WWE SmackDown results, grades: GUNTHER ‘taps out’ but somehow keeps title in controversial main event-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

GUNTHER stole the win and retained his championship (Picture: WWE)

WWE delivered a special SmackDown premiere headlined by a blistering albeit controversial main event.

Sheamus and GUNTHER once again battled for the latter’s Intercontinental Championship in a rematch from their match of the year candidate at Clash At The Castle, and it’s safe to say they delivered.

With their respective allies in the Brawling Brutes and Imperium banned from ringside, the two heavyweights did what they do best and battered each other in the name of entertainment.

The Celtic Warrior’s chest was left cut and bruised after GUNTHER’s devastating chops but he gave it back all the same, hitting his opponent with 30 clubbing blows.

The controversy came after an Irish Curse backbreaker was followed by a Cloverleaf submission and the IC Champ – reached out for the bottom rope – hit the mat twice.

Fans in attendance and watching at home – plus new SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett – were convinced her tapped out, but referee Jessika Carr insisted he was clawing for the ropes, while many fans have suggested a wrestler needs to hit the mat three times for it to count.

Regardless, Sheamus looked dismayed and chaos ensued with Butch, Ridge Holland, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci all making their way to ringside and brawling with the match still going on.

In the middle of the wild action, GUNTHER was handed a shillelagh and used it to strike Sheamus, pinning his rival to retain the gold as the scrap continue with the show going off the air.

White rabbit confirmation, Zelina Vega returns with Legado Del Fantasm, cracks in The Bloodline and more

After Triple H opened the show with a cryptic welcome to SmackDown – ‘There will come a time you think that everything is finished, but that is the beginning’, and an exciting QR code – the night really got going with The Bloodline.

Logan Paul came out to the confront them, but Paul Heyman gave him a verbal dressing down, referencing Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Andrew Tate and Logan’s brother Jake as he promised utter destruction at Crown Jewel.

The controversial YouTuber fired back and even suggested Jey Uso could be the real Tribal Chief, but Sami Zayn (who got a great cheer) stepped in to defuse the situation while laying into Logan.

Logan Paul stood up to the entire Bloodline (Picture: WWE)

The first match of the night saw Solo Sikoa beat Ricochet in a fantastically fun showcase for the rising star, with the One And Only looking great even in a decisive loss.

Backstage, the Bloodline’s issues continued with Roman agreeing with Sami that Jey is a hot head, and calling him the Honorary Uce’s problem now.

In a great moment, Hit Row got interrupted by three men in masks who unleashed a brutal attack before they were joined by a returning Zelina Vega and revealed themselves as Legado Del Fantasma.

Zelina Vega is back and flanked by Legado Del Fantasma (Picture: WWE)

The trio have been a formidable force in NXT, and fans will be excited to see what they achieve on the main roster.

Up next, Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi rolled down to the ring on the latter’s tank and made fairly short work of Sonya Deville and Xia Li in a decent but forgettable bout.

Drew McIntyre attacked Karrion Kross from behind as he came down to the ring, attaching himself to his opponent with a leather strap and unleashing a beat down.

Karrion Kross whipped Drew McIntyre raw before their Strap Match (Picture: WWE)

Security came to get involved and the Scottish Warrior took them all out, which caused enough of a distraction to gain the advantage, brutalising his rival with the strap.

A cryptic video aired and seemed to be another renewed push for the Viking Raiders, with a shield and fire shown as a woman – presumably Sarah Logan – warned: ‘When the gods speak, I listen. We obey. Valhalla awaits.’

After a backstage row earlier in the night, The Usos and Sami Zayn found themselves in a six-man tag match against The New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods and their mystery partner Braun Strowman.

As ever when WWE does these kinds of matches, this was exciting stuff with some great spots and lovely storyline development between Jey and Zayn, while New Day and Braun picked up a big win.

Backstage again, Maximum Male Models were laid out with Maxi Dupri ditching the name and going back to his LA Knight persona to the delight of the crowd.

WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am on BT Sport 1.

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