WWE NXT and RAW Superstars were brought to SmackDown again this week to work the dark matches.
Tonight’s pre-SmackDown dark match from Columbus, Ohio saw Sanga defeat Wes Lee. It was noted that Lee was over with the crowd in a big way.
Tonight’s post-SmackDown dark main event saw AJ Styles defeat The Miz. Styles got the pin after a Phenomenal Forearm. Miz cut a heel promo before the match, right after SmackDown went off the air, but AJ received the biggest pop of the night, according to a correspondent in attendance.
There’s no word yet on if Lee and Sanga are being considered for main roster call-ups. It’s interesting that they were brought to SmackDown to work a dark match for officials as they are also currently working together on the NXT 2.0 brand.
Sanga previously served as Grayson Waller’s bodyguard, but they split in April and Waller defeated Sanga in a match on the April 19 NXT show. Lee made his return to singles action in mid-May after his partner Nash Carter was released amid controversy weeks before. He faced Nathan Frazer on the May 17 show, but Von Wagner attacked them both. That same May 17 show featured a backstage segment where Sanga told Lee and Frazer how it was unfair what Wagner did to them. Lee ended up asking if Sanga was taking shots at them, and said he won’t tolerate any disrespect. Sanga said he was not disrespecting, and they had a few more words. Sanga asked what Lee was trying to prove, and Lee said he wanted to prove that you don’t have to be 10 foot tall to be successful. Sanga then defeated Lee on the May 24 episode. After the match, Lee rival Xyon Quinn tried to attack Lee but Sanga made the save, then had a show of respect with Lee. This week’s NXT saw Sanga give Lee some words of encouragement and wish him good luck in his match with Quinn, which Lee won.
This was the first main roster match for Lee. Sanga worked a Worlds Collide Battle Royal in April 2019, then teamed with Veer Mahaan and Drew McIntyre for a six-man win over Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers at WWE Superstar Spectacle for the India market in January 2021.
Miz and Styles are currently working the RAW brand, and were just brought to SmackDown to continue the recent trend of RAW and SmackDown Superstars participating in dark matches for the other show. The Schottenstein Center in Columbus began advertising Miz vs. Styles earlier this week.
Miz is currently working RAW but without a specific feud, although he has had recent match with names like Cody Rhodes and Mustafa Ali. He will be on Monday’s RAW with his wife, the returning Maryse, to promote the season 3 premiere of the “Miz & Mrs.” show. Styles is currently teaming with Finn Balor and Liv Morgan to feud with The Judgment Day on the red brand. Sunday’s Hell In a Cell event will feature mixed tag team action with Styles, Balor and Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest and WWE Hall of Famer Edge.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more. Below are clips and photos from tonight’s dark matches:
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