WWE SmackDown 05 01 2018

WWE Smackdown Results
May 1, 2018
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves
Results by: Adam Martin of Wrestleview.com

The show opens with highlights from the Greatest Royal Rumble this past Friday in Saudi Arabia, including AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. Smackdown GM Paige talks about Nakamura using an “undetected” low blow during the match and Styles attacking Nakamura afters. She announces that Styles vs. Nakamura this Sunday at Backlash for the WWE Championship will now be contested under No DQ rules.

We go live inside the Bell Centre for Smackdown Live tonight.

MizTV with Jeff Hardy

Loud “On veut Maryse” chants aka “We Want Maryse.” Miz talks about taking Maryse from Montreal to Hollywood to get the crowd going. He announces until further notice: Daniel Bryan is officially banned from MizTV.

Miz addresses the WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins over on the “B show” and how Rollins has something he wants. He says this Sunday the fans will see an “A-freakin-lister as champion” at Backlash.

He introduces his guest tonight: WWE United States Champion Jeff Hardy. We get a reminder that Hardy defends the United States Championship against Randy Orton this Sunday at the Backlash PPV on the WWE Network.

Miz offers to shake his hand, but decides not to after Hardy high-fived all the dirty fans in Montreal. Miz insults Hardy right away. Hardy says if Miz claims to be so much better than Rollins, he would have won at the Greatest Royal Rumble like he did.

Miz has a surprise. MizTV has another guest tonight: Randy Orton. Orton’s theme interrupts his introduction. Orton says as far as he is concerned, he’s cool with Jeff Hardy after Miz tries to stir the pot. Miz reminds everyone Orton doesn’t play well with others and brings up Orton only landing at No. 9 on the Smackdown Top 10 list. Orton is pretty sure no one cares about a top 10 list. Miz talks about costing Orton a match last week. Hardy disagrees. Miz thinks an RKO should be delivered to Hardy. Orton says he strikes when he wants to. He tells Hardy he’s taking his title back this Sunday at Backlash. Hardy tells Orton he can try. Miz questions this “mutual agreement” and wants to know what happened to The Viper. Shelton Benjamin walks out to interrupt. He says Orton doesn’t deserve a damn thing. Benjamin talks about beating Orton last week and how if anyone deserves a shot at the championship, it is him. Orton kicks Benjamin. Hardy sends Miz to the corner. Whisper in the Wind over Miz. Orton and Hardy stand tall inside the ring.

-Commercial Break-

Randy Orton and WWE United States Champion Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz and Shelton Benjamin

During the break, we find out the tag team match has been booked to start now!

We return live with Orton throwing right hands and kicks to Benjamin in the corner. Tag to Hardy who dropkicks a seated Benjamin in the back. Quick tag back to Orton who levels Benjamin with help from Orton. Benjamin with rights and kicks backing Orton to the corner. Benjamin misses a corner splash, avoids an RKO attempt, goes for a kick, spins and catches Orton in the face with a spin kick. Both men are down. Tag to Miz who stomps away over Orton. Orton drops Miz with a back suplex. Hot tag to Hardy who throws rights. Hardy with an atomic drop, leg drop blow and low dropkick to Miz for a two count. Miz avoids Twist of Fate. Miz sends Hardy into Benjamin in the corner. Hardy with counters. Miz throws an elbow. Benjamin tags himself in, Miz gets tossed out and Hardy hits Twist of Fate on Benjamin. Hardy is going up top. Hardy kicks Miz away. Benjamin with a step up knee that catches Hardy. Miz dumps Hardy off the top turnbuckle to the outside.

-Commercial Break-

Back live, Miz has Hardy down in a headlock. Hardy with elbows, but Miz comes back with a big spike DDT for a two count. Benjamin gets the tag and eats a jawbreaker from Hardy. Miz gets the tag and connects with two running dropkicks to Hardy in the corner ala Daniel Bryan. Miz fires up for a third attempt and Hardy takes him down with a jumping clothesline. Orton with clotheslines to Benjamin when he gets the tag. Orton with a snap powerslam to Benjamin and tosses Miz out of the ring. Orton dumps Miz over the announce table with his release back suplex. Orton slides back in going for his DDT through the ropes on Benjamin. Miz is now up on the ring apron. Orton kicks him and hits a double DDT off the ropes on Benjamin and Miz! Orton has the Montreal crowd really fired up. Orton with a big RKO on Benjamin. Tag to Hardy who connects with a Swanton Bomb for the win.

