Gone too soon, but never forgotten.

The WWE, and all of pro-wrestling, lost two greats this week in Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt. Tonight on SmackDown, we celebrate both men’s legacies.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Rey Mysterio VS Grayson Waller; Rey wins.
• WWE Women’s Championship: Iyo Sky w/ Damage CTRL VS Zelina Vega; Iyo wins and retains the title.
• Terry Funk Tribute Hardcore Tag Match: The Brawling Brutes VS The Street Profits; The Profits win.
• LA Knight VS Finn Balor; Knight wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

WWE mourns the losses of Terry Funk and “Bray Wyatt,” Windham Rotunda.

All the superstars and staff are on stage as fans have the cellphones out to be the fireflies. Erick Rowan has even returned for this somber occasion. Michael Cole welcomes everyone to tonight, as this past week, we lost two beloved members of the WWE Family: Hall of Famer Terry Funk, and the one and only Bray Wyatt. Tonight’s SmackDown will be dedicated to honoring their legacies and celebrating their lives. “The lives of two incredible men who’ve touched all of us with their passion, their creativity, and their spirit. Please join us for a moment of silence and our traditional ten bell salute.”

After the ten tolls, the fans cheer for the memory of both men. After a video tribute to Bray, fans sing “He’s got the whole~ world, in his hands!” for Bray. Then the lights fade down, so we can all have one last look at the rocking chair. #ThankYouTerry, and #ThankYouBray.

Rey Mysterio VS Grayson Waller!

The King of Lucha Libre may have Austin Theory coming after his WWE United States Championship to worry about, but that’s at Payback on September 2nd. For now, he looks to humble the man who stirred the pot just last week. Will the Aussie Icon get called out by a 619? Or will Rey suffer more of the Grayson Waller Effect?

The bell rings and the two circle. Fans rally up, the two tie up, and Waller throws Rey down. Waller shows off with drop steps but fans boo. Rey resets and circles with Waller, they tie up, and Waller goes for an arm. Waller wristlocks, Rey rolls and kips up to arm-drag free! Fans fire up and Rey shows off his drop steps! Waller runs in, Rey blocks a kick to ROCK Waller! Waller knees low in return, headlocks, but Rey endures the ground. Rey throws body shots, whips Waller away then ducks, but Waller runs Rey over on the rebound! Fans boo but Waller drags Rey up. Waller headlocks and hits the takeover.

Rey keeps his shoulders up, fights up to his feet, and throws body shots. Fans chant “GRAYSON SUCKS!” as things speed up. Rey blows past Waller to tilt-o-whirl RANA! Waller ends up in a corner, and Rey ROCKS him again! Rey climbs up and fans fire up as Rey rains down fists! The fans count along, Rey goes all the way to TEN, but Waller Alabama Lifts! Rey has the ropes and holds on tight, so Waller pops Rey up! Rey uses that to RANA! Waller is on ropes, Rey dials it up but Waller puts him on the apron! Rey RAMS into Waller, slingshots, but into a BOOT! Rey goes down and fans boo as Waller claps.

Waller builds speed, but he slides out, so Rey dodges! To RANA again! Waller hits barriers and fans fire up as SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns as Rey fires forearms on Waller! Rey whips corner to corner, Waller goes up and STOMPS Rey down! Waller drags Rey to a cover, TWO! Rey is hanging tough, and Waller is frustrated. Waller throws down body shots and forearms! Waller shouts, “MY HOUSE!” but fans boo him. Waller drags Rey to center, goes back to the corner and goes up the ropes. Waller scoots out for the BALLER ELBOW! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up and Waller mockingly applauds as Rey survives again. Waller drags Rey up, but Rey throws body shots! Rey whips, Waller reverses and LEG LARIATS Rey down! Cover, TWO!

Rey wags his finger, he’s telling Waller he’s tougher than that. Waller says Rey’s got nothing as he stands on Rey’s hand. Waller soaks up the heat from the fans as they rally behind Rey. Waller scuffs Rey, brings him up to wrench and whip, and Rey hits buckles hard! Waller looms over Rey, talks some trash, and kicks him around. Waller drags Rey up, whips him corner to corner again and Rey hits hard like before! Waller reels Rey in, grins, and gets Rey up, but Rey fights! Fans fire up as Rey RANAS Waller into the POST! Waller flounders as he leans against buckles, and Rey goes outside. Waller drops back, Rey goes up! SEATED SENTON!

