[Triple H] Then.
Now.
Forever.
Together.
[Tessitore] Welcome to Grand Rapids, Michigan for Friday Night SmackDown.
The Summer Solstice is upon us.
The most daylight of any day of the year, and these fans here know
this bright summer night is shining with stars in the ring.
The Van Andel Arena has struck gold.
It's sold out, landing the semi-finals of the King and Queen of the Ring tournament.
We have dream matchups that no one could see coming,
-including the Viper, Randy Orton. -[crowd cheers]
RKO'ed his way through a Fatal 4-Way to advance past the first round,
-and now he faces Sami Zayn. -[crowd cheers]
He's never defeated Randy.
If Sami pulls off an upset tonight, he's headed to the finals.
On the women's side, it's a matchup of former champions.
Alexa Bliss came up with a thrilling victory in her first round,
hitting a Sister Abigail DDT to land in this semi-final match,
but she has to face the Empress of Tomorrow.
Asuka's returned and she's as fierce as ever.
A spectacular win the ring semi-final. Alexa against Asuka.
Plus, Solo Sikoa has come to Michigan
needing to hear four little words from Jacob Fatu.
Things went south between them at Money in the Bank.
So now Solo's expecting to welcome Fatu back into the family.
We will find out if that happens.
And it's a far different version of R-Truth lately,
or as he's saying, "Put some respect on the name Ron Killings."
Truth has been attacking John Cena.
Tonight, he gets what he wants: a rematch with Cena.
Ron Killings against John Cena tonight on SmackDown.
Oh, and Wade Barrett, there's air quality concerns.
The Megastar's marching in, so there's a pheromone warning in here.
Inhale the kavorka.
The Megastar, LA Knight.
[Barrett] Yeah!
-["Welcome to LA" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Nash] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome LA Knight!
[crowd] Yeah!
[Tessitore] Wade, back here on SmackDown
after four days ago disrupting Bronson Reed's Fatal 4-Way on Raw.
[Barrett] Yeah, let's take you back to that.
King of the Ring, Fatal 4-Way this past Monday,
Bron Breakker getting involved.
And an attempt away, Bronson Reed.
Smashing up everything in sight until Penta attack taking out Bron Breakker.
And with Reed about to crush the competition,
in runs LA Knight causing some chaos, opening the window for Main Event Jey Uso.
-[crowd] One, two, three! -[Barrett] Hit the Splash
and book his spot in the semi-finals of the King of the Ring tournament,
a little payback from LA Knight
to the crew who scuppered his own chances in the King of the Ring tournament.
[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight!
[chanting continues]
[crowd cheering]
Let me talk to you.
[crowd] Yeah!
Let's just go ahead and rewind our mind a little bit.
We go back to Money in the Bank,
Seth and his boys, they just happened to come down and screw this guy.
[crowd boos]
And, you know, usually, you know, you know me, I usually let things slide,
but I just figured I couldn't let that slide.
I had to come back and make sure I got a little payback and screw one of his boys
out of King of the Ring.
[crowd] Yeah!
But they came back, they paid it back to me one more time,
screwed me out of King of the Ring,
so then I screwed the other one out of King of the Ring.
[crowd] Yeah!
And it's just got me thinking.
[crowd clamoring]
There's only one way this can go.
I've gone back and forth, Raw, SmackDown, Raw, SmackDown, round and round it goes.
Where it ends, nobody knows.
Except me. I know. I know where it ends.
[crowd] Yeah!
It ends with me. It ends with Seth Rollins.
What better place than here, what better time than now?
-[crowd] Yeah! -Seth Rollins,
come on out and talk to LA Knight.
-[Heyman] Ladies and gentlemen… -[crowd cheering]
[crowd booing]
Ladies and gentlemen,
-my name is Paul Heyman. -[crown] My name is Paul Heyman.
I serve as the Wiseman
for Mr. Money in the Bank.
-Seth "Freakin" Rollins. -[crowd] Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
[crowd booing]
You don't boo that name.
[crowd booing]
You screwed up your cue, we'll do it all over again.
[crowd booing]
I serve as the Wiseman
-for Seth "Freakin" Rollins. -[crowd] Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
[crowd booing]
Mr. Money in the Bank.
Hey, can you just shut up and get to your damn point.
[crowd cheering]
Why are you here?
May I?
[crowd clamoring]
[crowd chanting] OTC! OTC!
You're right, there's been a lot of bad blood
that's gone down between you and Mr. Money in the bank,
-Seth "Freakin" Rollins. -[crowd] Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
[crowd booing]
However, I happen to be…
With all due respect to everyone here tonight in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
[crowd cheering]
I happen to be…
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk!
[chanting continues]
[LA Knight] Clearly you guys have a lot of enemies.
I happen to be
the biggest LA Knight fan in all of WWE.
[crowd booing]
And I've been waiting a long time to say this…
Yeah! Oh, I've waited…
So, because of that, Seth "Freakin" Rollins has--
[crowd booing]
…has allowed me
to say to you…
as a favor to me…
It's time for you
to get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
[crowd booing]
Because if you don't,
something really bad is gonna happen to you
before the end of this night.
Have a nice evening.
[crowd] LA Knight! LA Knight!
[chanting continues]
I couldn't help but notice, but…
[imitates Heyman] …did you…
[crowd laughs]
…just threatened me?
'Cause… [stammers] I gotta just wrap my head around this for just a second
because, uh, I've heard you say that before.
You're a big fan of me. That's great.
And you know why I've heard you say that before?
Because you're a liar, you're a swindler, you're a grifter,
you're a scammer, you're a schemer.
[crowd] Yeah!
You leech on to every piece of talent that's got a little bit of hype,
a little bit of buzz.
You leech on, you suck them dry, and you move on to the next.
[crowd] Yeah!
Seth Rollins just happens to be the latest in this, and then where do you go next?
I really don't care.
The bottom line is I asked you for Seth Rollins, you gave me Paul Heyman.
And while you gave me Paul Heyman,
you gave me a Paul Heyman who's out here talking pretty damn tough.
So it's kind of got me thinking.
I kinda got this great idea while you're talking about "Wiseman, wisdom,"
you know, there was a point in time where if you were to talk like that,
a man like me would have looked at a thing like you
and punched your wisdom teeth down your throat.
[crowd cheering]
But I'm not going to do that…
yet.
Here's what I'm gonna do instead.
Since you're talking so tough, since you can't bring me Seth Rollins,
I just have to think that must mean
the only thing we can do right here in Grand Rapids…
[crowd cheering]
…is LA Knight and Paul Heyman right here, right now.
[crowd cheering]
Do you want LA Knight and Paul Heyman right now?
[crowd] Yeah!
-Huh? -[crowd] Yeah!
-Huh? Huh? -[crowd] Yeah! Yeah!
-[LA Knight] Yeah! -[crowd] Yeah!
So I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna turn my back right now. I'm gonna take my stuff off.
Big man, I'm gonna let you get the first shot and make it a good one,
'cause if you don't, I'll mollywhop your ass all the way back out in Grand Rapids.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd booing]
[crowd member] Chicken! Chicken!
Remember when I told you, "Get the hell out of Grand Rapids
or something really bad is gonna happen to you by the end of the night"?
That wasn't a prediction.
That was a spoiler.
[crowd clamoring]
[Tessitore] Well, it looks like Heyman's warning
is materializing in the form of Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
[Barrett] Yeah, and this is the issue with LA Knight.
He's been playing with fire for weeks now,
and you don't cause issues for this trio without some major consequences.
[Tessitore] We know what happened in the King of the Ring first round,
and now it's two-on-one.
Breakker, Reed, and The Megastar.
[Barrett] That's two of the most powerful savage beasts we have here,
directed by Paul Heyman.
And that mollywhopping is going the way of The Megastar.
[Tessitore] Just ripping his shirt apart.
Oh, and sending him over the barrier of timekeeper.
Oh, watch out.
Bron Breakker has turned into a madman instantly here.
[shouting]
[Tessitore] Oh, Knight's got a steel chair.
Knight's on the attack.
[Barrett] They take their eye off The Megastar for a second.
[Tessitore] Right to the back of Big Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker.
[Barrett] Swinging with a major equalizer.
Well, whatever plan Paul Heyman cooked up has backfired.
-[Tessitore] The Megastar. -[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight!
[Tessitore] Able to fight them off with the chair in hand.
[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight!
[Tessitore] As Paul Heyman has returned ringside to gather his troops.
[Heyman] Not our time! I know you're…
[Tessitore] And even more layers to everything that's been happening
-with LA Knight and the Seth Rollins crew. -["Welcome To LA" playing]
The cost tonight was Money in the Bank. Interfered there.
Now the attack of The Megastar to open up this electric Friday Night SmackDown.
[music fades]
[Tessitore] This was moments ago here
with LA Knight, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
[Barrett] Yeah, the attack was on LA Knight.
Looked good for about five seconds,
but the power of Breakker and Reed took full control of this one,
and the beatdown commenced.
But The Megastar, with chair in hand, found the ultimate equalizer,
beating the hell of these two powerhouses and seemingly living to fight another day,
but trust me, that day will come.
We have this under control.
This is all in our favor.
It's always gonna be in our favor.
-That's the whole point behind-- -[Saxton] Excuse me, gentlemen…
-[stammers] Sorry to-- -[growling, barking]
No, no, no. No, no, not him. Don't fight him.
-Your move. -Hi. My apologies, again.
I just wanted to let you all know that I just received word from Nick Aldis
that tonight Bronson Reed
will go one-on-one with LA Knight.
[crowd cheering]
Okay. Thank you.
-Goodbye. -Thank you.
I told you.
Patience is not a virtue.
It's a strategy.
-["The Fury" playing] -[Tessitore] And we all win.
Bronson Reed, LA Knight coming up.
But right now, Queen of the Ring semi-final action.
-[bell ringing] -[Nash] The following contest
is a semi-final match in the Queen of the Ring tournament,
introducing first from Columbus, Ohio,
Alexa Bliss!
[Tessitore] It has been so special to watch the return of Alexa Bliss,
five-time world champion.
Pulled off one of the best-timed wins last week we've seen in a while.
Wade, that made for a very bothered Charlotte Flair.
[Barrett] That is right.
Flair looking so good looking to progress in the Queen of the Ring,
locking in the Figure Eight on Alba Fyre, close to tapping out.
