AJ Styles advances in Intercontinental Title tournament on Smackdown after defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in a tense first-round match during WWE’s May 22, 2020, broadcast from the Performance Center in Orlando. This tournament is being held as a result of Sami Zayn being unable to defend the Intercontinental Championship, forcing the company to crown a new titleholder amid mounting roster pressures.
Raw Emotions and Unfiltered Tension Set the Stage
The evening opened with a Memorial Day video tribute, followed by the Smackdown theme and commentary from Michael Cole and Corey Graves contextualizing the gravity of the ongoing Intercontinental Title tournament. Adding weight to the night, John Morrison and The Miz began their segment mid-ring, sharing pointed remarks about Otis, the current Money in the Bank briefcase holder, and launching insults at several other WWE stars including Braun Strowman.
Morrison and Miz’s banter soon escalated into a confrontation, leading Braun Strowman to the ring. Strowman’s straightforward demeanor clashed with Morrison’s brashness, resulting in an impromptu match between Strowman and The Miz. The contest saw interference attempts and relentless exchanges before Strowman ultimately overcame The Miz with a powerful finishing move, reinforcing his standing atop the Smackdown roster.
“I wouldn’t show my face around here again, either,”
—Morrison, WWE Superstar
“Her superpower is she whispers plans into Otis’s ears that will trick Braun Strowman into losing the Universal Championship,”
—Miz, WWE Superstar
“Not everything about Braun is a monster.”
—Mandyquin Rose, Segment Puppet
“You want me, you got me!”
—Braun Strowman, WWE Universal Champion
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura Collide in Tournament Showdown
The high-stakes atmosphere continued as AJ Styles, recently traded to Smackdown under circumstances described by Cole as “big news,” faced off against Shinsuke Nakamura. The two competitors, with extensive histories wrestling internationally from Japan to major WWE stages like WrestleMania, delivered an intense and technically sound match. Nakamura pushed Styles to his limits with aggressive offense, but Styles managed to turn the tide with a modified Styles Clash and subsequently secured victory off a Phenomenal Forearm, booking his place in the tournament’s second round.
“from Japan to the Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania.”
—Corey Graves, Announcer
Storylines Intensify Throughout the Smackdown Broadcast
The night’s events wove together multiple rivalries and shifting alliances. Bayley and Sasha Banks’ backstage exchange hinted at tension, as Bayley insisted on competing without Sasha ringside, referencing skepticism after a prior Charlotte segment. Their interaction suggested cracks in their partnership, a theme that resonated during Charlotte’s methodical match with Bayley. Charlotte, always calculating, employed veteran tactics in a tightly-contested contest, but Bayley managed to outmaneuver her with a pin, further fanning doubts about her ability to secure wins unaided.
Outside the Intercontinental Title tournament, tag team dynamics were tested as Sonya Deville & Dolph Ziggler battled Mandy Rose & Otis, a pairing shaped by personal betrayals and shifting loyalties. The match narrative, focusing on revenge and exposed secrets, ended with Deville pinning Rose after a punishing knee strike. Ziggler’s ruthless post-match attack on Otis underscored the unrelenting emotional charge pervading the episode.
Ongoing Intercontinental Title Tournament Delivers High Stakes and High Drama
With Sami Zayn sidelined, the Intercontinental Title tournament presses on under immense emotional and professional pressure for WWE’s roster. Styles, now firmly part of Smackdown, advances after outlasting Nakamura, while Jeff Hardy also secured a semi-finals spot the same night. Hardy’s victory was hard-fought, with Sheamus dominating stretches of the match, yet Hardy’s resilience paid off as he reversed a Brogue Kick into a pinning combination. Sheamus’ furious response to his defeat hinted at future disruptions as the tournament unfolds.
As competitors are forced to adapt to an empty Performance Center amid the absence of a live audience, the tone of WWE Smackdown remains shadowed by intensity, uncertainty, and the demands of a packed schedule. The Memorial Day tribute and the candid acknowledgment of Shad Gaspar’s recent passing added further gravitas to the episode’s emotional load.
“but is it a trap by Bobby Lashley.”
—WWE Raw Promo
Looking Ahead: New Champions, Rivalries, and Shifting Alliances
As AJ Styles advances in Intercontinental Title tournament on Smackdown, storylines shift rapidly. The Universal Title faces a fresh threat from the alliance between Miz and Morrison, now challenging Braun Strowman in a two-on-one scenario at Backlash. Meanwhile, tag teams and women’s division competitors navigate personal vendettas and ambitions, promising more conflict in the weeks ahead.
The stakes of the Intercontinental Title tournament could ripple beyond its brackets, setting up new feuds and title pursuits that will shape WWE’s future programming. With wrestlers like Bayley, Sasha Banks, Jeff Hardy, and others walking fine lines between partnership and rivalry—and with the Specter of unexpected outcomes always looming—Smackdown continues to move forward beneath the weight of anticipation and the relentless drive to crown new champions.
“Hey hey, ho ho, Miz and Morrison”
—Miz and Morrison, WWE Superstars
“What did Bayley prove by cheating to win? That showed she could cheat, but it didn’t prove she’s better than Charlotte.”
—Keller, Analyst