Winners: Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy

Immediately after the match ends, Randy Orton hits an RKO on Jeff Hardy.

Backstage, Renee Young is with The IIconics. Peyton Royce mocks Rene being Canadian. Billie Kay talks about beating Asuka in her first match on Smackdown Live. They kick Rene out of the camera shot and introduce Smackdown Women’s Champion Carmella. Carmella thanks them for the nice introduction. She’s excited to team with them tonight.

-Commercial Break-

Backstage, we see The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) looking over their new Smackdown Live contracts. They bump into the New Day. Kofi Kingston wonders what happened at Greatest Royal Rumble and how they were expecting to head back to RAW? Cesaro says they always wanted to be on Smackdown. Big E is putting baby oil on his chest. They offer a plate of pancakes to Sheamus and Cesaro. They throw the plate. Sheamus wants a match with Big E. Big E gets in his face fired up agreeing to a match. He was actually talking to Xavier Woods, calling him short stack. Woods says, “Tonight, your soul is mine.”

Backstage, we see Rusev and Aiden English. The camera pans over and Lana is here. Loud “LANA” chants in the arena. She talks about Rusev coming up short against The Undertaker at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Lana thinks something is holding him back. English returns saying he forgot his coat. Lana smiles at Rusev.

Big Cass is heading to the ring.

-Commercial Break-

Big Cass addresses Daniel Bryan

Big Cass is in the ring with a mic. He reminds everyone he is from New York City. Cass says the stereotype is true: they aren’t friendly with people from other cities. He says they are better than everybody. Cass knows he’s better than every fan in this arena, including Daniel Bryan. He says Bryan is the same size “as any one of you. When you think WWE Superstar, you don’t think of somebody who looks like one of you.” Cass says a real WWE Superstar is 7 feet tall and has super strength. He says Bryan is small and weak. Cass doesn’t need technical wrestling to beat Bryan. He wonders why they are even waiting until Backlash and invites Bryan to come out so he can kick his teeth down his throat.

A midget walks out dressed like Daniel Bryan trying to start up a “YES” chant. Cass begins making short jokes. He says he used to be the same size as Bryan when he was five years old. The midget starts kicking Cass. Cass introduces the man who is from Montreal. He tells the man to soak it in and celebrate with his hometown. Cass drops the mic and backs up. He then levels the midget with a big boot. Cass drops down and throws right hands. He then stands on top of the man and starts slapping him repeatedly.

WWE officials run down and check on the man.

Shinsuke Nakamura demands an apology from AJ Styles, next.

-Commercial Break-

Shinsuke Nakamura wants an apology

Rene Young introduces WWE Champion AJ Styles. Big reaction for Styles in Montreal. Young talks about Paige making the championship match at Backlash now under No DQ rules. She asks Styles if this gives him an advantage to retain his title.

Styles says Shinsuke Nakamura can keep playing games. He’s out here trying to defend his championship, while Nakamura is more interested in “other jewels.” Styles says this goes way beyond Nakamura wanting to become WWE Champion. He calls Nakamura a coward that attacks him from behind and below the belt. Styles says that all changes this Sunday and he can break the rules if he wants to. Rene wants to know about that apology.

Samoa Joe walks out instead. A loud “TNA” chant breaks out. Joe says Styles is out here so filled with rage and anger that he has lost focus on the dangers around him. He’s pretty sure the match Styles should be focused on is the one where he proves once again that Roman Reigns is a failure. Joe said that’s the same Roman Reigns who failed in Saudi Arabia and he’s fine with the referee decision to award the win for Brock Lesnar.

Joe says Styles needs to make peace with destiny because when he’s done putting the Big Dog to sleep, he’s coming to beat Styles down for the WWE Championship.

Nakamura’s music hits. Joe turns around to wait for him. Nakamura is inside the ring and gives Styles another low blow as Joe watches on from the top of the stage.

Nakamura then takes out Styles with a Kinshasa and grabs the WWE Championship.

Backstage, Asuka tells Becky Lynch to forget about last week. Charlotte Flair walks up and talks about teaching Carmella a lesson in respect.

Sheamus vs. Xavier Woods is up next.

-Commercial Break-

Sheamus w/ Cesaro vs. Xavier Woods w/ New Day

Sheamus drives Woods to the corner, but Woods gets a knee up and throws rights. Woods with a low dropkick that takes Sheamus off his feet. Woods with a rolling elbow and dropkick combo that sends Sheamus outside of the ring early. Woods hits the ropes and jumps over the top rope taking out Woods at ringside. Cesaro distracts New Day at ringside. Back inside, Sheamus with a big knee to Woods that results in a close two count. Sheamus tosses Woods and Woods slides right into the bottom rope.

