Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing WWE Friday Night Smackdown coverage from Toronto, Ontario!
I am filling in for Richard Trionfo, who is under the weather. See you soon Rich!
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are on the call.
They show CM Punk and Kevin Owens entering the building and WALKING.
They aired a video package for the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton feud.
Backstage, Sami Zayn was complaining it was an injustice CM Punk is wrestling and defending the title in Toronto, not Zayn. He ran down everyone who was thrown into the Summerslam match to name the new top contender. He was asked to wrestle with a broken hand last week and still was able to do it, but Randy Orton got involved and he doesn't get his title match. He started running down Orton, who was standing behind him. He told Sami he wanted to hear what he had to say, but in the ring was Cody Rhodes calling Orton out to the ring to fight. Nick Aldis walked off as Sami protested. Orton glared at Sami and followed. Zayn threw a fit backstage over not being heard.
Nick Aldis walked out and tried to calm Cody, but Randy Orton came out. He said they have a time and a place to fight in Atlanta. He's going to whip Cody's ass in front of Cody's family in Atlanta. Cody wanted to do this right now. Orton was willing to oblige but Nick Aldis stopped it. He said he was tired of this and said that if either of them touches the other before SNME, neither will get a shot at the WWE Championship ever again. Orton said he was giving his word it wouldn't happen, saying he was Mr. Professional. He said Cody wants to finish off where they were last week. Cody was going to smash him over the head with a chair, but if he had, Cody wouldn't be able to live with himself. When Orton nailed him with a chair before Wrestlemania, he had no remorse. He knows how to be his worse self. Cody is a good guy and always will be the golden boy. He called Cody the American Daydream. He asked who was going to end the legend of Randy Orton but didn't answer the question, because Cody won't be the one to do it. Cody said Orton kicked him so hard after losing at Wrestlemania that he still needs makeup to cover it up. Cody said he's learned from everyone, including Orton. He said that even if he gets the title, Orton will still be coming back to Cody, who will kill his legend. Cody said it wasn't a prediction, but a spoiler. This was a very good back and forth to build to the Peacock special.
WWE Tag Team Champions The MFT said the belts belong to them and challenged everyone to step up for them. Haku said we will show them who are the Motherf**ing Tongans here.
WWE Tag Team Champions The MFT with Haku vs. Damian Priest & R-Truth
The challengers took Talla Tonga to the floor, then Tama. Truth nailed a pescado on Tama. Priest sent Talla into the barricades. The tide turned with Talla dropping Truth across the barricade. The champions worked over Truth. Priest finally got tagged in and hit several big kicks. he worked over Tama in the corner but was pulled into a bearhug. He boxed Tama's ears. Talla got involved but was drilled to the mat as well. Priest came off the ropes with a lariat. They showed AAA Tag Team Champions The War Raiders watching on a monitor. Priest grabbed Talla for a chokeslam but Talla snatched him as well. They battled and Talla nailed a big clothesline. Talla stomped away at Priest in the corner.
Priest avoided a charge in the corner and was about to tag out to Truth but was pulled away. He kicked off Tama and tagged Truth. Truth began hitting all his favorite Cena signature spots and drilled Tama with the Five Knuckle Shuffle. He hit the AA but Talla broke up the pinfall. Priest clotheslined Talla over the top to the floor. He set up for a move off the apron but Tama nailed him from behind. Talla hit him with a T-Bomb on the apron. Truth rolled up Tama for a close two count. Talla drilled him and the MFT nailed The Red Cross (a variant of the old Midnight Express high/low) for the pin.
Your winners and still WWE Tag Team Champions, The MFT!
Solid.
An upset Priest stood over Truth after the match. He offered Truth his hand and they hugged.
WWE Champion CM Punk was interviewed. He was asked if being in a hostile territory is a factor. He said he thrives in those hostile territories. He said Owens has been fighting with these ghost stories from 20 years ago. He said Owens hasn't changed but Punk has - he's gotten better and he's not who he once was. Randy Orton walked in and said he wanted to tell Punk that after he beats Cody Rhodes at SNME, he'll be coming for his 15th WWE Championship. Punk nodded and told Orton he'll be looking forward to it as Orton walked off.
They recapped everything that went down with WWE Interim Women's Champion Chelsea Green and Nick Aldis. Green told Tiffany Stratton she wanted to make things up for last week. Stratton said she understands but she wants Green to stay in the back so nothing jeopardizes her title run. Paige showed up and said she understood what Green is going through. Fatal Influence showed up and mocked them. Paige challenged Jacy for the U.S. title.
Blake Monroe was interviewed about her debut against GIULIA. She feels her debut should be for the WWE title, but she'll face her "old friend" GIULIA. The match should be in Milan or Paris but now she has to figure out what to wear in this dump, Toronto. She's going to do what she does best, make everyone talk about her.
Blake Monroe vs. GIULIA
Blake attacked GIULIA as she made her way to the ring and beat her down outside the ring. Blake sent her into the ring steps. Blake nailed her with a headbutt to the face. Monroe nailed The Neutralizer.
Blake's music played and she walked out. The match never happened but man, poor GIULIA.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss were talking about going for a breakfast brunch. Tatum Paxley wanted to join in, Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab showed up and mocked them. Flair said Paxley might be strange but she handled them last week. B-Fab challenged Paxley for her debut match next week. Paxley hugged Flair, saying she defended her.
