WWE SmackDown Results 8/23 - Two Championship Matches, Cody Rhodes Appears On The Grayson Waller Effect

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on August 23, 2024, coming to you live from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.!

"The Grayson Waller Effect" will be making its return tonight as Grayson Waller and Austin Theory host Cody Rhodes on the talk show. As Rhodes prepares to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens at WWE Bash In Berlin on August 30, both men have encountered A Town-Down Under over the course of the past few weeks. This included last week when Waller and Theory launched a post match attack on Owens after he emerged victorious over the former before Rhodes came to his aid.

Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga of The Bloodline will be putting the WWE Tag Team Championship on the line for the first time on television since becoming the titleholders as they defend against The Street Profits. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins defeated #DIY in the finals of a tournament to become the new Number One Contenders.

Another title will be on the line, as Santos Escobar challenges LA Knight for the United States Championship in what will be Knight's first defense since becoming titleholder at WWE SummerSlam. Not only did Knight and Escobar send a pair of messages to one another last week, but the Legado Del Fantasma leader emerged victorious over Andrade to secure his spot in tonight's match two weeks ago.

Blair Davenport will be joining forces with WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre to collide with Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair. The six women are no strangers to one another, with Davenport preventing Cargill and Belair from dethroning Dawn and Fyre on the August 2 edition of "SmackDown". After Cargill emerged victorious over Fyre the following week, The Unholy Union and Davenport blindsided Cargill and Belair until Naomi came to their aid (who was ultimately unable to seek some retribution against Davenport last week).

Additionally, Solo Sikoa, WWE Women's Champion Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton, and Bayley are all advertised to be in town tonight per WWE's event page.

We are live! The show kicks off with a video recapping the confrontation involving Solo Sikoa, The Bloodline, Cody Rhodes, and Roman Reigns during last week's edition of "SmackDown".

Wade Barrett and Corey Graves then greet audiences at home as Grayson Waller and Austin Theory are waiting inside the ring.

Waller introduces Rhodes, and he makes his way down to the ring. Waller stops Rhodes in the middle of his entrance and tells him that they aren't doing that. Rhodes looks to ask Washington what they want to talk about, but Waller asks them instead of Rhodes. He begins complaining about everything in WWE being about Rhodes including "The Grayson Waller Effect", then says he knows how selfish Rhodes truly is. He points out that Randy Orton and Kevin Owens have gotten beaten up because of him multiple times.

Rhodes asks Waller if he's done, then says that Owens has been fighting The Bloodline long before him. He says Owens has been beaten up, but he's still fighting and credits Owens with helping him become Undisputed WWE Champion. Rhodes then questions Waller and Theory's alliance before asking Waller if it's a real friendship or if he's just using Theory. Rhodes addresses Theory directly and reiterates that Waller is simply using him, then throws it to a video of all the "friends" Owens has betrayed in the past including Sami Zayn, John Cena, Chris Jericho, Kofi Kingston, and Sami Zayn for the second time.

Kevin Owens' music hits and he makes his way out. He says he can't stay in the back any longer, then says Rhodes can probably admit that everyone he's betrayed had it coming with the exception of Kingston. He says himself and Rhodes have never had that kind of relationship, then suggests skipping the physical confrontation that will lead to a tag team match. Owens calls Nick Aldis out to the ring and asks him to make a tag team between A-Town Down Under and himself and Rhodes, and Aldis sets it as the main event. Owens asks if he has time to get in the ring and beat down Waller and Theory. Aldis tells him to make it quick, and Owens and Rhodes then beat down A-Town Down Under. Owens looks to land a Stunner on Waller, but Waller avoids it by pushing him into Rhodes.

LA Knight then makes his way down to the ring. Legado Del Fantasma follows.

Angel and Berto pull Knight out of the ring as Alicia Taylor makes the ring introductions and beat him down on the outside. They send him crashing into the ring steps shoulder first and dump him into the ring.

The referee ejects Angel and Berto from ringside. Elektra Lopez gets in her face, and she ejects her from ringside as well. The referee then checks on Knight and calls for the bell to sound when he makes it up to his feet. Knight rolls up Escobar, but Escobar kicks out and delivers a jumping knee to him. He sends him crashing into the ring post shoulder first, then continues wearing down his shoulder.

