WWE SmackDown Results (5/23) – Toledo, OH

The May 23rd edition of WWE SmackDown aired live on the USA Network from the Huntington Center in Toledo, OH.

– SmackDown opens up with Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers arriving backstage in limos. Mahal steps out of his limo with the WWE Championship and laughs.

– We go to the arena where SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon comes out to the ring. McMahon discusses the upcoming Money In The Bank briefcase challenge, where the winner gets a guaranteed contract to face the WWE Champion any time. Shane introduces the participants: AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler and Kevin Owens come out one by one. Shane interrupts Owens’ entrance and says he’s not a participant. The fifth participant is really Shinsuke Nakamura, who comes out and does his whole entrance. Owens takes issue with people who lost at Backlash getting Money In The Bank shots, and says Shane is playing favorites. Shane says Owens has a point, so he’ll be the sixth participant in the Money In The Bank match. Corbin tells Owens to stop whining, and he’ll pay for entering a match with Corbin. This leads to AJ and Sami interrupting, which leads to Sami and Baron saying they want to go at it right now. Ziggler interrupts next and says he’s the only one in the ring who has won a Money In The Bank match, and he’ll d it again. Nakamura interrupts and says from now on you can call him Mr. Money in the Bank. Shane books a tag match between AJ & Nakamura vs. Owens & Ziggler, and a singles match with Corbin and Zayn.

– Charlotte & Becky Lynch def. Natalya & Carmella: Ellsworth, Tamina and Naomi are all at ringside. Becky controls the match against Carmella early on. Natalya runs in but so does Charlotte and Charlotte decks her with a dropkick. Carmella and Natalya roll outside to regroup. Natalya and Carmella trade tags and work over Becky until she gets the hot tag to Charlotte. Charlotte knocks Carmella off the apron then lays into Natalya with chops. She hits Natalya with an elbow, a swinging neckbreaker and a big boot for a two count. Charlotte goes up top but Tamina distracts her. Naomi takes out Tamina at ringside, while in the ring Natalya drops Charlotte with a German suplex. Becky tags in and hits a missile dropkick off the top on Natalya. Carmella tags in and drops Becky with some strikes. Becky gets Carmella in the Dis-arm-her for the win via submission. Ellsworth tries to make the save but Naomi kicks him off the apron.

– WWE shows a graphic promoting Jinder Mahal’s Punjabi Celebration tonight. Zayn vs. Corbin in a Backlash rematch is up next.

– Sami Zayn def. Baron Corbin: Corbin starts off by tossing Zayn across the ring, but when he walks over to Zayn to pick him up again, Zayn rolls Corbin up into a pin for the win. This was a very short one. After the bell, Corbin beats down Zayn. Corbin tosses Zayn around the ringside area then bashes him with a steel chair. Corbin takes Zayn out into the crowd to continue the beat down until Zayn is eventually taken out on a stretcher.

– AJ and Shinsuke are shown in the locker room going over their plan for tonight’s match. AJ tells Nakamura to follow his lead tonight, because this is the house that AJ built. Nakamura says tonight they’re a team, but at Money in the Bank he’s taking the contract and turning AJ’s house into his playground.

– The next edition of Fashion Files is up next. It starts off with Shane McMahon walking into the Fashion Police’s “office” with confusion. Breezango offers to turn in their badges for losing at Backlash. They turn in their “guns” too which turn out to be water guns. They turn in more of their equipment and clothing, but Shane tells them to stop. Shane says they’ve already proven themselves, and books them each in singles matches against Jimmy and Jey Uso.

– The ring is being decorated for Jinder Mahal’s victory celebration up next.

– Back from commercial, there are dancers and drummers all over the entrance ramp. The Singh Brothers come out first then the new WWE Champion Jinder Mahal makes his grand entrance. Jinder says the crowd can shower him with their hatred, because everyone in the great nation of India is celebrating his Championship win. Jinder says the crowd boos him because he looks different and talks different, but now they boo him because he exposed them. Jinder says Orton is on the decline like the rest of America. Jinder stops speaking English and addresses his people in his language before holding up the Title belt and leaving.

– Tyler Breeze def. Jey Uso: Jimmy Uso and Fandango are at ringside for this one. Breeze brings his box of Fashion Police props to the ring. Jey cuts a promo saying Breeze doesn’t deserve a shot tonight because he lost last night. Fandango distracts Jey from behind with a water gun, then Breeze rolls up Jey from behind for the immediate win.

– Fandango def. Jimmy Uso: This one starts right after the last one ended, and Jimmy starts off strong and decks Fandango with strikes. Breeze and Jey get into it at ringside which distracts Jimmy, so Fandango rolls up Jimmy from behind for the fast win. After the match, the Fashion Police cut promos on the Usos and ask for a rematch for the Tag Titles. Jimmy and Jey say they’ll do it right now. The referee gets on a headset and then sets up the tag title match.

– The Usos def. Breezango: The Usos’ Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. The Usos control the opening moments of this one against Breeze. Fandango gets the hot tag and drops Jimmy with kicks. Fandango follows up with a tornado DDT for a two count. Both Usos are in the ring now and they superkick both Breeze and Fandango. Jey tags in blindly and they double team Fandango for the win to retain the Tag Titles.

– Natalya approaches Shane McMahon backstage and demands her rightful shot at the Women’s Title. Carmella and Ellsworth walk in and disagree. Becky walks in and also disagrees, and so do Tamina and Charlotte. Shane books a five-way match next week to determine who gets a shot at Naomi’s Women’s Title at the Money In The Bank PPV.

– AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura def. Kevin Owens & Dolph Ziggler: Ziggler misses a dropkick on Styles early on and Styles responds with a dropkick of his own. Nakamura tags in and Ziggler retreats to his corner to tag in Owens. Nakamura gets Owens in the corner and stomps him. Owens gets some offense in on Nakamura and once Nakamura’s hurt, Ziggler tags back in. Ziggler works over Nakamura in the corner then tags Owens back in. Owens hits the cannonball on Nakamura in the corner for a two count. Ziggler tags back in but Nakamura starts firing up. Ziggler misses a spear and hits the ring post. AJ gets the hot tag and drops Ziggler with a series of strikes. Styles elbows Ziggler in the face for a two count. AJ hits a fireman’s carry neckbreaker for another two count on Ziggler. AJ gets distracted by Owens so Ziggler drops his throat across the top rope. AJ rolls outside and Owens hits a senton drop on him on the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Owens hits a back body drop on Styles then a series of elbows. Ziggler tags in and AJ stops him with a facebuster. Nakamura and Owens get the tags and Nakamura tees off on him with kicks. Nakamura sends Owens into the corner and hits a running knee. He lays Owens across the top rope in the corner for another running knee. Nakamura hits a spinning heel kick on Owens but Ziggler breaks up the pin. Ziggler goes for a Fameasser on Nakamura but Nakamura reverses with a back suplex. AJ runs in next and hits the Pele kick on Owens. Styles goes for a Styles Clash on Owens but Ziggler superkicks Styles. Nakamura kicks Ziggler, then hits the knee to the face on Owens for the win.

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