Alexa Bliss, though, just in the nick of time here, in that Abigail DDT…
-[crowd] One, two, three! -…scoring the three-count milliseconds
-before Fyre tapped out to Flair. -[bell ringing]
The margin between victory and defeat has never been closer,
but Alexa is the one who progresses through
to the Queen of the Ring semi-final that is about to take place.
-[Tessitore] How about Charlotte's face… -[Barrett] Ooh!
[Tessitore] Maybe a second earlier, she would have had it.
["The Future" playing]
-[Barrett] You ready, Joe? -[Tessitore] Oh, this is so good, Wade.
[Barrett] I'm not ready. Nobody is ready for Asuka.
♪ From far and wide and light years away ♪
♪ Cast from the shadows Now light my way ♪
[Nash] And her opponent, from Osaka, Japan,
the Empress of Tomorrow.
Asuka!
[Tessitore] Her signature entrance.
We just saw on Monday Night Raw her ever-impressive ability in the ring.
Over 400 days she was out of action. Serious knee injury, required surgery.
But what a way to come back, Wade.
[Barrett] Rodriguez looking to win. Progress with the Tejana Bomb.
But someone had other plans.
That someone being Rhea Bloody Ripley.
Dropping the powerhouse with this Riptide on the outside,
and that opened a window for the returning Asuka to strike
-and score the dub, progressing through… -[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Barrett] …to tonight's semi-final… -[bell ringing]
[Barrett] …against Alexa Bliss, just one step away from Night of Champions
and the final of the Queen of the Ring tournament.
-[song continues] -[Tessitore] The four-time world champion.
She has worked so hard to get herself back to this prime form that we've always seen.
Asuka.
[Barrett] Two of the absolute best of their generation,
nine world championship reigns between these two.
-Only one woman can progress… -[music fades]
…to the final in Saudi Arabia
at Night of Champions.
-And let's not forget that sweetener… -[bell ringing]
…of the Championship opportunity at SummerSlam
for whoever wins this tournament.
[Tessitore] Of course, their careers filled with championship gold
on the resume, including what they've accomplished together.
These two were WWE Women's Tag Team Champions together back in 2022.
[Tessitore] Wade, I want to get into your take on Asuka at this stage
of what we've seen at this point of her career.
On social media this week she posted an intense photo
with a message that simply stated, "I wasn't gone.
I was holding the power inside. The fire never died.
It's alive and now it's time to burn again."
[Barrett] Yeah. Such a long layoff for Asuka.
And you would understand if she wanted to come back and take it a little slowly,
get a couple of easy matches under your belt, but no, not for Asuka.
-Straight in at the deep end… -[Asuka exclaims]
…in a major tournament against top-tier opponents.
Asuka is not waiting around. She wants success immediately.
-That fire is raging inside her. -[crowd cheering]
[Tessitore] Shoulder tackle against Alexa Bliss
and now goes with the hip attack and she sends her off the apron.
Queen of the Ring, semi-final action from here in Grand Rapids.
[Tessitore] Over 13 months away from ring action for Asuka
but here she is in a span of a week, looking so impressive.
Trying to get that lock on, but Bliss able to break free
as she takes on Alexa Bliss in the Queen of the Ring semifinal.
[Barrett] I'll give you my opinion right now,
as Alexa Bliss is starting to get some momentum here.
In a Fatal 4-Way that we saw, Ale… Excuse me, we saw Asuka in last week,
there are opportunities to hide from the firefight.
You haven't got all the attention on you.
This is singles now, so if there are any weaknesses in Asuka's game
after that layoff, it's about to be exposed.
-[Tessitore] Big knee from Bliss. -[Barrett] Oh!
[Tessitore] And then into the cover right away to advance to the finals!
And getting that shoulder up, was Asuka.
[Barrett] Frustration now starting to kick in for Alexa Bliss.
We know she's got an all-timer resume
but has not held World Championship gold since 2018.
Win this tournament, become Queen of the Ring,
and the opportunity to change that presents itself.
[Tessitore] Striking attack from Asuka.
And now looking to gather momentum offensively.
-Empress of Tomorrow. -[Barrett] Oh!
[Tessitore] Into the cover.
You saw moments ago that crown
that they are battling to be in position for this semi-final action.
Finals comes your way Night of Champions, the finals for King and Queen of the Ring.
[crowd clapping, cheering]
[Tessitore] Oh, she goes for the big kick, but instead it's a roll up.
It's a roll up for Alexa.
[Tessitore] And now Sister Abigail's lined up, Wade.
-[Barrett] Out of nowhere! -[Tessitore] She's got Sister Abigail.
Oh, but a roll up by Asuka countering it.
What a sequence between these highly-skilled former champions.
[Barrett] Now a boot right to the temple.
[Tessitore] Could that do it? No, able to get the shoulders up.
[Barrett] That was a late, late kick out from Alexa Bliss,
who looks as groggy as hell right now.
And Asuka, if she can pick up the pace here, surely has a victory looming.
[Tessitore] So impressive, what we have seen out of these two.
The pace, the skill, the varied offensive attack.
Asuka up top. Could it be missile dropkick?
Getting out of the way, was Alexa Bliss.
[Barrett] Bliss just too nimble for Asuka.
[Tessitore] Oh, and she has the DDT.
To advance to the finals.
Left shoulder gets up at two in change.
[Barrett] Well, Asuka is now well and truly softened up
after this DDT right on the top of the crown.
And Alexa Bliss, just a millisecond from qualifying for the final.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
[Tessitore] And you hear the crowd, the sold-out Van Andel Arena.
It is awesome.
And it's exactly what you expect to be delivered with Bliss and Asuka.
Bliss.
[crowd cheering]
[Barrett] Bliss second-guessing.
She was thinking Twisted Bliss and then all of a sudden did second-guess it.
[Barrett] I think she thought Asuka might have been playing possum.
-May… Oh, maybe she was! -[Tessitore] Maybe she was, indeed.
And she's locking it in. Flying Armbar is locked in by Asuka.
[Barrett] And that left arm…
That right arm, excuse me, fully extended in the middle of the ring.
And now a transition, keep your eyes peeled here.
[Tessitore] She's looking for the submission here to advance herself.
[Barrett] Well, that Asuka Lock, that modified version of it.
And Bliss needs to get
-the hell out of there ASAP. -One! Two!
[Tessitore] She is desperate to get to that rope.
[Barrett] Sheer torture on the limbs of Alexa Bliss,
and there's no let up now from Asuka.
[Tessitore] There isn't, indeed.
[Barrett] Hangman's Neckbreaker connecting.
[Tessitore] Can the Neckbreaker put it away? No, right shoulder gets up.
[Barrett] And you do question, was that a mistake from Alexa Bliss
when she was on the top rope
elected to drop down instead of going for that Twisted Bliss?
[Tessitore] Sold-out here in Grand Rapids, 11,134.
And what a match they're getting in this Queen of the Ring semi-final.
[Barrett] A banger right off the bat from two of the best
with all the stakes of this one.
[Tessitore] I think Asuka was going for the Empress Impact,
but instead she ate that right hand from Bliss.
[Barrett] Well Bliss now the one perhaps playing possum.
What a battle of the minds it's been in this one.
[Tessitore] Oh, she's got her hung up and lands the dropkick.
[Barrett] Completely unprotected, was Asuka.
We might be getting take two here, Joe Tess.
[Tessitore] Moments ago she didn't go for it.
-There it is! Oh! -[Barrett] Oh!
[Tessitore] But Twisted Bliss with knees up, knees up.
And there it is.
[Tessitore] Empress Impact.
-Asuka's done it! -[bell ringing]
["The Future" playing]
[Nash] Here is your winner, Asuka!
[Barrett] Asuka qualifies for the final at the Queen of the Ring tournament
at Night Of Champions.
She will face the victor of--
[inaudible chattering]
"No one is ready for Asuka."
You heard it, Joe Tess. It's absolutely correct.
Will Jade Cargill or Roxanne Perez face Asuka in the final?
We will find out this Monday on Raw.
Damn, Asuka just came back and she already making statements.
It's like she never left.
I think it's time we make our own statements.
-[B-Fab] Mmm. -Actually…
we need to talk to all this about the Tag Team titles,
-you know what I mean? [chuckles] -You're right.
-Hey, you got this. -Good luck, girl.
-Thank you. -Take care of business.
Hey, Jade, uh, mind if I grab a word with you?
Shoot.
I know you just watched Asuka advance to the finals
of the Queen of the Ring tournament,
but you also have your own semi-final match this Monday night
against Roxanne Perez.
So how do you feel about facing such a talented competitor like Perez,
and also, how do you feel about the possibility of facing Asuka in the finals?
[scoffs] Rox, she has potential. She's quick, scrappy.
But she's still trying to prove herself.
And this isn't a proving ground, this is a throne room.
And I was built for royalty.
Now Asuka, that's a storm on the horizon.
But news flash, I'm the storm.
This entire tournament, it wasn't built for the future.
It was built for a woman that can walk through the fire, shatter glass ceilings
and fix her crown on the way to the top.
This Queen of the Ring,
I'm not walking in just to win. I'm walking in to reign.
[crowd cheering]
[Barrett] Well, from women's semifinals to men's semifinals
later here tonight on SmackDown,
the King of the Ring semi-final number one takes place
as the Viper, Randy Orton goes head-to-head with Sami Zayn.
[Tessitore] Plus the lethal striker,
the mysterious, fiercely determined Aleister Black.
He's been in so tough lately, he's looked so impressive.
We're back in black. In action. Next.
Oh! Hey, Lafufu. How's your boo-boo?
-How's yours? -Oh.
You're stunning. She's just jealous.
Serves you right, Bliss.
I should have been Queen of the Ring,
and I would have already been building my parliament by now if it weren't for you.
You really have that big of an issue with it,
why don't you try facing me in the ring again?
-I have real duties. -It didn't work out for you did it?
Ladies, ladies, ladies.
If anyone should have been in this tournament, it should have been me,
but had your replacement tapped out three seconds sooner,
I'd still be here.
So here's the thing, I'm gonna have this match made tonight
and tap you out tonight.
[scoffs] Not if I make it a bank holiday. Royal duties, girls. Royal duties.
Nicholas!
I don't need your help.