Back from the break, Knight sends Escobar's face repeatedly bouncing off the announce desk. Escobar returns the favor and ascends up the cart with the giant PRIME Hydration bottle. He delivers a meteora to Knight off it, sending Knight crashing on top of the announce desk.

Escobar gets Knight back in the ring and delivers a Frog Splash off the top. He goes for a pin, but Knight kicks out. Escobar then levels Knight and looks to land an elbow drop on him, but Knight avoids it. Escobar catches Knight with a boot in the corner as Knight charges at him, but Knight responds with a clothesline to Escobar. He follows it up with a swinging neckbreaker and a series of stomps to him in the corner, then delivers a Sidewalk Slam and goes for a pin. Escobar kicks out.

Escobar lands a kick on Knight, then sits him on the top rope and delivers an enzuigiri. Both men teeter on the ropes before Knight pushes Escobar off them and lands an elbow drop off the top. He follows it up with BFT for the win.

Winner (and still): LA Knight

We then head over to a video of Carmelo Hayes in the barber shop, who sends a message to Andrade. Andrade walks in and confronts Hayes, leading to a verbal confrontation between the pair.

Back at ringside, The Unholy Union make their way out. 

Back from the break, we head backstage where Legado Del Fantasma argues amongst themselves and an enraged Santos Escobar chews out Angel for what just happened. Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin walk in, and a verbal confrontation ensues.

Back at ringside, Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair make their way down.

Belair and Dawn begin the action. The bell rings and rains down right hands on Belair's spine. She runs the ropes, but Belair sends her crashing into the mat and follows it up with a springboard moonsault. She goes for a pin, but Dawn kicks out. Belair then lands a single leg drop kick and flies over the top rope to level Dawn on the outside.

Back from the break, Belair rolls up Davenport. Davenport kicks out and tags in Dawn. Fyre tags herself in and double teams on Belair with Dawn. Davenport then becomes legal again and delivers a double stomp to Belair's spine off the top rope as Fyre holds her in place. She goes for a pin, but Belair kicks out.

Dawn gets in Cargill's face on the apron, and while the referee prevents Cargill from entering the ring, The Unholy Union triple teams on Belair. Fyre then tags back in and sends Belair crashing into the mat with Dawn. Dawn then hits a meteora on Belair and Fyre pins her, but Belair kicks out. Fyre gets Belair in a submission hold, and Dawn aids Fyre from the apron. Belair escapes with a backbreaker to Fyre after the referee catches Dawn. Dawn tags in and keeps Belair from tagging out with a stomp. Belair connects with a vertical suplex on Dawn and tags in Cargill.

Davenport tags in on her side, and Cargill levels all three members of The Unholy Union with forearms. She sedans Davenport crashing into the mat, then lands a Fallaway Slam on Fyre that sends her crashing into Davenport. She then chokeslams Dawn and stacks up Davenport and Fyre in the corner before she charges at them. Naomi tags in and delivers a crossbody off the top to Dawn and Davenport. She sends Fyre crashing into the corner and delivers a double hanging DDT to Dawn and Davenport.

Dawn and Fyre beat down Cargill on the outside, but Belair delivers a crossbody off the top to level them. Back inside the ring, Davenport rolls up Naomi. Naomi kicks out and delivers an enzuigiri to Davenport out of the corner. She follows it up with a split legged moonsault for the win.

Winners: Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair

Back from the break, we head over to a video showcasing some of WWE's shows in Germany over the years.

Back at ringside, The Bloodline makes their way out.

Sikoa demands that Washington acknowledge him, then says he has a lot to talk about tonight. He says that Roman Reigns is done, then says whether it's Kevin Owens or Cody Rhodes that emerges victorious as Undisputed WWE Champion, he's next in line for a shot. He says he'll bring the title back to his family and himself.

Fans chant for Reigns as Sikoa calls on Jacob Fatu to step forward. He demands that Fatu give him his WWE Tag Team Championship belt, and he looks to land it over. He then redirects Fatu to give the belt to Tanga Loa and explains that Fatu can't be a tag team champion if he's going to be his enforcer. Sikoa then hugs Fatu.

The Street Profits' music hits, and B-Fab says no one cares who Sikoa's personal bodyguard is. Montez Ford says that Loa and Fatu are happy because they just got promotions, but they're about to get demoted when they lose the WWE Tag Team Championship.

