Smackdown Live Results (4/24): Greatest Royal Rumble Go-Home Show

Tonight’s SmackDown Live opens up with a graphic in memory of WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino. We hear fans chanting Bruno’s name in the arena.
We are live from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY as Tom Phillips welcomes us to tonight’s show. He is joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.
The Miz makes his way down to the ring for the opening segment of the night which is MizTV. The Miz gives the crowd a minute to be quiet before raising his hand. He starts by saying that SmackDown is the A Show now that he’s back and bringing the ratings. But something is missing, and that something is a title. A title that was relinquished three years ago by his guest tonight, a title that he’ll win for a record ninth time at the Greatest Royal Rumble Event when he beats Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and Samoa Joe.

He’s talking about the Intercontinental Championship. He introduces his guest as a man who threatened to punch him in the face, and a man who demanded that he come to SmackDown to confront him and quite frankly he’s surprised. Because just under a month ago he welcomed his daughter Monroe Sky into existence and when she opened her eyes the first time and he was her first impression of this cruel world, he can’t even explain it.
He knew he had to be a better man, and from that moment, all the anger and bitterness he felt towards Daniel Bryan melted away. He’s shocked Bryan didn’t feel the same after Birdie Joe was born, and he says that they have a lot in common, they both have reality shows, they’re both masterful in-ring technicians, but the difference is when The Miz became a father, he knew he had to change and be better.
So if Bryan wants to punch him in the face, he wants him to come on down and punch him in the face. Moments pass and no Daniel Bryan. But instead, it’s Big Cass. Big Cass makes his way down to the ring and takes his sweet time. He wants to be interviewed in lieu of Daniel Bryan and The Miz looks to be hesitant.
Big Cass starts by saying that nobody cares about Daniel Bryan. He had a career-threatening injury sure but Big Cass was on the shelf for seven months working 24/7 to come back, and the day he’s cleared, who else is cleared? Daniel Bryan. Nobody was talking about Big Cass, and he’s living in the shadow of that ordinary little man. The Miz then says that he appreciates that but if Big Cass is out here to help, he doesn’t need his help.

Big Cass then says that not everything is about The Miz and The Miz says “who do you think you are” followed by “do you know who I am” before running his accolades down and asking Big Cass what he’s done lately besides hobble around on a bum knee. Big Cass offers to shut him up for good, and The Miz begs off saying that it is not about them, but about the Daniel Bryans of the world.
Big Cass agrees and suggests that people like Daniel Bryan should be picking up his garbage every day instead of spewing trash at the crowd and because the crowd can never achieve their dreams. And he knows what it was like to be Daniel Bryan because he was small until he was 16 and it sucks. He got bullied and pushed around until he grew and grew and grew to be seven feet tall.
When he got to be seven feet tall he went back and beat the hell out of them, and they deserved that beating the same way he deserved his beatings, and Bryan reminds him of himself when he was a little guy and he despises him for it. Here he is in WWE and he didn’t have to work the indies or Japan and why? Because he’s tall, he’s educated, and he’s damn good looking.

