Finally, the Radiant Team has come back to Albany, New York!
MVP Arena is hosting the first SmackDown after the King and Queen of the Ring PLE, and I expect to see both of our champions—Bayley and Cody Rhodes. Bayley already has a challenger waiting, while Cody is still trying to figure out who’s next in line.
Randy Orton and Kevin Owens should continue their war with The Bloodline, and I’m really curious to see who will challenge A-Town Down Under for their titles. And of course, I personally can’t wait to see the Mega Star LA Knight and Carmelo Hayes in action tonight!
A lot of events are waiting, so let’s begin the show! 💥🎤
Coronation of Queen Nia Jax
Nick Aldis is ready to kick off the show with a grand moment—the official coronation of your Queen, Nia Jax!
Jax didn’t really say anything new, but she did call out the champion, and that took guts. Bayley answered and came to the ring… but just like last time, Piper Niven and Chelsea Green ambushed her from behind and completely destroyed her. 😵💫
After the beatdown, we got a staredown between two titans—Piper and Jax. Meanwhile, Bayley looked like an extra. You already know my stance on her title reign—Nia Jax doesn’t even care who the champion is right now. She’s shining on her own, a newly crowned Queen with real confidence.
Bayley? Sadly, she just looks like a title-holder and nothing more. No support, no fire, no presence. A sad picture indeed.
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Austin Theory
It looks like DIY is gearing up to take on the tag champs, and this was just a warm-up before the big tag match.
As usual, it’s Austin Theory doing all the work. I’ve seen it so many times—Grayson Waller avoiding matches and letting Theory carry the load while he just runs his mouth like a hype man. 😤
This should’ve been a close match, maybe with a slight edge for Ciampa, but in my opinion, it was a 50/50 showdown. The feud with A-Town Down Under is probably deeply personal for Gargano, especially considering Austin used to be part of his family in The Way.
Ciampa started strong, but Theory took control and nearly landed A-Town Down—only to get blocked at the last second. Then, as expected, Grayson Waller started flapping his gums, claiming Austin is only relevant because of him. That totally distracted Theory, and Ciampa took advantage with a slick roll-up to grab the win.
A solid strike from the No. 1 contenders! ✅
Andrade vs. Apollo Crews
The Latino sensation Andrade continues carving his path on SmackDown. I used to think Apollo Crews would become a huge star with his blend of strength and agility, but now he’s barely on NXT radar. Andrade had a strong start… until Angel Garza showed up and distracted him for some bizarre reason. He’s still pushing this idea of Andrade joining Legado Del Fantasma. 🤨
Both men showed off great power and skill, but in the end—with just a little disruption from Angel—Andrade hit a clean La Sombra and got the victorious pinfall. Angel looked thrilled, convinced this meant Andrade would now join Legado. But instead, El Idolo walked right past Santos Escobar and his crew, ignoring them completely.
Santos was clearly pissed off, and Angel promised to “handle” the situation. I can already see it coming—a Latino war brewing between Andrade and Legado Del Fantasma. And I’m absolutely here for it. 🔥
Kevin Owens Returns to SmackDown
Backstage, we see Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman once again deep in conversation about the state of The Bloodline. Paul’s visibly stressed—he reflects on the days when Roman Reigns approved violence only after deep strategy sessions with his Wise Man. Now? There’s no strategy—just random acts of violence with no purpose. Paul makes one thing clear: when Roman comes back, Cody Rhodes must be under pressure. Solo, however, calmly claims that everything is going exactly to plan, and that the champion “won’t even see what’s coming.” ⚠️ Right then, Kevin Owens interrupts for a little talk with the people, and Solo’s not happy about that. He orders Paul to “handle it.” But how exactly is Paul supposed to “handle” someone like Kevin Owens?
Kevin makes it clear: he’ll fight The Bloodline alone if he has to, and maybe Randy Orton will join him again soon. That’s when Paul steps up to speak. The entire arena erupts in chants of “We want Roman!”
