a Senton and Henley is covered for a near fall.
Henley takes down Bliss after Reid cheap shots Bliss. Jayne is tagged in and she chokes Bliss in the corner. Reid is tagged in and Bliss is double teamed and then Reid slams Bliss down and taunts Flair. Ripley is tagged in and she takes Reid down with clothesline and a facebuster. Ripley kicks Reid down and hits a Fallaway Slam on Jayne.
Ripley hits a missile dropkick on Reid sending her out of the ring and Ripley takes out Henley and Jayne with a somersault off the apron and we cut to a break. Back live, Jayne kicks Ripley and covers her. Ripley kicks out and Reid is tagged in. Ripley is double teamed and Ripley tries to create space from Reid. Ripley tries to tag out but Reid doesn’t let her.
Reid slams down with a neckbreaker and then she punches Bliss off the apron. Ripley kicks Reid and Reid tags out to Jayne. Flair is tagged in as well and Flair takes out all three members of Fatal Influence with Flair chops. Flair hits her walkover clothesline on Jayne and then Flair throws Reid across the ring.
Flair kicks Jayne and Henley and then climbs the ropes. Flair crossbody’s onto Jayne and Reid. Flair hits Natural Selection on Jayne and covers her for a near fall. Flair kicks Reid and tags in Bliss. Bliss and Flair get kicked by Reid and Jayne. Henley pulls Flair out of the ring and tosses Flair into the announce desk. Jayne counters Sister Abigail and tries to pin Bliss. Jayne hits a leaping neckbreaker and Jade Cargill comes out of nowhere and attacks Ripley. Jayne hits Rolling Encore on Bliss for the victory.
Winners: Fatal Influence
Jade Cargill Returns
After the match, Cargill gets in the ring and Fatal Influence backs off and leaves the ring leaving Cargill in the ring. Cargill stalks Bliss who is laid out in the corner and tells her to get up. Flair gets in to help Bliss, B-Fab and Michin get in the ring and attack Flair.
Ripley gets in the ring and kicks Cargill and takes out B-Fab and Michin. B-Fab beats up Bliss and Michin superkicks Flair. B-Fab, Michin and Cargill pose and celebrate above a fallen Flair, Ripley and Bliss. The post match scene wraps up on that note.
Backstage With Royce Keys & The Usos
Royce Keys walks backstage and The Usos approach him. Jimmy says he saw Keys talking to Fatu and Jey tells him to stay in his line or else he could risk being on Roman Reigns’ bad side.
Royce Keys vs. Tama Tonga
After some more looks at The Gingerbread Man being superimposed into past WWE moments, we return live inside the arena for our next match of the evening. Following the respective ring entrances, we see Tonga dropkick Keys into the corner off the bell.
Keys fights back and power slams Tonga to the mat. Keys punches and clotheslines Tonga to the mat and covers him for a near fall. Tonga is punched in the corner and Keys goes for a stalled suplex but Tonga counters and gets him to the mat and covers Keys for a two count. Keys tosses Tonga and Tonga hits a flatliner on Keys. Keys rolls out of the ring and Sikoa stops Talla Tonga from helping and attacking Keys.
Tama Tonga looks at Sikoa for the lack of help. Tonga comes out for Keys and Keys catches Tonga and slams him on the apron. Keys runs at Tonga who is against the steel steps and Tonga moves and Keys slams into the steps and we cut to a commercial break as the action in this match continues.
The show returns and we see Tonga hammering away on Keys. Keys connects with some strikes to Tonga’s gut and Tonga knocks Keys down with a spike. Tonga works on Keys’ neck and Keys punches his way out of the hold and hits a jawbreaker. Tonga dropkicks Keys to the mat and covers him for a near fall. Tonga locks Keys in a headlock and Keys slams into the turnbuckle breaking the hold. Keys flips Tonga to the mat and they two trade punches in the middle of the ring.
Tonga slams into Keys in the corner and then hits a spinning neckbreaker and covers Keys for a near fall. Tonga is slammed down and Keys hits a running clothesline and keeps clotheslining Tonga to the mat. Keys hits bodycheck sending Tonga flying. Keys slams into Tonga into the corner and then hits a spinning powerslam and covers Tonga who kicks out at two.
Tonga hits a reverse DDT and covers Keys for a near fall. Tonga kicks Keys and Keys no sells and powers up. Keys clotheslines Tonga over the ropes and then sends him back in the ring. Talla Tonga gets in Keys’ face and Sikoa stops him and tells him to let Tama Tonga figure it out on his own. Keys hits The Ultimate Spinebuster on Tonga for the victory. After the match, Sikoa tries to get Keys to join his faction and Keys leaves the ring.
Winner: Royce Keys
Backstage With Danhausen
Danhausen is backstage doing some voodoo kind of stuff. He pours a potion in a funnel and types some stuff. His wooden crate starts to light up and Danhausen says this magic will produce his tag team partner. Everything stops working and Danhausen gets sad and goes to work again.
Backstage With Shinsuke Nakamura & The MFTs
Shinsuke Nakamura approaches a defeated Tama Tonga backstage and tells Tonga he’s disappointed and tells Tonga his brother won’t even help him. Talla Tonga comes to the screen and tells Nakamura to stay away from his brother or they’ll have a problem.
The Gingerbread Man Funeral
Backstage, we see Trick Williams walking. He is stopped by Nick Aldis and he tells Williams that everything he requested is in place. Williams tells him he appreciates it. We head to a quick commercial break on that note.
When the show returns, Trick Williams comes out to the ring for The Gingerbread Man’s funeral. Williams is dressed in all black because he’s so grief stricken. Williams gets in the ring and tells production to cut his music and asks everyone to bear with him and hopes he can get through the next little bit.
Williams starts singing a song and he has gospel singers singing behind him. Williams’ song asks why The Gingerbread Man had to die. The lights go dark and we get a video that shows all of The Gingerbread Man’s memories from when he was a little cookie out of the oven to his graduation and shopping with Williams and going wakeboarding and everything a little Gingerbread Man aspires to do with his life.
Williams asks for a moment of silence and Sami Zayn comes out and says this enough. The crowd boos Zayn and Zayn says this is ridiculous and asks why everyone is putting up with this. He tells Williams that TV time meant something and closing out SmackDown held some prestige and now Williams is making a joke out of Zayn. Zayn asks Williams how much all this costs and rattles off the expenses for this funeral.
Zayn gets in the ring and says Zayn has too much respect for SmackDown and for himself and that’s why he would never do something like this. He says he represents the working class and something like this is tone deaf to his demographic. Zayn reminds Williams who he is and says he’s battled the best and worst and they all thought they’d knock Zayn down but he’s still here and he isn’t going anywhere. Zayn says Williams got in his head and made him angry. Zayn says this is now personal and he will make a joke out of Williams tomorrow and he will expose Williams.
Zayn strikes Williams and starts punching Williams out. Zayn stands with the United States Championship as Williams is laid out. The Gingerbread Man wakes up and gets out of the coffin. The Gingerbread Man is Little Yachty and he starts hitting Zayn with a candy cane. Williams and Yachty laugh and celebrate and Williams hits Zayn with a Trick Shot. Williams and Yachty celebrate in the ring as Zayn lays on the mat. That’s how the WWE Backlash go-home episode of SmackDown wraps up. Thanks for joining us!