The Superstars of Friday Night SmackDown made their way to the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma for another night of action.
We started this week off with Cathy Kelley interviewing Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss backstage, but before Flair could answer Kelley’s question, in walked the WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley. Ripley tells them she tried to take on Fatal Influence alone and got ambushed. She’s willing to put differences aside if Flair is, to help out. Bliss is taken aback but responds kindly to the gesture, while Flair comments that she knows they’ve teamed before, but it doesn’t mean they have to team again. Ripley notes that there are three of them and two of Charlotte and Alexa; they need Rhea. Bliss again tries to be encouraging with Flair, mentioning that she makes a good point, but all Flair needs is Bliss. She knows Alexa and Rhea have this “cute goth thing” going on, but three’s kind of a crowd.
The first match of the night followed as Flair took on Fatal Influence’s ringleader, Jacy Jayne. Jayne cut a promo as the group came out, claiming that last week, the fans got just a small taste of what they’re bringing to the blue brand, but clearly someone just couldn’t get enough, but you know what, Jayne loves and thrives off that. If there’s anything Fatal Influence loves to do, it’s embarrass a legend, proudly proclaiming that Lainey Reid, Fallon Henley, and herself are going to take out the fan’s precious little legends one at a time, and who better to start with than Charlotte Flair?
The two then got the match started with a lock-up. Jayne was aggressive in her offense, even yelling out that she ran the division now, although Flair countered her moves frequently in the early goings. Jayne tried to pull the time-out card before the commercial break, only to meet Alexa Bliss.
Jayne returned to the ring and got the best of Flair by the time the show returned from the break, only for The Queen to fight back with chops and a high crossbody that was nearly reversed by Jayne into a pin. An attempt at the Rolling Encore turned into the Figure Eight by Flair was stopped by Fallon Henley pulling her hands without the referee looking, only for Henley to be punched out by Bliss, pushed down to the floor by Lainey Reid.
The three once again ganged up on Flair and Bliss before Rhea made the save. Jayne nearly pushed Ripley into Flair, but Ripley stopped herself. The two did shake hands, but there was still an air of tension as Fatal Influence had retreated to the top of the stage.
NOTE: Same video, but starting at 8:31.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Brie Bella and Paige were in the women’s locker room being interviewed by Byron Saxton. Brie tells him that her and Paige are impressed by Fatal Influence making a name of themselves, but sooner or later, their actions will catch up to them. Paige agrees, and says that while she hasn’t been around WWE in a while, what she does know is that karma is very real and they will deal with them in good time, but now, they have to concentrate on two women, Nia Jax and Lash Legend, and walking out of Tulsa still champions.
When asked on how they’ll keep the titles against The Irresistible Forces, Brie says that while they’re strong, powerful, and former champions, she believes that with the resilience and experience they have, they will get the job done. Plus, Paige is back, and SmackDown is their house.
Blake Monroe was featured in another introductory vignette. As we saw visuals of high heels and running water, Monroe once again refers to herself as The Glamour: clean, perfect, and untouchable as she is clearly enjoying a nice and relaxing bubble bath. Upon stepping out of the tub, she says that when the world thinks it’s ready to see The Glamour in full, it’ll be too late, because nothing burns brighter than Blake Monroe.
We see Cathy Kelley once again, this time interviewing the new Women’s United States Champion, Tiffany Stratton. Asking for what her plans are for this reign, Stratton says that as champion and the birthday girl, being her 27th birthday today, people should be coming to her for opportunities with the title, feeling it should be defended more frequently, and who doesn’t love the sound of a good open challenge?
Perhaps Chelsea Green, who arrives in her wheelchair (no more Alba Fyre to carry her around), announcing that her birthday present is that she can finally walk, which she considers a miracle. Green tried to plan a surprise party for Stratton, but as “sir Nicholas the prickolas” ruins everything, they are going for martinis instead. Stratton says she couldn’t think of a worse way to celebrate her birthday, so Green decides to push it to after the show, where they will discuss Green’s first and fourth reign as the Women’s United States Champion.
Kiana James and Giulia interrupt, with James stating it’s probably for the best that Chelsea’s birthday celebration never came to fruition, as it’s not like Tiffany’s going to be Women’s United States Champion for long, but she supposes she wouldn’t be doing her job if she wasn’t securing Giulia her rematch. Stratton does love the idea of a title match next week, and while Giulia, Stratton actually has the entire locker room to think about, and was actually speaking to Kiana, telling her, “Let’s see what you can do when you’re not held back”, before her and Chelsea walk off.
Byron Saxton is back, not interviewing but rather “currently residing in the company of” The Irresistible Forces (Lash Legend and Nia Jax). Jax says that Brie and Paige pinned Charlotte and Alexa in the fatal four-way tag team match at WrestleMania to win the titles, with Lash saying that the two prepared for Brie and Nikki Bella, not Paige, but tonight will be a totally different story. Jax then states that once they end the nostalgia comeback for Paige and Brie and get their titles, they will go back on the couch with Nikki.
As for the title match, Lash and Nia dominated Paige at the beginning, before Brie was quickly tagged in and able to land some kicks to keep Jax down, only for Brie to be thrown out of the ring.
As the show returned from commercials, Brie was able to tag in Paige, who let out some kicks to Legend, before Brie made a blind tag. A Paige Turner followed by a mini-Bella Buster targeting only Legend’s head didn’t put the challengers away as Jax broke up the pin and let Legend tag her in. As Jax attempted the Annihilator, a kick from Paige to Jax on the turnbuckle allowed Brie to hook the legs of Jax and retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Friday Night SmackDown airs next week from inside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, with the following set to take place:
- Women’s United States Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Kiana James
- Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid) vs. Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss
As always, make sure to share your thoughts on this week’s edition of SmackDown in the comments below.