WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights, and Grades For May 29, 2018

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tye Dillinger

As usual, Tye Dillinger starts hot right out of the gate, and before the break starts, he nails Shinsuke Nakamura with a lovely dropkick that sends the 2018 Royal Rumble winner flying out of the ring from the apron. Dillinger goes for a high-risk move to give himself a huge advantage, but Nakamura scouts out the suicide dive attempt with a knee.

I always love it when Nakamura does this, though I’m also waiting for him to do the “NOPE” thing where he just lets his opponent hit the floor. That, of course, isn’t happening on the WWE main roster, so the knee to a diving opponent is the next best thing.

The match got even better after the break. At one point, Nakamura had Dillinger on the ground, and it looked like Tye wouldn’t be able to get up. So Nakamura started playing up the “Last Man Standing” match at Money in the Bank, counting to “10”. But before he could get to 10, Dillinger got up to his feet on the ropes at the count of “9”, and he flashed the “10” right at Nakamura. Incensed, Nakamura charged at Dillinger, who dodged Shinsuke and mocked his “Come on!” taunt.

Nakamura won the match with a Kinsasha Knee Strike and beat down Dillinger after the match, counting to “10” to rub salt in the wound. That said, Dillinger did hit Nakamura with a “knee to face”, though it didn’t go anywhere.

Match Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars, this was a lot of fun. Watch it.

AJ Styles Promo

Styles says that a “Last Man Standing” match ostensibly gives Nakamura the benefit, since Nakamura is a superior striker. But AJ says he fights smarter and harder, and that’s why he’s still WWE Champion.