WWE SmackDown Live full results May 23: Money in the Bank participants announced; Randy Orton invokes rematch clause vs Jinder Mahal

The first SmackDown Live after WWE Backlash kicked off with new WWE champion Jinder Mahal making his way to the Huntington Center at Toledo, Ohio in a cavalcade with the Singh brothers in company. The Commissioner of SmackDown Live Shane McMahon made his way to the ring and had a major announcement for SmackDown Live’s next pay-per-view, in four weeks’ time, Money in The Bank (MITB). Randy Orton will have his rematch for the WWE Championship against Mahal at his home town of St Louis, Missouri. Apart from this, McMahon announced the participants for the MITB ladder match for the WWE Championship contract – AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler. Kevin Owens walked out to the middle, but McMahon made it clear that Owens is not a participant, and the fifth superstar in the match is WWE Rockstar Shinsuke Nakamura. Owens persisted and questioned the credentials of the participants especially Styles whom Owens beat at Backlash. He went on to accuse McMahon of favouritism, and McMahon eventually put Owens as the sixth member in the match.

Becky Lynch and Charlotte beat The Welcoming Committee via submission
With the Welcoming Committee’s Natalya reeling at the hands of Charlotte, Tamina tried to run interference, but SmackDown Live Women’s champion – who accompanied Lynch – took out Tamina before the Irish Lass Kicker put the armbar on Carmella despite James Ellsworth’s interference to pick up the victory.

Sami Zayn beats Baron Corbin via pinfall
In a huge surprise, Zayn knocked off Corbin in just 20 seconds via a roll over to earn victory. A livid Corbin though attacked Zayn after the match and went out on an all-out assault using the steel chair and dragged Zayn through the crowd continuing to pound away at the Underdog from the Underground. Zayn had to be stretched out of the arena.

Mahal celebrates Punjabi style
The 50th WWE Champion ever, the Modern Day 'Maharaja' Jinder Mahal started his title reign with grand Punjabi celebrations on SmackDown Live. Bangra dancers with made their way to the ring followed by the Singh brothers- Sunil and Samir. Mahal's music hit and the WWE Champion made his way to the ring taking in the adulation from the dancers, but not much from the fans who were loud and clear about Mahal's disapproval as a champion. Mahal took the mike a said the fans can showered him with hatred but that doesn't change the fact that he is the WWE Champion.
He went on to say the fans boo him for being different, for speaking different but at Backlash he proved everybody wrong. Talking about Randy Orton, Mahal said just like America, the Apex Predator is on the decline but he is on the rise and already the greatest WWE Champion of all time.

Tyler breeze beat Jay Uso via pinfall
After the bell rang, Fandango distracted Jay with a water gun allowing Breeze to pin Jay with roll-over.
Fandango beat Jimmy Uso via pinfall
This time, Breeze distracted Jay on the outside and while Jimmy tried to stop Breeze, Fandango rolled over Jimmy to earn the pinfall victory
SmackDown Live Tag team Championship match: USOS beat Breezango via pinfall
An irate USOS put their SmackDown Live tag team championship on the line after their one-on-one matches to Breezango and Breezango rode the early momentum and came close two times in the match to win the championship, but the USOS dodged a bullet with Jay pinning Fandango with the frog splash to retain the championships.

Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles beat Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler and Owens were hot right off the bat targeting Nakamura in the early proceedings before Styles evened things out, but Owens and Ziggler showed tremendous tag team chemistry to keep themselves one step ahead of Styles and Nakamura. Nakamura though got back and stole the show with his unorthodox offences and nailed Owens with the Kingshasa to pick up victory for his team in in SmackDown Live in-ring debut.