That's cute. I wasn't here to help you.
["On And On" plays]
[Tessitore] That relationship's interesting, isn't it?
Kit Wilson, one half of the tag team Pretty Deadly.
He's taking a singles action tonight after the early May injury
to his partner, Elton Prince.
[Barrett] Shout-out Elton, get well soon, pal. We miss you.
[Tessitore] All of us are thinking about you, Elton.
["Root of All Evil" plays]
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ No man is ever truly good No man is every truly evil ♪
♪ I do the things you never could…
[Tessitore] You know, a week ago,
Aleister Black was finding some big moments
in a thrilling Fatal 4-Way first round of our King of the Ring tournament match
before LA Knight hit him with a BFT.
-What is going on in the ring right now? -[Barrett] Whoa.
[Tessitore] What is happening with Kit Wilson being attacked?
R-Truth is attacking Kit Wilson.
[Barrett] What the hell did Kit Wilson ever do wrong?
R-Truth is supposed to be fighting John Cena later on tonight.
[Tessitore] What is he doing?
Look at the STF.
He's is just attacking him before this match gets underway here.
Give me the mic!
[Tessitore] And now he's demanding a mic.
Get John Cena out here, now.
[crowd cheers]
I'm driving on my terms.
Cena, get out here!
[Tessitore] And we know that's coming up in our main event. Look at this!
[Barrett] Well, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time is poor Kit Wilson.
[Tessitore] And Aleister Black is just standing there saying,
"Somebody control this guy," he doesn't even know what to do.
[Barrett] I don't know if you can control this version of R-Truth.
[Tessitore] Cena is not here yet.
You can hear him say, "John Cena is not even here in the arena."
[Barrett] John Cena is business, he turns up when it's time to fight,
but R-Truth was ready to throw hands immediately.
That is how unglued this version of R-Truth has become
after that betrayal by John Cena.
Finally, some sense talked into R-Truth, for now at least.
[Tessitore] Remember that's coming up later tonight.
It's not for the Undisputed Championship for Ron Killings, R-Truth.
For something more, it's for respect.
And speaking of, Wade,
the seeds of disrespect being planted for a match,
that's how we've arrived at a shocking return of a Hall of Famer
because Goldberg is back,
and he'll be getting his hands on Gunther in just three weeks.
[Gunther] Jey Uso was the better man
for one night,
because on every other single night,
I am untouchable!
[Cole] Gunther is once again…
[Gunther] Your world heavyweight champion.
-I heard all the rumors about… -Who's next?
-…for me. -[crowd chanting] Goldberg!
No, no. Definitely not that guy.
Since I'm a target,
I want to make it easy for you.
I am right here.
-["Invasion" plays] -[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Goldberg! Goldberg!
[Goldberg] Don't be confused, Gunther.
Tonight I'm here to celebrate you winning the World Heavyweight Championship
because I've been there before.
I understand how proud you must feel.
One thing…
A few months ago,
you started something with me and my family in Atlanta, Georgia.
How can the greatest wrestler on the earth right now be impressed
with a one-trick pony like you?
Gage, I really hope for you that Bill is a better father
than he is a professional wrestler.
[crowd exclaims]
[Goldberg] I am gonna make sure that I end it
in Atlanta, Georgia.
July the 12th!
Saturday Night Main Event!
[roars]
You're next!
[crowd chanting] Goldberg, Goldberg!
[Barrett] You call out a man in front of his family,
expect consequences, especially when that man is Goldberg.
Goldberg now gets his chance for the World Heavyweight Championship against Gunther
in his hometown of Atlanta.
[Tessitore] Meanwhile, here in Grand Rapids, Michigan,
Cody Rhodes says he will do whatever it takes to earn a World title shot.
Last week he was victorious, but now that means facing his friend, Jey Uso.
The American Nightmare will address his King of the Ring semifinal matchup next.
Well, I want John Cena.
I want John Cena right now.
-Listen. -I'm driving, Jamie.
I know you're driving, and you want Cena tonight, dude,
but you gotta just relax.
Well, when I see John Cena, I'm gonna kill him tonight.
[Black] Ron!
Or Truth.
Why are you getting involved in my matches?
Nothing personal. It had nothing to do with you.
[crowd cheers]
Aleister,
look, man, he's going through a lot.
Let me talk to him.
[scoffs]
Of course.
Ron.
Black.
Yo, there's no need for any of that.
I get that you're frustrated.
I really do.
But you just can't go around beating people for no reason, man.
I used to do that.
And you were the guy that would stand right there and make me smile.
You'd make the world smile.
All that anger, that negativity, focus that on your match tonight.
Focus that on John Cena.
[crowd cheers]
Go out there and handle your business with Cena tonight,
and then me and you,
we'll go downtown and celebrate.
[crowd cheers]
How does that sound?
-Sounds good, DP. -All right.
Do your thing.
[Barrett] Do your thing.
As fired up as we have ever seen R-Truth,
he gets to do his thing tonight in the main event.
John Cena, you have major problems on your hands.
[Tessitore] That's gonna be great and so is this,
our big surprise of tonight.
Earlier tonight, Bronson Reed attacking LA Knight,
and now they can settle things inside the ropes.
The Megastar against the human tsunami, Big Bronson Reed tonight.
[Barrett] What a clash and get this, just breaking.
After Chelsea Green ran her mouth once again,
it has got her into even more trouble.
She is going one-on-one with Charlotte Flair later on tonight,
right here on SmackDown.
["Kingdom" plays]
[crowd cheers]
♪ Wrestling has more than one Royal family ♪
♪ Adrenaline In my soul ♪
♪ Every fight Out of control ♪
♪ Do it all To get them off their feet ♪
♪ Crowd is here About to blow ♪
♪ Waitin' for me to Start the show ♪
♪ Out the curtain Lights go out, I'm home ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ My father said ♪
♪ When I was younger… ♪
[Nash] Ladies and gentleman,
please welcome the American Nightmare,
Cody Rhodes!
[Tessitore] Wade, Cody looked so impressive last week.
He was bouncing back, slammed through a table
and then dismissed the hopes of Shinsuke Nakamura,
getting through Priest and Andrade as well,
and now he has a huge statement to make
in the King of the Ring semifinals set for Monday Night Raw.
[Barrett] Yeah, big task ahead of him against Jey Uso, of course.
The winner of that will face the winner of tonight's semifinal
between Randy Orton and Sami Zayn in the final.
♪ Whoa ♪
[Barrett] But Cody is a man on a mission,
desperate to win the crown and earn himself another crack
at the gold taken from him at WrestleMania by John Cena.
[Tessitore] Look at this scene. You wonder why they call him
the Quarterback of the Biz, QB1,
in front of a sold-out crowd on their feet.
Giving him this kind of a reception as he humbly tries to work his way
back to a World title shot.
♪ I am my kingdom ♪
♪ You tried to tell me What to do… ♪
[music fades out]
[crowd cheers]
[crowd chants] Cody! Cody!
[crowd cheers]
-["Main Event Ish" plays] -♪ Uso… ♪
[crowd cheers]
♪ Main Event Jey Uso Is now in your city ♪
♪ It's just me, uce… ♪
[Tessitore] And the other semifinalist has arrived.
♪ Day one ish It's just me, uce ♪
♪ Day one ish It's Jey ♪
♪ I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this… ♪
[crowd chanting]
[crowd cheers]
[Barrett] Packed out arena after packed out arena
anywhere around the world, there really is no sight quite like this.
♪ It's just me, uce… ♪
[Tessitore] And they can never get enough.
Jey Uso.
♪ Day one ish It's Jey ♪
♪ I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this… ♪
[Tessitore] Just a couple weeks removed from teaming up in LA with Cody Rhodes,
and now just a couple days removed from facing off against Cody Rhodes
in the men's semifinals of this King of the Ring tournament.
[Barrett] So much respect between these two.
Of course, that has to go out the window.
Bell-to-bell on Raw.
The stakes are quite simply too high.
Oh, dapping us up. Damn, I feel cool right now.
Jey Uso just has that effect, doesn't he?
A sea of humanity completely in sync
with Main Event Jey Uso.
[Tessitore] A constant wave of energy that yeets throughout the building.
♪ Day one ish It's just me, uce ♪
♪ Day one ish It's Jey ♪
♪ I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this… ♪
[Tessitore] From high atop to down ringside,
sold-out in Grand Rapids.
[Barrett] Ooh, I'm out of breath. I don't know how Jey Uso does it.
♪ It's go time now, uce ♪
♪ Okay, yeah Okay, yeah ♪
♪ Ay, let's get it, uce ♪
♪ Ay, I'm 'bout to get 'em, uce ♪
♪ I'm 'bout to get 'em all ♪
♪ Let's go Uso ♪
♪ It's just me, uce ♪
♪ Day one ish It's just me, uce ♪
♪ Day one ish It's Jey ♪
♪ I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this… ♪
[crowd cheers]
♪ It's just me, uce… ♪
-[Tessitore] And they want more. -[Barrett chuckles]
[Barrett] We could fill the next two hours with this.
But they will be dropping like flies. It's pretty damn hot here tonight.
[crowd cheers]
[Tessitore] We know the respect between these two.
[music fades out]
[crowd chanting] One more time! One more time!
[chanting continues]
[Tessitore] Oh! Yeet all you want, Grand Rapids!
[Barrett] Come on, Mr. Music Man.
-Do your damn job! -[Tessitore] Yeet as deep as you need!
["Main Event Ish" playing]
[Tessitore] Yeeting deep into the night in Michigan!
[Barrett] Caught the DJ napping, but this crowd ain't napping.
[Tessitore laughs]
[Barrett] They're yeeting all night long. Jey Uso not one to let the people down.
[Jey] That was a good one, uce!
[music stops]
[crowd chanting] Yeet! Yeet!
Hey…
you don't even have to say nothing, uce.
'Cause me and you been in the trenches.
[crowd] Yeet!
Still in the trenches.
[crowd] Yeet!
From fighting my family…
[crowd] Yeet!
…to winning tag team gold…
[crowd] Yeet!
To finishing our stories at WrestleMania.
[crowd] Yeet!
We both been to the mountaintop.
[crowd] Yeet!
But, Cody, this Monday, uce, there's only room for one of us.
[crowd chanting] Cody, Cody Rhodes!
There's only room for one of us, uce.
You against me.
Me against you.
Look at me, uce. I know you're gonna bring it.
I know you're gonna bring it, and I gotta get mine, uce.
I gotta get mine, Cody,
just like you gotta get yours, all right?
That being said, uce, I know it ain't personal.
It's strictly business.
But with that being said too, uce,
on Monday night, after me and you go to war,
please believe it's gonna be four letters,
-one word. -[crowd] One word!
-[crowd] Uh-uh! Yeet! -Yeet.
-["Worlds Apart" plays] -[crowd cheers]
-[Barrett] Oh, for crying out loud. -[Tessitore] Oh, man.
Well here's four letters, one name. S-A-M-I.
-[Barrett] Way to ruin a moment, Sami. -[crowd] Let's go!
[Tessitore] Sami himself, a semifinalist in the King of the Ring tournament
that we will see in action in moments.
[Barrett] I mean, whoever wins semifinal A and semifinal B,
we've got three matches everywhere you look.
[crowd vocalizing "Worlds Apart"]
[Tessitore] Well, Cody's been trying to speak,
but he had a yeet tidal wave and now a Sami Zayn interruption.
[crowd cheers]
[Barrett] Real carnival atmosphere here, tonight in Grand Rapids.
[Tessitore] Awesome crowd here in Grand Rapids. Awesome.
You gotta mic?
I mean, this is nice, isn't it?
I get to share the ring with two great friends.
I get to share the ring with, if I may say so,
two of the very best that this business has to offer.
[crowd cheers]
Now, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me
that is very, very aware that the three of us standing in this ring,
there's only one of us who has never won the World Championship.
Jey, I wanted to let you know, and I've told you this before,
but I want to tell you this right now, man-to-man.
This year, I had to miss WrestleMania. I had no reason to be in Las Vegas.
I got my ass on a plane for one reason,
and it was to make sure that I was there to congratulate you
when you won the World Championship.
[crowd cheers]
I love you, and I'm proud of you.
And, Cody,
for years, every one of us watched with bated breath
as you tried to finish your story.
And when you did, when you did the unthinkable
and you pinned Roman Reigns in the middle of the ring at WrestleMania,
I was the first one to run through these ropes to congratulate you.
I am proud that you finished your story.
[crowd cheers]
So I hope both of you understand
that now it is time for me to finish my story.
♪ I hear voices In my head ♪
♪ They counsel me They understand ♪
♪ They talk to me… ♪
["Voices" playing]
[Tessitore] Yeah, but to do that, Sami's got to get through
one of the greatest to ever do this,
and he's staring at exactly the prize he wants.
♪ You got your rules And your religion… ♪
[Barrett] Randy Orton has finished thousands of stories
over the past 20 years.
Most of them did not end well for his opponents.
♪ I have a voice That is my savior ♪
♪ Hates to love And loves to hate ♪
♪ I have a voice… ♪
[Tessitore] Sami and Randy will be meeting up in the King of the Ring semifinals
right here tonight on SmackDown.
♪ I see heroes dying… ♪
One of these four men will be King of the Ring,
will get a championship opportunity at SummerSlam in early August
at MetLife Stadium in Metro New York.
♪ They talk to me ♪
♪ They talk to me… ♪
[music fades out]
[crowd] ♪ They talk to me… ♪
[crowd cheers]
So, Cody, same deal as last week, but I'm gonna say it again.
There is no line that I will not cross, even if it means going through you
so that I can get to John Cena at SummerSlam, beat him,
and get my 15th World Championship.
[crowd cheers]
Uce, man,
I respect the… the hell out of you, dude.
[crowd cheers]
Our families go way, way, way back.
Nothing but love, dude,
but if you're standing across the ring from me at SummerSlam,
it's not gonna be four letters, one word,
it's gonna be three letters in one move.
[crowd cheers]
Now I think not only can I speak for myself,
but I can also speak for you, you,
and each and every one of you beautiful people in this arena…
[crowd cheering]
…when I say, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, Sami,
one day, one day soon,
Sami Zayn will be World Champion.
[crowd cheers]
But SummerSlam's not that day.
[crowd exclaims]
Because tonight, you're gonna be on the receiving end
of the three most dangerous letters in sports entertainment,
-R-K… -[crowd] R-K-O!
["Voices" plays]
[Tessitore] A lot of confidence in that ring right now.
The two have to prove it all immediately.
Sami Zayn, Randy Orton, King of the Ring semifinals
coming up next.
-[bell rings] -[Tessitore] That is the target.
The crown for King of the Ring.
It'll be earned next week, Night of Champions, Saturday, June 28th
from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
But right now, we have to see who will arrive in the finals.
This is semifinal action, Randy Orton and Sami Zayn.
[crowd chants] Let's go, Randy!
[Barrett] Randy Orton perhaps the sentimental choice
for the King of the Ring this year
after losing out in the final last year when he really wasn't pinned.
He got screwed out of that final.
Got a chance to make things good this year in 2025.
Fix that problem.
[Tessitore] The path to arrive here at this semifinal for each man,
for Randy Orton,
it was on SmackDown a week ago when he was able to survive
Aleister Black, Carmelo Hayes and LA Knight.
We know what happened with LA Knight as he was in position
for the leaping elbow before Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker arrived.
Randy Orton had an all-time moment with the midair RKO
of Carmelo Hayes onto LA Knight to earn his ticket.
And the big jumps against the big man.
Sami Zayn defeated Bron Breakker, Dom Mysterio and Penta
back on June 9th on Monday Night Raw on Netflix.
[Barrett] Randy's had enough already.
I remember, historically, Randy being furious anytime anybody ever chopped him.
Sami Zayn, no care though.
[Tessitore] And Randy was quick to get out of the way.
He saw it just out of the corner of his eye coming his way.
[Barrett] Those eyes of the Viper just narrowed a little.
I think this may well backfire on Sami Zayn who started out red-hot tonight.
[Tessitore] That's the last thing you want,
are the intense focused eyes of the Viper.
[Barrett] We're blessed with the focus of Sami Zayn right now
because Karrion Kross of late has been whispering severe negativity
into the ears of Sami Zayn.
Consistently telling him he's not good enough
to beat the very top tier of competitors in WWE,
and that clearly includes Randy Orton.
[Tessitore] Yeah, Kross has a way of doing it with the silver tongue.
[Barrett] Referee missed that. That was a poke in the eye.
You can tell, Randy irritated by those chops.
[Tessitore] Oh, and the uppercut from Orton as well.
[Barrett] And now starting to listen to those sadistic demons.
Wait! One for good measure.
Returning the favor is Sami Zayn, who is not holding back at all here
in his quest to progress in the King of the Ring tournament.
[Tessitore] Oh! And he gets rid of his leg and slams him down
right into the apron.
Oh! You knew it was only a matter of time.
Monitors went bursting, flying everywhere.
The back of Sami Zayn, you could hear the thud.
[Barrett] You could see the spine of Zayn connecting
right on the point of that monitor, and he's barely moved since.
Shaking those hands, trying to get a little feeling back in them.
[Tessitore] You can see him arching up after that impact
on our reinforced announce desk,
and Orton's going back to the-- Oh, man!
[Barrett] Well, at least…
[Tessitore] He's bent the entire front shield of the desk with Zayn's body!
Semifinal action, King of the Ring.
[Tessitore] Randy Orton is having it his way right now against Sami Zayn
in this King of the Ring tournament semifinal.
Winner advances to Night of Champions in Riyadh to try to become King of the Ring.
[Barrett] Yeah, such a fast start from Sami Zayn,
but once Orton powered his way through that,
it is the power of Randy Orton that is taking control here.
Zayn with the movement, once again trying to get some footway back into this match.
[Tessitore] And you can see him trying to gather himself
after he took such damage on our announce table.
Multiple slams to the back. Oh, and the big elbow from Zayn.
Randy runs right into it.
[Barrett] Confidence-building moments for Sami Zayn.
You take the kind of punishment that Orton's thrown at Zayn,
and you take control of the match.
[Tessitore] He's trying for the Blue Thunder Bomb,
but instead, Orton driving down the elbows to the back of his neck
and head and then delivering the big clothesline.
And another!
[Barrett] Sami Zayn is no powerhouse, and the size of Randy--
[Tessitore] Oh! Scoop powerslam!
[Barrett] The issue there, that is 280 pounds of Randy Orton.
The biggest he's ever been.
And Sami Zayn felt every ounce of that frame.
[Tessitore] I don't know that Sami realizes the position he put himself in.
Draping DDT!
The Viper is feeling it!
[Barrett] Got a little emphasis on that DDT.
Perhaps more so than usual,
and Randy Orton sees his place in the final.
[Tessitore] He gave the warning to everybody, to Cody, to Jey,
and spelled it out for Sami.
Oh, and Sami gathers himself just enough to get out of harm's way.
[Barrett] I don't know if gathered is the right way.
Certainly scrambled out of there in a hurry.
[Tessitore] Unfortunately for him, Wade.
[Barrett] He does not appear to have his wits about him,
and why would he after the beating he's already taken?
[Tessitore] Time and again, our reinforced announce desk
has become the weapon of choice,
but Sami able to get back on his feet,
and Sami delivers some of his own medicine to the Viper!
[Tessitore] Can you believe that? Where did he find the strength?
[Barrett] I don't know if I've ever seen anybody return the favor
to the Viper quite like that.
Sami Zayn is tapping into something very special here.
[Tessitore] These guys are extending themselves
with so much on the line.
Semifinal, King of the Ring,
as that left shoulder runs flush into the post.
And now Sami has his desired target lined up.
[Barrett] Orton is rocked. Orton is defenseless!
[Tessitore] Oh! But instead of Helluva, another scoop powerslam!
The Viper hooks the leg for the win,
and Sami survives at two and change.
[Barrett] Just when you drop your guard,
that is when Randy Orton is at his most dangerous.
Those reflexes are unsurpassed.
Tremendous instincts,
and in the nick of time, pulling out that powerslam on Sami Zayn,
who thought he was just about to punch his ticket to Riyadh.
[Tessitore] Well, you saw the diamonds in that King's crown.
Remember the winner of King of the Ring gets a championship opportunity
at SummerSlam,
but to do that, you've got to win here right now
to make it to the finals next week.
