WWE SmackDown Results – May 22, 2020 – Styles vs. Nakamura, Hardy vs. Sheamus

May 22, 2020

May 22, 2020
Orlando, Florida (WWE Performance Center)
Commentary: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com

Quick Match Results

Braun Strowman defeated The Miz via running powerslam
WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament: AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura via Phenomenal Forearm
Bayley defeated Charlotte Flair via roll up with help from ropes
Sonya Deville & Dolph Ziggler defeated Mandy Rose & Otis via kick by Sonya on Mandy
WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament: Jeff Hardy defeated Sheamus via roll up

WWE SmackDown kicks off with a video tribute for Memorial Day.

The Dirt Sheet with The Miz, John Morrison and Braun Strowman

In the WWE Performance Center, it’s The Dirt Sheet with The Miz and John Morrison. They welcome everyone to the show as Morrison says that his abs are now Twitter certified influencers. Miz says he refuses to believe that we live in a world where this man is Money in the Bank. We see a clip of Otis with the briefcase.

They go on to insult Otis as Miz says it’s people like Braun Strowman who are to blame. Strowman got into their business last week when he decided to team with Otis to go against them. Miz says Otis has the contract and he could cash in any time, any place. It doesn’t make sense.

Morrison says like how Becky Lynch decided to have a child with Seth Rollins and he wouldn’t show his face around here either. Miz asks what’s wrong with Morrison. They go on to say how even Wyatt chose stuffed animals over Braun Strowman. And for a Dirt Sheet exclusive, they have other FireFly Fun House puppets which were rejected by Wyatt which he still likes more than Strowman.

We see sock puppets on the screen. The first one is called Shiloh the lonely laundry lass and the second is Dookie the Diaper boy. The third one is a Barbie doll called Mandyquin Rose.

As they are talking, Braun Strowman’s music hits and out comes Strowman with a smile on his face as he’s laughing.

Strowman gets in the ring and roars, scaring the tag team. He tosses both chairs out of the ring and asks them what’s up. He says they are kind of funny and their show is not half bad and thanks them for having him on. Morrison says he wasn’t booked. He tells them to ask him a question about Bray Wyatt and his puppets at Money in the Bank. Miz asks Strowman if he thinks Wyatt is done with him. Miz tells him he fought with Wyatt and Wyatt sent him spiraling down and Morrison was there to save him.

Morrison says Strowman will never be the man the Miz is. He must feel like a bad ass because he pinned him last week. Morrison gets in Strowman’s face as Miz tries to calm him down as Strowman accepts Morrison’s challenge against The Miz. Strowman tells Miz he is about to get these hands.

Braun Strowman vs. The Miz

The bell rings and we are under way. A right hand by Miz which doesn’t faze Strowman as he gets Miz in the corner and a right hand by Strowman. He taunts Morrison who is on the outside. Strowman slams Miz into the turnbuckle. He sends Miz to the ropes and a shoulder tackle takes The Miz down. Strowman sends Miz to the ropes and he runs towards him as Miz lowers the top rope and Strowman goes to the outside. With the referee distracted, Morrison hits Strowman with a flying knee to the face.

Strowman gets up and runs towards The Miz but Miz moves out of the way as Strowman hits the ring post. Strowman gets in the ring and a double axe by Miz. He jumps off the top rope but Strowman catches him, Miz with a rake to the eyes. A dropkick to the knee by The Miz as he goes for a DDT but Strowman blocks it.

Braun throws Miz across the ring as Morrison gets on the ring apron but he’s knocked down by Strowman. The Miz is down and as he gets up, Strowman lands a running powerslam. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Braun Strowman

John Morrison gets on the microphone after the match and challenges Braun Strowman to a match. He challenges Braun Strowman to a handicap match at Backlash for the WWE Universal championship. Braun Strowman accepts.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament
AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

The bell rings and we are under way. Styles gets Nakamura in the corner as the referee breaks it up. Both men in the middle of the ring and a head lock by Styles as Nakamura pushes him to the ropes and the referee breaks it up. Nakamura with a head lock of his own as he wrestles Styles down and both men are back up.

