WWE Friday Night SmackDown aired live on May 15 from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina on USA Network and internationally on Netflix. The first SmackDown since Backlash delivered Trick Williams’ homecoming, a number one contenders match for the Undisputed WWE Championship, and set Cody Rhodes vs. GUNTHER for WWE Clash in Italy on May 31.
Trick Williams Homecoming: Trick Williams (w/ Lil Yachty) def. The Miz (w/ Kit Wilson)
United States Champion Trick Williams opened the show to a massive reception from his hometown crowd, accompanied by Lil Yachty and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks mascot Cocky. He addressed the crowd and pointed out his parents in the front row.
“I had a lot of good days, I had some not so good days, but my family’s here, and my mama told me, boy, you are a king created by God Almighty. Never forget who you are or whose you are. Trick, they can’t break you. So, to Columbia, South Carolina, to W.J. Keenan, to Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles, to the Gamecocks, to Mama, look at the star you’ve created.”
The Miz, accompanied by Kit Wilson, interrupted and mocked the Gamecocks mascot. “Last week was the Gingerbread Man, Trick. Your whole career is starting to look like rejected mascots from my daughter’s birthday party. Is this WWE or Sesame Street? What’s next? Is Big Bird gonna come out, and people say they have trouble taking me seriously?”
Lil Yachty fired back, calling Miz and Wilson cursed. Wilson responded by reading a slam poem. “Kit from Buckinghamshire, England is going to lyrically mess you up. Trick and Yachty, well you’re two obnoxious folk, that’s two egos The Miz will never stroke. This town is filled with bros and nasty jocks, only to be united by the love of their game cocks.”
Williams stepped up and freestyled back. “On your tombstone, it’ll read Kit Wilson, better known for assisting the Miz. I already completed show biz. I don’t really know who you is, but that tan got you yellow like the road on the Wiz. Y’all ain’t handsome as we is. That’s the reason y’all sick.”
Miz got the last word before the match began. “When my hand goes up, your mouth goes shut. I am so sick of this. I want to get out of this dumpster fire of a city. Get a referee out here, right here, right now, in this ring, because I’m going to whoop your a– in front of your mama.”
Wilson got involved on the outside with a flying back elbow when the referee was distracted. Late in the match, Miz landed the Skull Crushing Finale but Williams kicked out. Wilson grabbed a kendo stick on the outside, but Yachty intercepted it and cracked Wilson across the spine. Williams hit Trick Shot for the win.
Winner: Trick Williams
May 12 was officially declared Trick Williams Day by the South Carolina House of Representatives.
Sami Zayn Asks Nick Aldis For A Rematch
Backstage, Sami Zayn asked Nick Aldis for another United States Championship match. Aldis said Zayn had already received his rematch at Backlash and would have to earn another shot. Zayn bristled at being called entitled and spiraled further backstage afterward.
“He called me entitled for asking for a rematch, as if I haven’t given everything I have to this place. Things are changing around here. This place is not what it used to be. Remember wrestling? Remember when wrestling was a thing, when just being great at this and giving it your all, your passion, your heart, and as long as you did it great, the fans would always be on your side, and you would guarantee to rise, because the cream always rises. Remember when that mattered? Entitled.”
Paige and Brie Bella def. Giulia and Kiana James
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Paige and Brie Bella faced Giulia and Kiana James in a non-title match. Giulia and James had another miscue late in the match. Paige hit Ram-Paige on James for the win.
Winners: Paige and Brie Bella
Tiffany Stratton was backstage with Kathy Kelley when Chelsea Green interrupted and tried to play up a potential partnership. Stratton was not interested.
Cody Rhodes Sets Up The Contract Table
Cody Rhodes came to the ring and set up the table himself before addressing Columbia. “I have all of the formal ingredients for a contract signing. A contract for Gunther to come to SmackDown, a contract for a WWE Championship match at Clash in Italy, and that’s what we’re going to do, right here, right now.”
Gunther came out and complained that Rhodes had made the whole arrangement about himself. “Do you know how much time and work it took to set up the deal? Do you know how much strategic planning, how much foresight, how much negotiation went into all of this? We’re talking the roster transfer of the best wrestler in WWE, and still you find a way to make it all about yourself, just like a typical American. I see it on your neck every week. When the attention is not on you, you cry, you complain, and you find a way to make it about yourself.” He then demanded Rhodes address him nicely and say please before signing.
Rhodes fired back. “Please come to this ring, sign this contract, so that you’re guaranteed to get your a– kicked at Clash in Italy.”
Gunther was unmoved. “I could really feel you didn’t mean it.”
Royce Keys’ music hit. Keys said if Gunther would not sign, he would. The two exchanged shoves over the pen until Nick Aldis came out and announced Gunther vs. Royce Keys in a number one contenders match for the Undisputed WWE Championship later tonight.