Rey keeps moving, he dodges to springboard CROSSBODY! Waller sputters, Rey whips him to a corner. Waller reverses, Rey goes up and over and keeps moving, another tilt-o-whirl, for a DDT! Cover, TWO! Waller is showing he’s tough, too, but Rey keeps focus. Waller goes to another corner, Rey storms up but into an elbow! And then a boot! Waller hits the ROLLING UNPRETTIER! Cover, TWO!! Rey survives but Waller seethes. Fireman’s carry, but Rey pops up to throw hands! Waller drops Rey to then CLUB him on the back! Waller runs, into a LARIAT! Rey runs to SENTON! Shoutout to Bray!

Waller staggers up, rushes in, but Rey dropkicks the legs out! Waller ends up on ropes, but AUSTIN THEORY appears! He distracts Rey, and Waller rolls Rey up! TWO!! Rey dodges Waller, but DOUBLE CROSSBODIES collide! Fans boo Theory as he’s ringside now, talking trash. But wait! ESCOBAR CLOBBERS THEORY! Fans fire up as Santos brawls with Theory, but Theory RAMS Escobar into barriers, then CHOP BLOCKS a leg! Waller whips Rey, Rey WRECKS Theory with a dropkick! But Waller slides out to LARIAT Rey! Waller puts Rey back in, and DECKS Escobar! Waller soaks up the heat, somersaults in, but Rey dodges!

Rey RANAS, dial sit up fast, 619!! Fans are thunderous but Theory is back up! So Escobar SUPERKICKS him! DROP THE DIME! Cover, Rey wins!!

Winner: Rey Mysterio, by pinfall

The LWO comes through for its own, and they get some payback on both Theory and Waller in one go! But will this be even sweeter when Rey retains the title against Theory? Or will The Now be The Future again?

Backstage interview with Damage CTRL.

Kayla Braxton is with Dakota Kai, Bayley and the WWE Women’s Champion, Iyo Sky, and says tonight is Iyo’s first title defense. It is against the fiery Latina, Zelina Vega, who has beaten Iyo twice this year. Bayley stops Kayla there. What biased statements from Kayla. Is she trying to join the LWO or something? She might be a fit, though, since they only hire short people! HAH! Anyway, Zelina’s wins were all flukes. “She got lucky! Because Iyo is a once in a lifetime, once in a generational talent! Look at her!

“Lemme remind you, Kayla, that Iyo is a former NXT Women’s Champion, a former one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions! She IS Miss MITB 2023 and she IS your current WWE Women’s Champion! Okay?” This is the Iyo Era! So Bayley suggests you buckle up, idiot, and enjoy the ride! HAHA! DMG CTRL heads out now, but will the Evil Genius continue to fly? Or will she get got by La Muneca all over again?

WWE Women’s Championship: Iyo Sky w/ Damage CTRL VS Zelina Vega!

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see if Iyo avoids a hattrick from Zelina!

SmackDown returns and the match begins. The two circle, tie up, and Iyo waistlocks. Zelina pries free, wristlocks, but Iyo spins, wrenches and wristlocks again. Zelina uses ropes to flip through and wrenches back. Iyo throws body shots, headlocks, but Zelina throws body shots. Zelina powers free, Iyo handsprings up and over! Fans fire up, Zelina says okay then. Things speed up. Zelina blocks a hip toss to hip toss and arm-drag! Iyo staggers to ropes, and DMG CTRL is there to coach here up. But Zelina storms up to grab Iyo’s hair! So Iyo YANKS Zelina into ropes! Bayley laughs at Zelina and Iyo stomps Zelina down!

