WWE SmackDown Results 8/25 - Women's Title Match, Rey Mysterio Vs. Grayson Waller
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on August 25, 2023, coming to you live from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky!
For the first time on television since winning the WWE Women's Championship at WWE SummerSlam, IYO SKY will be putting her title on the line against LWO's Zelina Vega. SKY cashed in her Money In The Bank briefcase at the Detroit Premium Live Event to dethrone Bianca Belair following the latter's Triple Threat match against Asuka and Charlotte Flair.
United States Champion Rey Mysterio will be going one-on-one with Grayson Waller in a non-title matchup. Not only did Rey dethrone Austin Theory in Calgary, Alberta, Canada two weeks ago after stepping up when an injured Santos Escobar was unable to compete, but he found himself face-to-face with Waller last week during "The Grayson Waller Effect" in a less than ideal encounter.
Last week, Paul Heyman announced that Jimmy Uso would be returning to "SmackDown" tonight albeit without providing many details. The former multi-time tag team champion's last appearance on "The Blue Brand" involved him getting into a heated verbal exchange with his twin brother Jey and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns a couple of weeks ago.
Additionally, the aforementioned Theory, Belair, LA Knight, Bobby Lashley, and Solo Sikoa are all slated to be in town tonight per WWE's event page.
We are live! Michael Cole greets audiences at home and says that tonight's show will be in honor of Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk before a ten bell salute commences for both men.
We then head over to a video of some of Wyatt's most memorable moments throughout his career, including The Wyatt Family, Firefly Funhouse, The Fiend, his WWE Championship wins, and behind the scenes moments.
Back at ringside, "Thank You Bray" and "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" chants ring out throughout the arena as the camera pans over to an empty rocking chair.
Back from the break, we head over to a video showing some of the tributes for Terry Funk from past and present WWE Superstars on social media.
Cole, Corey Graves, and Kevin Patrick then greet audiences at home as Rey Mysterio heads down to the ring. Grayson Waller follows.
Grayson Waller vs. Rey Mysterio
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before Waller lands a shoulder tackle. Rey fires back with a hurricanrana and rains down right hands in the corner, then delivers a second hurricanrana that sends Waller crashing into the ropes. He dials it up for the 619, but Waller evades the maneuver and sends Rey crashing to the outside. He looks to follow him out there, but Rey catches him with another hurricanrana.
Back from the break, Waller fires off right hands on Rey. He follows it up with an elbow drop out of the corner and a spinning knee, then sends him crashing into the corner face first and once more spine first. He looks for a powerbomb, but Rey fights his way out with several right hands and sends Waller crashing into the ring post shoulder first. He ascends to the top and delivers a senton, then follows it up with a springboard crossbody and a Tornado DDT.
Waller lands a back elbow and plants Rey, then delivers a forearm to his spine. He runs the ropes, but Rey catches him with a clothesline and a senton off the ropes. He looks to dial it up for the 619, but Austin Theory's music hits and he appears which captures Rey's attention. This allows Waller to roll Rey up, but Rey kicks out and the pair level one another with crossbodies.
Santos Escobar blindsides Theory on the outside, but Theory gains the upperhand with a chop block. Rey levels Theory, but Waller attacks him and takes a shot at Escobar. He gets back in the ring (where Rey is waiting) and looks for a rolling stunner. Rey catches him with a 619 and looks to go flying back in the ring. Theory grabs his ankle, but Escobar takes care of Theory by landing a kick on him, allowing Rey to deliver a splash back into the ring and pin Waller for the win.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Back from the break, we see tributes for Bray Wyatt from several WWE Superstars.
Michael Cole then announces that tonight's main event will feature LA Knight taking on Finn Balor, two of Wyatt's most notable rivals.
Damage CTRL then heads down to the ring. Zelina Vega follows.
IYO SKY (w/ Damage CTRL) (c) vs. Zelina Vega for the WWE Women's Championship
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before SKY sends Vega into the middle rope face first. She then fires off a series of stomps and executes a bodyslam, but Vega fires back with a kick to SKY's head and ascends to the top. SKY pulls her down, but Vega sends her into the top turnbuckle face first and follows it up with a Sling Blade. She then delivers a Hammerlock DDT and climbs up to the middle rope before hitting a meteora. She charges at SKY in the corner, but SKY ducks out of the way and delivers a dropkick off the top rope. She looks for another bodyslam, but Vega counters into a DDT and looks for a Code Red. SKY evades the maneuver and plants Vega with a powerbomb.
Vega delivers a powerbomb to SKY and looks to pin her, but SKY rolls to the outside before she can. Vega follows her out there, and SKY sends her crashing into the ring steps. She gets her back in the ring and delivers a pair of double running knees, then ascends to the top and delivers Over The Moonsault for the win.
Winner (and still): IYO SKY
Back from the break, Cody Rhodes heads down to the ring.