-Commercial Break-

Back live, Woods breaks free from a head lock and throws chops at Sheamus. Woods with a big knee to the side of Sheamus’ head. Sheamus charges and hits the corner shoulder first when Woods moves. Woods with a springboard corkscrew leg drop over Sheamus for a two count. Sheamus with a roll up for a two count. Woods fires back with a Shining Wizard. Woods goes for his jumping elbow drop. Cesaro jumps up and Woods drops down. Big E tries a Big Ending on Cesaro, but Cesaro sends him face first into the post. Woods takes out Cesaro at ringside, setting up Sheamus to jump out and send Woods into the barricade. Sheamus tosses Woods back in. Woods with a small package on Sheamus for the win!

Winner: Xavier Woods

Backstage, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville walk into Paige’s office. Rose and Deville says they are reporting for duty and understand why she called them in here tonight. They want to know who is going to get the title shot. Paige chooses Mandy. She adds it won’t be a title match though and books Mandy against Becky Lynch next week. Deville says Paige is the GM now and calls the shots. Paige says Absolution is dead.

-Commercial Break-

A video airs of Zelina Vega saying Andrade “Cien” Almas will show up when they want.

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Asuka head to the ring.

-Commercial Break-

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Asuka vs. Smackdown Women’s Champion Carmella and The IIconics

We start with Charlotte Flair and Carmella. Carmella quickly tags out to Peyton Royce. Charlotte tags in Becky Lynch. Royce drives Becky down and Becky fires back with a low dropkick. Becky misses a leg drop and eats a kick from Royce. Tag to Billie Kay who eats a jumping shot from Becky near the corner. Tag to Asuka. Kay with a big shot to the jaw of Asuka. Asuka smiles. Asuka with repeated body shots and a jumping hip splash. Tag to Charlotte who jumps off the second rope with a shot to Kay. Chops to Kay. Tag to Carmella after Kay dropped Charlotte down. Charlotte attempts a takedown, but Carmella gets to the bottom rope and gets pulled out by Royce and Kay. Charlotte jumps over the top rope and takes out both Royce and Kay. Carmella is back up at ringside as Charlotte yells at her.

-Commercial Break-

Back live, Carmella gets the tag and eats kicks from Becky in the corner. Becky with a jumping side kick that catches Carmella flush. The IIconics pull Asuka off the corner to prevent a hot tag out for Becky. Tag to Charlotte who jumps back up. Charlotte with chops to Carmella. Charlotte with a kick and overhead suplex on Kay when she jumps in. Charlotte does the same to Royce when she jumps in. Charlotte kicks Carmella and Kay away in the corner, but Carmella trips up Charlotte bouncing the face of Charlotte off the steel ring post. Tag to Royce who throws a spin kick on Charlotte and tags in Kay who goes for a pinfall getting a two count. Kay tosses Becky out and tags Royce in who throws kicks at Charlotte. Carmella tags herself in and pulls Charlotte down off the top rope with a huricanrana. Carmella with repeated pinfall attempts and Charlotte continues to kick out. Royce gets the tag and keeps Charlotte down with a head lock. We go to a split screen with a video hyping Backlash this Sunday. Asuka tags herself in and dropkicks Royce with force. Asuka with shots to Kay and Carmella in the corner. Asuka with shots to Royce including a kick to the face. Royce holds on to Carmella and Kay. Asuka lets go and takes out Kay and Carmella. Royce with a small package for a two count on Asuka. Royce with a big knee to Asuka for another close pinfall. Asuka catches Royce with a big kick, but Kay breaks up the pinfall. Becky with a top rope dropkick to Kay. Carmelal with a kick to Becky. Charlotte with a big spear to Carmella. Charlotte with a moonsault to the floor over Kay and Carmella. Asuka gets the Asuka Lock applied on Royce. Royce taps out.

Winners: Asuka, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch

After the match, we see a shot of Carmella clutching the Smackdown Women’s Championship at the top of the stage as Charlotte Flair looks on signaling she is going to become the new champion at Backlash on Sunday.

Quick Match Results:

* Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy def. The Miz and Shelton Benjamin
* Xavier Woods def. Sheamus
* Asuka, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch def. Carmella and The IIconics