WWE SmackDown July 21, 2023 Results, Live Updates, Winners
Welcome to the live results blog for WWE SmackDown July 21, 2023 episode which was live from Amway Center in Orlando, FL.
We were just two weeks and 3 SmackDown episodes away from SummerSlam 2023 PLE. Roman Reigns featured on the show to discuss the rules of engagement with Jey Uso ahead of their rumored match at SummerSlam.
United States Championship Invitational Fatal 4-Way match was also booked on the show. The match featured LA Knight, Cameron Grimes, Rey Mysterio and Sheamus. The winner would clash with Santos Escobar next week for an opportunity for United States title.
Tune in below as we post results from WWE Friday Night SmackDown July 21, 2023 episode with live updates, winners, and highlights.
RESULTS
- Rey Mysterio defeated LA Knight, Cameron Grimes & Sheamus in United States Championship Invitational Fatal 4-Way match via pinfall.
- Charlotte Flair defeated Iyo Sky in a singles match via pinfall.
- Santos Escobar defeated Austin Theory in a singles match via pinfall.
- Dominik Mysterio(c) defeated Butch in a singles match via pinfall to retain NXT North American Championship.
LIVE UPDATES
The show starts with a recap of the last two weeks’ storylines in The Bloodline. We see Roman Reigns walking backstage with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa.
LA Knight vs Cameron Grimes vs Rey Mysterio vs Sheamus – United States Championship Invitational Fatal 4-Way match
Wes Lee and Dragon Lee are in attendance. United States Champion Austin Theory is on commentary. LA Knight takes the mic as he walks down the ramp. He says SummerSlam is right around the corner and the party that he wants to go is for US title. He claims only 3 men stand in his way. The match starts with some brawling with Rey fighting Grimes, and Knight fighting Sheamus. Grimes sends Rey to the apron and decks him with a forearm. Knight ends up clotheslining Sheamus to the floor. Knight hits a springboard shoulder tackle to take us to a break.
Grimes sends Rey into the barricade as we return. Knight hits a clothesline on Sheamus in the ring to get a two-count. Sheamus comes back with a rolling senton. Knight hits a European uppercut. Sheamus tackles him to the apron. Grimes hits a shot from behind on Sheamus. Rey hits a hurricanrana to send Grimes into Knight to knock him off the apron. Rey and Sheamus hits 10 beats of Bothran. Sheamus drops Rey after blocking an armdrag. Grimes hits a crossbody as Sheamus has Rey in a fireman’s carry.
Grimes hits kicks on all 3 opponents. Sheamus is dropped on the apron. Knight cuts off Grimes’ suicide dive with a forearm. He takes Rey to the top rope. Sheamus comes to fight him. Grimes comes in and Sheamus picks him up for powerbomb. Grimes turns it into a Tower of Doom by hitting a German supelex on Knight. We cut to a break.
Knight knocks off Sheamus on the floor. Rey ends up sending Grimes into Theory on the floor. Sheamus attacks Rey from behind as Theory argueswith Rey. Sheamus drops Knight with a clothelines from the ropes. He cuts off Rey’s dive before an Irish-Curse backbreaker on Knight. Knight counters Brogue kick with a one-arm powerbomb. Rey breaks the pin. Rey hits Spanish fly on Grimes. Rey goes to the top. Grimes joins him. Sheamus brings him down. Rey hits a double diving hurricanrana on Grimes and Sheamus and hits 619.
Theory pulls Rey out of the ring to stop the pinfall and sends him into the steel step. Santos Escobar runs out and fights Theory. Knight hits Grimes with an elbow drop in the ring. Sheamus hits Brogue kick on Knight. Grimes hits Cave-In on Sheamus. Rey hits Canadian Destroyer on Grimes to get the pinfall.
Winner – Rey Mysterio
We see the likes of Cavinder Twins in front row. Jey Uso is walking backstage and see Tony D’Angelo and Stacks and the Creed Brothers.
Austin Theory goes to Adam Pearce as he is angry at Santos Escobar for the brawl they had earlier. He asks Pearce to book a match between them tonight, but says title will not be on the line.
Charlotte Flair vs Iyo Sky
Flair lands on her feet when Iyo hits a hurricanrana and hits a running shoulder tackle. After both women show off with handsprings, Iyo hits a low dropkick. Flair sends her into the corner but Iyo hits double boot from the corner. Flair hits a big boot from the apron before a crossbody from the top. Iyo slips away and hits a dropkick as the chop block. Iyo hits a springboard dropkick to get a two-count. Iyo avoids a German suplex by jumping to the floor. Flair kicks her off the apron. Iyo avoids a crossbody on the floor and hits diving hurricanrana. We cut to a break.
Flair is in control as we return. She nails a forearm but Iyo gets away from a stomp to the leg. Iyo hits a corner splash and then puts on a crossface. Flair overpowers and hits a side suplex. Flair hits a big right. Iyo hits a low dropkick on the knee. Flair hits multiple chops before hitting a fallaway slam. Flair hits a handspring clothesline to get a two-count. Flair misses a corner splash but manages to send Iyo face-first into the corner.
