The May 29th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live aired from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC.
– We’re live at the PNC Arena in Raleigh as Tom Phillips welcomes us to the show. He’s joined by Byron Saxton and Corey Graves. They run down tonight’s card, including Samoa Joe vs. Daniel Bryan, The Bar vs. The New Day, and Lana vs. Naomi in a “dance-off.”
– Samoa Joe comes out to the ring to kick off tonight’s show. Joe grabs a ladder from under the ring and bring sit in. Joe sets it up and climbs up to grab one of the Money In The Bank briefcases above the ring. Joe comes down and gets on the mic and talks about his upcoming ladder match at the pay-per-view. Joe makes a religious analogy about climbing up the ladder, and says at Money In the Bank he will be the only one smiling. He raises the briefcase in the air and says he will unleash a campaign of fear and anxiety on the SmackDown roster and the WWE Champion, and he will shake the foundation of the company. Joe says he will prove to Daniel Bryan tonight that there are worse things than a forced retirement. Joe trashes Daniel some more and talks about his wife and daughter, and then Bryan comes out to interrupt.
Bryan says Joe is crossing the line, and he heads to the ring saying he will break Joe’s leg if he ever talks about his family again. Bryan says they don’t have to wait for the main event, they can fight right now. Bryan hits the ring and Joe throws the ladder to the corner. Fans chant “Yes,” but then Big Cass interrupts. Cass limps out and gets on the mic.
Cass calls Joe and Bryan children, and says the Money In The Bank shot should be his. He says he spoke to Paige and apparently Joe vs. Bryan will not happen tonight. He says Joe’s Money In The Bank qualifying match will now be against Cass, after Cass is medically cleared to return. Cass steps in the ring, and then reveals that he’s already medically cleared, and he swings his crutch at Bryan. Bryan backs Cass into the corner and unloads with strikes. Cass throws Bryan int othe corner and Bryan is down. Cass hits Joe with the briefcase and drops him, then hits Bryan with it too. Cass stands tall with the briefcase and then heads to the back while Bryan and Joe recover.
– Shinsuke Nakamura is backstage getting ready for a match against Tye Dillinger. He rips up a sign with the number 10 on it, and we go to commercial.
– Back from the break, we see a replay of Big Cass beating down Daniel Bryan and Samoa Joe.
– Paige is backstage and runs into Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. They complain about Asuka, and Paige ends up booking Asuka vs. Rose tonight and walks off. Renee Young stops Paige for a comment about Big Cass’ statements earlier, and Paige sets the record straight. Tonight’s true main event is Daniel Bryan vs. Samoa Joe vs. Big Cass.
– Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tye Dillinger: The opening bell sounds and they meet in the middle of the ring. They exchange words and shove each other before getting into it. Tye ducks a kick and comes back with strikes. Tye backs Nakamura into the corner and works him over. Nakamura goes outside for a breather and Tye follows. They brawl around the ring until Tye misses a dive and Nakamura knees him in the face. Back in the ring, Tye tries to mount a comeback, but Nakamura drops him again. Nakamura tells the ref to count while Dillinger is down. Tye gets up but Nakamura keeps control and lays into him with kicks. Nakamura sets up Tye in the corner and follows up with more strikes. Tye fires up and tries to come back again, but Nakamura shuts him down with more strikes. Nakamura goes to the middle rope and hits a flying knee to the face, and then follows up with the Kinshasa for the three count.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
– After the match, Nakamura grabs a mic and counts to ten, like in a Last Man Standing match, while Tye is still down recovering.
– AJ Styles does an interview in the back where he talks about Nakamura and the Last Man Standing stipulation added to their match at Money In The Bank. He says Nakamura has snapped and he’s now more dangerous than every before. AJ says Nakamura underestimates him, and that AJ will fight harder and smarter than Nakamura who is bigger and stronger. AJ finishes up by saying he will be the last man standing at Money In The Bank will be The Phenomenal One.
– Rusev Day is backstage with Lana practicing some dance moves.
– Ring announcer Greg Hamilton introduces Rusev Day. They come out and English sings and introduction for Lana, and they chant “Lana is the best, Lana is #1.” Lana makes her entrance for the Dance-Off first. Naomi is out next, and she’s got back-up in the form of The Usos. They all get in the ring as the two sides face off and Hamilton reads the rules. They both dance one at a time, and it sounds like Naomi got more of a pop from the crowd. They hug but then Lana turns on Naomi and drops her. The Usos and Rusev Day start brawling now until The Usos superkick Rusev Day out of the ring. Naomi drops Lana with the Rear View, and they clear the ring.
– Still to come: Bryan vs. Joe vs. Cass for the final Money In the Bank ladder match spot.
– The New Day is backstage with a platter of pancakes. The Miz and The Bar are shown in their dressing room warming up.
