Liv Morgan appeared and struck Priest with a low blow
Beneath the lights of Bologna's Unipol Arena, WWE's ancient pageant of crowns and challengers continued its Italian chapter, as tournaments have always done — sorting the ambitious from the fortunate, and sometimes blurring the line between the two. Raquel Rodriguez claimed her place in the Queen of the Ring bracket through force of will, while Dominik Mysterio advanced through the King of the Ring draw with a more complicated kind of help. Gunther's demand for justice and Chad Gable's quiet return remind us that in this world, every grievance is a seed, and every return a reckoning waiting to bloom.
- Gunther arrived with fury, claiming he was robbed of a title shot at Clash in Italy and physically attacking both Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn when words failed to satisfy him.
- Chad Gable's backstage reappearance on SmackDown sent a quiet signal that the tournament field is not yet fully set — and that ambition has a long memory.
- Raquel Rodriguez cut through a Fatal 4-Way with the Tijuana Bomb, while interference, distraction, and opportunism shaped the outcomes of nearly every other match on the card.
- Liv Morgan's ringside intervention — a low blow to Damian Priest — handed Dominik Mysterio the main event and a tournament advancement that will carry the weight of its method into the next round.
- The bracket moves forward with its momentum intact, but the evening leaves behind a trail of unresolved tensions that will demand answers before any crown is placed.
Bologna's Unipol Arena hosted a SmackDown built around momentum and maneuvering, as the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments pressed forward with two more opening round matches and a card full of consequences.
The night began with Gunther's grievance — a claim that he had been cheated out of an Undisputed WWE Championship opportunity at Clash in Italy. Cody Rhodes came out willing to listen, but Sami Zayn's arrival shattered any chance of diplomacy. Gunther responded with violence, attacking both men and setting the evening's combative tone. Chad Gable also surfaced in backstage segments, quietly announcing his readiness to re-enter the tournament picture.
The Queen of the Ring opening round brought Bayley, Jacy Jayne, Kiana James, and Raquel Rodriguez together in a Fatal 4-Way. Rodriguez was decisive when it mattered most, finishing Kiana James with the Tijuana Bomb to advance. Elsewhere, Talla Tonga defeated Royce Keys after a Solo Sikoa distraction enabled a Chokeslam finish. Jade Cargill and Michin topped Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton in a tag match with roots in an earlier Rhea Ripley confrontation. Ricky Saints surprised Carmelo Hayes with a rope-assisted rollup, and Chelsea Green fell quickly to Lash Legend's reversal into the Lash Extension.
The main event — a King of the Ring Fatal 4-Way featuring Trick Williams, Bron Breakker, Dominik Mysterio, and Damian Priest — delivered the tournament's defining moment of the night. As the match peaked, Liv Morgan appeared at ringside and struck Priest with a low blow. Mysterio wasted no time, connecting with the 619 and a splash to seal the win. The interference was swift, the outcome unambiguous, and the tournament moved forward carrying the complicated weight of how it got there.
The Unipol Arena in Bologna, Italy hosted WWE Friday Night SmackDown on June 5, and the evening belonged to the tournaments. Two more opening round matches in the King and Queen of the Ring competitions played out under the Italian lights, with the night's main event delivering the kind of chaos that defines these early-stage battles.
Gunther opened the show with a grievance. He claimed he'd been cheated out of an Undisputed WWE Championship match at Clash in Italy and demanded redress. Cody Rhodes emerged willing to negotiate, but the conversation fractured when Sami Zayn joined the fray. Gunther's response was physical—he attacked both men, and the segment dissolved into the kind of backstage brawl that sets a tone for what's to come. Elsewhere, Chad Gable made his return to SmackDown through backstage segments, signaling his readiness to factor into the tournament picture.
The Queen of the Ring opening round came first. Four women—Bayley, Jacy Jayne, Kiana James, and Raquel Rodriguez—collided in a Fatal 4-Way match that gave each competitor room to showcase their arsenal. The closing moments devolved into the controlled chaos these matches demand. Rodriguez seized the moment, planted Kiana James with the Tijuana Bomb, and advanced to the next round.
The night's other matches moved with purpose. Royce Keys and Talla Tonga delivered a hard-hitting singles bout that ended when Solo Sikoa created a distraction at ringside, allowing Tonga to land a Chokeslam for the win. Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton faced Jade Cargill and Michin in a tag team match born from an earlier in-ring confrontation involving Rhea Ripley. The pace never slowed. Cargill countered Stratton's senton attempt and finished with Jaded. Ricky Saints and Carmelo Hayes, recent rivals, traded their best offense before Saints rolled up Hayes using the ropes for a surprise victory. Chelsea Green's match against Lash Legend was brief—Legend reversed an Unprettier attempt into the Lash Extension for the pin.
The main event was the King of the Ring opening round Fatal 4-Way: Trick Williams, Bron Breakker, Dominik Mysterio, and Damian Priest. All four men delivered the kind of performance these tournaments demand, with action spilling beyond the ring apron and into the crowd space. As the match reached its climax, Liv Morgan appeared at ringside and struck Priest with a low blow. Mysterio capitalized immediately, hitting the 619 and following with a splash to secure the victory and his spot in the next round. The interference was clean, the finish decisive, and the tournament moved forward with its momentum intact.
Notable Quotes
Gunther claimed he was robbed of the Undisputed WWE Championship match at Clash in Italy and demanded a rematch— Gunther, opening SmackDown
Cody Rhodes said he was open to giving Gunther a rematch— Cody Rhodes, responding to Gunther's demand
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Liv Morgan's interference matter here? Dominik could have won on his own.
That's the thing—maybe he could have, maybe he couldn't. But now there's a story. Morgan's involvement ties them together in the tournament narrative. It's not just about Mysterio advancing; it's about what Morgan's willing to do and what that costs him later.
And Gunther opening the show with that complaint about being robbed—does that lead somewhere?
It has to. You don't have the Undisputed Champion's challenger come out and demand a rematch on live television without it mattering. Cody's already said yes. That's the real match being set up.
Chad Gable returning in backstage segments feels like a tease.
It is. He's not in the tournament yet, but he's visible. He's reminding people he exists. By the time he's ready to compete, the audience will be primed.
What about Raquel Rodriguez winning the Queen of the Ring match? Does that make her a favorite?
She's proven she can capitalize when chaos erupts. That's valuable in a tournament format. But she's one of four women who advanced. The real story is whether she can sustain that momentum through multiple rounds.
The Ricky Saints win over Carmelo Hayes using the ropes—that feels cheap.
It is cheap. And that's the point. Saints got the victory, but he didn't earn it cleanly. In a tournament, that kind of win carries different weight than a dominant performance. It might haunt him later.