Flair sets up Iyo on the top rope. Bayley goes to distract her. Iyo counters with a sunset flip powerbomb for a near fall. Shotzi appears on the big screen, maniacally laughing and screaming Bayley’s name. Bayley leaves to the back. Iyo keeps screaming for her to come back. Flair misses a spear in the corner.
Iyo misses a moonsault but then hits a bulldog into a crossface. Flair gets to the ropes. Flair puts on a Sharpshooter but Iyo counters it after a while. Flair hits a spear to get a near fall. They trade pin attempts before a German suplex for a two-count. More back and forth action. They get to the top now and hits leg scissors takedown. They reverse pin attempt before Flair hits Natural Selection.
Winner – Charlotte Flair
After the match, Asuka attacks Flair and puts her in an armbar.
NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio is backstage with Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. He wants to show his dead beat dad what a champion looks like. Pete Dunne comes in and challenges him for a title match. Dominik hesitates but NXT Booker Shawn Michaels comes in and suggests it will be a good match. He goes to Adam Pearce to make it official.
Iyo Sky confronts Bayley for leaving her corner in the match. Bayley sees something and gets spooked by Shotzi. She picks up her things and leave, taking Iyo with her.
Austin Theory vs Santos Escobar
Escobar starts with punches. Theory blocks a move and hits a dropkick. Theory slams Escobar’s face into the corner and follows up with punches. Theory hits a suplex. Escobar comes back with a hurricanrana. Theory hits a DDT. Theory hits some punches in the corner. Escobar turns it around and unloads from the second rope. He gets a couple of two-counts. He sends Theory to the floor and hits a suicide dive to take us to break.
Theory hits a backbreaker as we return. Escobar sends Theory to the apron and knocks him off with an enzuigiri. Escobar hits a suicide dive to drive Theory into the announce table. More quick moves from Escobar as he gets into the ring. Escobar hits the suquence and ends it with a crossbody from the top to get a two-count. Theory comes back with quick moves of his own including a big forearm and a backbreaker.
Escobar catches him with a kick to the face. He goes to the top once again. Escobar hits an avalanche hurricanrana from the top rope. He follows up with double knees in the corner and a Phantom Driver to get the pinfall
Winner – Santos Escobar
Bobby Lashley meets NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams backstage.
Dominik Mysterio(c) vs Butch – NXT North American Championship
They lock up and Butch hits the first tackle. Dominik hits a punch before they run the ropes and Butch hits him a clothesline. Butch starts some joint manipulation on the arm before stomping on it. Butch brings him to the mat once again and puts on an armbar. Dominik gets to the ropes. Rhea hands Dominik with a steel chain and distracts the referee. Ridge Holland comes out and snatches the chain away from Dominik. Butch hits a hurricanrana on Dominik to take us to a break.
Dominik hits a slingshot senton atomico as we return. Kit Wilson brings out Elton Prince in a wheelchair. Dominik boots Butch in the corner. Butch makes his comeback in the match with a couple of enzuigiris in the corner. He hits a knee drop. Butch hits a suplex, stomps on the hand and nails a roundhouse kick to get a two-count. Kit Wilson takes a cheap shot at Holland. Butch comes out and nails Wilson with a punch. Wilson runs away. Prince also gets up from the wheel chair and Holland runs after him. Dominik keeps the referee distracted as Rhea hits Butch with a chop block. Dominik sends Butch into the ring post before bringing him into the ring to get the pinfall.
Winner – Dominik Mysterio
Rules of Engagement
Jey Uso makes his entrance before we cut to a break. Roman Reigns walks out with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa. After the usual “Acknowledge Me” shenanigans, he sits down at the table and asks Jey if he still want to do this. Jey replies he has to do since Roman called the shot and Jimmy is in the hospital because of it.
Roman says Jey will not get him since he does not understand him. Roman says he is just a pawn in this game, a soldier. Roman signs a contract in front of him. Jey rips it up, and says they do not need a contract because it is in their blood. Jey says this will be a Tribal Combat now. Roman asks if the elders know about this. Jey replies that it was their idea. Jey explains anything goes in Tribal Combat match and the crowd gets excited.
Roman tells the crowd to shut their mouth as he is talking now. Roman asks if Jey thinks this is his first rodeo and he is not running the show for the last 10 years. Roman gets up and says it does not matter to him. Jey repeats that the match will be a Tribal Combat now. Roman puts his title on the table before removing his garland and putting it over the title. Jey and Roman do a Tribal Handshake to seal the deal. Roman is leaving but Solo tips over the table and goes to hit Jey with a Samoan Spike. Roman stops Solo from hitting the spike. Jey nails Solo with a superkick to send him out of the ring. Roman and Jey stare down each other before Roman exits.
