The 05/01/18 episode of WWE SmackDown Live just wrapped up. We’ve got the match results and our overall thoughts on the show for you to check out below. Let us know what you thought about this episode of WWE SmackDown by tweeting us, @TheRumbleRamble.
MizTV with Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton
Welcome to the Most Must-See @WWE talk show in history #MizTV, and welcome to #SDLive! @mikethemiz pic.twitter.com/CxvI0m6SOh
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
Before we got into what The Miz had to say, Paige recapped the ending of the Shinsuke Nakamura / AJ Styles match from the Greatest Royal Rumble. She said, because Nakamura refused to play fair, their rematch at Backlash would be no disqualification.
After the announcement, Miz was shown in the ring in full Naruto cosplay, declaring that Daniel Bryan was now banned from MizTV. He then went on to call out Seth Rollins, saying that he may have slipped by with the title at their last encounter, but would not be so lucky at Backlash.
Finally, he welcomed his guest for the evening, Jeff Hardy, to come to the ring. The Miz asked Jeff to confirm that he thought Miz was a better IC Champ than Rollins. Hardy told Miz that if he was truly the better champion, he would have captured the title at the Rumble.
To get back at Jeff for his disrespectful comments, Miz invited his second guest to join the show, Randy Orton. To Miz’s disappointment, however, Orton said that he had no beef with the US Champ. Miz continued his attempts to stir up the drama between the Orton and Hardy to no avail.
Randy respectfully challenged Jeff to a rematch at Backlash, at which point Shelton Benjamin came out to toss his hat in the ring. Benjamin said that, if anyone deserved a match for the US title, it was him, not Randy. There was a skirmish between all four men, after which Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy were the ones left standing.
Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz and Shelton Benjamin
The #SDLive announce table = #Viperville @RandyOrton @mikethemiz pic.twitter.com/puqgjaw4J9
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
Paige saw the brawl and decided that the four men should make it official (apparently, it was not shown on TV). She set a tag match between the four men with the teams being Randy Orton / Jeff Hardy and Miz / Shelton Benjamin.
Although most of this match took place during commercial breaks, the parts we saw were pretty good. Jeff Hardy took an insane amount of abuse, as usual, including a nasty knee from Shelton Benjamin as he was preparing for a spot off the top rope. Orton finally tagged in and dealt some punishment, helping Jeff to win the match for their team, only to give him an RKO outta nowhere as they celebrated their victory.
Winner: Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy
The IIconics Do More Impressions
Are they INVINCIBLE?!?@WWEPeytonRoyce @BillieKayWWE & @CarmellaWWE are out to show the @WWEUniverse why #MellaIsMoney and the future is IIconic! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/ugxMDXZsx2
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
Renee Young attempted to interview The IIconics backstage, but couldn’t get a word in as they were too busy making fun of her for being Canadian. They dismissed Renee from her duties and interviewed the SmackDown women’s champ themselves. Carmella came out to remind everyone that Mella is Money and then moonwalked into the distance.
The Bar Have Officially Gone Blue
“Tonight, your soul is MINE!” @XavierWoodsPhD is ready to go one-on-one with @WWESheamus! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/4dBv93aNWk
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
The New Day welcomed the new addition to the SmackDown tag division, The Bar, in the only way they know how: with pancakes. Xavier Woods used a bell to summon a butler with a platter of pancakes, but Cesaro accused New Day of spiking the cakes with laxatives and threw them on the ground (yes, that really happened).
Sheamus took things in a different direction and challenged Woods to a match to take place later in the evening.
Happy Rusev Day
What does @LanaWWE think is holding @RusevBUL back on this #RusevDay? #SDLive pic.twitter.com/f2KDjsd5Ua
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
Rusev and Lana were shown backstage having a conversation about Rusev’s match against Taker at the Rumble. Lana told Rusev that Aiden was holding him back from reaching his true potential and they stared knowingly into each other’s eyes. We can only assume this means trouble in paradise.
Big Cass Gets Weirder
“You’re not going to get a FIVE-STAR MATCH, you’re going to get a FIVE-SECOND MATCH!” Is that a #WWEBacklash prediction from @BigCassWWE? #SDLive @WWEDanielBryan pic.twitter.com/FfuVGDbZ9U
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) May 2, 2018
Big Cass came to the ring, grabbed a mic, and immediately began yelling about being better than everyone else. He was feeling a little less self-loathing this week and compared Daniel Bryan to the crowd rather than to himself. Cass said that he was more than prepared for a match against Bryan, that he didn’t want to wait until Sunday, he would take him on right then and there.
