WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights From Aug. 11

Credit: WWE.com

Asuka and Charlotte Flair reignited a rivalry Friday night that has been responsible for countless physical, hard-hitting match-ups in the past and their latest promised more of the same, especially after both left SummerSlam frustrated and title-less.

Their match was one of several segments that looked to build on the momentum coming out of the summertime spectacular.

Elsewhere, Austin Theory defended his United States Championship against Santos Escobar and in the most anticipated moment of the night, Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns spoke for the first time following a victory over Jey Uso that would not have happened without a shocking betrayal by Jimmy.

Announced in advance of Friday's show were:

• Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
• United States Championship Match: Santos Escobar vs. Austin Theory
  

Credit: WWE.com

Charlotte Flair and Asuka left SummerSlam empty-handed Saturday night and both women sought to rebuild momentum Friday night in the opening contest of SmackDown.

What was a competitive, spirited match concluded with new WWE Women's champion Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai and Bayley hitting the ring and attacking both competitors before standing tall in a sign of dominance.

This was a solid if unspectacular way to reintroduce Damage CTRL as a united front and a threat to every other woman on the roster.

Michael Cole pointing out that Bayley walked around the locker room saying "We are the WWE Women's champion," continues to hint at the inevitable moment that Sky breaks free of her partnership with the egotistical future Hall of Famer.

Result

No contest

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Kevin Patrick introduced the show, lending credence to the idea that he is the voice of SmackDown and that Cole is there simply to mentor him on the job.
• Flair's red robe is so cool. It's reminiscent of badass Red Riding Hood, intentional or not. 
• The aforementioned Sky, Bayley and Dakota Kai interrupted the match, momentarily distracting Flair but not enough to cost her the match.
• Damage CTRL attacked Flair and Asuka and the heels stood tall to close out the segment.

Credit: WWE.com

The uninspired feud between AJ Styles and Karrion Kross ended not with a bang, but a whimper Friday night in a match that never really clicked.

The action was, at times, disjointed and the competitors failed to create much in the way of in-ring chemistry before Styles capitalized on Michin yeeting Scarlett halfway to Kalamazoo and put him away to end the feud.

Thankfully.

From day one, this felt like a consolation feud for Styles and Kross, two guys who had nothing else better to do but had earned television time.

Unfortunately, the feud did little to enhance or advance either's stature on the show and if this really is the end of the rivalry, its greatest contribution is likely to be the internet GIFs of the aforementioned spot involving Michin and Scarlett.

Both Styles and Kross are better than that and capable of more.

Result

Styles defeated Kross

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

• "You make me laugh. I miss working with you every week," Cole told Corey Graves on commentary in a sweet moment by commentary standards.
• Kross powered Styles down with a Death Valley Driver into the announce table entering the break.
• Scarlett got involved, placing Kross' foot on the ropes and preventing a loss following a springboard 450 splash. Michin attempted to wipe her out but failed, allowing Kross to take advantage. 
• Michin tossed Scarlett like a ragdoll across the announce table and Styles finished Kross with a Styles Clash for the win.

Credit: WWE.com

Edge made a surprise appearance Friday night on SmackDown, just moments after a video package announced a celebration of 25 years in WWE next Friday night from Toronto, and surprised fans by issuing a challenge for a match on that show.

To Sheamus.

A genuine and touching promo, complete with some nice ribbing between friends, concluded with The Celtic Warrior accepting and hoping his friend did not make a mistake.

The match is fixing to be a banger, a showdown between two future Hall of Famers and the start of what may very well be Edge's last great run as an active in-ring competitor.

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Edge credited Sheamus with helping him get back into the ring and living his dream after he thought it had ended.
• The Celtic Warrior gave props to Edge for taking the time to talk to him when he was but an extra, a nobody in the world of pro wrestling, and gave him advice that helped him make it to the big show.
• "I just hope you didn't make a mistake," Sheamus said slyly, suggesting the Rated R Superstar may have bitten off more than he could chew. 

Credit: WWE.com

The hottest star in pro wrestling today, LA Knight, rolled to a victory over Hit Row's Top Dolla Friday night, putting him away with Blunt Force Trauma.