Paul calmly says he wants Roman back even more than anyone else. But he warns Kevin: “Roman and I always respected you, Kevin, because you were a real threat. But Solo? He doesn’t respect anyone. He’s recruiting merciless monsters into this new version of The Bloodline. These guys will do whatever it takes to win.” That was a real warning, and not one to take lightly.
But Kevin fires back, saying he's fought The Bloodline for four years, and he actually respected the old Bloodline—Roman, Jimmy, and Jey. As for Solo and his crew? “No one respects them. No one fears them. And no one wants them here in WWE.” 🔥 Now that hit hard—and I agree with him. Owens is saying what we’re all thinking.
Paul loses his temper completely, throwing the mic in frustration. The tension explodes. Owens looks ready to attack Heyman, but Solo instantly shows up with his new maniacs, and chaos is about to break loose!
Luckily, The Street Profits arrive to back Owens up, and just like that, the brawl is on! 💥
The Bloodline vs. The Street Profits
Time for an explosive tag team match as The Street Profits take on the new Bloodline duo of Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa—Loa’s in-ring debut on SmackDown!
I couldn’t tell you the odds, but I had a feeling that Tama and Loa would find a way to win tonight. And sure enough, they went all out with savage brutality, especially targeting Montez Ford like they wanted to injure or completely take him out.
Once Angelo Dawkins got the tag, momentum shifted for a bit. But I have to admit—the Tonga brothers showed incredible tag chemistry, and they quickly regained control. Montez came in again, full of fire, and cleaned house. He even landed the Profits’ signature tag finisher, but Loa shockingly kicked out! He absorbed heavy damage like a tank! 😮
SmackDown 31.05.2024 - This Tama guy is an absolute mad dog—completely unhinged!
Then, in a sneaky move, Tama made a blind tag—but the Profits didn’t see it. They continued laying everything on Loa, completely unaware. Big mistake. Tama took advantage, slid in behind them, and ended the match in Bloodline’s favor. They’re not just dominant—they’re ruthless and smart. The Bloodline’s terrifying march across the blue brand continues. 🩸
Bayley (C) & Naomi vs. Piper Niven & Chelsea Green
After the vicious assault earlier, Naomi stepped up to help her friend Bayley, the Women’s Champion, in a tag team match meant to get some revenge. Honestly? Naomi had to work double tonight, because Bayley… let’s just say she’s not exactly bringing much to the table lately. Meanwhile, Piper and Chelsea’s strategy was on point—Piper knocks their opponents down, and Chelsea does the cleanup job.
Bayley and Naomi did well whenever Chelsea Green was legal, but the second Piper Niven entered, it was like facing a completely different monster. Naomi came close to pinning Chelsea, but Piper drove Bayley into the steel steps and then flattened Naomi, allowing Chelsea to score the decisive victory!
A huge, defining win for Piper and Green tonight. And like I’ve been saying—they’re getting better, stronger, and more dangerous each week. Great job, girls! 🔥💪
AJ Styles’ Retirement...
So… AJ Styles was finally ready to say goodbye. Or so we thought. Flanked by The O.C., AJ walked down the ramp, soaking in what looked like his farewell. He spoke with emotion, gratitude, and humility. He talked about the journey, the sacrifices, and thanked Gallows and Anderson for always standing beside him. It was heartfelt. One last “Too Sweet.” It even felt earned.
Then, he called Cody Rhodes to the ring. Thanked him. Congratulated him. Passed him the “keys to the house that AJ Styles built.” Even the American Nightmare was tearing up. A hug, a round of applause—it was all there. The perfect ending...Except it wasn’t. Because out of nowhere—AJ snapped and attacked Cody like a rabid animal. No warning. No honor. Just a full-on ambush. The O.C. weren’t innocent either—they helped block officials from saving the champ.
And just like that, the heartwarming farewell became a horror show. AJ Styles hit a sickening Styles Clash on the exposed floor. So that’s it, huh? No more dignity. Just violence for attention. Desperation for one last title shot. If this was AJ’s way of staying relevant—then shame on him. That was a dirty trick from a man who used to be respected.
