Friday Night SmackDown Results: News, Notes As Bayley And Sasha Banks Win Tag Titles

WWE Friday Night SmackDown featured a surprising title change as Sasha Banks and Bayley became the new women’s tag team champions, defeating Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. The title has now changed hands five times after just over a year of existence.

Friday Night SmackDown also featured a show-long comedy angle where The Miz and John Morrison repeatedly pranked Universal champion Braun Strowman. The obnoxious pair wrecked Strowman’s car, rigged his beverages and accidentally slimed Kayla Braxton. An incensed Strowman hunted the pair throughout the broadcast in a comedy/horror angle more befitting of a secondary championship.

The idea of Miz and Morrison competing against Strowman for the Universal Championship is hard enough to grasp, but WWE is doing this feud—and what once was its top title—no favors with such a zany twist.

There was no promo from the Forgotten Sons on the show, amid Jaxson Ryker’s recent comments and tweets.

Last week’s broadcast of Friday Night SmackDown garnered 2.170 million viewers, up from last week and the highest number in over a month.

• May 29, 2020—2.170 million viewers
• May 22, 2020—2.044 million viewers
• May 15, 2020—2.042 million viewers
• May 8, 2020—2.025 million viewers
• May 1, 2020—1.885 million viewers

From the Forbes WWE Vault

WWE Friday Night SmackDown Key Competition

• George Floyd Protests—Mainstream News Coverage
• COVID-19 Mainstream News Coverage

WWE Total YouTube Viewership for WWE Friday Night SmackDown

8,965,824 views (Up from 4,178,058)

• Most-Viewed: Jeff Hardy Arrested After Shocking Incident Opens SmackDown (1,800,486 views) 
• Least-Viewed: The Forgotten Sons Issue a Warning to Blue Brand Locker Room (68,646 views)
• Median Viewership: 696,391

WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results: Friday, June 5, 2020

Opening Segment Featuring Jeff Hardy and Sheamus

Jeff Hardy seemed nervous addressing such a small crowd of Performance Center athletes who largely admire him.

Sheamus has not aged a day since joining the main roster.

Michael Cole inquired whether or not Jeff Hardy’s explanation was true, hinting that this storyline will come with the caveat of Jeff Hardy being hard to trust due to his past.

Otis vs. King Corbin

An early highlight before this match started came when Corey Graves referred to Otis as King Mayonnaise VIII.

This match was booked like a match that had no business being on free TV as everybody was protected in what seems like the beginning of a lengthy feud.

Lacey Evans def. Sonya Deville

After taking a cheap shot to start this match, alleged babyface Lacey Evans only has herself to blame after doing the same thing to Sonya Deville before their match last week.

Michael Cole’s deadpan explanation over why Sonya Deville and Lacey Evans were feuding—a spat over a comment about Mandy Rose being blonde that offended Evans—made them seem like 10-year-olds.

The man who refereed this match is sure to have his mentions bombarded by the story of NXT referee Tom Castor who finished refereeing a match after breaking his leg.

This entire segment made me want to see Sonya Deville exact revenge on Lacey Evans and Mandy Rose.

Drew Gulak def. AJ Styles

The best heckle to date came when a Performance Center athlete yelled out “don’t be rude AJ!”

Daniel Bryan referred to AJ Styles’ “world views,” a comment that carries a lot of gravity in light of CM Punk’s recent tweets.

Drew Gulak’s welcome-back gift was the biggest win of his life against AJ Styles.

In the kinder, gentler WWE, AJ Styles is being buried for staying silent. Or at least that’s what I just made up in my mind.
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The New Day and Shorty G def. Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and Mojo Rawley

This very well may be the better combination of athletes to have ever stood in a WWE ring at the same time.

Mojo Rawley delivered one of the best Pounces I’ve seen in years, and Kofi Kingston sold it better than just about anyone’s has ever sold it ever.

It could be argued that Shinsuke Nakamura was the least-athletic person in this Six-Man match. Think about that for a second! This match was loaded with dudes who would be Gold Medalists in an alternate universe.

Miz And Morrison Make Braun Strowman’s Life a Living Hell

Just when you thought The Miz couldn’t be any more unlikeable, he puts on a turtleneck.

Next Sunday, live on pay-per-view, Braun Strowman will have to contend with not one, but two Kevin McCallisters.

WWE is officially using protein shakes and green slime to promote pay-per-views. This feels like a feud being competed for a Universal Championship sold by Mattel

The Miz and Morrison are very funny when they’re scared.

Seeing Braun Strowman effortlessly tipping a car doesn’t hit the same as it used to. It only makes me wonder what took him so long to become a world champion.

Bayley and Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross—WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

This match did a great job of reminding me that WWE actually has a women’s tag team division that spans across both brands.

Seriously, how are the matches for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship getting better without Kairi Sane and Asuka?

This match gives me hope that WWE has delayed breaking up Sasha Banks and Bayley for the 30th time.