Zayn follows him up looking for the Helluva,
and Orton just gets away.
And look at his right leg hung up there for an extra moment.
RKO attempt. No.
Blue Thunder! Blue Thunder!
Zayn! Could he do it?
[Barrett groans] Oh!
Was this the moment?
Randy going for the RKO and, finally, that Blue Thunder Bomb.
Begging for a fast count. It wasn't quite fast enough for Sami Zayn.
But Sami Zayn can still finish it here.
[Tessitore] Back and forth they go.
The ebb and flow. The tides of combat.
We have seen it between Zayn and Orton.
Zayn having to dig deeper than he's ever done before
if he's gonna pull this off.
-Denied! -[Tessitore] Failed attempt!
Again, unable to get the RKO!
Oh! But he does so this time!
Helluva backfires!
Three letters of glory!
[bell rings]
["Voices" plays]
[Nash] Here is your winner,
the Viper, Randy Orton!
-[Tessitore] That was awesome! -[Barrett] Oh!
[Tessitore] That was awesome stuff in a King of the Ring semi.
[Barrett] Well, Randy Orton goes back to the final of the King of the Ring.
He will meet the winner of Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso
that takes place on Raw.
But Randy Orton gets an opportunity to right last year's wrong
in the final of the King of the Ring at Night of Champions.
[Tessitore] He's off to the final.
Well, there is last year's Queen of the Ring.
Nia Jax. Look at how intense and focused she is,
and she will join us next.
Nia Jax here in Grand Rapids.
["Not Like Most Girls" plays]
[Nash] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome Nia Jax!
[Tessitore] Nia Jax, the former WWE Women's Champion
who has been tangling nonstop with the current Women's Champion.
That disdain she has.
I ain't gonna cash in on you now.
I'ma cash in when you least expect it,
so I strongly advise you to proceed with caution.
[Barrett] Sage advice,
especially when arch nemesis Nia Jax is on the prowl.
The Irresistible Force squashing Tiffy Time
and reinforcing her goal of regaining the WWE Title from Stratton.
♪ There's only one of me ♪
♪ And I bet you'll be out Before I count to three ♪
♪ I'ma show you how 'Cause I'm the baddest breed… ♪
[music fades out]
[crowd boos]
You know what's crazy?
Tiffany Stratton approached me
to be under my wing because she knew exactly what I could do for her.
[crowd] What?
And look, she's thriving.
[crowd] What?
And what kind of thanks did I get for it?
[crowd] What?
She betrayed me.
[crowd] What?
-She has my title. -[crowd] What?
♪ It's Tiffy Time ♪
-["Tiffy Time" plays] -[crowd cheers]
-[Barrett] It was your title, Nia. -[Tessitore] It was.
[Barrett] Now, it's this lady's.
[Tessitore] Because last year, she was Miss Money in the Bank,
and this year, she's the tough and proven WWE Women's Champion.
Nia…
[music stops]
…you're like that toxic ex I just can't get away from.
News flash, get over it.
You make excuse after excuse, but when are you just going to admit
that maybe I'm just better than you?
Okay, so if you're so much better than me, why don't you give the rematch I deserve
without kicking a chair to my face?
You're so desperate for a match.
Well, it's your lucky day because I just made it official.
Next week, you and me.
And I'm gonna have some more fun adding a couple more scars
to that big old fivehead of yours.
[crowd exclaims]
Because this isn't just a regular match.
This is gonna be a Last Woman Standing.
[Barrett chuckles]
[Tessitore] Oh! They're getting at it right now,
center of the ring
after just announcing they're gonna do a Last Woman Standing.
Oh, did you see the force that Nia put on that?
Oh, and a leg drop by Nia.
[Barrett] What the hell was Tiffany Stratton thinking
entering a Last Woman Standing Match
with the Irresistible Force?
[Tessitore] And she's holding up her championship.
I mean, Nia Jax, the slam, and then the leg drop
after Tiffany just saying,
"I'll defend it next week. It'll be Last Woman Standing."
-And now Nia with another leg drop! -[Barrett groans]
[Barrett] Wel…
Welcome to a glimpse of your future, Tiffany Stratton.
There's confidence and--
[speaks unintelligibly]
Okay? And she's got my Women's Championship,
-and I'm taking it back. -["Last Warning" plays]
[Barrett, Tessitore] Oh!
[Tessitore] Wait a minute. Miss Money in the Bank!
Naomi's running down with an official!
She's got the briefcase! Is she gonna cash in right now?
Is this a cash-in right now?
-[Barrett] Oh! -[Tessitore] Oh!
[Naomi] Get off of me!
[Tessitore] Nia physically denying Naomi the ability to cash in.
Get off of me!
[Tessitore] Look at this, she's got the briefcase.
She has the official, and Nia is denying her.
[Barrett] Oh!
[Tessitore] And just in time, Tiffany's back on her feet!
[Barrett] Well, Nia Jax protecting her own investment.
-She wants the gold from Stratton. -["Tiffy Time" plays]
Certainly is not going to allow a Naomi cash-in.
Not on her watch, but it sounds like next week,
we're gonna have ourselves a Last Woman Standing matchup…
-[Tessitore] Wow. -[Barrett] …with the gold on the line.
[Tessitore] Can you believe everything going on in this division?
I mean, this rivalry between Tiffy Time and Nia Jax, it never ceases,
but we almost had a cash-in here.
[Barrett] Well, I'll tell you right now, Nia Jax prevented that cash-in this week,
but next week, if we've got a Last Woman Standing matchup,
regardless who wins, you have to think that Miss Money in the Back, Naomi,
will be lurking and ready to pounce.
Great rivalry between those two.
As for another heated rivalry, one that's lasted for over a decade now,
John Cena will defend against CM Punk at Night of Champions.
The recent verbal assaults between these two.
There's really a complexity to them that's born
of such a rich, deep, shared history.
[narrator] Yin and yang.
Two seemingly opposite forces that, in truth,
compliment and interconnect with the other.
Two entities in constant flux and transformation.
Totally interdependent to exist.
John Cena and CM Punk.
Yin and yang.
[Garcia] From West Newbury, Massachusetts…
[narrator] John Cena, the clean cut, untouchable chosen one.
[Cena] If you want some, come get some!
[narrator] A decorated champion.
A valiant in-ring competitor, and above all else, a man of the people.
And after more than two decades in the spotlight,
an icon who once set the standard…
-of hustle, loyalty and respect. -[Cena] Hustle, loyalty, respect.
[Taylor] From Chicago, Illinois…
[narrator] CM Punk.
The loud, defiant voice of the voiceless.
The rebel who was never meant to be king.
[CM Punk] I've been the best ever since day one.
There's one thing you're better at than I am, John,
and that's kissing ass.
[narrator] Raging against the system brought him adulation,
but never enough to fill the hole deep within.
His desire to sit alone atop the summit would lead to bitterness and resentment,
self destruction and banishment.
But time…
time changes everything.
Yin becomes yang.
Yang becomes yin.
In an infinite dance, struggling to find harmony.
Contrasting dualities destined to be bound.
And the battle in which these two have been endlessly engaged
finds itself with new motivation.
That title has corrupted you.
I've been the victim of an abusive relationship
because all you've ever done there for 25 years
is sit on your ass and watch me be great.
[narrator] Instead of a graceful exit, John Cena detached and, disillusioned,
-Has vowed to… -…ruin wrestling for everyone.
[narrator] While CM Punk has returned from exile a beacon of hope and change.
A new face for the company he once vowed to burn down.
The balance has shifted.
Light becomes shadow. Shadow now stands in the sun.
[Cena] I have shut your mouth and beaten your best.
You can't beat me when I'm at my best. You never could.
I won the title.
I left with the title. You're trying to follow in my footsteps.
[narrator] The Greatest of All Time…
Night of Champions. Ball's in your court, hero.
[narrator] The Best in the World.
You can't see me?
I see through you.
[narrator] Yin and yang,
positioned once again upon opposing shores…
for a final reckoning.
[Tessitore] Punk recently told Cena he could never beat him at his best.
Well, now they get to test each other at this stage of their careers,
and it's for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Night of Champions.
What a showcase event.
♪ Pledge your allegiance To Chelsea Green ♪
["Hot Mess" plays]
[bell rings]
[Nash] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, accompanied by the Secret Hervice,
from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada,
Chelsea Green!
[Tessitore] Still with the protective bejeweled face mask on.
Chelsea against the great Charlotte Flair,
♪ My rage got 'em looking for sympathy ♪
♪ I'm sweet and I'm sour So tempting me ♪
♪ Really, it's not what you wanna ♪
♪ They loving the looks and persona ♪
♪ Leave the drama For your mama ♪
♪ But you can play If you wanna… ♪
♪ Searching around for my enemy ♪
♪ But I look down to these mini me's ♪
[Tessitore] Chelsea Green.
By the way, the Chelsea Green-Wade Barrett connectivity
has gone over the limit this week
-on social media. -[Barrett] No, no, no.
[Tessitore] The absurdity of Chelsea Green naming you
her so-called DirectHER of Operations.
Continuing with the delusion that she's like some presidential level
of authority and runs the Green Regime.
[Barrett] And you, my assistant.
I have the emphasis on the first three letters.
[Tessitore] DirectHER of Operations…
Absolutely absurd title for you.
["All Hail the Queen" plays]
[Barrett] You're just jealous, Joe Tess. You should be celebrating.
You are my lowly assistant.
And I call the shots around here now.
♪ All hail the Queen ♪
[Tessitore] This is the living legend that's been calling the shots
in the division for a while.
[crowd] Woo!
[Nash] And her opponent, from the Queen City,
Charlotte Flair!
[Tessitore] Now, Charlotte all but advanced
in the Queen of the Ring tournament
when she locked in the Figure Eight on Alba Fyre,
who's here in the Secret Hervice.
What she couldn't control though was the pinfall that was happening
just a second before Fyre's tap out.
Chelsea was supposed to be in that match last week,
but she supposedly missed her flight.
It's nice that she's not barking through a cell phone right now.
[Barrett] No!
[Tessitore] She was sipping a frozen cocktail poolside.
-[Barrett] No, no, no. -[Tessitore] Now she's made it to work.
[Barrett] Oh, the spin that you give this stuff is unreal.
The hatred you have for poor Chelsea Green.