Iyo stomps away, the ref reprimands, and Iyo lets off to scoop Zelina, for a SLAM! Iyo grins, covers, TWO! Bayley and Dakota cheer Iyo on as she fires forearm son Zelina. Iyo scoops again, but Zelina slips free to roll her up! ONE, but Zelina KICKS Iyo down! Zelina goes up a corner, but Iyo ROCKS her first! And then ROCKET LAUNCHES her down! Fans are torn but DMG CTRL applauds. Iyo covers, TWO, into a CROSSFACE! Zelina endures and fans rally up. Bayley says it’s no use but Zelina fights up to her feet. Zelina throws body shots but Iyo knees low! Iyo whips, Zelina reverses and then gets around, SLEEPER!

But Iyo throws body shots! Iyo back suplexes, but Zelina lands on her feet! Zelina goes to a corner, Iyo runs in, but Iyo only gets buckles! Zelina kicks and bumps Iyo off buckles! Then Zelina runs, dodges, and returns to LARIAT! Fans fire up and Iyo swings, into a HAMMERLOCK DDT! Shoutout to El Idolo and Zelina goes up a corner! Latina Heat for Eddie Guerrero, METEORA!! Cover, TWO!! Roll-up, TWO!! Lateral press, TWO!! Iyo keeps escaping but Zelina runs in at the corner! Iyo dodges and now Zelina gets buckles! Iyo then springboards to MISSILE DROPKICK! And kip up! Fans are torn but DMG CTRL is loving this!

Iyo scoops Zelina again, but Zelina DDTS!! Fans fire up and Dakota is stunned! Bayley is upset, but Zelina runs in at Iyo, and hops on, but Iyo pops her off! Iyo gets Zelina up, for a LAST RIDE!! Both women are down and fans fire up! A standing count starts but both women are down at 4. Iyo gets up and drags Zelina to a drop zone. Iyo goes up, but Zelina hurries to YANK her down! Zelina hops on again, CODE RED!!! But Iyo flounders out of the ring!! Zelina hurries after her and she brings Iyo up. But Iyo sends Zelina into the steel steps! DMG CTRL rallies for Iyo as the ring count passes 5 of 10!

Iyo gets Zelina in at 6, aims from the far side, and she runs in, SHINKANSEN!! But that’s not all! Iyo puts Zelina in the drop zone, goes up the corner, and goes OVER THE MOONSAULT!! Cover, Iyo wins!

Winner: Iyo Sky, by pinfall (still WWE Women’s Champion)

DMG CTRL celebrates with Iyo as she puts away La Muneca and quiets all the doubters! Will The Evil Genius lead the way as DMG CTRL looks to once again take control of the WWE?

Cody Rhodes is here!

Fans fire up as The American Nightmare is in Louisville, but for very somber reasons. Cody gets his pyro, goes to the ring, gets more pyro, and then takes up the mic. Cody tells “Louisville, Kentucky… I know what I wanna talk about tonight. I wanna tell you about a time, 11 years old, I’m at the Denver airport, travelling with my father, and across the people-mover, I hear a man yelling the most peculiar insult. I hear a man calling my father, ‘an egg sucking dog.’ I don’t… Michael, can we say ‘egg sucking dog’ on Fox? Well, we said it. And choice words for my grandmother, as well. And again, I could not see the man yelling, so I’m assuming at 11 years old, we’re about to have some sort of domestic incident.

“And then I see him. It was the proprietor of the Double Cross Range, it was Terry Funk.” Fans cheer and chant for “TERRY! TERRY!” Cody says modern nomenclature being what it is, they that enter this ring get to say they are WWE Superstars. Over the years, it has been other things. Wrestlers, athletes, artists, competitors, maybe even carnies. But there’s a fabled few who earn the right to call themselves “Cowboys.” And both Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt were cowboys in the best of ways. Fans cheer that! Cody had the privilege to talk to us about Terry Funk, a second generation wrestler from Amarillo who wore ten pounds of gold and wore it proudly.

Terry was a man who, out of all the wrestlers who say they went to West Texas States, Terry actually attended classes there. “Terry Funk has been a constant in pro-wrestling and in sports entertainment for fifty years. And for fifty years, Terry Funk has constantly been changing.” There’s this concept of “the rub.” When someone with such legacy steps into the ring with those who don’t have it and then pulls them up to their level, some legends do that for a few. Terry did that for an entire company, movement and revolution! Fans cheer that, too! Cody wants us all to take a look back at this cowboy’s hall of fame career.

