On May 10, WWE SmackDown aired live from the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The show featured the fallout of the Backlash premium live event. We saw multiple matches from the King and Queen of the Ring tournament. Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul came face to face. Let’s review everything that happened on WWE SmackDown May 10 Results.
Cody Rhodes’ New Challenger
SmackDown GM Nick Aldis opened the show and welcomed the fans in a sold-out Mohegan Sun arena. He introduced the Undisputed WWE Champion, The American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes. The crowd welcomed Cody with a thunderous ovation. At the main Backlash premium live event, Aldis congratulated Cody on beating AJ Styles, one of the best in-ring performers. Aldis turned his attention to King and Queen of the Ring PLE and told Cody that he had determined his next opponent.
Logan Paul came out. Paul came face-to-face with Rhodes. Logan called himself the longest reigning champion currently in WWE and the main attraction. He praised Cody for winning the Royal Rumble 2023 and winning at WrestleMania XL. But he said the fans remember his mid-air collision with Ricochet from Royal Rumble and IShowSpeed from WrestleMania. The US Champion claimed he would beat Cody in Saudi Arabia and become a double champion.
Cody called Logan a dumbass. He praised Logan for winning the United States Championship in a handful of WWE matches. However, he said that winning the US Title at King and Queen of the Ring would make him a Grand Slam Champion in WWE. Cody raised his Undisputed WWE Title in the air, as did Logan with his US Title.
Grades: B+
Analysis: Wow! That came out of nowhere. It’s a champion vs. champion match at King and Queen of the Ring PLE. They mentioned that the winner would get both titles. WWE’s booking is truly surprising because no one expected any of these two to lose titles. Cody Rhodes last defended the title on WWE Backlash 2024.
Nia Jax vs Naomi
Jax slammed Naomi and dominated for a bit. Naomi bounced back by slamming Jax into the turnbuckle. Naomi landed a suicide dive to the outside. Nia quickly replied with a Samoan Drop on the floor. Naomi delivered a jawbreaker back in the ring, but Jax laid her down with a headbutt.
Naomi avoided the cannonball and landed running strikes. Naomi hit a springboard enzuigiri and a split-legged moonsault for a two-count. Off the top rope, Naomi delivered a super hurricane for a near fall. Naomi landed a couple of superkicks, but Nia caught her and delivered a Powerbomb. Jax landed a leg drop and an Annihilator for the victory.
Winner: B
Analysis: It was a good match between Jax and Naomi. Nia has improved significantly in the ring in her current run with the WWE. Jax advanced in the tournament. Naomi has been struggling since her return.
Carmelo Hayes vs Baron Corbin
This was a first-round match in the King of the Ring tournament. Hayes landed a dropkick and a kick to the head early on. Carmelo slapped Corbin in the back of the neck, which angered him. Baron replied with a modified Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Carmelo delivered a springboard clothesline and a twisting face-buster for a near fall. Corbin bounced back with a Death Valley Driver, followed by a brainbuster for another near fall.
Hayes delivered the First 48 and a running shoulder tackle. Corbin hit him with a Uranage and a vicious clothesline. Baron delivered a twisting cutter for a two-count. Hayes stole the win with a small package.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
Grades: B-
Analysis: This was another good King of the Ring match. Corbin showed the improvements he made with his run in NXT. Hayes was the expected winner, and he advanced in the KOTR tournament.
Jade Cargill vs Piper Niven
The QOTR tournament continued with this matchup. They both came face-to-face and absorbed shoulder tackles from each other. Piper replied with a back elbow. Cargill landed a superkick, but Niven slammed her down and delivered a senton splash for a two-count. Niven slapped Jade. Chelsea slapped Jade, too, as the referee was distracted. Piper landed a scoop slam and posed for the crowd. Niven hit a couple of short-arm clotheslines.
Cargill bounced back with a back suplex powerbomb for a near fall. Niven escaped the Jaded and delivered a cannonball for a two-count. In the end, Cargill hit a Pump Kick, followed by Jaded for the win.
Winner: Jade Cargill
Grades: C
Analysis: Piper Niven and Jade Cargill played a decent match. They had a proper singles match instead of a squash match. Jade advanced in the tournament.
