SmackDown Live results 23/5 – Jinder ushers in the era of the modern day Maharja

Fourty-eight hours after his shock WWE Title win at Backlash, new champion Jinder Mahal ushered in his maiden title reign with a full on Punjabi celebration last night on SmackDown.

Led to the ring by the Singh Brothers, we saw Jinder get given the full Indian celebratory treatment with drummers, dancers and decoration worthy of the first Indian WWE Champ. Mahal then reveled in telling the crowd that he did it for his people and his country, and that the title is now going nowhere. Former champion Randy Orton, conspicuous by his absence, will get first shot to change that when the two meet once again at next month’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view.

Talking of Money In The Bank, SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon opened proceedings by announcing the six competitors that will be part of this year’s annual bout. AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn will be joined by US Champion Kevin Owens who talked his way into the match during this opening segment. Later that evening we were treated to snippet of what’s to come when in the main event, Styles and Nakamura teamed and beat Owens and Ziggler in tag-team action.

Corbin and Zayn were also in action, as the pair reconviend the battle from Sunday’s show and once again Sami picked-up the win. However, he left the arena on a stretcher after a post-match beating on the outside from the Lone Wolf.

Elsewhere Shane announced a five-way elimination match to determine the new number one contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship for next week and Breezango once again came up short in their quest for Tag Team gold, despite single wins for both men over The Usos.

Full results for SmackDown Live’s 23 May show;

Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch defeated Carmella and Natalya

Sami Zayn defeated Baron Corbin

Tyler Breeze defeated Jey Uso

Fandango defeated Jimmy Uso

The Usos defeated Breezango to retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championship

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated United States Champion Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler 

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