That makes him valuable, it makes him a star, and it makes him money, but still he lives in the shadow of Daniel Bryan. Not for long, though, because he’s gonna send Bryan back to where he belongs, on the shelf beaten, battered, bruised, and retired. And he’ll never cast a shadow over Big Cass or anyone else ever again. Big Cass mocks the “YES!” chants before dropping the mic and walking off, leaving an impressed Miz in his wake.
Commentary hypes up the Backlash contract signing between Carmella and Charlotte Flair for later on tonight.
We then cut backstage to Asuka and Becky Lynch walking along when they run into Daniel Bryan, on the floor in pain and being checked on by Adam Pearce and referee Jason Ayers. They call for a medic and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and commentary gives us an update on Daniel Bryan, saying that he has been taken to the trainer’s room for evaluation.
The IIconics are in the ring with microphones.
Billie Kay starts off by talking about how good they look before saying that Becky Lynch stuck her nose where it doesn’t belong, and that’s an avenue for Peyton Royce to mockingly impersonate Becky. Kay continues by talking about Asuka next and calling her “nosy Nancy” Asuka, and Peyton questions the idea that she’s the Empress of Tomorrow, which leads to some math whereby they prove that they’re better than Asuka through the transitive property.
They call her the Empress of Yesterday and themselves the future, which leads to Lynch making her way down to the ring.
Asuka makes her way down to the ring next for the match, but we go to a commercial break before the match begins.
Back from the commercial break and the match is in progress.
The IIconics vs. Asuka & Becky Lynch: Becky takes control of this one early on after hitting a forearm shot on Billie. Billie misses a shot in the corner and Becky kicks her down. Becky follows up with a t-bone suplex, then Peyton tags in and Becky goes after her next. Peyton starts fighting back and chokes Becky across the middle rope. Asuka and Billie get the tags and Asuka cleans house. Peyton runs in but Becky takes her out, then Becky tags in. Billie shoves Becky into Asuka and knocks Asuka down to the floor. Billie and Peyton now double team Becky in the corner, which leads to Billie pinning Becky with her feet on the ropes for the win. Winners: The IIconics
After the match, Billie and Peyton celebrate on the outside as their music hits. Asuka checks on Becky in the ring.
Renee Young is standing outside Shane McMahon’s office promising updates on Daniel Bryan when AJ Styles comes out.
AJ says that he is happy because he is just three days away from getting his hands on Shinsuke Nakamura, but tonight he has the opportunity to soften him up a little. AJ says that Shinsuke is a con artist and brought Rusev Day along as his partners, but AJ isn’t fighting alone and he’s got a six-man tag set up in which his partners are Too Sweet.
Commentary hypes up the Greatest Royal Rumble Event as a way to promote the WWE Network before reminding us about the Backlash contract signing between Carmella and Charlotte Flair for later on tonight and sending us to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and we get a video vignette reminding us that Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega are coming soon to SmackDown Live.
We head backstage to the locker room area where The Usos are chatting when Naomi suddenly shows up to talk with Jimmy. He wants her to promise that she is not gonna come down to any of his matches like she did last week, but she is not having it and she doesn’t agree. She says that she trusts him. Jimmy then says that they’re alright and goes for a kiss but she continues and says that she loves him with all her heart but when she looked Harper and Rowan in the eyes last week she saw nothing and she has a bad feeling about this tonight.
He makes light of it by telling her that she looks good when she’s worked up, but gets serious at her insistence by saying that they’re gonna get their tag titles back on Friday but tonight he’s taking care of Rowan. They share a moment and he leaves but she’s clearly still concerned.
The Bludgeon Brothers make their entrance but we go to a commercial break before the match begins.
Back from the commercial break and we get some hype for World Wish Day and cut to the front row where a child who had his wish granted to meet The Usos today is seated.
Jimmy Uso vs. Rowan: The opening bell sounds and this one spills outside early on. Jimmy and Rowan brawl on the floor before Jimmy takes things back in the ring and hits a flying cross body off the top rope. Jimmy kicks Rowan, and then goes back up top, but Rowan shoves Jimmy off the top rope all the way down to the ringside floor. Rowan follows him outside and hits a big clothesline on the floor. Rowan starts beating down Jimmy until Naomi’s music and light show hit and she dances on the ramp. Jey comes out of nowhere and attacks Harper at ringside, and then Jimmy attacks Rowan from behind and rolls him up to steal the three count. Winner: Jimmy Uso
After the match, The Usos hurry over to Naomi and start celebrating. The Bludgeon Brothers look on from the ring as the announcers hype the title match in Saudi Arabia for Friday.
Commentary hypes up our six-man tag team main event and confirms that AJ Styles’ partners are his good brothers from The Club, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.
We get a bit more hype for the Backlash contract signing between Carmella and Charlotte Flair and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and Renee Young is in the ring for the contract signing between Carmella and Charlotte Flair.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella makes her way down to the ring first and yanks the mic away when Renee goes to introduce Charlotte Flair. She accuses her of being disrespectful before yelling at the crowd and complaining about being introduced first as champion. But before she makes everything about her, Carmella says that she wants to address something.
Carmella says that she is our champion, and we’ll never know what it’s like to be a champion like her. Last week she gave us a Mellabration, played a beautiful highlight reel of all her incredible accomplishments, but when it was over she didn’t get a standing ovation, and again she complains of disrespect. So since she kinda makes the rules around here, she’s gonna play the highlight reel again except this time when it’s over she expects the ovation she deserves. She does not get the standing ovation she wanted after the video plays.