Cody Rhodes Pays Homage to Terry Funk
Rhodes tells Louisville he knows what he wants to talk about tonight, then recalls being 11 years old and traveling with his father, Dusty Rhodes in Denver, Colorado. He says he hears a man calling his father "an egg sucking dog", but didn't know who it was until he spotted Terry Funk. He says WWE Superstars get to call themselves the coolest thing, but they've been called many other things over the years. He says a fabled few get to call themselves cowboys, and that includes both Funk and Bray Wyatt. He says Funk has been a constant in pro wrestling for 50 years, and he managed to pull up an entire company and revolution up to his level.
Rhodes then throws it to a video showcasing some of the highlights from Funk's career, from ECW to WCW to WWE to his iconic matches and partnership with Mick Foley and his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside his brother Dory Funk Jr.
Rhodes says Funk was passionate and hardcore, then announces that the next tag team match between The Brawling Brutes and The Street Profits is a Terry Funk Hardcore Match!
Butch and Ridge Holland then make their way down to the ring. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins follow.
The Street Profits vs. The Brawling Brutes
The bell rings and the two teams waste no time going after one another. Butch delivers chops to Ford on the outside as Dawkins sends Holland crashing into the ring steps. Butch jams his elbow into Ford, then dumps him back inside the ring. Ford catches him with a shoulder tackle, but Butch responds with a dropkick. He catches Dawkins with a second one, then looks to lock in a Figure Four Leg Lock. Dawkins gives Ford a hand before Holland plants Ford with a DDT. Dawkins then levels Holland with a swinging neckbreaker and Ford delivers a standing splash.
The Profits then wear down Butch and catch him with a double flapjack. Butch takes out The Profits with a moonsault, and gets on Holland's shoulders. Holland spins around to level The Profits in the same manner Terry Funk did with ladders before the action spills to the outside and Ford goes flying to level everyone.
Bobby Lashley's music hits and he appears to watch the action.
Back from the break, Butch and Holland deliver The Ten Beats of the Bodhran to Ford and Dawkins. Butch then delivers an enziguri to Ford and plants him with an assisted powerbomb (help of course coming from Holland). Dawkins levels Butch, then fires off right hands on Holland. He then delivers a back elbow and a splash in the corner, then rocks him with a kick and gets him in an Electric Chair position. Ford ascends to the top, and The Profits deliver a Blockbuster.
Butch lands a step-up enziguri on Ford, but Ford fires back with one of his own. Holland levels him with a clothesline and gets Dawkins on the top turnbuckle and plants him with a superplex. Ford then delivers a Frog Splash to him off the top and goes for a pin, but Butch breaks the fall and pulls a table from under the ring. He inadvertently hits Lashley with it in the process, then gets it inside the ring. Holland looks to set it up, but Ford blindsides him before he can and sets the table up himself. He looks to send Holland crashing through it, but Holland fights his way out and plants both The Profits. Butch snaps Dawkins' fingers, and Holland gets him on the table. Butch ascends to the top, but Lashley pushes him down and delivers a Spear. This opens the door for Ford to deliver a kick to Holland and for him and Dawkins to deliver The Revelation through the table for the win.
Winners: The Street Profits
Back from the break, LA Knight makes his way down to the ring.
LA Knight Pays Homage to Bray Wyatt and Has a Message For The Miz
Knight says he'll get to The Miz in a second because tonight is about Bray Wyatt. He says he saw everyone representing with the fireflies, then says sometimes your greatest foes are your greatest helpers. He says throughout his feud with Wyatt, he was getting him ready for anything. He says he held it together until he saw the pictures of Wyatt with his family, but as he looks around, he feels the spirit of Wyatt in the KFC Yum! Arena. He says he's not going to act like he was best friends with Wyatt, but he thanks him.
Knight then addresses The Miz and says if he's just a fad like Miz says, then he's fine with that because "The A-Lister" never was. He says his stunt double, Damian Sandow, was the star during their partnership and he took a back seat to The Rock and John Cena when he was WWE Champion. He tells Miz he'll meet him anytime, any place but advises him that in the words of a wise man, Miz should run.
Finn Balor then heads down to the ring.
LA Knight vs. Finn Balor
The bell rings and the two lock up. Knight lands a shoulder tackle before the action spills to the outside and Knight sends Balor repeatedly crashing into the announce desk face first. The pair get back inside the ring, and Knight delivers a shoulder to Balor's midsection.
Back from the break, Knight delivers a neckbreaker to Balor. He lands a DDT and sends Balor crashing into the mat face first, then delivers a knee. Balor fires back with a Russian Leg Sweep and a series of stomps using the bottom rope for leverage, then follows it up with a Sling Blade. Knight delivers a clothesline and several stomps in the corner, then executes a Hip Attack and gets Balor up on his shoulders. Balor fights his way out and delivers a stomp to Knight's chest, then lands a shotgun dropkick and ascends to the top. He looks for the Coup De Grace, but Knight ducks out of the way and delivers a powerslam. He follows it up with an elbow drop before Balor plants Knight and ascends to the top. Knight trips him and executes a superplex, then delivers BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
The lights then go off in the signature Bray Wyatt fashion as the fireflies come out, a single lantern lays in the middle of the ring, and fans chant "Thank You Bray".