WWE Smackdown Live 8/18/23 August 18th 2023
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WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights From Aug. 18
Celebrating 25 years with WWE, Edge returned to his hometown of Toronto Friday night on SmackDown for a match that may well have been his last with the company.
The Rated R Superstar and Hall of Famer squared off with Sheamus for the first time ever in what was a battle between friends.
On a night in which the iconic competitor was rightly celebrated for his quarter-century of contributions as a revolutionary performer, the company also featured four women who have paved the way for the future of the sport battle in tag team action and legendary luchador Rey Mysterio join The Grayson Waller Effect.
The Grayson Waller Effect with Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar
- "I can't wait until Edge comes down here and says, 'Thank you, Grayson, for making me relevant again on your talk show,'" Waller said.
- "Calm down, Beth, I love hot moms," he followed up in response to the reaction of Edge's wife, Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix, who was seated at ringside.
- "I can imagine it feels great to be United States champion. Right, Santos, you can imagine," Waller said, looking to stir the pot between Mysterio and Escobar.
- Escobar reiterated his respect for Mysterio, his bond with his mentor and hero stronger than ever. He did, however, blame Austin Theory for him missing out on his US title opportunity.
- The reaction to Knight damn near blew the roof off the Scotia Bank Arena.
Friday's episode of SmackDown may have kicked off with The Grayson Waller Effect featuring new United States champion Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar, but the promo segment was little more than a background for the making of a match between...Austin Theory and LA Knight?
The opening segment of the show was all over the place but it did establish the fact that there is no tension between Escobar and Mysterio, despite Waller's best efforts.
The interruption by Theory made sense as he finds fault with the idea that Mysterio could just take his protege's spot and benefit from it, and Knight's involvement keeps him in the title after appearing to be the guy to dethrone Theory.
Lastly, it set up a high-stakes match to kick off the show.
Messy or not, it at least accomplished multiple goals in a single segment, efficient booking if nothing else.
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
LA Knight vs. Austin Theory for a United States Championship Opportunity
- The Miz interrupted the start of the match, making his way to the ringside area, where he joined the commentary team, as hinted at Monday night on Raw.
- Miz compared Knight to Eugene and Doink, repeating the idea that he is but a flash in the pan rather than the next great WWE Superstar.
- "Where'd he get a running boot like that at? Has he been watching my tapes?" Miz questioned the origin of Knight's in-ring game.
- "In six months, they'll have a new Superstar they'll be cheering for, chanting their names and buying their merchandise for. That will try to run through me," Miz claimed. of the WWE fans and Knight.
The Miz spoiled LA Knight's opportunity to challenge for the United States Championship Friday night, distracting him in the closing moments of his No. 1 Contender's match with Austin Theory, drawing him into a chase that ended with Theory scoring a cheap roll-up for the win.
The feud between The Megastar and The A-Lister is destined to continue and there are far worse uses of Knight than that. Miz is perpetually over, has a long history of getting guys over, and he is essentially bulletproof in his own right.
This was pretty by-the-books creative, with the distraction finish that WWE loves, but the crowd ate it up and will be looking for Knight to get his revenge.
Inspired booking? Not necessarily, but Knight is so over right now that it worked. Miz being as great a heel as he is certainly helps.
Result
Theory defeated Knight
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair vs. Damage CTRL
- Dakota Kai once again accompanied Bayley and Sky to the ring. Damage CTRL is better when ol' "Cap Kota" is around.
- Everything Sky does is so effortless. We saw it in each of her previous stops and now, WWE fans do, too.
- Bayley "directing traffic" according to Michael Cole on commentary helped keep alive the idea that she is jealous of, and trying to establish leadership over, Sky.
- Flair overcame what appeared to be a broken nose and ankle injury to deliver the big boot that sent Bayley into Belair, who finished her with the Kiss of Death for the babyface victory.
Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair halted the recent momentum of Damage CTRL, knocking off Bayley and WWE Women's champion Iyo Sky in tag team action.
