The May 22nd edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA.
– Doors have opened and fans are now being seated in the DCU Center.
– Tom Phillips welcomes us to the DCU Center and says we’re going to find out the stipulation of AJ vs. Nakamura at Money In the Bank tonight.
– The Miz is in the ring to kick things off with the latest installment of Miz TV. The Miz announces his new reality show coming to the USA Network in July, and then introduces his guests The New Day. Big E, Kofi and Xavier come down to the ring and sit down across from Miz. The Miz tries to figure out which member is going to be in the Money In The Bank match. The New Day mocks Miz and doesn’t reveal who they’ve picked. The Miz says none of them will ever succeed on their own, outside of the New Day Group. Woods runs down some of Miz’s accomplishments, but says that no one likes The Miz because he puts himself first at other peoples’ expense. The Miz credits Xavier with building his 1.5 million subscriber YouTube channel, and implies he should go off on his own. They argue back and forth, and the Miz freaks out and says he’s sick of all their games and pancakes. The New Day won’t reveal who will be representing them in the Money In The Bank match, but they will reveal who is going to fight Miz tonight: Big E. The crowd chants “yes,” but The Miz says if he doesn’t get to learn who is going to Money In The Bank, then he’s not wrestling any of them tonight. The New Day throws pancakes at Miz and chants “shame,” until Miz runs out of the ring. The Miz runs up the ramp as The New Day throws pancakes from the ring.
– The Miz walks back to the gorilla position, and he walks right into Paige. Paige orders Miz to go to the ring right now and have the match. The Miz reluctantly goes back out through the curtain and heads back down to the ring.
– The Miz vs. Big E: Big E takes Miz into the corner early on and drops him. The Miz tries to wrestle Big E down to the mat, but the New Day Member tosses him down. They run the ropes and Big E leapfrogs Miz, then applies an abdominal stretch and spanks him. They fight out to the apron, and Big E hits a running splash on Miz right on the apron. Miz falls down to ringside, and then Woods and Kofi go to wipe Big E down and they squirt some maple syrup in his mouth. The Miz turns it around and scores a near-fall on Big E in the ring. Miz goes for a splash in the corner, but Big E catches him and suplexes him across the ring. Big E follows up with another big suplex. Big E hits the big splash and then starts clapping with the fans. The Miz ducks a shot from Big E, and he connects with a couple of kicks to Big E. Big E comes back with a side suplex. The Miz reverses a slam, they collide in mid-air with a double clothesline. The Bar runs down to jump Woods at ringside, and then Kofi leapfrogs off the ring steps onto Cesaro. Xavier then boots down Woods. Meanwhile in the ring, Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale on Big E for the win.
Winner: The Miz
– The Miz heads up the ramp as everyone else recovers around the ring.
– We see a look at the history between Big Cass and Daniel Bryan, and then we see Cass complaining to an employee backstage about his injury.
– Daniel Bryan is backstage warming up and he does a brief interview. In relation to Cass, he says ‘if you kick the hornets nest, you get stung.’
– Aiden English comes out to the stage to introduce Lana. He leads the crowd in a pro-Lana chant, and then she makes her entrance for her match up next.
– Lana vs. Billie Kay: This one is a qualifying match for the Money In The Bank ladder match. Billie and Peyton cut a promo on Aiden and Lana before they make their entrance. They mock Aiden’s entrance and the crowd chants “Rusev Day,” and Peyton will be at ringside for this one. Aiden is at ringside with a “Lana Day” sign. Billie and Peyton confront Aiden at ringside and Peyton slaps him across the face. Lana comes out from behind to grab Billie. She takes her back in the ring and hits a big boot to the face, and then the X-Factor on Billie for the three count after a very short match.
Winner: Lana
– Lana celebrates in the ring with Aiden after the match as The Iiconics recover at ringside.
– Still to come: The Usos vs. Gallows & Anderson in a #1 contender match for the Tag Titles
– We go to a pre-taped promo from Zelina Vega, who talks up Andrade “Cien” Almas. She says he isn’t getting his rightful opportunities, and he is the future of SmackDown Live. She says if he does’t get what he deserves, he’ll have to take it.
– There’s a new CarMax commercial with The Fashion Police – Tyler Breeze and Fandango.
– Andrade Almas vs. Local enhancement talent: Zelina Vega is at ringside for this one. Almas starts off with kicks and chops, then he whips him into the corner for more punishment. Almas stomps a mud hole in the jobber, but the jobber fights back with some elbows to the face. Almas fakes going for a kick and hits a spinning back elbow to the face of the jobber. Almas sits him down in the corner and hits the running knees to the face. The jobber rolls over, and Almas hits the running double knee strike to the back of the head now. Almas follows up with the hammer lock DDT.
Winner: Andrade Almas
– Zelina comes in the ring and raises Almas’ head after the match.
– Carmella is backstage wearing an Asuka match for an interview. She calls the interviewer Dasha Fuentes a hater just like everyone else. She talks about beating Charlotte twice, and says that means she’s twice as good as Asuka. She says she sees through Asuka’s tricks and will moonwalk over her.