– The Bar & The Miz vs. The New Day: The Miz and Big E start this one off, but Miz immediately tags in Cesaro. Big E grabs Cesro and tosses him overhead for a two count. Woods and Kingston are in next to double team him. Cesaro fires back at Kofi and then Sheamus tags in. Kofi tries to fight them off but they distract the ref, and Miz hits a cheap shot on Kofi. Sheamus now works over Kofi in the ring, then Cesaro tags in and hits a running uppercut for a 2 count. Sheamus tags back in and drops Woods off the apron, and then The Bar double teams Kofi. Cesaro continues to beat on Kofi until he misses a shot. Miz distracts Big E from the floor, and Big E drops Sheamus as he approaches. The Miz and Sheamus double team Big E on the floor and throw him in into the fan barricade. Back in the ring, Kofi starts beating on Cesaro. Sheamus hits a cheap shot on Kofi and Cesaro pins for a two count. The Miz tags back in and goes for a Skull Crushing Finale on Kofi, but Kingston escapes and hits the SOS on Miz. Woods finally gets hte hot tag and cleans house. Cesaro ends up dropping Kofi, and The Bar double teams him again for another two count. Kofi blocks a Neutralizer attempt and then tags in Big E. Big E drops Cesaro and then double teams him with Woods for another two count. Big E looks for the Big Ending but Cesaro blocks it. Miz tags in as Big E spears Cesaro out of the ring. Back in the ring, after a kick from Cesaro, Miz hits a DDT on Big E for another two count. The aprons clear now and when the dust settles Kofi hits a big suicide dive on The Bar down on the floor. This leaves Big E and Miz in the ring, and Big E hits the Big Ending for the three count.
Winners: The New Day
– The New Day celebrates after the match and point up at the Money In the Bank briefcase.
– Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have an interview backstage about The Bludgeon Brothers. They say they’re in the best shape of their careers and they’re ready to win the Tag Team Titles. Before they can say their catch phrase, Rowan and Harper appear on a nearby TV screen and they warn the Good Brothers to prepare for what’s about to happen to them at Money In The Bank.
– Asuka is backstage getting ready to head to the gorilla position.
– Mandy Rose vs. Asuka: Back from commercial, Carmella comes out to the ring and joins the commentary table. Sonya Deville attacks Asuka before the match as Rose watches from the ring. Asuka recovers and climbs in the ring, telling the ref she’s still ready to go. The bell sounds and Rose attacks first, working over Asuka in the corner. Mandy grabs the hair for a cheap shot and drops Asuka for a two count. Rose keeps Asuka grounded until Asuka hits a shot to the face and mounts a comeback. Asuka hits a missile dropkick off the top, and then goes for another Hip Attack but Rose dodges it. Asuka looks for the Asuka Lock, but Rose escapes. They trade holds on the mat until Asuka rolls into the Asuka Lock for the submission victory.
Winner: Asuka
– After the match, Carmella gets in the ring and gets in Asuka’s face. Carmella raises the Women’s Title belt in Asuka’s face and then walks off.
– Charlotte and Becky Lynch are backstage watching what just happened on a monitor. They talk about Asuka possibly winning the Money In The Bank match, but Becky says she sees herself winning. Charlotte says she needs the Title back. Paige walks by and they have an awkward exchange, and Paige walks off.
– Back from the break, Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte is announced for next week. Also announced is a mixed tag match: Lana & Rusev Day vs. Naomi & The Usos.
– Sin Cara approaches Andrade “Cien” Almas backstage and embraces him. Zelina walks over and cuts a promo on Sin Cara, saying a nobody like him shouldn’t be talking to her client. She says Almas is the future, and Cara asks Almas if Zelina is serious. Almas says something in Spanish, and Almas and Zelina walk off.
– Big Ccass vs. Samoa Joe vs. Daniel Bryan: This one is a qualifying match for the Money In The Bank ladder match. The opening bell sounds and Joe and Bryan team up early on to double-team Cass. Joe then turns on Bryan and beats him down in the opposite corner. They go back and forth, and then as Cass is getting up Bryan dropkicks him to the outside. Joe goes back to work on Bryan, and then runs the ropes and hits a big dive on Cass to the outside. Bryan then goes up top and hits a big splash off on Cass and Joe down on the floor.
Back in the ring, Joe and Cass drop Bryan, and then they start going at it. Joe looks for the Coquina Clutch, but Bryan breaks it up. Joe unloads on Bryan now and hits a senton for a two count. Cass breaks it up, and then Joe unloads on him with strikes. Cass drops Joe, then Bryan hits Cass with the “yes” kicks. Cass drops Bryan, and then throws him outside. Cass throws Bryan over the announce table, and then Cass gets back in the ring and goes after Joe. Joe boots him in the face and then climbs the turnbuckle. Bryan runs over and bumps Joe down, then Bryan drops Cass too. Bryan throws Cass outside then baseball slide dropkicks him. Bryan goes up top with Joe and Bryan hurricanranas him down. Bryan gets fired up now and hits some running knee strikes on Joe in the corner. Cass runs in and clotheslines Bryan out of nowhere for a two count. Bryan gets up and starts dropping Cass and Joe. Bryan hits kicks to the head of both and covers Cass for a two count. Bryan continues to control the match, and he goes for a Yes Lock on Cass, but Joe breaks it up. Bryan drops Joe with a knee to the face, and then hits a missile dropkick off the top on Cass. Bryan starts the “yes” chant and hits a knee strike on Cass. Bryan pins, but Joe breaks it up and applies the Coquina Clutch to Bryan. Bryan tries to escape, but he fades and the ref calls for the bell. Joe has won via submission and is going to Money In The Bank.
Winner: Samoa Joe
– After the match, Joe heads up the ramp as we go to replays. Joe’s music stops as it looks like Cass is going to attack Bryan in the ring. Cass charges and drops Bryan with a big boot. Cass talks some trash to Bryan and stands over him with his fist in the air. Cass’ music hits as he looks down at Bryan and SmackDown goes off the air.
