John Cena is back and he means business. Cena kicked off WWE SmackDown on Friday night in what was the first appearance of a two-month stint with the company. The 16-time world champion crossed paths with Jimmy Uso in a big way.
Cena’s return to WWE television brought with it the news that he will host Payback on Saturday. The “Fast X” and “Peacemaker” star will also make his debut in India next week for WWE’s non-televised special. He will subsequently be featured on WWE programming for seven consecutive weeks from Sept. 15 through October. Cena found himself at odds with Uso on his first night back, planting the seeds for a rivalry with The Bloodline.
Friday’s episode of SmackDown also moved forward various storylines. A confrontation between LA Knight and The Miz turned physical, tag team champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens crossed paths with the Street Profits and Austin Theory found much-needed momentum ahead of his match against Rey Mysterio at Payback.
CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Cena delivers an overdue Attitude Adjustment, The Bloodline heals
Cena opened the show by announcing that he would host Payback on Saturday. Jimmy Uso, equipped with brand new theme music, interrupted the Hollywood superstar. Uso doubled down on his plea that he attacked his twin brother Jey at SummerSlam to save him from the corrupting powers of “Tribal Chief.” He accused Cena of being just as self-serving as Roman Reigns, but shunned Cena for doing it with a smile on his face. Cena told Uso that he should have quit WWE instead of Jey, spurring an attack by Uso. Cena ducked a punch and planted Uso with an Attitude Adjustment.
An irate Uso had verbal altercations with various crew members and superstars, including Michin, throughout the show. AJ Styles confronted Uso backstage to defend Michin’s honor. A shoving match ensued with Styles pushing Uso to the floor. Solo Sikoa blindsided Styles and warned Uso that he can’t simply leave The Bloodline on his own accord. Uso said that Sikoa, Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman had no power over him before leaving the arena.
Styles subsequently challenged Sikoa to a match in a backstage interview. Styles said The Bloodline were out of control and needed a reminder that “SmackDown is the house that A.J. Styles built.” O.C. member Karl Anderson recommended the group stay out of The Bloodline’s business but Styles would not be swayed.
Sikoa def. Styles via pinfall thanks to interference by Uso. Styles had a strong start against his physically imposing foe. The former WWE champion leaned on his speed and experience to keep The Bloodline’s bruiser at bay. A Samoan drop flattened Styles in the final minutes of the match, but Styles endured and scored his own near fall with an Asai moonsault. Styles looked to close the show with a Phenomenal Forearm, but Uso tripped him on the apron. That gave Sikoa the opening to land a match-ending Samoan Spike.
Post-match, the eldest Uso gave his little brother Sikoa a hug. Sikoa snapped, grabbing Uso by the throat but Heyman waved Sikoa off. Uso clobbered Styles with a superkick and Uso Splash before raising his index finger up, a potential sign of loyalty to The Bloodline.
There are two things that will always pull a high grade out of me: continuity and diversity. Uso’s presence was a through line from start to finish. He was featured in the opening segment, had backstage altercations with the O.C. and played a role in the main event. That level of focus and commitment to storytelling is always favored over a one-segment-per-superstar approach. This week’s show made the backstage environment feel alive. Far too often pro wrestling storylines segment talent from each other. If you’re not directly involved in someone’s feud, you don’t exist. Uso interacting with Cena, The O.C. and Sikoa made the show feel dynamic and authentic. I still find Uso’s SummerSlam motivations too melodramatic, but it’ll be interesting to see what direction his character takes. Grade: A
What else happened on WWE SmackDown?
- Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. LWO (Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar) via pinfall after Waller hit Escobar with a rolling stunner.
- Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens had a staredown with Bobby Lashley and Street Profits after the trio put the locker room on notice.
- Owens and Zayn def. LWO (Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro) via pinfall after Owens hit Del Toro with a stunner.
- LA Knight and The Miz brawl after a promo battle.
- Shotzi Blackheart def. Bayley via pinfall after interference from Charlotte Flair.
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The post WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: John Cena gives Jimmy Uso an Attitude Adjustment appeared first on Al Jazeera News Today.
