WWE SmackDown Notes: Results, Nia Jax Gives 1st Queen Speech on SmackDown, A-Town Down Under Tease Breakup, AJ Styles Pulls Mark Henry Fake Retirement Speech & Attacks Cody Rhodes

WWE
May 31, 2024

WWE SmackDown Results – May 31, 2024

May 31, 2024
Albany, New York – MVP Arena
Commentary – Corey Graves and Wade Barrett

Quick Match Results

  1. Tommaso Ciampa defeated Austin Theory via Roll-up (pinfall)
    • Prior to the start of the match, Johnny Gargano came out alongside with Ciampa and Grayson Waller came out alongside Theory to be in their corners.
    • Near the end of the match, Waller took offense to SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett saying something he didn’t agree with at ringside leading to Waller ranting about DIY being irrelevant and how he was the one who made Theory relevant. This led to Theory becoming distracted in the ring and overhearing what Waller was saying leading to the two having a brief argument that was interrupted by Ciampa who caught Theory in a roll-up for the pinfall victory.
  2. Andrade defeated Apollo Crews via The Message (pinfall)
    • During the match, Angel came out to ringside looking on at Andrade’s efforts as part of an earlier talk Angel and Andrade had backstage about how he put in a good word for him to join Legado. After some more action between Andrade and Crews, Angel got onto the apron to distract Crews leading to Andrade hitting a backfist and followed it with The Message for the pinfall victory.
    • Following the match, Legado Del Fantasma came out to the stage and Angel reacted happily expecting Andrade to join their group. Andrade walked by Santos Escobar and gave him a shoulder check ignoring the group. This led to an upset Escobar confronting Angel over what just happened.
  3. The Bloodline (Tonga Loa & Tama Tonga) defeated The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) via Leaping Flatliner (pinfall)
    • Near the end of the match, Dawkins ran at Loa for an attack only to be shoved away by Loa. This led to Tonga tagging himself in that Dawkins did not see. Dawkins then slammed Loa and tagged in Ford who hit a Frog Splash to Loa that was followed by Tonga hitting a leaping Flatliner for the pinfall victory for the Bloodline.
  4. Piper Niven & Chelsea Green defeated Naomi & Bayley via Pinfall
    • Near the end of the match, Naomi hit a Rear View to Green for a near fall that was broken up by Niven who hit a running crossbody splash onto Naomi and Green. Niven dragged Green’s knocked out body onto Naomi to give her team the pinfall victory.

Nia Jax Gives First Speech as Queen of the Ring Winner

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show featured Nia Jax giving her first speech as the winner of this year’s Queen of the Ring tournament.

During the start of the show, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis boasted about his brand taking the crown for this year’s Queen of the Ring tournament and welcomed everyone to their new Queen of the Ring Nia Jax.

This led to Jax coming out and placed the crown on her head. Jax talked about her Queen of the Ring victory and how this means she now has a shot at the WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. Jax then demanded for Bayley to come out to the ring, which Bayley did only to be attacked from behind by Piper Niven. Niven tossed Bayley into the ring and continued her attack leading to Bayley being laid out. Niven then engaged in a staredown with Jax and Chelsea Green grabbed a microphone claiming that Jax doesn’t need to worry about Bayley since she will not be the champion after Clash in the Castle and Niven will be instead. Jax responded stating that she does not care who is the champion for her match and proceeded to leave the ring.

A-Town Down Under Tease Potential Future Breakup at Friday’s SmackDown Show

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured A-Town Down Under teasing a potential future breakup as a tag team.

During the singles match between Austin Theory and Tommaso Ciampa on the show, SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett stated something that Grayson Waller overhead and proceeded to rant claiming that Johnny Gargano was the one who was holding back Ciampa and claimed he was the one who made Theory relevant. This led to Theory becoming distracted in the ring and overheard Waller’s comments. After noticing Theory heard what he said, Waller tried to play off his comments leading to a brief argument between the two. This led to Ciampa catching Theory with a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

Following the match, Waller tried to comfort a frustrated Theory over what had just happened between the two.

AJ Style Gives Mark Henry Style Fake Retirement Speech & Attacks Cody Rhodes at Friday’s SmackDown Show

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured AJ Styles giving a classic Mark Henry style fake retirement speech swerve and attack on Cody Rhodes.

During the show, Styles and The O.C. came out to the ring. Styles grabbed a microphone and stated that he gave some thought over the past week about what Nick Aldis said to him about not giving him another shot at Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship unless he earned it and him not feeling that he had in it to wait that long climbing back up the ladder.

Styles stated that this week his son graduated high school and he got to be there for the party at his house and it was beautiful. Styles stated it was at that point where clarity hit across the head and asked how many of these type of moments with his family that he missed because of his career. Styles then stated that instead of being the “Phenomenal AJ Styles” maybe he stays at home and becomes a phenomenal father. Styles then turned his attention towards Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in the ring and stated that he sees them as his brothers and wants one last “two sweet” moment with them, which they proceeded to do.

Styles then called out Cody Rhodes mentioning what he whispered in Rhodes’ ear before he came out to the ring. This led to Rhodes coming out to the ring and Styles told Rhodes that the match they had at Lyon for the WWE title was one of the best matches he had in his career and if he was going to have one last match, that would be it. Styles stated that this is still AJ Styles house but it was time for him to hand the keys to Rhodes. After some words in response by Rhodes, Rhodes stated that “on behalf of himself and the locker room, that he was a big bro for, thank you very much AJ Styles.”

Rhodes and Styles then gave a hug to each other and Rhodes raised Styles hand up in the air multiple times to the crowd for their appreciation. After a bunch of hand raising moments, Styles attacked Rhodes revealing that his retirement speech was just a big ruse by him. Styles continued his attack ending with him hitting a Styles Clash to Rhodes off the steel steps onto the floor.

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