Styles reverses it into an arm bar waist lock. Nakamura reverses that and AJ gets out of it. Both men exchange reversals. Nakamura sends Styles to the ropes but Styles with a double chop. A drop kick by Styles takes Nakamura down. AJ gets Shinsuke in the corner and a chop to the chest by Styles as he sends Nakamura to the ropes. Styles runs towards Nakamura but an elbow to the face by Nakamura followed by a knee to the midsection.

Nakamura with a right hand as both men exchange right hands and Styles with a step up enzuigiri. Styles goes for a suplex, Nakamura lands on his feet and a kick by Nakamura. He gets AJ in between the ropes as Nakamura drops him onto the mat.

Back form commercial, both men in the ring and Nakamura with kicks taking Styles down. Nakamura goes for a kick but Styles blocks it and an overhead kick by Styles as both men are down. A clothesline by Styles as he lifts Nakamura up and drops him neck first onto his knee. He goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. Styles gets up as Nakamura runs towards him but Styles grabs Nakamura’s leg and he locks in the calf crusher. Nakamura gets to the ropes and the referee breaks it up.

Styles grabs Nakamura but an overhead kick by Nakamura. He goes for a sliding knee, AJ ducks and Styles hits him with a forearm to the face. He goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. Both men up as Nakamura lands the Michinoku driver. He goes for the cover but Styles kicks out. Nakamura tries to lift Styles up but Styles fights back. Nakamura flies off the second rope and lands a flying knee.

Nakamura with a sliding knee. He goes for the cover but once more Styles kicks out. Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa but Styles reverses it into a cover but Nakamura reverses it into a triangle choke. Styles reverses it into the Styles Clash. He goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out.

Both men get back up as Styles gets on the ring apron. He’s about to jump off the top rope but Nakamura catches him with a kick. Nakamura runs towards Styles as AJ hits him with a kick. Styles with the Phenomenal Forearm off the top rope. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: AJ Styles

Backstage: Sasha Banks, Bayley

Sasha Banks and Bayley are backstage. Bayley tells Banks she doesn’t want her in her corner for her match tonight because people think she can’t win without Banks. Bayley says she doesn’t want to get anyone any reason to believe that she can’t win without her and she knows Sasha has her back.

Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley

The bell rings and we are under way. Charlotte slams Bayley into the corner. She runs towards Bayley but Bayley moves out of the way and slams Charlotte onto the mat. She goes for the cover but Charlotte kicks out. Bayley mocks Flair as she does the Flair strut.

Charlotte gets back up and a waist lock by the NXT champion which is reversed by Bayley. Charlotte with a back elbow takes Bayley down. She walks towards Bayley and Bayley with a double leg take down. She goes for the cover with both of her feet on the ropes but the referee sees it. Flair drops Bayley and goes for the cover with her feet on the ropes as the referee breaks that up.

Both women back up as Bayley sends Flair to the corner but Flair flips over and lands on the ring apron. Bayley runs towards Flair but Flair with a kick onto Bayley. Flair still on her feet as Bayley trips her up. Bayley goes to the outside but Flair sends her over the barricade. Flair grabs Michael Cole’s headset and she calls out Sasha Banks.

Back from commercial, Charlotte with a head lock in the middle of the ring. We see Sasha Banks standing backstage watching the match. Flair slams Bayley into the corner and a chop to the chest as Bayley falls to the mat. Flair drags Bayley into the corner. She gets on the third rope but Bayley trips her down. Bayley runs towards Flair but Flair with a knee. She runs towards Bayley but Bayley lowers the top rope and Flair falls to the outside. Flair grabs Bayley’s foot but Bayley kicks her into the ring post.

