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We got an eventful episode of SmackDown tonight with a big tag team Gauntlet Match while Jey Uso confronted the Tribat Chief Roman Reigns in the closing moments.
- Pretty Deadly won the Gauntlet Match to become the No.1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles.
- Zelina Vega defeated IYO SKY
- Karrion Kross & Scarlett defeated The O.C.
- Santos Escobar defeated LA Knight.
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman were asked about the future of Jey Uso before the show, but they refused to answer as we headed for the first match on SmackDown.
WWE SmackDown Results (June 16, 2023): Gauntlet Match to decide the Tag Team Championship No.1 Contender
The Street Profits and Brawling Brutes were the first to face off in the Gauntlet match, and Sheamus got a Brogue Kick early on Dawkins before picking up the first pin.
The O.C. was next and managed to get some good moves in before Sheamus once more came in with a sudden Brogue kick on Anderson and picked up the win.
Latino World Order joined the match and isolated Sheamus in the ring before the Holland came back and struck them down off some big dives. Holland eliminated the LWO before Hit Row came in, and Top Dolla got instantly destroyed with a Brogue Kick. Holland got yet another pin, and it was time for the final team to join.
The Pretty Deadly joined the match and got a takedown on Holland before Prince caught him with a headlock. Sheamus came back in and dropped one of the Deadly on the other before hitting the Beats of the Bodhran on both of them together.
Sheamus got a near fall off a Crucifix Bomb, but Wilson came in with a leg drop and got the pin!
Result: Pretty Deadly won the Gauntlet Match
Grade: B
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens came out after the match and congratulated the winners.
Pretty Deadly refused to leave the ring and mocked the champs before Sami and KO ran in and chased them out.
Backstage on SmackDown, Roman Reigns told Heyman that Jey hadn't reached out to him. He demanded Paul talk to Jey before Heyman nervously walked off.
IYO SKY vs. Zelina Vega on SmackDown
IYO got an early dropkick before Vega came back with a boot to the face. SKY caught Vega in a headlock before the latter tried to roll her up for a near fall.
Bayley interfered and caused Vega to miss a pin attempt before Zelina came back with a 619 for the win.
Result: Zelina Vega def. IYO SKY
Grade: C
Backstage on SmackDown, Shotzi challenged Bayley to a match, and IYO accepted the match on her behalf.
The Grayson Waller Effect was next, and Charlotte Flair was out to join him in the ring for an interview. Waller asked Flair if she would become a 15-time champion soon, and she said she would before Bianca Belair interrupted them.
Belair was unhappy with her rematch being axed before Charlotte walked up to her and told her that she didn't get a rematch after losing to Rhea Ripley and that it didn't matter.
Flair said she was a champion even if she didn't have a title before Belair noted that she would be at ringside for the title match and challenge the winner.
Backstage, Heyman was getting Jey to trust the Tribal Chief again. Jey told Heyman again that if he came back to the Bloodline, Heyman would be out.
Karrion Kross & Scarlett vs. The O.C. on SmackDown
Styles and Kross kicked off the match on SmackDown, and tags were made early on before Michin and Scarlett faced off. Styles came back in with a Styles Clash to Kross, but Scarlett broke up the pin.
Scarlett distracted AJ in the ring before Michin dragged her outside and dropped her. Kross came in with a Kross Jacket off the distraction before hitting his finisher for the win.
Result: Karrion Kross & Scarlett def. The O.C.
Grade: C
Heyman reported back to Roman and told him that Jey was not responding as planned before running away. Solo Sikoa asked Roman if he should 'handle it,' but Reigns told him to relax.
Cameron Grimes was backstage when Baron Corbin attacked him and wiped him out.
Rey Mysterio was out next and announced that Santos Escobar was the new leader of the LWO. LA Knight came out and attacked Rey before Santos and Mysterio took him down and set him up for the 619.
Knight dodged the move and ran outside before we headed for the next match.
Santos Escobar vs. LA Knight on SmackDown
The match started during commercials, and we returned to see Knight take a big flying lariat after failing to get the submission.
Knight came back with a slam and an elbow drop before they traded rollups in the corner. Knight tried using the ropes to get the pin, but Escobar turned it around and won.
Result: Santos Escobar def. LA Knight
Grade: D
Jey Uso was headed out, and Sami Zayn gave him a stare and nodded before we saw Roman, Heyman, and Sikoa make their way out.
Jey Uso came out, and Roman explained that Jimmy was always the problem. Jimmy came out and said that Roman was the real problem.
Reigns tried to remind them that Jimmy protested when Roman made Jey the right-hand man, and Jimmy stayed quiet before telling Jey that it was true.
Jey said that Jimmy doubted him and realized he lived in his brother's shadow. Jey noted that Jimmy was 'out'... and he was too before superkicking Roman in the face.
Solo got hit with the stereo superkicks before they did the same to Roman as SmackDown went off the air.