Carmella then says that that is not good enough and says that she is going to play it again and this time for real, stand up and cheer. The video package plays again and this time Charlotte Flair’s entrance interrupts it. She takes a seat as Carmella waves the title in her face and struts but remains unmoved. Renee repeatedly insists the champion be professional and take her seat and eventually, she does. A smile slowly dawns on Flair’s face as she turns and signs the contract before dropping a “Wooo!” and smashing Carmella’s face into the table. She flips the table over on the champion and leaves the ring as her music hits. Carmella recovers and scrambles to grab her title. Carmella looks on as Flair heads to the back.
Commentary hypes the Greatest Royal Rumble Event once again.
We go backstage where Dasha Fuentes is knocking on Shinsuke Nakamura’s locker room door. Aiden English answers and says no interviews.
Jeff Hardy is shown walking backstage and he will be in action after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and commentary informs us that Carmella signed the contract during the break.
Shelton Benjamin is waiting in the ring and Jeff Hardy makes his way down to the ring, only to get cut off by Randy Orton, who’s taking the match against Shelton Benjamin in the same way Jeff Hardy cut him off and took the match from him last week.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Randy Orton: The opening bell sounds and they lock up, and Shelton takes it to the corner. They fight back and forth, and Orton looks for the RKO early on but Shelton avoids it. Shelton starts putting the boots to Orton and works him over in the corner. Orton comes back and dumps Shelton outside, then brings him up on the apron. Orton looks for the middle rope DDT, but Shelton fights out and turns it around. Shelton hits a series of kicks and takes control of the match as Jeff Hardy looks on. Orton mounts a comeback and successfully hits the middle rope DDT on Shelton. Orton looks for the RKO, but Shelton rolls out to ringside. They fight in front of Jeff Hardy, and Orton hits a back suplex on Shelton on the announce table. Back in the ring, Orton continues beating on Shelton, and a masked man runs in and attacks Jeff Hardy at ringside. The masked man gets in the ring, and Orton rips his mask off to reveal that it is Sunil Singh. Orton gives Singh an RKO, and then Shelton grabs Orton and hits Paydirt for the three count. Winner: Shelton Benjamin
After the match, Shelton stands tall and exits as his music hits. We see Orton down in the ring and Singh down on the outside. Jeff recovers at the announce table and looks on.
We head backstage where we see The New Day celebrating the launch of The Book of Booty with pancakes and Booty-Os. Xavier Woods offers a toast when The Bar rolls up. Sheamus says that after tonight they won’t see them again, because they’re gonna win the RAW Tag Team Championship back on Friday and head back to Mondays. He says that the competition on SmackDown just doesn’t stack up and The New Day stop Cesaro from dropping the catchphrase, until they come back and drop it, blowing the candles out and walking off with handfuls of pancakes.
AJ Styles is shown in the locker room getting ready when a couple of Good Brothers show up for a reunion. They Too Sweet and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and we get a video vignette reminding us that SAnitY will also be coming soon to SmackDown Live.
We head backstage in front of the trainer’s room where Renee Young interviews Daniel Bryan. Daniel Bryan has a huge back of ice strapped to his shoulder. He says that he will be good to go for the Greatest Royal Rumble Event and he has recovered from a lot worse. He also says that Big Cass attacked him and he has talked to Paige and he’s got a match against him at Backlash, where he’s gonna show Big Cass that everyone’s the same size when they’re on the mat and tapping out.
We get a promo from Samoa Joe about how no one is safe when he has ladders at his disposal and he’s going to end Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and the Miz on Friday. He says that the match is merely a formality, the title is already his, and then he’s gonna sit back and watch Roman Reigns get massacred by Brock Lesnar. And if he somehow Roman Reigns survives and wins, then at Backlash he will take that too. Believe that.
The Club make their way down to the ring but we’ll have to wait until after the commercial break for the main event.
Back from the commercial break and Aiden English comes out to sing & rap the entrance for Rusev. Rusev Day makes their way down to the ring. Shinsuke Nakamura makes his way down to the ring next with a remixed theme and a new entrance video.
The Club (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev Day (Rusev & Aiden English): AJ wants to start off with Nakamura, but he gets English instead. AJ takes English back to his corner, and then tags in Anderson and Gallows who take turns beating on English. Gallows, Anderson and AJ clear the ring and stare down their opponents on the floor. The referee restores order and Rusev and AJ are now going at it in the ring. Rusev hits a big boot on AJ, then English tags in and continues the offense on AJ. Nakamura comes in now and continues working over AJ with kicks. Rusev comes in and beats down AJ in the corner then hits a powerslam. Rusev follows up with an elbow drop, and then tags English back in for a double team attack. Gallows finally gets the tag and he cleans house. He beats down English, then Rusev runs in and he throws Rusev outside. Gallows boots English outside next, and then Nakamura attacks Gallows from behind. It appears that Nakamura got the blind tag before Gallows threw English outside, and Nakamura hits the Kinshasa on Gallows for the three count. Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev Day (Rusev & Aiden English)

After the match, the winners are announced but AJ immediately hits the ring and attacks Nakamura. They tangle for a minute until Nakamura nails another low blow on AJ. Nakamura waits for AJ to get up for the Kinshasa. Nakamura charges but Anderson runs in and jumps in the way, taking the Kinshasa for AJ. Nakamura taunts AJ as he recovers and Nakamura waits for Anderson to recover. Nakamura nails Anderson with another Kinshasa as AJ watches and can’t stop it. We go to replays as Nakamura’s music hits. We come back to Nakamura standing tall on the stage as AJ checks on Anderson in the ring. SmackDown goes off the air.