The actions of the Wyatt Sicks were also felt on SmackDown
By Shakiel Mahjouri
• 1 min read
The Bloodline bolsters its ranks and CM Punk is left bloodied on a major episode of WWE SmackDown. Solo Sikoa continued to evolve Roman Reigns' faction by adding Jacob Fatu; meanwhile, Drew McIntyre put Punk in a stretcher in front of Punk's hometown crowd.
The Bloodline set its sights on undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes immediately following Rhodes vs. AJ Styles at Clash at the Castle on Saturday. The combined forces of Rhodes, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens were enough to oppose the group, but only before the shocking arrival of Fatu.
Friday's show also featured McIntyre's brutal attack on Punk, multiple Money in the Bank qualifier matches and fallout from the Wyatt Sicks' debut on Monday Night Raw.
CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
The Bloodline grows, Punk left bloodied
Punk kicked off the show by reminiscing on his feud with McIntyre before his close friend Paul Heyman interrupted. The two embraced before Heyman warned Punk he was in The Bloodline's crosshairs. Heyman urged Punk to leave Chicago quietly and take Heyman with him. Punk declined to acknowledge Sikoa and labelled the group a budget version of the original. Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa were prepared to jump Sikoa before Rhodes came to the rescue with a pair of steel bats. Rhodes challenged Sikoa to a one-on-one, no-interference match tonight.
Orton and Owens approached Rhodes backstage. They asked the undisputed champion if he truly wanted to wrestle Sikoa without their support. Rhodes assured his friends it was alright and that he had a plan.
Later in the evening, an argument between Grayson Waller and #DIY was interrupted by banging on an arena door. A staff member raised the door to find McIntyre standing over a bloodied Punk. McIntyre raised Punk onto his shoulders and carried him towards the stage as other superstars watched in shock. McIntyre was showered with boos as he tossed Punk's limp body in front of Punk's hometown fans. SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and McIntyre got into a shoving match as medical staff placed Punk on a stretcher.
Heyman urged Sikoa to get in line before the main event. Heyman said that Reigns had declared Punk off-limits and that he was only supposed to keep Rhodes in check until Reigns returned. Sikoa informed Heyman that Reigns was never coming back.
Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa ends in no contest after a brawl between the two superstars got out of control. Tanga and Loa attacked Rhodes, spurring Rhodes and Orton to even the odds. The fan favorites had Sikoa corner before the unexpected arrival of former Major League Wrestling world heavyweight champion Jacob Fatu. Fatu laid out Orton and Owens before climbing the top rope and splashing Rhodes through the announcers' table.
What a fantastic episode of SmackDown. It was going to be difficult to match the buzz of the Wyatt Sicks, but the blue brand succeeded by going a more traditional route. SmackDown saw major developments in the Punk vs. McIntyre and The Bloodline storylines. Fatu's arrival is a big deal. He's been one of the best pro wrestlers on the regional scene for years and arguably The Bloodline 2.0 member with the highest ceiling. The visual of McIntyre carrying Punk's bloodied body was terrific. Kudos to WWE for booking the angle in Punk's hometown of Punk six days after he cost McIntyre the world heavyweight title in McIntyre's native Scotland. The Wyatt Sicks didn't make an appearance, but WWE gets bonus points for buffing up security and mentioning it throughout the show. Grade: A+
What else happened on WWE SmackDown?
- Chelsea Green def. Mia Yim and Bianca Belair via pinfall after hitting Yim with a lateral press. Green qualifies for the women's Money in the Bank ladder match.
- Carmelo Hayes def. Orton and Tama Tonga via pinfall after rolling up Orton during a brawl between Owens and Loa. Hayes qualifies for the men's Money in the Bank ladder match.
- Logan Paul knocked out LA Knight with a punch while Knight was distracted by Santos Escobar.
- Andrade def. Grayson Waller and Owens via pinfall after catching Waller with a spinning neckbreaker. Andrade qualifies for the men's Money in the Bank ladder match.
- Nia Jax attacked Michin backstage after Michin tried to strike Tiffany Stratton.