Look, Nicholas Aldis needs to be held accountable for last week's travel issue
-for Chelsea Green. -[Tessitore] Travel issue?
[Barrett] Cut price, budget, middle seat economy flight.
You don't do that to a star the level Chelsea Green.
-[bell rings] -[Barrett] You send the PJ.
[Tessitore] Did you ever think to yourself that perhaps Chelsea Green
didn't want to be in that spot
against the talent that was in that Fatal 4-Way
with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair?
-[Barrett] Why don't-- -[Tessitore] Look at that!
[Barrett] Why don't we focus on the bravery of Chelsea Green
competing mere weeks after
-a broken nose? -[Tessitore] Bravery?
[Tessitore] Alba Fyre just distracted Charlotte,
and that's how Chelsea Green takes advantage.
And now Flair chops back.
[Barrett] We're steady on.
This is a Chelsea Green out to prove a point about
on what a major scalp it will be if she could claim
the Charlotte Flair victory here.
Wait up.
[Tessitore] Now Flair taking care of Alba Fyre as well.
[Barrett] This is Charlotte Flair. You mentioned she's had a lot of things
go her way career-wise. Not of late. I rate--
[Tessitore] Off the top rope!
Wow, the height of the cross body, right into the cover.
[Barrett] Yeah, this is Charlotte Flair looking to stop the rot right now.
Of course, knocked out of the Money in the Bank qualifiers.
Knocked out of the Queen of the Ring quarterfinal.
Simply not what Charlotte Flair is used to.
Success is paramount for the Flair-- Now with the referee's back turned…
[Tessitore] Fyre again getting involved and just hanging her on that top rope,
and that allows for Chelsea Green again to take advantage.
[Barrett] The protective ring around Chelsea Green continues.
Chelsea Green now in full control here.
[Tessitore] Chelsea Green and Charlotte Flair in front of 11,134.
We are sold out here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
[Barrett] And it really has been the Chelsea Green show thus far,
but that's the issue with Charlotte Flair.
You simply can't write her off. So tough. So durable.
She's been in these deep waters before.
[Tessitore] Finding a way to try to fight her way back
against Green, who is wearing that protective mask.
What happened against Zelina Vega back in May in Tampa, still the effects.
[Barrett] Charlotte Flair has got it from all angles thus far in this match,
but still ticking,
still slugging away and seemingly taking the upper hand once again.
-[Tessitore] Flair chop. -[crowd] Woo!
And now you can see her gaining momentum against Green.
[Barrett] Statistically, the greatest of all time, Charlotte flair,
proving she still has it in abundance.
[Tessitore] Oh, fallaway slam and the kickup.
Oh, and she says, "Pledge this!"
-[Barrett] There's no need for that. -[Tessitore] That's it!
[Barrett] That's mockery at its worst. Shame on you, Charlotte Flair.
Oh, that was just astoundingly good.
[Tessitore] Into the hook of the leg cover.
[Barrett] Those gymnastic skills of Charlotte Flair
turned devastating in the blink of an eye.
Little extra torque on that--
[Tessitore] Is she lining her up? Is she thinking perhaps Figure…
And look at Alba Fyre again!
Alba Fyre, who understands exactly what it is to be in a Figure Eight leg lock,
gets sent from the big boot.
-[Barrett] Oh! -[Tessitore] Oh, and Chelsea…
[Barrett] Leg lariat.
And a late kick out there.
That was a corner woman in Alba Fyre just shouting instructions.
-[Tessitore] No, sir. That was-- -[Barrett] You're allowed to do that!
-[Tessitore] Oh, the mask is off! -[Barrett] Oh, no!
[Tessitore] The bejeweled mask is off of Chelsea Green.
[Barrett] Chelsea Green's going high risk now.
That nose completely unprotected.
[Tessitore] She's thinking I'm-Prettier against the 14-time world champion.
Charlotte denies her. Charlotte…
-Spear! Spear! -[Barrett groans]
Flair for the win!
And the left shoulder just gets up.
[Barrett] Well, speaks volumes--
[Tessitore] Oh, she's gonna lock it in now!
No, the roll up! The roll up!
-[Barrett] Well, Chelsea Green… -[Tessitore] Right back to it!
[Barrett] …proving she is an A-plus competitor, but it's locked in.
-[Tessitore] She's got it! She's bridging! -[Barrett] Center of the ring!
-[bell rings] -[Tessitore] She's bridging!
The senton comes in after the win!
Just as Charlotte Flair earned the victory,
of course Piper and Alba couldn't hold back,
and she was arching in the midst of the Figure Eight.
[Barrett] As nasty as you like, and Alexa Bliss out here
to attack the Secret Hervice.
What has this got to do with you, Bliss?
[Tessitore] Alexa Bliss.
Sister Abigail DDT!
What are we doing here? As Charlotte is cleaning up.
A big kick from Flair.
[Barrett] Bliss has been trying to ingratiate herself
to former friend Charlotte Flair for weeks now.
[Tessitore] As she looks across the ring
and sees exactly who had joined her.
[Barrett] That was a major olive branch handed over.
[Tessitore] This unique relationship.
-[crowd boos] -[Tessitore] As the hand was extended,
and Charlotte, who had just defeated Chelsea Green
and then was viciously attacked, walks on by.
[Barrett] Zero gratitude, zero acknowledgement
and zero interest in friendship.
[Tessitore] Charlotte was taking care of her own business
against Piper and Alba while Alexa Bliss
was taking care and doing damage to Chelsea Green.
Interesting circumstances here on SmackDown.
What are you doing, man?
What am I doing?
I want to take out Jacob.
No, no. We're not gonna do that.
I'm gonna go out there alone, and I'm gonna talk to him.
You see, when I was Tribal Chief,
I was the only one that Jacob will listen to.
He needs me.
So I'm gonna go out there and talk to him, smooth things over, all right?
Just be ready.
["Taking It All" plays]
♪ We taking it all ♪
♪ Settle the score No, I will not take a loss ♪
♪ Taking it all ♪
♪ We kick in the door Dropping you down to the floor ♪
♪ We taking it all ♪
♪ Ready for war… ♪
[Nash] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome Solo Sikoa!
[Tessitore] Solo, who has been spending recent months
talking about rebuilding his family and their glory,
and a big piece of that puzzle was supposed to be
winning Money in The Bank and getting a title shot.
That didn't happen because his family has a major fracture, Wade.
All this man does is just think about himself.
He is literally all gas and no brains.
[laughs]
[crowd exclaims]
[Barrett] Fatu hearing the entire conversation
and that would come back to haunt Solo 24 hours later
in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
I hate you!
[Barrett] With those words then reinforced
by a vicious beatdown that Fatu delivered to Sikoa,
scuppering Solo's chances of becoming Mr. Money in the Bank.
Fractures you say, Joe, yeah, I agree.
♪ …from the fake on their face This is my time ain't no time to waste ♪
♪ The warrior is ready To scream in my name! ♪
♪ We're taking it all! ♪
[music fades out]
[crowd cheers, boos]
All right, Jacob, I'm out here in the middle of the ring all alone
with open arms.
Willing to talk to you face-to-face. I feel terrible about what happened.
So if you're back there, come on out so we can clear the air.
["Samoan Destroyer" plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Tessitore] Fatu.
With that United States Championship over his shoulder.
And since the beginning of the year, Jacob Fatu has been defining himself
as his own man, not an obedient follower.
[Barrett] Solo Sikoa is out here tonight and it's quite clear
he's looking for an apology from Jacob Fatu.
I don't know, in the entirety of Fatu's life,
if he has ever apologized for anything he's ever done.
[Tessitore] Yeah, asking Fatu to fall in line?
That he wants to hear those words.
Those four words.
[music fades out]
[crowd chanting] Fatu, Fatu!
Look, Jacob, I didn't come out here to fight you, okay?
I'm not here for that.
I wanna make it very clear to you, Jacob.
I love you.
I've always loved you, no matter what.
One thing I learned about being tribal chief…
was how to love and take care of your family.
That's all I'm trying to do, man.
You see families, they fight all the time.
[crowd] What?
They fight, they argue.
They forgive…
[crowd] What?
…and then they move forward.
[crowd] What?
So let's move forward together, Jacob.
[crowd] What?
[Solo] Let's do it together as one.
Because, Jacob, nobody saw the potential in you
except me.
Nobody wanted you here, Jacob,
except me.
That's why I brought you here.
I gave you the opportunity to change your life…
[crowd] What?
…and to put food on the table for your family.
[crowd] What?
And you know why I did that for you, Jacob?
It's because I love you.
I love you, man.
And listen, to be honest…
I don't have anybody else.
I don't have anybody else, man, all I got is you.
You're all I got, Jacob.
Man, you're all I need.
So come back.
Come back to the family.
And, Jacob, even if you don't say those four words, I'll say it for you.
I'll say it to you.
I'll say it loud and proud to everybody so everybody can hear it!
Jacob.
I love you, Jacob.
So you love me, huh?
This is what it comes down to, huh?
You loving me, huh?
The way I see things.
Is you been using me.
[crowd cheers]
You've been using me to gain power.
You've been using me to fight your battles.
You've even been using me just so you could stay tribal chief.
[crowd cheers]
Hell, you brought me in…
so I could bring you fame.
You brought me in
cause you thought I was gonna bring you gold.
Is this what this is about, huh? Fame, gold, tribal chief, power.
Hey, Solo, look at me when I'm speaking to you!
[crowd cheers]
[crowd chanting] Fatu, Fatu!
You see, ever since I won this US title,
you're the one that been acting different.
And maybe I'm not the problem, maybe the problem isn't me.
You know what? I figured it out.
Maybe the problem is this.
Maybe the problem is this US title.
And if that's what I think it is…
then fight me for it.
-[crowd cheers] -[Tessitore] Oh…
Fight me for this US title.
And, Solo, I'm only gonna warn you one time.
If you ever think about coming this way…
you know what I'm about,
and you know what's popping with me, blud.
And you know Jacob Fatu is all gas…
-[crowd] No brakes with it, yadadamean? -…no brakes with it, yadadamean?
[crowd exclaims]
[Tessitore] Fatu denies that spike.
-[Barrett] Oh! -Oh, and delivers a headbutt of his own.
And now he's beating down…
-Oh, JC Mateo is here. -[Barrett] Wait up, backup's here.
