Kevin Owens and Tiffany Stratton secured the final spots in their respective Money in the Bank ladder matches during the Friday night episode of WWE SmackDown at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Stratton defeated Candice LeRae and Tatum Paxley in the opening triple threat match, while Owens captured the final men’s spot by defeating Cody Rhodes and Johnny Gargano in the main event.
Tiffany Stratton Wins Women’s Triple Threat Match in Denver
Stratton secured the victory by executing the Prettiest Moonsault Ever onto Paxley while Paxley was pinning LeRae, allowing Stratton to cover LeRae for the pinfall.
Backstage following the match, Chelsea Green endorsed Stratton’s victory and compared their friendship to the Bella Twins. Nikki interrupted to stake a claim for a title opportunity, leading Paige to intervene and announce a match between Nikki and Paige for the following week before slapping Nikki and walking away with Green.
Later in the backstage area, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss approached a frustrated Tatum Paxley, informing her that she and Flair will face Fatal Influence for the titles next week. Flair offered Paxley a hat instead of a hug when Paxley attempted to embrace her.
Saints Secures Victory with Blind Tag and Backstage Clashes Erupt
In the ring, Rey Fenix teamed with Fraxiom to face the War Raiders and Ricky Saints. The contest concluded when Saints made a blind tag to Ivar and struck Fenix from behind with the Roshambo to earn the pinfall victory for his team.
Cody Rhodes addressed his upcoming evening in a backstage interview with Cathy Kelley before Trick Williams interrupted to assert that he would capture the briefcase in New Orleans. A vignette also aired highlighting Damian Priest’s heel character following his recent turn on R-Truth.
Sami Zayn Confronted by Multiple Challengers
WWE Champion Sami Zayn opened a segment addressing the locker room regarding his championship reign and a perceived lack of respect. Raw Superstar Je’Von Evans interrupted to question Zayn’s state of mind and stated his intention to win Money in the Bank and cash in on the champion.
Penta then entered the dialogue, telling Evans he would have to go through him to secure the contract and declaring he would cash in against either Zayn or Roman Reigns. Trick Williams joined the confrontation, critiquing Zayn’s hygiene before Zayn delivered a promo about his journey to the title.
As Zayn exited, Finn Balor appeared on the stage to demand a title opportunity. A physical altercation between Zayn and Balor brought out Gunther, who attacked both Balor and Zayn.
Giulia Faces Blake Monroe and Kevin Owens Claims Main Event Victory
Blake Monroe faced Giulia in singles competition, winning the match after Giulia knocked herself out against the turnbuckle post. Backstage, Johnny Gargano prepared for the main event while Sami Zayn informed him that Nick Aldis prohibited Zayn from interfering on his behalf.
The evening concluded with a triple threat main event featuring Johnny Gargano, Kevin Owens, and Cody Rhodes to determine the final participant in the Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Randy Orton interfered in the closing moments to distract Rhodes, enabling Owens to deliver a pop-up powerbomb to Gargano and secure the pinfall victory.
Frequently Asked Questions About WWE SmackDown
Who won the opening women’s qualifying match?
Tiffany Stratton defeated Candice LeRae and Tatum Paxley in the opening match of the night to qualify for the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
Who will face Nikki next week on SmackDown?
Paige announced that Nikki must go through her first, scheduling a match between the two competitors for the upcoming episode.
Which teams competed in the six-man tag team match?
Rey Fenix and Fraxiom faced the War Raiders and Ricky Saints, with Saints scoring the pinfall victory after a blind tag to Ivar.
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