The video plays to honor Terry’s legacy. Terry didn’t wanna be president or anything but one thing: a wrestler. He was born into a wrestling family, and burst onto the scene with his brother, Dory Funk Jr, as part of their father’s company in Amarillo, Texas. Stone Cold says he’s always looked up to Terry Funk, both his ability and his unpredictability. Ric Flair admired Terry’s work ethic and learned a lot from him. Terry’s no-nonsense style gripped the NWA audience and catapulted him to the top. Terry Funk won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and proved himself the finest champion the world had ever seen.

His popularity even got him on Hollywood’s radar, appearing in classic 80s films like Over The Top and Roadhouse. Terry would captivate even around the world, and he’d make impacts in WCW, ECW and WWE. He and Mick Foley pioneered the “hardcore” style. Bret Hart says Terry was ahead of his time and thought of things no one ever had before. Funk & Foley would even be a team together, winning together at WrestleMania 14. Foley says that Funk was one of the nicest, kindest guys outside the ring, and brought out the best in Foley.

In 2009, alongside Dory Jr, Terry would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Dusty Rhodes being there for his friend and rival. Jerry Lawler says Terry is the greatest, and his 50 years in wrestling will never be replicated. The WWE Family will remember Terry as a family man, a fearless entertainer, and an unforgettable pioneer. We will love him… FOREVER!

Back to present, Cody says that from Texas to Tokyo, Terry was passionate. Tables, ladders, chairs, and hardcore! Cody is so glad to be the one to tell us, that this next tag team match is a TERRY FUNK TRIBUTE HARDCORE MATCH!! Fans are thunderous to hear that! Will things get extreme on… FIGHT NIGHT?!

Terry Funk Tribute Hardcore Tag Match: The Brawling Brutes VS The Street Profits!

SmackDown returns as Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins make their entrance. Being hardcore, that means no disqualifications, no count outs, and no telling what’ll happen! Fans cheer along “OH! OH! OH!” with every wave from Ford. The bell rings and the brawl is on! Ridge TOSSES Dawkins while Dunne stomps Ford out of the ring. Dunne CHOPS, but Dawkins RAMS Ridge into steel steps! Dunne twists Ford’s head, CLUBS him on the neck, then fishhooks his face! And then twists the ear! Dawkins sends Ridge into steps again! Dunne puts Ford in, but Ford headlocks. Dunne powers out, only for Ford to run him over!

Ford has everyone calm down about tables for a second. Ford runs, but Dunne dodges and leaps. Ford hurdles, but Dunne DROPKICKS him! And then he DROPKICKS Dawkins from the apron! Fans fire up, Dunne drags Ford back, and then steps through! But Dawkins THROWS Dunne out! But Ridge THROWS Dawkins out! Ridge spins Ford, knees low and facelocks to SWING Ford! Ford can only endure, and then Ridge hits a BIG DDT! Dawkins kicks Ridge, to hit the SILENCER! Ford rolls to SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Dunne slides back in, he storms up to KICK Dawkins! And CHOP! And KICKS!

Dunne fires off more KICKS and CHOPS, but Ford CHOPS! Dawkins DECKS Dunne! The Profits double whip Dunne, then DOUBLE FLAPJACK! Ford says “SUCK IT!” then he and Dawkins go after Ridge! They fire off fast hands from all sides, then Dawkins runs at Dunne. Dunne BOOTS him away! Ford runs in but Dunne BOOTS him! Dunne goes up, to DOUBLE QUEBRADA! Fans fire up as Ridge now fireman’s carries Dunne! He swings Dunne into Dawkins! And then Ford! And repeat! It’s a Terry Funk ladder-copter, but with a person! Fans fire up and Dunne nods. Ridge goes out to CLOBBER Dawkins!

Fans still want tables but Ridge reels Dawkins in. Dawkins fights the bomb lift to back drop Ridge to the floor! But Dunne FLYING KNEES Dawkins down! But Ford FLIES to take them all out! Fans are thunderous, and here comes LASHLEY! The All Mighty has been the benefactor for the Profits as of late, will he help tip the scales back in their favor? We see, after the break.

