WWE SmackDown results: Bobby Lashley bloodied but triumphant in title tourney 1st round match

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Austin Theory ends up doing some running early on, with both Sheamus and Bobby Lashley in hot pursuit. Lashley nails a swinging neckbreaker and Sheamus drops a knee before following with a standing senton. Theory is clotheslined to the floor, leaving the two bruisers to turn their attention to each other.

Lashley runs into a powerslam that Sheamus converts into a near fall. They battle over by the ropes, where Sheamus drops his foe’s neck across the top rope before Theory comes over … only to end up in position for the 10 Beats of the Bodhran.

During commercials, Lashley did his “run dude into the post” thing to Theory, keeping him out of the fray again. Lashley gets the upper hand in a battle with Sheamus, but only until the Celtic Warrior gets double boots to the face up against a corner charge.

Lashley moves in looking for the Hurt Lock, but Theory returns with a dropkick to break things up. He covers Sheamus but Lashley breaks up the pin.

Theory pulls off his rolling blockbuster on Lashley and finds Sheamus ready to prevent a pin. The U.S. champ stomps away on Sheamus in return, drawing boos from the Knoxville fans. Sheamus rebounds quickly and ends up one-on-one with Theory, climbing to the middle rope for White Noise and covering for a near fall.

Sheamus warms things up for a Brogue Kick but is laid out by a spear from Lashley; Theory tries unsuccessfully to steal the pin. Lashley counters the A-Town Down with a one-armed slam, then applies the Hurt Lock. Sheamus’ Brogue Kick catches mostly Theory, and a busted open Lashley covers Austin to get the three.

Click here for full WWE SmackDown results from Knoxville.

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