Bianca Belair vs Candice LeRae
With back-to-back action in the Queen of the Ring tournament, Bianca faced Candice. Belair suffered a hurricanrana in the ring before slamming Candice into a barricade at ringside. Indi Hartwell interfered, but Belair still landed a deadlift vertical suplex. LeRae replied with a superkick for a two-count. Belair delivered a fallaway slam. LeRae hit a step-up senton splash and climbed the ropes. Belair caught her and delivered a KOD for the win.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Grades: C-
Analysis: It was a short match, and Bianca Belair won as she advanced in the tournament.
Bloodline Segment: In a locker room, Solo Sikoa sat alongside Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa. Paul Heyman walked in and wanted a moment to talk to Sikoa. Tama and Tanga walked out. Heyman said that he’s Roman’s Wise Man. Solo questioned Heyman on pulling Reigns out of the WWE Draft. This made The Bloodline get drafted in the 3rd round. Solo also mentioned the moment between Jey Uso and Paul Heyman. He asked Heyman if it looked like you signaled help from Jey. Heyman denied it.
Sikoa told him that he had talked to Roman Reigns. Until Roman returns, Solo will be in charge, and Heyman will be his Wise Man by the orders of the Tribal Chief. Solo asked for a hug. Paul Heyman, with a terrified look on his face, obliged. Sikoa said, “I love you, Wise Man”.
Tama Tonga vs Angelo Dawkins
Angelo Dawkins replaced an injured Bobby Lashley in his King of the Ring tournament against Tama Tonga from The Bloodline. Tonga started wildly on Dawkins. Dawkins replied with multiple clotheslines. Dawkins delivered a running back elbow and a snap kick, followed by a vicious shoulder tackle. Montez Ford laid out Solo and Loa with a Somersault Plancha at ringside. Dawkins landed Sky High for a near fall. Loa sent Ford into the ring post, and Solo delivered a Samoan Spike. The distraction allowed Tonga to hit a flatliner on Dawkins for the win. Sikoa delivered a Samoan Spike to Dawkins after the match.
Winner: Tama Tonga
Grades: B
Analysis: Tama Tonga advanced in the tournament after a solid match. The Bloodline story is continuing, and Paul Heyman is delivering a gem of a performance. Where is Jacob Fatu by the way?
Randy Orton vs AJ Styles
In the main event, Randy Orton fought AJ Styles in the King of the Ring tournament match. Orton escaped Styles’ side lock and waist lock. Randy sent AJ to the outside with a clothesline. Back after the break, Orton delivered multiple punches and an uppercut. AJ bounced back with a dropkick and a sliding forearm, followed by a sliding knee on the apron.
Orton delivered a back suplex onto the barricade and one onto the apron. He then delivered two more back suplexes on the commentary table, and the crowd was totally behind The Viper. Back in the ring, Styles hit a flapjack and targeted Orton’s leg. Randy landed a boot on Styles, sending him to the outside. While getting back in the ring, Orton caught AJ on the apron. Styles countered it into a Calf Crusher attempt. Randy replied with a couple of lariats.
Styles hit a Dragon Screw again, targeting the injured knee. Orton pulled AJ’s leg during the Phenomenal Forearm attempt and crashed Styles to the floor. The Phenomenal One applied the Calf Crusher. Orton escaped and delivered another powerslam for a nearfall. Randy went for a superplex off the top, but AJ escaped. Orton caught him and hit a hanging DDT.
Styles escaped RKO and delivered a Phenomenal Forearm. Orton barely escaped the three-count by grabbing the bottom rope. A furious AJ Styles grabbed Randy to the center of the ring. He wanted a Styles Clash, but Orton caught him with RKO for the win.
Winner: Randy Orton
Grades: B+
Analysis: A fun main event match. Orton and Styles mesh well together. Randy advanced in the KOTR tournament. It will be interesting to see what’s next for AJ Styles. WWE provided fans with a Pay Per View quality match on the weekly episode.
Overall, it was an excellent show. It focused more on wrestling as we saw multiple matches from the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments. The Bloodline’s story advanced in a good way. Cody Rhodes will face Logan Paul in a champion vs. champion match in the main event of King and Queen of the Ring in Saudi Arabia. What do you thing about WWE SmackDown May 10 Results?