SmackDown returns again and Ridge dodges Ford to scoop! POWERSLAM! Ford staggers up, Ridge DECKS him! Ford bails out to the apron, Dawkins goes to join him, but the Brutes get them both! For DOUBLE BEATS OF THE BODHRAIN! The Brutes go all the way to TEN, so 20 total, and Dawkins falls. Ford flops back into the ring, Lashley watches with a little bit of worry. Ridge SPLASHES Ford in a corner, Dunne GAMANGIRIS! Feed to Ridge, ASSISTED POWERBOMB! Cover, TWO! Ford survives, but Dawkins is up. Dunne PLANCHAS but Dawkins dodges to POUNCE! Dawkins hurries back in, Ridge swings and they start brawling!

Fans rally, Dawkins ROCKS Ridge, runs, and FLYING ELBOWS! Then CYCLONE SPLASH in the corner, with a GAMANGIRI on top! Dawkins hoists Ridge up in an Electric Chair Lift, and Ford is up top! “SUCK IT!” SUPER BLOCKBUSTER!! Cover, Dunne breaks it! Lashley applauds, he admits that was good. Dunne hurries to ENZIGURI Ford! Then Dunne STOMPS Dawkins’ hands! BUZZSAW! Ford returns, Dunne blocks a kick but not the ENZIGURI! Ford SUPERKICKS Ridge! Ridge rebounds to LARIAT! All four men are down and fans fire up again! They still want tables, though, since this is a hardcore match.

Lashley coaches his guys, Dawkins gets up, and he climbs a corner. Ridge ROCKS Dawkins first! Ridge climbs, brings Dawkins up and steadies himself, for the SUPERPLEX! Ford is up top! FROM THE HEAVENS on Ridge! Cover, Dunne STOMPS it apart! Dunne hurries outside, he says it’s time for a TABLE!! Fans are thunderous, but Dunne bumps into Lashley! Big mistake, Butch… The two stare down, fans fire up, but Dunne grabs the table. Dunne gets it int he ring, Lashley keeps out of it, and Ridge sets things up in the ring. But Ford DECKS Ridge, DECKS Dunne, and he takes ownership of the furniture!

Fans fire up as Ford gives the table a kiss then goes to Ridge. Ford reels Ridge in, grins, but Ridge throws elbows! Ridge picks Ford up, spins him around, but Dawkins returns! Ridge kicks him first! DDT SAMOAN DROP COMBO! Fans fire up, and Dunne has Dawkins’ arm! He bends the fingers and SNAPS them! Ridge HEADBUTTS Dawkins and puts him on the table! Dunne is up, but Lashley SHOVES him! No more staying out of it, he SPEARS Dunne! Ford GAMANGIRIS Ridge in the distraction! Dawkins shoves Ridge and pops him up on the rebound, SKY HIGH NECKBREAKER through the table!! Cover, The Profits win!

Winners: The Street Profits, by pinfall

Ridge suffers a Revelation, and Ford holds up part of the table in triumph! The All Mighty Profits are standing tall, will they soon be back on top of the WWE?

WWE shares TMZ Sports interviewing The Miz.

The reporter asks about the beef between Miz and LA Knight. Wow, they actually know who he is? Yeah, he’s pretty popular. Oh, is he? Well, Miz still defends Knight is a fad, “like Napster, MySpace, Vanilla Ice.” If Knight keeps disrespecting Miz like he has been, Knight won’t make it to WrestleMania 40 in Philly. Wow, is that a threat or challenge? No, it’s a promise. Big words from The Hollywood A-Lister, will he follow through on it sooner rather than later?

LA Knight heads to the ring.

Speaking of The Mega Star, he had his own history with Bray Wyatt. Fans are all fired up for Knight as he gets the mic, and he says, “I’ll get to The Miz in a second. But from what I can tell, tonight’s about Bray Wyatt.” Fans cheer that! Knight says, “I walked out here into this building tonight, and I saw everybody out here representin’ with the fireflies. And it just got me thinking, it got me rewinding my mind a little bit, because it got me thinking about the fact that sometimes, your greatest foes can turn out to be your greatest helpers.