[Tessitore] JC Mateo is here, Wade, and then they chopped down his legs.
[Tessitore] Clipped to the knee,
the softly spoken words of Solo Sikoa were as hollow as they come,
and now the United States champion is at the mercy of these two thugs.
[Tessitore] He offered him a title shot. Solo swung on him.
["Born A King" plays]
[Tessitore] Oh, Jimmy Uso is headed this way.
[Barrett] He's heading straight for little bro Solo,
after a litany of problems with Solo Sikoa over the past 12 months.
[Tessitore] Super kicks.
Big brother has arrived, as Jacob Fatu is completely laid out in the corner.
And now the numbers game is gonna get to Jimmy Uso.
[Barrett] It was just too much to ask for Jimmy Uso to take these two down.
And Jacob Fatu was flattened.
[Tessitore] And Fatu is over in the corner,
as Jimmy is in serious trouble with Mateo and Solo.
And now would you look at this, the recuperative ability.
Fatu back up at you!
Jacob Fatu.
Lays out Solo.
[Barrett] One opportunity, that is all Jacob Fatu needs,
and this is the result.
Carnage, bedlam and no mercy whatsoever.
[Tessitore] Massive hip attack on Solo Sikoa.
Moments ago telling him he loves him and then swinging at him,
as Jimmy Uso came to help.
[crowd chanting] Fatu, Fatu!
Jimmy, who has constantly rejected Solo's recruitment,
then comes to defend Jacob.
Oh!
He was thinking, jump-up Mighty Moonsault,
and Solo, just enough to roll out of harm's way.
["Samoan Destroyer" plays]
[Tessitore] That line has clearly been drawn now
between Solo and Fatu,
and seemingly there's no turning back and Jimmy Uso is in the mix.
Been an outrageously exciting night, Friday Night SmackDown
from here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
[Nash] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, accompanied by WWE Hall of Famer,
The Wiseman, Paul Heyman and Bron Breakker,
from Black Forest, South Australia,
weighing in at 330 pounds,
"Big" Bronson Reed!
-[Barrett] Ominous words from Paul Heyman… -["Welcome To LA" plays]
…earlier tonight, something really bad is gonna happen to LA Knight.
Well, those words were thrown back in the face of Paul Heyman and company
when LA Knight grabbed a steel chair…
-Wait up! -Oh, LA Knight is right in front of us!
[Tessitore] And he sneak attacks on Breakker,
and then gets the best of Bronson as well.
[Barrett] Just one step ahead of the game, all night long has been LA Knight.
[Tessitore] Remember how the evening started.
As they came and attacked LA Knight, as Heyman put out…
And look at what it takes to hold back Bron Breakker.
[Barrett] Bron Breakker has absolutely lost it here,
and Bronson Reed is the one in action.
Good luck controlling Bron Breakker at ringside.
And straight into the firefight we go.
[Tessitore] The bell rings now as the match is official,
a match that general manager Nick Aldis made earlier tonight
after the events we saw to open up this Friday Night SmackDown
here at Grand Rapids.
[Barrett] Right off the bat, the power of Bronson Reed being a difference maker,
and the movement of LA Knight is more than equal to it.
[Tessitore] Just getting out of the way, this is a fiercely determined LA Knight.
Look at how quickly "Big" Bronson Reed with all that power gets him up there.
As Knight tries to counter.
-[Barrett] Oh! -[Tessitore] Oh, boy!
[Barrett] That would've killed a man!
[Tessitore] Oh, seriously, just in time, LA Knight getting out of the way.
[Barrett] Well, if LA Knight didn't think he was in big trouble already,
he certainly knows it now.
And of course prowling on the outside
is Bron Breakker and The Wiseman Paul Heyman.
And now just sheer power and strength from Bronson Reed.
[Tessitore] Again able to get off of the shoulders of "Big" Bronson Reed.
And denying, that time, the attempt at the jumping neckbreaker.
[Barrett] And that may well have been a record splash moment.
But no, The Megastar still up and at 'em.
[Tessitore] So he has missed the splash, he's missed the senton.
And now bulldogging off the rope is LA Knight.
[Barrett] Gotta use whatever leverage you can get
against someone the size and power of Bronson Reed.
[crowd] LA Knight, yeah!
[Barrett] Well, that was like a warning siren to Bronson Reed,
who wanted no part of it.
[Tessitore] But the baseball slide drop kick.
And now Knight, he's up on the apron.
Crossbody out to the floor!
[Barrett] High-risk, highly effective.
The Megastar LA Knight completely controlling proceedings
in the early goings here.
[Tessitore] The destructive force,
the human wrecking ball that is Bronson Reed.
Is he thinking of superplexing LA Knight here?
Sold-out Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids as Knight fights back.
Both men who have been twisting and turning with the plots
of the King of the Ring tournament.
Both men getting the best of the other to throw the other off course.
An attack that happened earlier tonight
that forged this fight that was made on the spot.
And now LA Knight's in position.
[crowd] LA Knight, yeah!
[Tessitore] Jump-up leaping elbow lands!
Into the cover, hooks the leg.
[Barrett] Just shrugging off the last three or four minutes
of merciless beatdown from Bronson Reed
with that kind of athleticism.
Just sapping the hope, sapping the confidence from Bronson Reed.
And now looking to end it perhaps.
[Tessitore] He is thinking BFT. It's denied.
[Barrett] Once again that big headbutt from the massive cranium of Bronson Reed.
Wow, jagged edge.
[Tessitore] Oh, and he gets that left shoulder up.
[Barrett] Such a devastating move at the best of times,
even more so when performed by this freak of nature that is Bronson Reed.
Isn't he? Nearly 350 pounds and his athleticism and explosive dynamic power.
[Barrett] And he's just enjoying torturing The Megastar now,
putting on a little show.
[Tessitore] Oh, would you look at the counter by Knight!
[Barrett] Never enjoy yourself too much around LA Knight.
[Tessitore] Had to have it and he got it.
And now Bron Breakker is up on the apron, and LA Knight takes care of him as well.
And points his way at Paul Heyman, who warned him.
Top rope pulled down.
[Barrett] Oh, God. Oh, God!
-[Tessitore] Spear, spear, spear! -[bell rings]
[Barrett] Well, the match obviously thrown out now,
but that is the least of our worries…
'cause Bron Breakker looks ready to snap.
[Tessitore] This is the last place that LA Knight should be.
He didn't heed the warning earlier tonight from Paul Heyman.
Holding in position.
They held him in position for another spear.
[Barrett] 23 miles an hour,
probably aided further by the elasticity of those ropes,
Oh, God. Oh, God!
[Tessitore] He's looking at the corner, Wade.
-Oh, no. -[Barrett] We're going big.
Tsunami!
[Tessitore] They are teaming up to absolutely annihilate the ribs--
-[Barrett] They're going again! -[Tessitore] No.
Not after two spears and a Tsunami.
[Barrett] Wait up, Joe.
Tsunami!
[Tessitore] This has gone a step too far.
Multiple spears.
Multiple Tsu… Now somebody's gotta stop him.
[Barrett] Please stop him, The Megastar is completely done.
[Tessitore] In the midst of what was a compelling match,
just when The Megastar was seizing control,
revving the engine, Bron Breakker speared him.
There is no way he could withstand another one.
[Barrett] Go up again. It's two and counting.
[Tessitore] There needs to be help here immediately.
[Barrett] Get out of the way, referee.
[Tessitore] Bron Breakker is clearing the refs.
-[Barrett] Tsunami! -[Tessitore] Oh!
Two spears, three tsunamis
from these two.
[Barrett] No human being is built to withstand that.
[Tessitore] This is not comfortable to see.
He's going to need medical attention for sure.
[Barrett] Oh, you can say that again.
[Tessitore] His ribs, I cannot even imagine.
As Reed and Breakker stand over a fallen LA Knight.
And finally, and hopefully they are just walking away from the fallen prey.
[Barrett] Damage done, job done.
There are consequences to attempting to stand up to pure power.
We gave him a chance.
[Tessitore] That's hard to see with The Megastar.
And when we come back,
our main event, R-Truth out for respect against John Cena.
[Tessitore] This is what happened just moments ago.
Bron Breakker with the spear on LA Knight
to put an end to the compelling match against Bronson Reed,
and then teaming up to just annihilate him with another spear.
[Barrett] Followed by not one, not two, but three massive Tsunamis,
and all that adds up to one badly,
badly maimed Megastar LA Knight.
What a statement here tonight by Bronson Reed and crew.
That is a look at what just happened moments ago
while we were in commercial break.
The medical attention was given to him.
He was helped backstage where, of course, he is in the midst of being evaluated.
We would make the assumption that he will go to a local medical center.
We will effort to update you as best we can
as to the medical condition of LA Knight.
Now let's get you to next week with Friday Night SmackDown
and what you are in store for,
because this is going to be coming to you from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Night of Champions eve,
and look at what you get with Zelina Vega and Giulia
for the United States Championship.
[Barrett] Not only that,
because last week the Wyatt Sicks took down the Motor City Machine Guns.
Well, they've earned themselves a WWE tag team championship match
against the Street Profits next week in Riyadh on SmackDown.
[Tessitore] Everywhere you look, you have championship-level matches
because Nia and Tiffany are taking it past the limit.
In Riyadh, Stratton defends the women's championship against Nia Jax,
last woman standing match.
Yeah! Yeah, come on with it.
I just spoke to the man,
and you know the man makes everything possible over here on SmackDown.
So next week, next week Saturday, me and you, Solo,
Night of Champions, one-on-one, mano a mano,
I'm about to dog walk your ass for the US championship.
Solo, you better get in where you fit in,
because if you don't,
then, baby, it's about to be all gas, no brakes with it,
yadadamean?
-[Tessitore] We-da-you-mean? -["What's up" plays]
They're going at it next week for the championship.
[Barrett] Well, Night of Champions just got even bigger.
I wanna see some dog walking.
[bell rings]
[Nash] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first from Charlotte, North Carolina,
weighing in at 220 pounds,
R-Truth!
[Tessitore] R-Truth has been anxiously waiting for this moment.
The rematch against John Cena, next.
[Tessitore] It was back on April 25th
when R-Truth congratulated Cena on winning his 17th world title
and Cena said nothing.
