WWE Sets Multiple Records with MSG SmackDown

By Matthew Aguilar

Friday's WWE SmackDown at Madison Square Garden was an action-packed affair, and it turns out it was also a record-setting one as well. WWE has typically enjoyed success at Madison Square Garden, but this latest SmackDown went above and beyond. On their official Twitter account, WWE announced that this was the highest-grossing WWE event ever at Madison Square Garden, but that wasn't all. This event was also the highest-grossing domestic SmackDown in WWE history, so it would seem WWE had a big night all around for the blue brand. You can find the official post from WWE below.

On Twitter, WWE wrote "THANK YOU @WWEUniverse! 💪
☝️ Highest Grossing @WWE Event EVER at @TheGarden
☝️ Highest Grossing Domestic #Smackdown in WWE History

WWE pulled out all the stops for the MSG SmackDown, getting things off to a hot start before the televised show even began. Before the show, WWE featured LA Knight and Hit Row in a segment that was going to be socialized after the show, and as you might expect, Knight received a major reaction from the New York crowd. It didn't hurt that he was booked to look like a big-time star in the segment, dispatching Hit Row despite the numbers advantage.

Then the show started with The Bloodline's Tribal Court, and it was a substantial segment, taking up the first half hour or so of the episode. Jey Uso was crowned the new Tribal Chief but then Roman Reigns swerved him and hit the low blow, getting payback on Jey's low blow at Money in the Bank. Jimmy Uso was then attacked and taken out on a stretcher, setting up a segment for later in the show.

Grayson Waller would end up taking on Edge in his main roster in-ring debut, and between the Grayson Waller Effect and the match itself, Waller got some major shine throughout the episode. There was also a lot of welcome chaos around Asuka's Title, as Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, IYO SKY, and Bayley would all have a part to play in the segment despite no match actually happening.

SKY would attempt to cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase alongside Bayley, but despite getting Asuka down, Belair would crush any hopes of a cash-in, attacking Bayley and SKY. Now it seems all of them are on a collision course for SummerSlam, and we could end up getting a Triple Threat scenario with Asuka, Flair, and Belair. Whoever walks away the winner will also likely have SKY and Bayley waiting for them, but perhaps this is also where we see Damage CTRL start to break apart. We'll just have to wait and see.

There was also a big United States Championship match between Austin Theory and Sheamus, and things ended with Jey Uso returning to the ring and challenging Reigns to a match at SummerSlam. The episode was pretty loaded across the board, and it remains to be seen if these records will stay intact or be surpassed when WWE returns to MSG down the line.

What did you think of the MSG SmackDown? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!

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