Daniel Bryan’s music played, but it was not him who joined Cass in the ring. A little person dressed as DB came instead. Cass mocked the impersonator as if he was Bryan and then announced that he actually invited him to play the part. We thought they were friends, but then Cass laid into him until he was stopped by officials.
AJ Styles In-Ring Interview
.@ShinsukeN is definitely in the head of @AJStylesOrg just DAYS before #WWEBacklash. #SDLive pic.twitter.com/hIlLgH69SB
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) May 2, 2018
Renee Young invited AJ Styles to the ring for a chat regarding the recent events between himself and Shinsuke Nakamura. Styles said that Nakamura was a cheater and a coward and a little too fixated on his phenomenal ones. He demanded that Shinsuke come out to face him like a man, but got Samoa Joe instead.
Joe said that since Roman Reigns was unable to capture the Universal Championship, he had decided to come after the WWE Championship instead. After he put the Big Dog to sleep, he would be headed directly for AJ Styles or Shinsuke Nakamura, whoever held the title after Backlash.
Nakamura’s music hit and Joe waited on the stage, ready to attack, but Shinsuke had other plans. He snuck up behind Styles and low-blowed him again. Shinsuke beat Styles down some more and added insult to injury by posing over him as he was laid out in the middle of the ring.
Avengers Assemble
#AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!! ? ??#SDLive @MsCharlotteWWE @BeckyLynchWWE @WWEAsuka pic.twitter.com/hk0J2PaxQS
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Asuka discussed their strategy for their upcoming tag match. Charlotte told her teammates that she was going to win back the women’s championship at Backlash, but first, they were going to bring down Carmella and The IIconics tonight. Asuka said that they were going to strike back three times as hard, then shouted “Avengers Assemble” and excitedly ran away.
Sheamus vs. Xavier Woods
YOU’RE A WIZARD, XAVIER!!! #SDLive @WWESheamus @XavierWoodsPhD pic.twitter.com/iBHWiGSV3X
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) May 2, 2018
Woods got the tar beaten out of him by Sheamus for the majority of this match. Just when we thought Woods had turned things around and had Sheamus right where he wanted him, Cesaro interfered, causing a brawl outside of the ring between himself and The New Day.
Sheamus recovered just in time to throw Woods back into the ring but lost the match anyway when Woods pinned him with a roll-up. We have no doubt this will not be the last time The New Day see Sheamus and Cesaro.
Winner: Xavier Woods
Absolution Reunited
Consider this the DISSOLUTION of ABSOLUTION…
There’s no special treatment here as @WWE_MandyRose will face @BeckyLynchWWE NEXT WEEK on #SDLive! @SonyaDevilleWWE @RealPaigeWWE pic.twitter.com/tqggUZqhcE
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville congratulated Paige on her new position as SmackDown GM. They said they knew why Paige called them for a meeting, she was going to give one of them a title match. Paige chose Mandy Rose, but not for a shot at the title. Mandy would be taking on Becky Lynch next week. She said they were more than welcome to go after the SmackDown Women’s Championship, but would have to earn the opportunity, regardless of their past friendship.
Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Asuka vs. Carmella and The IIconics
We just have one thing to say about this, “WOOOOOOOOOO!” #SDLive @MsCharlotteWWE pic.twitter.com/rW7LeooRC2
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2018
After an episode jam-packed with promos and interviews, it was nice to see the ladies get a decent amount of time. Asuka and her Avengers dominated the majority of the match, but once Carmella slammed Charlotte’s face into the ring post, the momentum changed in favor of the bad guys.
Carmella and The IIconics took turns beating The Queen down until Asuka tagged herself in and went to work. The Empress focused on Peyton Royce while Charlotte took down Carmella and Billie with a moonsault to the floor. With no chance of interference, Asuka tapped out Peyton with her Asuka Lock, scoring the victory for her team.
Winner: Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Asuka
What letter grade would you give tonight’s show? #SDLive
— Rumble Ramble (@TheRumbleRamble) May 2, 2018