Tama Tonga and Angelo Dawkins begin the action. The bell rings and the two go after one another. Dawkins pins Tonga, but Tonga kicks out. Dawkins then delivers a flapjack to Tonga and tags in Ford. Ford levels Tonga with a shoulder tackle and connects with a clothesline, then goes for a pin but Tonga kicks out. Tonga delivers a splash in the corner and fires off right and left hands on Ford.

Loa tags in and Ford lands an enzuigiri on him. Dawkins then tags back in and The Profits deliver a double shoulder tackle to him. They deliver a double flapjack to an interfering Tonga before Ford delivers a splash off the top and goes for a pin. Tonga breaks the fall, and Dawkins dumps him out of the ring. Loa then dumps Ford out of the ring and Tonga sends him crashing into the floor.

Back from the break, Ford looks to tag in Dawkins but Loa prevents him from doing so. Ford levels Loa with a DDT and tags in Dawkins as Loa tags in Tonga. Dawkins connects with a back elbow on Tonga and delivers a splash to him in the corner, then follows it up with an enzuigiri and goes for a pin. Dawkins kicks out and hits a twisting neckbreaker on Tonga, then tags Ford back in. The Profits deliver a neckbreaker-sit-out spinebuster to Tonga and Ford goes for a pin, but Tonga kicks out.

Dawkins then tags back in and Ford flies to level Tonga and Loa on the outside. Sikoa distracts the referee, allowing Tonga to deliver a flatliner to Dawkins for the win.

Winners (and still): The Bloodline

After the match, The Bloodline continues beating down The Profits, but #DIY's music hits and they run down to the ring to even the odds. Tommaso Ciampa lands a knee on Fatu, then delivers a double superkick to Sikoa. #DIY sets up for Meeting In The Middle, but Fatu grabs Johnny Gargano's ankle. The Bloodline regains the upperhand, and Fatu delivers a Samoan Drop to Ciampa. He then delivers a Hip Attack to Gargano, and hands him over to Sikoa. Sikoa lands a Samoan Spike on him, then delivers another one to Ciampa. Fatu then places the lei around Sikoa's neck and The Bloodline stands tall holding up the One symbol.

We then head backstage to Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. Owens assures Rhodes that all the betrayals in the video A-Town Down Under showed him were because the people he turned his back on deserved it, and Rhodes responds by telling him that he's prepared for whatever's coming next.

Back from the break, B-Fab emerges from the trainer's room to assure Byron Saxton and fans that The Profits are fine as Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell rush into the trainer's room to check on #DIY.

We then head over to a video from Michin who sends a message to Nia Jax.

We then head backstage and see Tiffany Stratton and Pretty Deadly repairing Jax's Queen Of The Ring crown. Jax walks in and assures them that she will take care of Michin. After Stratton and Pretty Deadly leaves, Jax overhears Chelsea Green and Piper Niven chatting about Stratton and Jax's relationship.

Back at ringside, Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens make their way out. A-Town Down Under follows.

Rhodes and Waller begin the action. The bell rings and Rhodes delivers an open palm strike to Waller. Owens tags in and fires off strikes on Waller. He connects with a back elbow and a senton, then goes for a pin but Waller kicks out. Rhodes then tags back in and levels Waller with a double back elbow with the aid of Owens. Theory then becomes legal and rains down right hands on Owens.

Back from the break, Owens delivers a Frog Splash off the top to Waller and tags in Rhodes. Rhodes delivers a back elbow and a scoop powerslam to Waller, then connects with a Disaster Kick and takes down Theory on the outside. Waller catches Rhode with a rolling flatliner back in the ring and tags in Theory.

Theory runs over Rhodes with a clothesline, but Rhodes catches him with a Cody Cutter. Theory hits a back suplex on Rhodes and tags Waller back in. Waller and Theory look to double team on Rhodes, but Rhodes sends them both crashing out of the ring. Owens ascends to the top and delivers a senton off the top rope, then goes for a pin, but Waller kicks out.

Rhodes catches Theory with a Cross-Rhodes, but Waller sends him crashing out of the ring. Owens looks to land a Stunner on him, but Waller sees him coming and rolls him up. Owens kicks out and delivers a pop-up powerbomb for the win.

Winners: Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens

After the match, Owens grabs Rhodes' Undisputed WWE Championship and holds it up as if he's about to hit him with it. He opts to hand it to Rhodes instead, and the two stand tall in the ring as the show goes off the air.