The match was what it was but the crowd was red-hot for the babyface in a way that is typically reserved for the top stars in the industry.

Knight is not there yet but the people are behind him and WWE Creative is getting there.

Once the writers catch up to the audience, it is going to be difficult to deny Knight and keep him out of the spot on the card befitting someone as over as he is.

Result

Knight defeated Top Dolla

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Cole celebrated Hulk Hogan birthday, then reminded the WWE Universe that it is also the 50th birthday of hip-hop. It was certainly a...choice. As was his rapping.
• The sheer number of yellow Knight shirts shown in the crowd as he made his way to the ring is indicative that WWE has something in the Megastar right now. 

Credit: WWE.com

After two weeks of building to Austin Theory defending his United States Championship against Santos Escobar, WWE Creative did an about-face and booked an injury angle that took the latter out of the title bout and replaced him with Rey Mysterio.

What ensued was another legendary victory for Mysterio as he ended Theory's lenghty run at 258 days.

The question from here is not what is next for Theory but, rather, how Escobar will react to Mysterio jumping over him to win the title.

Initially, he was congratulatory and respectful to his mentor and friend, but what happens when envy sets in and he becomes resentful that his replacement won a title he had so hoped to attain?

That is a simple story and one that WWE Creative can milk in the coming weeks before paying off at the appropriate time.

Result

Mysterio defeated Theory to win the title

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Theory jumped Escobar backstage, then on his way to the ring, only to find out that Adam Pearce replaced the LWO competitor with Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio. It was the most ass-backward plan by a heel on this entire show.
• Mysterio targeted the back, ultimately costing Theory the ability to deliver A-Town Down. The 619 and top-rope splash earned the legendary luchador the victory and the US title.
• LWO meeting Mysterio on the ramp to congratulate him, with Escobar on one crunch as he nursed his knee injury, was interesting. Could it foreshadow a split out of jealousy?

Credit: WWE.com

It was of the utmost importance that WWE adequately explain Jimmy Uso's shocking betrayal of Jey at SummerSlam Friday night on SmackDown and it did just that, for the most part.

Jimmy explained what being the Tribal Chief did to Roman Reigns, how it corrupted him, and he wanted to save his brother from that. It was an interesting, unexpected explanation and one that was much more interesting and easy to digest than the tired jealousy story.

That does not mean Jey accepted it, and he definitely did not.

The Right Hand Man blasted his brother with a superkick before walking out of the show and on WWE, leaving more questions than answers about his status.

Creating intrigue and crafting a quality cliffhanger will help buy WWE time as it figures out where the story goes from here. The reaction for Jey as he walked out Friday night suggests he was not hurt by the SummerSlam loss and if anything, looks like he is going to be a force within WWE moving forward here in 2023.

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

• "My Tribal Chief, I spoke with Jimmy this morning and he was rather salty with me," Heyman said when quizzed about Uso's whereabouts.
• "Let's be real about it: I owe you one," Reigns told Jimmy.
• "What I did at SummerSlam's got nothing to do with you," Jimmy responded to his cousin.
• "I'm about to throw 37 years down the drain right now if you don't tell me why you did it," Jey told his brother.
• Jimmy claimed he saved Jey from the corrupting power of The Tribal Chief and from being a "lying, manipulative a*****e like Roman Reigns." 
• Jey laid out Reigns with a spear, rocked Jimmy with a superkick and proclaimed, "I'm outta The Bloodline, I'm outta SmackDown, I'm outta WWE. Deuces, uces!" 

This was an interesting show with some head-scratching creative decisions and an overall lack of obvious direction outside of The Bloodline stuff.

Edge vs. Sheamus is going to be great and their exchange was a lot of fun. It was nice to see Damage CTRL heat back up and WWE finally appears to be in on LA Knight.

The booking of the US title match and the decision to put Rey Mysterio over Austin Theory was certainly a decision. Unless there are plans for Santos Escobar and/or LWO to become distrusting of Mysterio, it is difficult to foresee a reason that he would have undergone an injury angle just to get Rey into the match instead.

Hopefully, with Payback coming on September 2, WWE rediscovers because this one lacked a spark that had become synonymous with the company's TV of late.

Grade: C+