WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights, And Grades For June 26, 2018

Rusev vs. Xavier Woods

Although Rusev will have a battle against WWE Champion AJ Styles at Extreme Rules next month, he’ll have to face The New Day’s Xavier Woods just a week after becoming the No. 1 contender by winning a Gauntlet Match on SmackDown Live. This qualifies as yet another great Rusev Day gift!

Aiden English asked Xavier if he has a waffle because his pancakes are awful. I will never, ever get tired of him singing Rusev’s introductions.

By the way, I have an important announcement. Per a source close to Corey Graves, The New Day are in violation of a new Bulgarian edict. Thou shalt not eat pancakes on Rusev Day! (Sounds like yet another rule I’ll be breaking.)

Pop of the night goes to The New Day for the “Ouch!” bubble, as they turned a wrestling show into a comic book in one fell swoop. If the Young Bucks didn’t help pitch that idea, then they need to take notes!

Also, Woods’s rolling forearm remains quite the bad-ass transition move.

Second pop goes to Woods picking up Rusev on his back.

Rusev sat Woods on the top rope for a superplex attempt with Kofi Kingston and Big E watching, but Woods fought back and ended up getting Rusev shoulder-first into the ring post. He ascended the top rope for that  elbow drop, but Rusev got up.

He hit the Machka Kick, but it wasn’t over yet. Rusev trapped Woods into the Accolade, forcing Woods to tap out immediately.

Rusev says that tonight is about AJ Styles, not Booty O’s or pancakes. He remembers Styles punching Rusev last week, but he pauses to take in the Styles/Rusev chants. We’re all taking them in, and we’re all excited for Extreme Rules.

Grade: C+, this was a decent match, but it wasn’t their best bout. It was designed to give Rusev a tune-up win leading up to Extreme Rules next month.