Nick Aldis better not reward this behavior. Ban this fraud.
Final Thoughts
Not bad, not bad at all, I must say! We had several big moments tonight—from the rising heat between Piper Niven and Women’s Champion Bayley, to DIY gaining momentum in their rivalry with A-Town Down Under, and of course... the shocking fake retirement by AJ Styles! Let’s take a closer look at everything that went down:
👑 Nia Jax: Confident Queen Marching to SummerSlam
By winning Queen of the Ring, Nia Jax earned the right to challenge for the title at SummerSlam—a prize almost as big as winning the Royal Rumble. And the best part for Nia? The current champion on SmackDown is weak. Nia already tried and failed against Rhea Ripley, but now it’s either Bayley or Piper Niven.
If somehow Bayley survives her war with Piper, I have zero doubts she won't survive against the New Queen. And if Piper becomes champion? Well, she’s basically a smaller version of Nia Jax—same power, less size. On paper, Nia has an excellent chance of becoming the main champion once again.
🧠 DIY Are Setting the Score Straight
This week, Tommaso Ciampa handled Austin Theory like a pro. Next week, it’s up to Gargano to take care of Waller.
Honestly, I think DIY might just pull off a full sweep here. Two singles wins over the champs would put serious mental pressure on A-Town Down Under and raise DIY’s chances in a future title match.
I’m not the biggest fan of either team, but if we get new tag champs? I won’t shed a single tear.
💀 El Idolo Needs No One
Andrade sent a loud and clear message tonight: “I don’t need anybody. I can make it on my own.” But Legado del Fantasma still seems interested in recruiting him. What Santos Escobar should realize is that if Andrade ever joins, he might end up leading the group. Right now, he’s stronger than Escobar—no debate. It’s a strange and tense dynamic between the Latino stars, and I’m curious to see where this is all headed. Something’s going to explode soon. 💣
😨 Does Bloodline Really Have a Plan?
Tonight, I saw something I never expected—Paul Heyman showing real fear. The man was trembling while talking about Solo and his hired monsters. And he had a reason: it takes a serious threat to make Kevin Owens even consider stepping back. Solo might be creeping toward Cody Rhodes, but right now, his crew isn’t strong enough and lacks the numbers to make a real move on the Undisputed Champion. Tonight, they dealt with the Street Profits, but they’ll have to take out Kevin and Randy next. But what worries me the most? The fate of the Wise Man. I seriously believe that Paul Heyman is in danger, and I hope someone sees it before it’s too late. 😔
⁉️ Is Bayley Just a Transitional Champion?
Let’s be honest—at the start of the show, Piper and Chelsea absolutely squashed Bayley. Sure, it was a two-on-one attack, but even later in the tag match, when she had Naomi’s help, they still couldn’t stop them. That makes me question how legit our champion really is. 🤨 If Bayley somehow survives Niven at SummerSlam, she’ll face Nia Jax, and that will be the end of her reign. Guaranteed.
I still have no clue how she managed to beat IYO SKY—maybe it was just too personal. But ever since that win, her matches have been forgettable, and she’s been getting beat down week after week. This is not the kind of champion SmackDown deserves.
🎭 AJ Styles' Last Desperate Chance?
Normally, when you lose a title match, you can ask for a rematch. But when you lose that too? The only thing left is to beg—or attack. AJ chose the second.
He physically assaulted Cody Rhodes, and now we all wait for the champ’s response. And knowing Cody, it won’t be kind—it will be merciless. This might truly be AJ’s last shot to prove he still has it.
I don’t approve of this kind of shortcut to a title opportunity... but hey, maybe the Phenomenal One just didn’t want to go to the back of the line.
Now we wait for Cody’s answer—and I guarantee, it’s gonna hurt. 😬
We’re marching toward Clash at the Castle, and things are getting hotter, messier, and more intense by the week. Don't miss what's next. See you all on the next Raw! 🔥👊