“Now lemme go ahead and be honest about this. Bray Wyatt and I went through Hell, that guy did everything imaginable to me, and I did everything that I could back to him. And through that, y’know what he was doing? He was getting me ready for anything.” Fans cheer that, too. Knight says that he will be honest, he held together so far tonight until he saw the pictures of Windham Rotunda’s family, and he has to say, his heart breaks for them. But as he looks around, he can hear it, he can feel it, and again, when he saw each one of those fireflies, he knows that we can all feel the spirit of Bray Wyatt in this building. Fans cheer that, too!

Knight hears the fans as they chant for Bray and bring the fireflies back out. “Thank You, Bray!” Knight says he won’t come out here and act like they were best friends, but Knight wants to repeat that sentiment: Thank you, Bray. That spirit they’re feeling is the spirit that allows Knight to stand here and say, “LEMME TALK TO YA!” Knight says Miz gets on screen, goes to TMZ, goes wherever he can and says the same old things! LA Knight’s a fad. Oh, wait, Knight has too much bass in his voice, hold on. “LA Knight’s just a fad~! LA Knight is just, he’s yesterday’s news!”

Well guess what? If he’s “just a fad,” Knight’s okay with that. Cuz Miz was never a fad! No one cared about him! Even when he had a stunt double, that guy was the star! Even when Miz talks about his world title reign from 12 years ago, and good for him, he was background to The Rock VS John Cena. And yet Miz still wants to talk about Knight? So guess what? Miz wants to end Knight forever, but forever is a mighty long time. Any time, any where! SmackDown, Raw, hell even TMZ! And we’ll see whose game it is, with everybody saying “L! A! KNIGHT! YEAH!!”

“But one more thing. Miz, a wise man once told me, the next time you see me… RUN.” Fans love the Bray Wyatt shoutout, and now the Mega Star turns his attention to The Prince! Will Knight get even Finn saying “YEAH!” with the fans? That match is up next!

LA Knight VS Finn Balor!

SmackDown returns and Finn makes his entrance. The Prince also had his own spooky and spectacular rivalry with Bray Wyatt, but that was a long time ago. Will the front man of the Judgment Day bring the pain to LA Knight?

The bell rings and the two circle. Fans rally up as the two tie up, and Finn waistlocks to SLAM, float all over, and he slaps Knight around. Finn soaks up the cheers and jeers, but Knight shrugs that off. They tie up, Knight wrenches and hammerlocks and he slaps Finn around! Fans join in with saying “L! A! KNIGHT! YEAH!” Finn gets mad, runs in, but Knight blocks the kick to spin Finn around. Finn dodges a haymaker, kicks low, headlocks, Knight powers up and out to then run Finn over! Finn bails out, Knight pursues, and Finn hurries away. Knight chases him back into the ring, and then avoids the elbow drop!

Finn bails out again, and Knight stomps Finn’s hand from the apron! Knight goes out, SMACKS Finn off the desk, and again! And again! “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Knight brings Finn back around, puts him in the ring, and then slingshots to SHOULDER TACKLE! Cover, TWO! Finn sits up but Knight stomps him. Knight RAMS Finn in the corner, whips him corner to corner, but Finn goes up and over. Knight ELBOWS Finn back, goes up the corner, but Finn YANKS Knight down! Knight hits buckles on the way to the mat, Finn snarls, and SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns once again and Finn has Knight down in a chinlock. Knight endures and fans rally up. Knight fights up, but Finn throws knees! Finn whips Knight to a corner, runs in, but only gets buckles! And then a JUMP NECKBREAKER! Fans rally, both men stir, and Finn goes to ropes. Finn drags himself up but Knight is there to throw haymakers! Fans rally as Knight whips, but Finn reverses and swings. Knight dodges, kicks low, DDT! Cover, TWO! Knight frowns, whips, but Finn KICKS him away! Finn runs but Knight FLAPJACKS Finn, to then BOOT him down! Cover, TWO! Knight keeps cool, but has a bloody spot on his forehead.

Knight paces around, has the legs, and fans rally up as Knight grins. But Finn kicks him away! Finn hooks Knight up, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Finn checks his own head and jaw, then stalks Knight to ropes. Finn stomps away on Knight, then springboard stomps again and again and again! The ref counts, Finn lets off at 4 and he soaks up the heat. Finn then runs in, SLINGBLADE! Knight staggers up, Finn takes aim, but Knight LARIATS first! Finn flounders to a corner and Knight stomps away! “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” The ref counts, Knight runs corner to corner and comes back, KNEE WASH!

