WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 1031
#SDLive
Original Air Date: May 21, 2019
Event Date: May 21, 2019
(aired live)
City: Providence, RI
Venue: Dunkin’ Donuts Center
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Backstage
Shane McMahon welcomes Elias to his office. Elias tries to explain why he lost so quickly at Money in the Bank. He says he lost focus because people called him names. He also says that Shane deserves better from Elias, and he offers to be in Shane’s corner at Super ShowDown. Shane says he doesn’t need Elias, but Elias needs him. Therefore, Shane will be in Elias’s corner when he faces Roman Reigns again tonight.
Ring Area
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods come out to the stage. Tonight is a special night, because tonight is the return of Big E. Kingston and Woods bring out a man covered in a sheet, but it’s not Big E. They tell the man to leave. They try again, and the real Big E comes out to join his friends. They all head to the ring.
Big E says he missed his brothers and the WWE Universe. Woods and E talk about Twitter, but Kofi says “they” want him to be serious now that he’s champ. And seriously, Brock Lesnar won Money in the Bank. But tonight is about Big E. Kevin Owens comes out to the stage. Sami Zayn joins him.
Zayn is frustrated that Big E is being celebrated upon his return, but Zayn got nothing. Big E says they’re going to give Sami exactly what Kevin Owens got at Money in the Bank: nothing. Kevin Owens walks away without saying anything. Zayn says New Day’s celebration is disgusting. Zayn goes on and on, but Woods stops him by playing his trombone. Frustrated, Zayn tells New Day that their night is about to get a lot worse. Zayn is going to beat Kingston tonight, and they won’t be smiling about that.
Kingston tells Zayn not to be fooled by their smiles. When it’s time to fight, New Day knows how to fight. Tonight, Kingston is going to walk right through Sami Zayn.
Backstage
Drake Maverick stops Carmella and asks her if she’s seen R-Truth. She hasn’t. She’s looking for him too.
Carmella asks Apollo Crews if he’s seen R-Truth. He hasn’t. He’s looking for Truth as well.
Carmella then finds R-Truth disguised in a blond wig. Truth says he’s been hiding for 24 hours, but he’s glad that he has only 7 more hours to go. Carmella tries to explain to him how the 24/7 Title actually works. He probably doesn’t understand, but he leaves with Carmella anyway.
Match 1
Ali vs Andrade w/ Zelina Vega
(referee: Charles Robinson)
Result: Ali wins via pinfall with a roll-up
Time: 11:02
Match Thoughts
Good match. Both men were hurting just two days after the Money in the Bank ladder match, but Ali definitely seemed to be worse off. Ali hit a lot of diving moves early in the match, but for as much damage as he did to Andrade, he was also hurting his own back more and more. Andrade survived the initial assault and started to deal a lot of damage to Ali. Andrade repeatedly tried to get Ali counted out, but Ali persevered. I liked this match, especially how it incorporated the effects of the ladder match as a way to guide the story told by the action in the ring.
Backstage
Carmella gives R-Truth’s disguise a makeover . She styles his hair and gives him a bra.
Video
Clips of Lars Sullivan attacking Lucha House Party at Money in the Bank.
Match 2
Mandy Rose w/ Sonya Deville vs Carmella w/ R-Truth (24/7 Champ)
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: the match ends in a No Contest when a whole bunch of guys chase R-Truth through the ring
Time: 1:31
Match Thoughts
It felt like they were just biding time until the inevitable mass of humanity came out after R-Truth. Nothing really happened in the match other than Carmella yelling at both Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose, and then kicking Mandy a couple of times.
Ring Area
The B-Team, The Brian Kendrick, Jinder Mahal, Akira Tozawa, Apollo Crews, Matt Hardy, Noam Dar, Shelton Benjamin, and Drake Maverick bring referee DA Brewer with them as they chase R-Truth. Carmella jumps onto Truth’s back, and Truth carries her out through the crowd.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton welcomes Bayley. Bayley says people still doubted her despite exceeding expectations. On Sunday, Bayley removed any doubt about her abilities. Bayley says she has moved past the hugs, and she wants to face the best competition.
Backstage
R-Truth and Carmella are still being chased. They mistakenly run into the women’s locker room. They quickly exit and keep running. Sami Zayn watches as the mass of humanity is in hot pursuit of the 24/7 Champ.
Outside the Venue
Elias plays his guitar in the parking lot. Apparently he’s waiting for Roman Reigns to arrive.
Backstage
Big E is in pain. He’s holding his knee and talking about Kevin Owens. Kofi and Xavier check on him along with a couple of referees, but Kofi has to leave for his match.