A good, lengthy match, it highlighted Sky and continued to tell the story of Bayley clinging to her leadership of Damage CTRL by directing the champion on what to do next. It did not work, the heels faltered later and Bayley lost the match for her team.
This will ultimately end with Bayley and Sky splitting and the future of Damage CTRL in shambles but for now, they remain united against challengers like Flair and Belair, not to mention Asuka, who was conspicuous in her absence tonight.
Result
Belair and Flair defeated Bayley and Sky
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
The Street Profits vs. The OC
- Backstage, Bayley and Sky avenged their loss by attacking Belair and further damaging her already injured knee.
- Dawkins rocked Gallows, knocking him off the apron in a tease of the more aggressive, heelish tendencies the team will likely look to employ in the coming weeks and months.
- "Renewed focus, new layers of the game..." Corey Graves said of the Profits following their victory over Anderson and Gallows.
The Street Profits are about to be a problem for a lot of people on SmackDown, as evidenced by their performance against The OC's Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows Friday night.
More aggressive, physical and focused than ever before, they steamrolled their opponents and celebrated post-match with Bobby Lashley.
The Sky High from Angelo Dawkins into a neckbreaker from Montez Ford is a sweet new finisher, too.
Result
The Street Profits defeated The OC
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
Paul Heyman Provides an Update on The Bloodline
- Heyman turning Braxton's inquiries into the state of The Bloodline into taunts directed at her family was such a great, slimy heel thing to do.
- Heyman revealed that Jimmy Uso will be in the house next week on SmackDown.
Paul Heyman is the worst.
In the best way possible.
The special counsel to "Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns refused to provide an update on the current status of The Bloodline, taunted Kayla Braxton, and revealed that Jimmy Uso will appear on next week's show.
This was a smart way to keep the storyline in front of the audience without burning them out on family drama. Heyman, clearly stressed, refused comment and gave viewers a reason to tune in next week with the revelation involving Jimmy.
It was simple, effective and did not demand a grandiose in-ring segment, allowing more time to be given to Edge and Sheamus for the night's high-profile main event.
Great stuff, mostly do to its simplicity.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
Edge vs. Sheamus
- From the eruption of the fans inside Scotiabank Arena to the tears in the eyes of Beth Phoenix at ringside and the interaction between him and his daughters, this certainly felt like the conclusion of a Hall of Fame career.
- The crowd booed Sheamus' tease of the 10 Beats of the Bodhran but Edge intercepted it and moments later, delivered a spear through the ropes and to the floor.
- Good, hard-hitting, physical action in this one. Not a ton of high-risk spots but just good, quality wrestling from two guys with resumes full of this type of match.
- "You always hear it backstage, nobody hits as hard as Sheamus," Kevin Patrick said on commentary.
- Edge defiantly flipped the bird to Sheamus after 10 Beats of the Bodhran, daring him to deliver more. The Celtic Warrior obliged.
- Edge set up for the spear but Sheamus countered with the big knee and Brogue Kick for a great near-fall. Moments later, the Hall of Famer recovered to hit consecutive spears and just barely muster enough energy to put his arms over Sheamus for the win.
- Michael Cole was at his best here, putting over the enormity of the moment and conveying to fans the significance of what they were watching. Kevin Patrick was equally as good here and you can already see bits of Cole wearing off on him.
Friday's match with Sheamus may not have been Edge's last one, but if it is, he can look back on it as another example of why he will be remembered by an entire generation of fans as one of the best in WWE history.
Also, one of its most adaptable.
Edge could have gone out and hit all of the classics, broke out a high spot or two and delivered the spear for the win. Instead, he worked to his opponent's strengths. Together, he and Sheamus delivered a hellishly physical main event that concluded with The Rated R Superstar pulling out one last spear to just narrowly knock off The Celtic Warrior.
The crowd was electric, the emotion on Beth Phoenix's face only enhanced the moment, and the match that Edge and Sheamus delivered was a fitting one that will be remembered as one of the best TV matches of 2023.
Result
Edge defeated Sheamus
Grade
A+
Top Moments and Takeaways