– Renee Young is in the ring and she introduces WWE Champion AJ Styles, and then she introduces Shinsuke Nakamura, who will face him at Money In The Bank. Renee tells Nakamura he’s earned the right to pick the stipulation for their match, and AJ interrupts and demands that Nakamura names the stipulation now. Nakamura tells AJ to relex and remember why he gets the choose the stipulation, and he shows a replay on the big screen of him beating AJ last week. AJ tells him to enjoy it, because it’ll never happen again. Nakamura tells AJ to be quiet, and says he won’t just beat AJ, he will dishonor him, and AJ will never recover. Nakamura says the stipulation at Money In The Bank will be a “pillow fight.” Nakamura laughs, and AJ tells Nakamura he must be the “king of soft style.” Nakamura repeats that he’s going to deliver the knee to AJ’s face, and AJ says he doesn’t care what the stipulation is, because Nakamura can’t beat him without cheap shots. Nakamura goes to throw a right hand, but AJ blocks it and drops Nakamura with a right hand of his own. They brawl out to ringside and AJ throws Nakamura into the timekeeper’s area. Nakamura swings a steel chair and misses, and AJ throws him into the crowd. AJ throws him back to ringside, and then leaps off the fan barricade, but Nakamura smacks him out of mid-air with the steel chair. Nakamura hits a knee to the body of AJ, and then he slams him onto the announce table. Nakamura hits hthe Kinshasa on AJ on the floor, and AJ is down. Nakamura counts to ten as AJ lays at ringside. Nakamura grabs a mic and says “last man standing.”
– Gallows and Anderson cut a brief promo on the Usos before their match. They say they respect The Usos, but they already blew their Title shot against the Bludgeon Brothers. The Usos slap their mics away and say they’re in the Uso penetentiary. Gallows and Anderson call The Usos nerds, and this prompts The Usos to start brawling with them. They fight out to ringside, and then back in the ring and the ref calls for the opening bell.
– The Usos vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows: The Usos hit suicide dives on Gallows at ringside, before taking the fight back in the ring. Anderson gets the tag and fires up with some kicks on Jey Uso. They fight up to the corner, but Uso headbutts Anderson down, and then drops him with a kick. Gallows tags in and misses a shot in the corner. Jimmy Uso makes the tag and they double team Gallows, then Jimmy hits a superkick. Jey tags back in and hits the big splash for a two count. Jey misses a shot and Gallows hits a big boot to the face. Anderson tags in and they hit the Magic Killer for the win.
Winners: Gallows & Anderson
– Gallows and Anderson now have a shot at The Bludgeon Brothers’ tag titles at Money In The Bank.
– Noami comes out to the ring next.
– Sonya Deville vs. Naomi: Sonya starts off strong and keeps control of the opening moments of this one. Charlotte is shown backstage watching on a monitor. Sonya hits a series of kicks to the body of Naomi in the corner. Naomi fires back with some kicks of her own, and they end up both hitting a kick at the same time, and both women are down. Sonya looks for a Superman punch, but Naomi dodges it and rolls up Sonya in a strange looking pin. Naomi scores the three count and qualifies for the women’s Money In The Bank ladder match.
Winner: Naomi
– Noami heads up the ramp and hugs some fans in the front row.
– Jeff Hardy is backstage for an interview with Renee Young. Hardy talks about all of the things he knows how to do with a ladder, but he’s going to take things one step at a time, and he needs to focus on Daniel Bryan tonight.
– Next week: The Bar & The Miz vs. The New Day in a six-man tag
– Samoa Joe comes out and joins the commentary team at ringside for tonight’s main event.
– Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan: The opening bell sounds and they start with a dollar and elbow tie-up. Bryan grabs Jeff’s arm and wrestles him down to the mat. Jeff fights back with a shoulder block, and they circle each other again. Bryan wrestles Jeff down to the mat and puts him in a shoulder hold. Bryan follows up with a big boot for a two count. Bryan dodges a shot from Hardy and backflips off the turnbuckle. Hardy comes back with an inverted atomic drop and he sends Bryan out to ringside for a breather. Back in the ring, Bryan continues working on JEff’s shoulder. They run the ropes and collide mid-ring, and both men are down. Bryan follows up with uppercuts, and Jeff fires back with right hands. Bryan hits some kicks to the chest, and then an enziguri that sends Jeff falling out to ringside. Bryan follows up with a running dropkick through the ropes on Hardy at ringside. Bryan misses a shot off the apron and Jeff drops him on the floor. Back in the ring, Bryan knocks Hardy down on the top rope and then hangs him upside down in the corner. Bryan hits some kicks, then takes Hardy up top again. Hardy knocks Bryan down and follows up with the Whisper In The Wind. Bryan comes back and drops Hardy, then hits the Yes kicks. Hardy fires up, but this leads to Bryan hitting a dragon screw takedown on Hardy. Bryan works over Jeff’s leg and then puts him in a knee bar. Jeff struggles, but he taps out, and Bryan wins via submission.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
– After the match, Samoa Joe gets on the mic and calls out Bryan. Joe steps in the ring and gets in Bryan’s face and reminds him that next week, Bryan has to get through Joe. Joe and Bryan will face off next week in a Money In The Bank qualifying match, which will be their first time meeting in a WWE ring. Joe leaves and Bryan leads the crowd in a “Yes” chant.
– Samoa Joe does a brief interview in the back where he says next week, Daniel Bryan goes to sleep, yes, yes, yes.