Match 3
Sami Zayn vs Kofi Kingston (WWE Champ)
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Kofi Kingston wins via pinfall after Trouble in Paradise
Time: 4:25 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match, though kind of short. Kofi came into the match fighting angry. Zayn took advantage of Kofi’s mental state early in the match, but Kofi’s adrenaline pushed him through the onslaught and allowed him to mount a quick comeback. I think this was well done.
Ring Area
After the match, Paul Heyman comes out to the stage, and he’s carrying the Money in the Bank briefcase. With Kofi distracted by Heyman, Dolph Ziggler attacks Kofi from behind.
Ziggler beats up Kofi all the way to ringside where he wraps a chair around Kofi’s head. Ziggler then slams Kofi’s chair-wrapped head into the side of the announce table. Referees try to get Ziggler to walk away, but he continues to attack Kofi and stomps Kofi’s head in the chair. Finally, Ziggler walks away.
Medical staff stretchers Kofi up the ramp, but Kofi gets off the stretcher and walks to the back under his own power.
Outside the Venue
Roman Reigns has arrived. As he walks through the parking lot, Elias plays him a song while sitting atop one of the WWE trucks.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton welcomes Becky Lynch. Becky says she doesn’t feel right without the blue belt, but if someone else has to carry it, she’s glad it’s Bayley. Bayley says “Bayley Two Belts” sounds pretty good. Becky says she’s coming after Bayley soon. Bayley welcomes the challenge.
Match 4
Lacey Evans & Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch (RAW Women’s Champ) & Bayley (SD Women’s Champ)
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: Bayley pins Charlotte with a small package
Time: 6:04
Match Thoughts
Good match. Becky started the match, and she immediately went after Lacey even though Charlotte was the legal competitor in the ring. That caused some tension between Bayley and Becky, but they still managed to work together for the most part. Lacey and Charlotte tried to separate the two champs, but they couldn’t get their act completely together. It felt like Charlotte and Lacey were still both just looking out for themselves. I liked the different personality clashes in the match.
Backstage
R-Truth and Carmella are still running, but Jinder Mahal catches up to Truth. Jinder rolls R-Truth up with a schoolboy, but Truth kicks out.
Truth runs, but he’s caught by the B-Team. Dallas tries to pin Truth, but Axel pulls him off. As Dallas and Axel argue, Truth manages to escape with Carmella.
Backstage
Sarah Schreiber asks Dolph Ziggler why he attacked Kofi. Ziggler says an honest question deserves an honest answer, and he’s going to give that answer directly to everyone.
Ring Area
Dolph Ziggler comes out to the stage. Ziggler says this goes back to Kofi replacing Ali in the Elimination Chamber and using that work his way to the WWE Title. Ziggler says it should have been him. Kofi became a star in the Chamber, and it should have been Ziggler. Kofi fought Bryan for the WWE Title at Wrestlemania, and it should have been Ziggler. Every day since becoming champ, Kofi has outperformed every critic. People admire Kofi, and it should have been Ziggler.
So Ziggler had no other choice. He had to attack Kofi, and he’s going to beat him for the WWE Title at Super ShowDown because he has to. After that, everyone will admire and respect Ziggler.
Video
A look at the history between Triple H and Randy Orton.
Match 5
Elias w/ Shane McMahon vs Roman Reigns
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Roman Reigns wins via pinfall after a spear
Time: 6:00 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was fine. It was arguably better than their match at Money in the Bank, but that’s only if you really wanted to see Elias and Reigns have an actual match.
Ring Area
Immediately after the match, Shane McMahon attacks Reigns. Shane tries to hit Reigns with Elias’s guitar, but Reigns punches Shane before that can happen. Reigns picks up the guitar, but Drew McIntyre enters the ring and hits Reigns with the Claymore Kick. Shane and Drew celebrate.
Show Impressions
I liked this show. I didn’t care so much about the main event, but everything else was entertaining. Seeing Big E back was great, but it wasn’t a huge surprise that he got attacked. I expect we probably won’t see him again for at least a little while.
The 24/7 stuff is fun and fine, but I feel like it will get old real quick if it’s always just someone being chased around the arena all night.
The women’s tag match was interesting. I wish Becky would have moved on to someone else after beating Lacey, but whatever. Their title match wasn’t bad.
Match of the Night
Ali vs Andrade
I liked the injury psychology in this one. I kind of wish the finish had gone the other way, but regardless, I enjoyed this match the most tonight.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2019-05-21