Bayley goes to the outside and slams Flair into the barricade and into the ring apron. She gets in the ring and as does Flair. Bayley goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. Flair with a back elbow and she goes for a roll up but Bayley kicks out. Both women back up and a clothesline by Bayley. She goes for the cover but Charlotte kicks out. A headlock by Bayley and right hands by Flair but Bayley with a knee to the stomach slows Flair down.

A run to the ropes by Bayley but Flair catches her and a fall away slam takes Bayley down. Both women back up and Flair with right hands as she gets Bayley in the corner. Flair goes for a right hand, Bayley ducks and she gets Flair in the corner. Bayley backs up, runs towards Flair but Flair catches her and lands a neck breaker as she throws Bayley into the corner as Bayley falls to the mat.

Flair gets on the third floor, goes for the moonsault as Bayley moves out of the way. Flair lands on her feet and she hits Bayley with a big boot. She goes for the cover but Bayley kicks out. Flair stomps on Bayley’s left leg. She places Bayley’s leg on the bottom rope and Flair gets on the ring apron. Bayley fights back as she hangs Flair up on the middle rope. Flair gets back in the ring as Bayley grabs her and places her in the corner.

Bayley with a running knee into the corner. Bayley gets on the top rope and an elbow drop by Bayley but Flair gets the knees up. Flair drops Bayley and a Walls of Jericho by Flair. Bayley reverses it into a cover but Flair kicks out. Flair runs towards Bayley but Bayley moves out of the way and Flair lands face first into the second turnbuckle pad. Bayley climbs the top rope and an elbow drop. She goes for the cover but the NXT champion kicks out. Bayley with a chop to the chest as Flair asks for more.

Again, Bayley with more chops to the chest. She grabs Flair’s leg and goes for the Figure Four but a right hand by Flair takes Bayley down. A chop to the chest by Flair as she gets Bayley in the corner. The referee breaks it up, Bayley catches her with a kick, Flair reverses it into a cover, Bayley reverses that and gets Flair in the cover. Bayley puts her arms on the ropes for momentum and gets the pin.

Winner: Bayley

After commercials, Sasha Banks and Bayley are backstage celebrating. Bayley tells Sasha she didn’t believe she could beat Flair. There’s a pause and Bayley says she was kidding, she knew that Sasha knew she would beat Flair.

Sonya Deville & Dolph Ziggler vs. Mandy Rose & Otis

The bell rings and we are under way. Mandy and Sonya start the match. Otis says he wants to start the match and it’s Otis and Ziggler. Otis throws Ziggler around followed by a spinning power slam. Otis with a splash on Ziggler in the corner. Ziggler gets in between the ropes, forcing Otis to back away. Sonya is tagged in and it’s her and Mandy in the ring.

Sonya gets Mandy in the corner and right hands by Sonya. The referee breaks it up as Mandy with takes Sonya down. Meanwhile, Ziggler trips Otis off the ring apron and pushes Otis shoulder first into the ring steps. Mandy goes to the outside to check on Otis.

Back from commercial, Sonya with a kick takes Mandy down in the middle of the ring. She kicks Mandy around as Otis is still down on the outside. Sonya throws Mandy into the corner and right hands by Sonya. The referee breaks it up and Mandy with a right hand. She goes for the roll up but a kick out. Sonya with a kick onto Mandy who tried to tag Otis into the match. Sonya with a head lock.

Mandy with a jaw breaker counter but Sonya with a kick takes Mandy down. A kick to the chest by Sonya as she taunts Otis. Sonya runs to the ropes but a jumping knee to the face by Mandy takes Sonya down. Mandy tags Otis in and Ziggler is in. Otis slams Ziggler down. A big splash in the corner. Otis goes for another splash and Ziggler falls to the mat. Ziggler tags Sonya in and Mandy is tagged in. A clothesline by Mandy followed by a right hand.