Knight drags Finn up, brings him around, torture rack but Finn fights free! Finn trips Knight to STOMP 182! Finn takes aim from a corner again. Fans boo but Finn runs in, SHOTGUN! Knight is down in the drop zone! Finn hurries up top, COUP DE- NO, Knight moves! Knight scoops to pop and POWERSLAM! Fans fire up with Knight and he spells it out. “L! A! KNIGHT! YEAH!” ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Knight is a bit frustrated but Finn is tougher than that. Knight kicks low cravats, but Finn rolls him up! TWO, and Knight hurries up. Finn gets around, EYE OF THE HURRICANE! And Finn goes back to a corner!

Finn climbs, aims, but Knight trips him up! Finn is stuck up top now, and Knight climbs up after him! Knight drags Finn up, but Finn fights with elbows! Knight staggers, but then springs right back up! SUPER DUPER PLEX! And then B F T!! Cover, Knight wins!!

Winner: LA Knight, by pinfall

A massive win for the Mega Star, and now he’s rolling into that showdown with The Miz! Their showdown is now set for Payback, will Knight shut Miz up once and for all?

The lights are powering down?

The fireflies come out as Bray’s lantern is in the ring! Fans chant “Thank You, Bray!” as the tron has a still from the last time Bray was in the ring. His silhouette stands there with the butterfly wings like angel wings. Thank you, Bray, we will never forget you.

My Thoughts:

It’s hard to give this episode a descriptor, only because saying it was “great” feels like it cheapens what happened tonight. Not all the plans for tonight’s episode were delayed in light of the passing of both Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt. This wasn’t a full tribute show as WWE has done other times, and it wasn’t quite as emotional as we might’ve expected, but we did get great video packages. Plus, we got such great shots with the rocking chair on stage at the start, and then the lantern in the ring at the end. Windham Rotunda passing at only 36 years old with so much life and career ahead of him is an incredible shame, and now there will be a large “what if” hanging in the air.

LA Knight had a really good promo to lead into his main event match, with a genuine farewell to Bray but also him calling out The Miz in great fashion. To think Knight would bring up Mizdow (Damien Sandow as Miz’s sidekick). Great match with Finn and great win for Knight, as now he and Miz will face off at Payback. Can’t wait to see how that one goes. And great tribute to Terry Funk, too. Cody Rhodes had a good promo to give us an idea of how Terry Funk was still Terry Funk in and out of the ring with how he poked fun at Dusty.

And great “hardcore” tag match out of Profits VS Brutes. Now, it wasn’t really all that hardcore, just a really good tornado tag, but this was also a bit impromptu so they couldn’t work out much more than that table spot. It was a great table spot, though. And Lashley does factor into the finish, but that worked with it being a No DQ tag. Hard to say if #TheAllMightyProfits are Heels or just Tweeners, but if they keep having fun matches like this, it probably won’t matter, fans will cheer them all and they can all get after titles.

Speaking of which, really good stuff out of the title stories featured tonight. Zelina has a good showing against Iyo, but I figured Iyo would retain one way or another. Still no word on who she’s facing at Payback, though DMG CTRL did take Bianca out last week. Now granted, Iyo just defended the title, and there are many times when a title or two takes a PPV off, so Iyo doesn’t have to be on the Payback card. Maybe there’s more a #1 contenders match next week on the Payback go-home, with the winner promised their shot at Fastlane in October. As I said last week, something about Bianca coming back and being part of the All Mighty Profits would make the most sense to me.

Really good opener from Rey VS Waller, even with the overbooking of Theory and Escobar. Great win for Rey, but there’s a tag match set for the go-home, so the math isn’t set in stone. But in the end, I really hope Rey keeps the belt. Theory lost the belt because they weren’t able to figure out how to make him and his story interesting enough. Bit of a dropped by from his big win on John Cena, even though he cheated that. In fact, with Cena returning next week, he might get back into this story with Theory, on top of plugging Superstar Spectacle in India on September 8th.

My Score: 8.7/10