Backstage, Shinsuke Nakamura approached Tama Tonga but Talla Tonga appeared and sent Nakamura crashing through a table before they could speak.
Ricky Saints vs. Carmelo Hayes
Backstage before the match, Carmelo Hayes addressed his return after a month away. “I haven’t gone for a month, but I’ve been watching. I’m seeing guys like Sami, guys like Trick, make a mockery of that United States Championship that I took so much pride in. When Mello shoots, he don’t miss. And I’m shooting for that United States Championship.”
Ricky Saints told Hayes to get in line. “Since you’ve been gone on your vacay, the world is entirely different, man. Ask about me. Ask Nick Aldis about me, ask Cody Rhodes about me.”
In the ring, both men put on a competitive match with multiple near-falls. Late in the match, the referee caught Saints using the ropes on a cover and stopped the count. On the next exchange Hayes executed a roll-up with his own feet on the ropes, and the referee did not catch the leverage. Hayes got the three count.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
Damian Priest def. Tama Tonga
Damian Priest wrestled alone after R-Truth was ruled not medically cleared. Priest came out strong before Tama turned it around on the outside. Tama cinched in a sleeper that had Priest fading before Priest fought free, landed a flatliner, Broken Arrow, and finished Tama with South of Heaven.
Winner: Damian Priest
After the match, Talla Tonga ran in and leveled Priest with a big boot and stomps. Solo Sikoa followed and delivered the Samoan Spike. No one came to Priest’s aid.
Jade Cargill Addresses The Crowd
Jade Cargill came out with Michin and B-Fab and put the women’s division on notice. “Everybody acts so tough when Jade Cargill ain’t in the building, but when my music hits, everybody seems to get real quiet. Rhea Ripley found that out last week. Pressure bust pipes. The WWE Women’s Championship is coming home with me at Clash in Italy.”
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss came out. Flair told Cargill to take a seat. “I know Columbia is tired of hearing you talk. I know Lexi and I are tired of hearing you talk, and I know even your girls are tired of hearing you talk. So how about you take a seat and take some notes?”
Cargill shot back: “Why don’t we get a ref out here, and let’s take some notes since you got so much smack to talk. Please entertain me, because I’m getting quite bored of you two.”
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair def. Michin and B-Fab (via Disqualification)
Michin and B-Fab worked over Bliss for an extended stretch before she tagged in Flair, who cleaned house and locked in a Figure Eight on B-Fab before Michin broke it up. Bliss came back in and hit Sister Abigail on B-Fab, but Cargill pulled Bliss off the cover before the three count, causing the disqualification.
Winners: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair (via Disqualification)
After the match, Flair dumped Michin over the announce desk and knocked B-Fab out of the ring with a big boot. Backstage, Bliss told Flair they are outnumbered and need Rhea Ripley. Flair resisted but appeared to consider it.
A video package aired on Jacob Fatu’s continued assault on Roman Reigns from Raw.
Solo Sikoa Approaches Royce Keys
Backstage, Solo Sikoa found Royce Keys before the main event and made his pitch. “I can help you beat Gunther. I can help you become champion. Me and you can be running SmackDown and taking over everything, because I hate to see whatever happened to Shinsuke happen to you.”
Keys declined. “I got this, all right.”
Sikoa left him with a warning. “You know what’s funny? Jacob said the same thing.”
Main Event: GUNTHER def. Royce Keys (Number One Contenders Match for Clash in Italy)
The match was a power battle. Keys stunned Gunther early, sending him over the announce desk and absorbing his signature chops with minimal effect. Gunther adjusted and targeted Keys’ shoulder after sending him into the ring steps. Both men exchanged suplexes, clotheslines, and near-falls throughout.
Gunther locked in a sleeper that faded Keys to the mat. Sikoa appeared at ringside just as Keys was going out, and the distraction gave Keys enough of a moment to fight free and hit a flying clothesline.
When the referee was knocked down, Sikoa slid a steel chair into the ring and urged Keys to use it on Gunther. Keys refused and threw the chair back at Sikoa. Gunther attacked from behind, leveled Keys with a clothesline, and followed with the Tenryu Powerbomb for the win.
Winner and New Number One Contender: GUNTHER
After the match, Cody Rhodes entered from behind and dropped Gunther with a Cross-Rhodes. GUNTHER vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship is set for WWE Clash in Italy on May 31 in Turin.
Coming Up:
Saturday Night’s Main Event airs Saturday, May 23 on Peacock from Fort Wayne, Indiana. The card includes Penta defending the Intercontinental Championship against Ethan Page, Logan Paul and Austin Theory defending the World Tag Team Championships against The Street Profits, and Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss vs. Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab.
Next week’s SmackDown is from Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky with Talla Tonga vs. Shinsuke Nakamura announced.
WWE Clash in Italy airs May 31 in Turin, Italy. WWE SmackDown airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network.