Otis and Ziggler are fighting on the outside. Mandy with a flying knee. She goes for the cover but Sonya kicks out. Otis with right hands on the outside. Mandy with a double under hook on Sonya but Sonya with a knee followed by a kick to the back of the neck. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winners: Sonya Deville and Dolph Ziggler

Otis checks on Mandy in the ring as Ziggler hits Otis with a super kick.

Backstage: Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy is backstage. He says two weeks ago he asked the WWE Universe to join him for one more good run. And now, it has lead him to the Intercontinental championship tournament. Hardy says it was the first championship he won on his own and if he could win it again, everything would be coming full circle for him. And what better way to start it than to beat the bully who tried to pull him down. He says he will beat Sheamus tonight.

An image is shown in tribute to the late Shad Gaspard.

Backstage: The Forgotten Sons

The Forgotten Sons are backstage. They cut a promo talking about how they they have gone through dark times and aren’t afraid to admit it. They talk about how they have their blood on the hands of others and it’s only fair that the blood of others be on their hands.

Backstage: The Miz, John Morrison

Miz asks Morrison what he was thinking putting him in a match earlier tonight. Morrison tells him to look on the bright side, they have a championship match. In comes Renee Young who asks about their match at Backlash. Morrison says Strowman’s track record in handicap matches sucks. Miz says they will make Strowman’s life a living hell. Miz and Morrison yell hey, hey as they lean into Young who reluctantly says ho ho.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus

The bell rings and we are under way. Sheamus gets Hardy in the corner as the referee breaks it up. Sheamus lifts Jeff and gets him in the corner. A head lock by Hardy followed by a take down. Sheamus reverses it into an arm bar but Jeff reverses that. Sheamus sends Jeff to the ropes and a right hand by Sheamus. He sends Jeff to the ropes but a kick to the face by Jeff followed by a forearm punch.

Jeff runs to the ropes but Sheamus takes Hardy down. Hardy on the ring apron as Sheamus taunts Hardy but Hardy throws Sheamus to the outside. Hardy on the ring apron jumps off but Sheamus catches him and slams him into the ring post. Sheamus gets Hardy on his shoulders and throws him onto the announce table. Sheamus yelling at Michael Cole about how he kept putting Jeff Hardy over but not himself.

Back from commercial, Sheamus with a head lock on Hardy in the middle of the ring. He drops Hardy and a jumping knee to the head by Sheamus onto Hardy. Right hands by Hardy but Sheamus quickly takes him down. Sheamus with a clothesline. Hardy gets up and right hands by Hardy. Sheamus runs towards Hardy but he knocks Sheamus away. Jeff climbs the top rope and the whisper in the wind. He goes for the cover but Sheamus kicks out. Jeff with right hands but Sheamus kicks him away.

Sheamus with the Irish curse back breaker on Hardy. Sheamus with three back breakers. Sheamus says this is a great work out. Sheamus throws Hardy onto the ring apron. Sheamus clobbering Hardy. Sheamus tells Corey Graves he’s in the best shape of his life. He lifts Hardy up but Hardy lands on his feet. Right hands by Hardy as Sheamus runs towards Jeff but Jeff moves out of the way and Sheamus lands shoulder first into the ring post.

Jeff with a forearm takes Sheamus down. An atomic drop followed by the leg drop. He goes for the cover but Sheamus kicks out. Jeff goes for the Twist of Fate but Sheamus rolls to the outside of the ring. Jeff goes to the outside and slams Sheamus shoulder first into the steel post. Jeff climbs the barricade and walks it jumping and lands a clothesline on Sheamus.

Both men are down on the outside. Jeff throws Sheamus into the ring and climbs the top rope. Jeff goes for the Swanton but Sheamus gets the knees up. Sheamus goes for the cover but Jeff kicks out. Sheamus with a knee to the face. He goes for the cover but Jeff kicks out. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick but Jeff ducks, he runs towards Sheamus and rolls Sheamus up and gets the pin.

Winner: Jeff Hardy