And then it was just a week ago
when Ron Killings jumped Cena twice on SmackDown.
-["The Time Is Now" plays] -What a path it's been between these two.
♪ Krrr, Amadou! ♪
[crowd chanting] John Cena sucks!
♪ Your time is up, my time is now ♪
♪ You can't see me, my time is now ♪
♪ It's the franchise Boy I'm shinin' now ♪
♪ You can't see me, my time is now! ♪
♪ In case you forgot or fell off I'm still hot, knock your shell off ♪
♪ My money stack fat Plus I can't turn the swell off ♪
[Nash] His opponents from West Newbury, Massachusetts,
weighing in at 251 pounds,
he is The Undisputed WWE Champion,
John Cena!
♪ But they gone fishin' with no bait Kid, your boy hold weight ♪
♪ I got my soul straight I brush your mouth like Colgate ♪
♪ In any weather, I'm never better Your boy's so hot ♪
♪ You'll never catch me In the next man's sweater ♪
♪ If they hate, let 'em hate I drop ya whole clan ♪
♪ Lay yo' ass down For the three-second tan ♪
♪ Your time is up, my time is now ♪
♪ You can't see me, my time is now ♪
♪ It's the franchise Boy I'm shinin' now ♪
[music fades out]
[Tessitore] Well, the demands of Mark Nash again.
[Nash] Ladies and gentlemen, He is the greatest of all time…
the never-seen 17,
gracing Grand Rapids with his presence one final time.
He is the last real champion.
John Cena!
[Tessitore] Demanding the new bespoke ring introduction
is the 17-time world champion,
and since becoming The Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania,
Wade, he's had three matches,
the defense against Randy Orton at Backlash,
-the Saturday Night's Main Event… -[bell rings]
…against this man, R Truth,
and of course the Money in the Bank tag team match
where R-Truth played a major role as well.
[Barrett] Well, R-Truth played a major role
in all three of those matches.
Now, let's not forget John Cena has a major title defense
one week from tomorrow at Night of Champions,
all the more reason why R-Truth needs to be put out of the picture tonight,
so John Cena can focus on Punk and Punk alone.
[Tessitore] R-Truth wasting no time,
just a double leg tackle and then the beatdown.
And now right hands being delivered.
What's up?
[Barrett] Oh, it was so easy for John Cena to beat R-Truth
at Saturday Night's Main Event,
the naive version of R-Truth,
but this is the yin to the yang of R-Truth.
This tonight, a very different proposition.
[Tessitore] See, he hit him so hard he's reaching for his right fist
after that impact.
[Barrett] You know as well as I do, you can shatter a fist on a punch.
Just imagine what it will do to the cranium, the jaw, the eye socket,
the nose of John Cena with that much wrath behind it.
[Tessitore] Oh, he put every ounce of it into that.
This is a very different determined, fiercely proud R-Truth.
[crowd] You can't see me!
[Tessitore] The never-seen 17 Five-Knuckle Shuffle
delivered by John Cena.
[Tessitore] Well, R-Truth's hopes fading by the second.
[Tessitore] Attitude Adjustment's lined up.
Truth gets free, and Truth is beating him down, Wade.
[Barrett] Well, Stone Cold Steve Austin for you, maybe Truth's got a new hero.
[Tessitore] Truth finding that reserve against Cena.
And now Cena just comes over right to the side of our announce desk
and grabs the championship.
[Barrett] Never been about honor, has it?
It's never been about glory for John Cena.
It's been exclusively about ruining wrestling,
and it looks like John Cena has ruined tonight's main event.
[Tessitore] In the middle of this.
-"Not on my watch" says R-Truth. -Truth says, you know what,
"That's not how this is gonna go."
-[Barrett] Oh! -Oh, he hits him with the title!
-[bell rings] -[Barrett] Damn it.
-[Tessitore] Oh! -[Barrett] What a piece of garbage.
[Tessitore] Oh, it was a low blow the last time they met.
-Oh! -["Cult of Personality" plays]
He's got company.
And it's the title challenger, CM Punk!
[Barrett] The Second City Saint is here, the number-one contender,
but cut off at the pass before he can get any momentum at all.
[Tessitore] Night of Champions
they're gonna fight for The Undisputed WWE Championship.
Punk is back on his feet. Punk's on the attack.
-And he's got the championship in hand. -[crowd cheers]
Oh, right back to it.
How many times have we seen that recently with this version of Cena?
[Barrett] All bets are off,
this is the most desperate, soulless John Cena imaginable.
I don't care how fired up you are, CM Punk, you cannot cope with that,
nobody can.
[Tessitore] Another low blow by Cena.
And weaponizing the championship!
[Barrett] Did you hear that crack?
The connection of that championship on the skull of CM Punk.
[Tessitore] Cena's grabbing a table.
He was walking away with the championship when R-Truth engaged him.
Championship was used as a weapon then.
He low blowed Punk and hit him with the title as well,
and now a table is in the middle of the ring.
[Barrett] I mean, the tactics are obvious, eight days before Night of Champions,
eight days before the defense of that championship.
Stack the deck in your favor.
John Cena has not fought fair since the Elimination Chamber,
and that is not changing anytime soon.
[Tessitore] He's got the title in hand again,
as Punk is trying to steady himself.
Oh, right to that same side,
right to the temple with the jewels and gold.
And Punk is in real trouble.
Attitude Adjustment
right through the table!
[Barrett] In what state is CM Punk even gonna be in next week?
[Tessitore] Well, Cena's grabbing the mic as Punk is laid out.
[chuckles]
Punk, as you lay there
in your most uncomfortable…
Somebody's afraid of what I'm gonna say.
As you lay there in your most uncomfortable,
I hope you can listen.
I hope you can digest.
Because before I leave here in six months with that WWE Championship,
I gotta get a whole lot of stuff off my chest.
[crowd cheers]
First things first, I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you.
I like you.
I like you more than anyone you've ever shared a locker room with,
that's for sure.
I hate this idea of you.
This idea that you're the best in the world, you're not.
I'm the greatest of all time.
[crowd cheers]
You're better than me at one thing.
You're the best **** in the world.
[crowd exclaims]
Oh, no, kiddos.
John Cena just dropped a curse word.
That means the show is completely off the rails.
Hey Stu, Stu, shoot this. Hey, I'm breaking the fourth wall.
[laughs]
The truth is Punk, I'm jealous of you.
I am jealous that you have conned these people into believing the myth
that you're the best in the world.
Oh, they chant for you.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk, CM Punk!
Hell, when you come out they sing to you.
But they don't believe a **** word you say.
Because you change your values as much as I change my t-shirts.
You're just a loudmouth opportunist who will step on the necks
of people who actually work hard if it gets you ahead.
Where's another camera?
Hey, hey, Claudio Castagnoli.
Hey, Nic Nemeth.
Hey, Matt Cardona, how you guys doing?
[crowd exclaims]
Oh, yeah, we're still on, baby!
[laughs]
He's heating up. He's on fire.
And there's nobody back there that's going to cut my mic to save your ass
'cause I'm your only friend.
Remember who gave you the stage for your pipe bomb, pal.
And what have you done with it since then, huh?
You've just regurgitated the same five microphone moves of doom.
You're promo potato salad, pal.
Hey, you're no longer the voice of the voiceless,
you're a freaking millionaire.
Despite yourself.
You're not punk, you're a capitalist.
[crowd boos]
And you're not against TKO, dude, you are Mr. TKO.
[crowd exclaims]
Because they knocked your balls technically off your body.
Your tweets are strong.
Your actions are weak.
And in Saudi Arabia you're going to face some loud, loud music
when I finally prove to the world that each and every day,
day in, day out, no days off for 25 years,
I have been the greatest of all time!
[crowd cheers]
[crowd chanting] Cena, Cena!
See, they know.
And they know that you were the best in the world…
for seven minutes,
14 years ago.
And if after Night of Champions
you're still delusional enough
to believe that you're the best in the world,
well…
I guess it's a small world after all.
You're welcome, Grand Rapids.
[crowd cheers]
Bring your A game to Night of Champions
because as you can tell if this building in Grand Rapids is an indication,
the mood is starting to change.
[crowd cheers]
[Tessitore] Now they're checking on CM Punk.
[Barrett] Yeah, a little too late for that.
No, no, that's fine.
I'm not gonna do any more damage. He needs to rest up.
He got a big championship match ahead of him, ain't that right?
The best in the world, get a good shot, against the greatest of all time.
[crowd cheers]
For the most coveted prize in sports entertainment,
the WWE Undisputed Championship.
I know you will sing. I know you will chant.
But I know even you idiots are smart enough to see the truth.
The champ is here.
[crowd cheers]
Hey, USA, you can keep the extra two-and-a-half minutes.
I don't need a bomb.
Elvis has left the **** building.
[crowd exclaims]
[Tessitore] Well, he referenced it. It was… What is he doing now?
Thanks for letting me rip off your promo to make you look even more foolish.
[Tessitore] It was 14 years ago, this coming week,
that CM Punk's famous pipe bomb promo took place.
[Barrett] You have to think that from John Cena
has been sitting in the back of his head for the last 14 years,
and that must feel like catharsis to get those words out on a fallen CM Punk.
[Tessitore] What coincidence.
Of course, that came on the heels of a table match main event
between Cena and R-Truth.
We just had Cena and R-Truth.
And in similar fashion to the way Cena has been conducting himself now
since becoming the 17-time champion,
let's take you back and show you what happened, Wade.
[Barrett] Yeah, well, the match was supposed to be R-Truth versus John Cena,
that got flattened earlier with a champion shot…
championship shot closely followed by one to CM Punk.
One more for good measure.
[Tessitore] And then he lined up the AA.
[Barrett] CM Punk just trying to come in and save R-Truth,
and this is his reward,
the Attitude Adjustment through that table.
And then John Cena got the mother of all pipe bombs
on his opponent at Night of Champions for The Undisputed WWE Championship.
CM Punk, the question lingers,
what kind of state is CM Punk going to be in
in Riyadh one week from tomorrow for that championship match.
[Tessitore] John Cena taking care of business against CM Punk.
What a night here on SmackDown from Grand Rapids.
Next week it's Night of Champions.
King and Queen of the Ring, the finals,
and The Undisputed WWE Championship.
John Cena defending against CM Punk. s,