Trick Williams came to the ring with Lil Yachty. He said he has Yachty back but he doesn't have his title back. He said that since Baron Corbin walks around looking like a cue ball, perhaps he comes out and gets hit with a Trick Shot so Williams can get his title back. Corbin rode out on a motorcycle. Amazing he had that just waiting there since he had no idea he'd be called out by Trick, right? Corbin entered the ring. Williams asked him to give the people what they want - a shot at the title, right now. Corbin said the title belt is getting a pretty little haircut and Williams isn't getting another shot. He lost the title and Trick lost the rematch. Corbin said he has nothing to offer him, so why would he give Trick another title shot? It's not happening ever. Yachty attacked him with the Singapore Cane and worked him over. Corbin escaped the ring. He then changed his mind and said they can do it at Sunday Night's Main Event, but first Corbin wants to fight Yachty for five minutes in his home town. If Yachty lives, Williams gets his title shot. If Corbin beats him, they are done. Yachty considered it, then said Corbin was on. Baron said it was going to the longest five minutes of Yachty's life and walked off.
Kevin Owens was being interviewed when he saw Finn Balor. Balor said he was happy to see Owens back at Summerslam, but he would have liked a head's up. GUNTHER entered and told Owens that if he wins, he doesn't have to worry about Finn Balor, because GUNTHER is coming for the title.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Lash Legend with Nia Jax
Legend scored with several slams early on. She drove Stratton into the buckles. Stratton went for a sunset flip, Lash powered out of it but Stratton nailed her in the back of the knees. Lash went to the floor. Stratton went for a dive but was caught and slammed on the apron as they went to commercial. When they returned, Stratton was nailing a series of right hands. Lash cut her off and nailed a suplex. Stratton avoided an elbowdrop and hit a springboard stunner. Stratton went for a swanton bomb but missed. She caught Lash with a crucifix takedown for a two count. Stratton went for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever but was shoved off the ropes and driven to the mat for the pin.
Your winner, Lash Legend!
Nia and Lash worked over Tiffany. Chelsea Green hit the ring with a Singapore Cane and ran them off.
They aired a hype package on Kevin Owens vs. CM Punk.
Shinsuke Nakamura cut a promo saying he's warned the MFT. Hiromu Takahashi debuted, saying he was KYOKI, who has fought around the world and has now arrived in WWE. He will fight everyone,. The stronger they are, the more fun he will have. Nakamura said he doesn't fear chaos, he enjoys it.
WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens
They went at each other but were held apart before the ring announcements.
They began slugging it out at the bell. Owens worked over Punk with shots in the corner. Punk reversed a whip but was still caught with a lariat. Punk was sent to the floor. Owens followed. Punk rolled back in the ring and stomped Owens as the crowd chanted for KO. Owens went for a suplex and slammed Punk across the top rope. Punk went down to the floor, where Owens chopped him hard. and continued the assault. Owens began dismantling the announcers' desk but Punk attacked him. Punk put the top back on the desk.
Back in the ring, Owens nailed Punk with a standing swanton. He went for a stunner but Punk blocked it and turned it into a neckbreaker. Punk stomped away and nailed some Mongolian chops. Owens fired back with a series of body blows, but was pulled away out of the corner by the referee. Punk reversed a hard whip into the buckles. Owens hit them and crashed down to the mat. Punk dropped a kneedrop. Punk began concentrating his attack on Owens' neck, then sunk in a front guillotine. Punk worked on Owens for some time and played to the crowd, cupping his ear. Owens came back to roll up Punk for a two count but Punk snapped up into a clothesline, sending Owens inside out. Punk continued to maintain control as they returned from commercial.
Owens blocked Punk and drilled him with a big right. He killed Punk with a hard clothesline. Owens began stomping the hell out of Punk, who went to the floor. Owens charged and nailed a clothesline on the floor. He dumped Punk back into the ring. Owens gave Punk a crotch chop and hit a cannonball in the corner for a close two count. Punk went to the floor. Punk was placed on the announcers' desk and hit with a frog splash off the barricade through the table. Owens sent Punk into the ring and nailed a swanton for a close two count.
Owens went for a pop-up powerbomb but Punk slipped out and nailed a series of kicks for a two count. Punk nailed the running knee in the corner and a clothesline. He ripped on the crowd for booing him. Punk went to the top for the flying elbowdrop for a two count. Punk snatched Owens into the Anaconda Vise. Owens pulled Punk into a pinfall attempt but Punk escaped. Punk nailed him with a hangman's neckbreaker and pulled the challenger up. Punk began beating him with elbows and strikes. Punk went for the GTS but Owens caught the knee on the way down and locked on a Sharpshooter. Punk tried to fight for the ropes and finally made it, forcing a break.
Punk pulled himself up on the apron and Owens lunged for him. Punk snapped him throat-first across the ropes. Back in the ring, Owens went for a stunner but Punk shoved him away and Owens crashed into the referee in the corner. Punk went for a GTS but Owens shoved him away. Punk crashed into the referee and sent him to the floor. Owens nailed the stunner but there was no official to make the count. The crowd chanted to 11 before Owens realized there was no referee. Owens called for another official to come out but Punk nailed him with a GTS. Now, there was no referee to count for Punk.
Punk worked over Owens with right hands and wondered where the referee was. He went to the floor to try and rouse the referee. Sami Zayn came out of the crowd and slammed Punk into the ring post. Owens hit him with a stunner. Zayn tossed the referee into the ring but Punk kicked out at the last second. Zayn grabbed the WWE title belt and slid it into the ring, telling Owens to use it. Owens grabbed it as the referee was down. Zayn told him to use it, but Owens said not this time, not like this. He gave the belt back to Zayn, who cracked Owens with it. Punk nailed Owens with GTS and pinned him in the center of the ring.
Your winner and still Champion, CM Punk!
Punk celebrated. Zayn slipped into the ring and hit Punk with the title belt. Owens rolled into the ring but Zayn nailed him with the title as well. He then clobbered Punk with the title belt yet again. Zayn said Punk stole the title from him and this was justice.
Thanks for your support of PWInsider.com!
Richard, we'll see you soon my friend!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
