Friday Night SmackDown Review - August 25, 2023

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

United States Champion Rey Mysterio def. Grayson Waller

Waller made his main roster in-ring debut at the beginning of July against Edge and has yet to win a single match. I'm not saying he should have won here, but man, can they not give him a win over Cameron Grimes or someone of that stature? That aside, this was an enjoyable opener. Waller was just an opponent for Mysterio beat before he defends the United States Championship in a rematch with Austin Theory at Payback, but they got some time here and made the most of it.

WWE Women's Champion IYO SKY def. Zelina Vega

This match made a lot of sense because Vega has previously beaten SKY twice. Why not advertise this a week ago? Despite that, this was fun stuff. It's been a breakout year for Vega in a lot of ways and this was another opportunity for her to show what she can do. Damage CTRL barely got involved at ringside, so that was a nice touch. Shotzi once again did not appear to further her feud with Bayley, but it was acknowledged in a video package beforehand, so I assume it hasn't been completely dropped just yet.

Cody Rhodes Paid Tribute to Terry Funk

I'll address the tragic passing of Bray Wyatt a little later, but man, what an awful week it's been for wrestling. First Funk, then Wyatt. This episode largely revolved around Wyatt and understandably so, but I'm glad Funk wasn't forgotten and that Cody, whose father Dusty had a storied history with him inside the ring, was able to pay tribute to the wrestling icon with a heartfelt promo here.

The Street Profits def. The Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland) in a Terry Funk Hardcore Tag Team Match

Cody announced an impromptu Terry Funk Hardcore tag team match in Funk's honor at the end of his promo. Obviously, this was nothing compared to the hardcore matches Funk had throughout his career, but I appreciated the sentiment and it was still entertaining for what it was. Street Profits have more of an edge now that they're aligned with Bobby Lashley, who made his presence felt at ringside. These teams already had an established issue and Street Profits picked up more momentum with the win.

LA Knight def. Finn Balor

That promo Knight cut beforehand about Wyatt and also addressing his feud with The Miz was just fantastic, probably the best mic work of his career. It's obviously such a sensitive situation and he handled it masterfully. Incorporating one of Wyatt's signature slogans at the end was wonderful, too. Knight vs. Balor didn't serve a storyline purpose, but both guys have history with Wyatt and that's why this happened. It was a quality main event and Knight winning clean was cool. And, of course, closing the show with the lantern in the middle of the ring was poetic.

Overall Show

It's barely been a day and I'm still shattered over Bray Wyatt's passing. The whole situation is so heartbreaking and it just doesn't feel real. I had no idea what to expect coming into this show, but everything from the 10-bell salute to the rocking chair on the stage at the beginning to the video packages to the highlights of Wyatt's career, they did a beautiful job of remembering both Wyatt and Funk. Needless to say, it's an emotional episode, but I'm very happy they did Wyatt justice and spent the entire two hours honoring him. I had my own tribute to Wyatt on Twitter/X recalling my experience meeting him last year for anyone interested. Rest in peace, Bray, and stay strong, folks.

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