November 23, 2024

WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Jeff Jarrett named special referee for The Usos vs. Street Profits

Jeff Jarrett #JeffJarrett

The Usos and Street Profits might wind up with a guitar around their neck if they misbehave at SummerSlam. Jeff Jarrett was revealed on WWE SmackDown as the special guest referee for the undisputed tag team championship match.

Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins was the standout match of Money in the Bank earlier this month. The somewhat indecisive conclusion of their tag team title match re-emerged when Jimmy and Dawkins went one-on-one on Friday night.

Elsewhere on the card, special counsel Paul Heyman tried to shelter his client, undisputed universal champion Roman Reigns, from the threat of Theory and his Money in the Bank briefcase.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

Jeff Jarrett named special guest referee at SummerSlam

Angelo Dawkins def. Jimmy Uso via pinfall after planting him with the Sky High in a short match. Jimmy’s right shoulder was clearly up during the three-count, similar to how Montez Ford’s shoulder was off the mat when The Usos won at Money in the Bank. Referee Charles Robinson was accidentally struck prior to the pinfall.

Authority figure Adam Pearce emerged post-match and was sympathetic towards both The Usos and Street Profits over their referee woes. Pearce said the only way to assure a decisive conclusion to their SummerSlam rematch was to assign a special referee. Jeff Jarrett — who should receive a warm welcome in his home state of Tennessee — was announced as the guest officiant. Street Profits and The Usos brawled to close out SmackDown with no appearance by Double J.

It is always great to see Jeff Jarrett, but the logic behind his inclusion in the tag team title match is flawed. Pearce claimed that it was imperative to find a special guest referee after two bad reads by officials in recent matches between The Usos and Street Profits. The idea of replacing a trained referee with a novice referee is absurd. The logic gap widens when you consider how the special guest referee was teased last week before Jimmy vs. Dawkins ended in controversy. Enlisting Jarrett and his guitar as enforcers to dissuade interference by Zayn is one of several more reasonable paths to take. It was also a shame the match was cut so short as this could have been a great breakout moment for Dawkins to close the perceived gap between him and tag team partner Ford.  Grade: C+

What else happened on WWE SmackDown?

  • Pat McAfee and Happy Corbin have a war of words ahead of their one-on-one match at SummerSlam.
  • Liv Morgan def. Natalya via pinfall after planting her with Oblivion. Post-match, the SmackDown women’s champion promised to leave with her title at SummerSlam after beating Ronda Rousey.
  • Paul Heyman tried to convince Theory not to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase on Roman Reigns. Theory rejected and offered to hire Heyman’s service after becoming champion.
  • Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, cosplaying as The Viking Raiders, lured their foes into an ambush with help from Jinder Mahal and Shanky.
  • Gunther chopped his associate Ludwig Kaiser backstage as a consequence of losing to Shinsuke Nakamura last week.
  • Lacey Evans vs. Aliyah never took place. Evans instead berated the crowd before leaving the ring.
  • Drew McIntyre def. Ridge Holland via pinfall after hitting the Claymore kick. This was scheduled to be a No. 1 contender’s match for the undisputed title.
  • Heyman encouraged Madcap Moss to put Theory out of commission. Moss told Heyman that he looked worried.
  • Maximum Male Models will debut their 2022 Beachwear Collection next week and introduce Max Dupri’s sister, Maxxine Dupri.
  • Madcap Moss def. Theory via disqualification after Theory hit him with the briefcase. Sami Zayn attacked Theory post-match after a distraction by The Usos.
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