WWE SmackDown: Gunther wins gold, defeats Ricochet

By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst 

A title change occurred on SmackDown this week after Gunther overpowered Ricochet to win the Intercontinental Championship.

Welcome back to another SmackDown roundup, this time covering the June 10 episode featuring Gunther’s big victory, Money in the Bank qualifying matches and Riddle earning an Undisputed Universal title shot.

Here’s a quick recap of the match results:

– Sheamus and Drew McIntyre fought to a double-disqualification 

– Lacey Evans defeated Xia Li via pinfall after hitting The Woman’s Right 

– Ronda Rousey defeated Shotzi via submission 

– Gunther defeated Ricochet via pinfall to become the new Intercontinental champion

– Riddle defeated Sami Zayn via pinfall to earn an Undisputed Universal title shot against Roman Reigns

Moment of the night: Gunther wins gold 

This was inevitable once Gunther got called up from NXT.

It’s clear “The Ring General” is being groomed for big things in WWE and a lengthy run with the IC title should be a good test for his future.

As for Ricochet, even though he wasn’t given much to work with while holding the belt, the 33-year-old proved his value with each title defense. Hopefully he doesn’t get forgotten about again now that it’s over.

He’s one of the best wrestlers in the world and should be treated as such.

Best match: Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre – MITB qualifier 

Drew McIntyre and Sheamus square off in explosive Money in the Bank Qualifying Match I WWE on FOX

Former best friends Drew McIntyre and Sheamus locked horns on Friday Night SmackDown in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. The winner became the first entry in the 2022 Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

These two never have a bad match against one another. Every time they’re on opposite sides of the ring, it’s hard-hitting, intense and insanely fun to watch. 

This week’s Money in the Bank qualifier was no different. 

Both Superstars using their opponent’s signature moves on each other also helped this one stand apart from their other matches. 

Sheamus hitting the Future Shock DDT and Drew landing a White Noise from the top rope made it feel like you were watching a match take place inside the WWE Multiverse.

Additional highlights: 

Here’s Riddle earning an Undisputed Universal title opportunity.

Next week’s match will be Roman’s first time defending the belts since winning them at WrestleMania 38 in April.

Lacey Evans qualified for the Women’s Money in the Bank match.

This was her first time back in the ring since February 2021.

Lacey Evans returns, battles Xia Li in Money in the Bank Qualifying Match I WWE on FOX

Lacey Evans made her highly-anticipated return to the ring on Friday Night SmackDown and went face-to-face with Xia Li in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match.

Lingering question: Can we get more of Shotzi and Xia Li on SmackDown?

These two were both featured in matches and did a fantastic job of reminding viewers why they should be on TV more.

Shotzi has the type of larger-than-life personality that thrives on WWE TV and her heel persona gets better by the week.

She could be a player on the show with the right stories.

As for Xia, this was only her third match on the show since February, despite an initial push upon her debut. WWE should invest more TV time in her character. It’s unique and stands out from everyone else on SmackDown. Plus, her entrance rules.

Don’t forget to follow all your favorite WWE Superstars and shows in the FOX Sports app to receive alerts on what they’re doing and more.

Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1’s “WWE Backstage” and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief.