WWE.com
WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Aug. 18, 2023) with a live show emanating from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, featuring build to the company’s Payback premium live event on Sept. 2 in Pittsburgh.
Advertised for tonight: A celebration of Edge’s 25th Anniversary in his hometown, including what could be his final match before retiring. The Hall of Famer will face his old friend & training partner, Sheamus.
Also on the card: Fresh off a surprising United States title win, Rey Mysterio pays a visit to The Grayson Waller Effect. We should also get fallout from Jey Uso superkicking Roman Reigns and his twin brother Jimmy before quitting The Bloodline and WWE at the end of last week’s show, and much more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on FOX. It will be below this line here. (Note: Links to illegal streams are prohibited. Pics and GIFs are allowed.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR AUG. 18
If none of us believe in war, then can you tell me what the weapon’s for? Listen to me everyone, if the button is pushed there’ll be nowhere to run, but right now I’m just here to liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with commentary hyping tonight’s show up.
Grayson Waller is in the ring to host the Grayson Waller Effect.
He talks about celebrating Edge’s career and says he’s sure to be thanked by the Rated R Superstar for making him relevant again, but that’s enough about him for the night, because his guests tonight are Santos Escobar and newly crowned United States Champion Rey Mysterio.
Waller congratulates Mysterio on his win and Rey says it’s great to be United States Champion again, and Grayson throws a barb about how Escobar can only imagine how that feels. Mysterio says Austin Theory cooked up a plan that they ruined, together, and Waller asks if they’re co-champions.
Rey says they’re not co-champions, and what matters is that the title is with the Latino World Order. Grayson tries to sow discord between them, but Santos cuts him off and says the only person he’s angry at is that low-life good for nothing Austin Theory, and he has nothing but respect for his legend, friend, and mentor Rey Mysterio.
He knows what Waller is doing but it won’t work, because they’re family. Austin got exactly what he deserves, and once he’s fully healed–
Enter Austin Theory, mic in hand and a constipated look on his face.
He congratulates Rey on becoming a three-time United States Champion and says it’s a great achievement but it’s no Father of the Year award. He complains that last week was a tragedy and Escobar and his damn leg weren’t man enough to step up to the greatest United States Champion.
He demands Adam Pearce come down and fix things, and Pearce comes to the stage. He says he figured he’d get called out, but nobody wants to hear him complain tonight.
Enter LA Knight.
He asks if he just heard Austin Theory say he was the greatest United States Champion of all time and says he fumbled the damn ball. He’s got an idea and he congratulates Rey on winning and says no matter who’s champion, sometime it’s coming to him.</