Tag: jimmy uso

WWE SmackDown results 01/12/24: AJ, LA, RKO spell total defeat for The Bloodline

It was also a bad night for Bayley in Lincoln on WWE SmackDown.

The WWE SmackDown train is rolling into Lincoln, Neb. tonight for a show that will not feature the Tribal Chief.

That’s relevant because he was in the house last Friday, and boy did he and The Bloodline make a mess of things. So much, in fact, that GM Nick Aldis threw up his hands (metaphorically, as Aldis is way too cool under pressure to visibly panic) and declared that Roman Reigns would defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble against all three of the men gunning for him: AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton.

They will all be on SmackDown tonight, but we don’t know yet what they will be doing. Perhaps they’ll team in a six-man tag. Maybe they’ll all have their own singles matches. Or it could be they’ll all just appear in the ring together to trade barbs and engage in some light fisticuffs.

In the women’s division, on the other hand, we know there will be one big matchup as Bayley takes on Bianca Belair. This is big for Bayley, since her position as leader of Damage CTRL appears to be largely ceremonial a lot of times, and IYO SKY made it clear that the group believes she should take care of its Bianca problem.

That’s just way easier said than done, and if Bayley loses, it might not work out so well for her. On the other hand, there’s a lot of sentiment that it might be her year to win the Royal Rumble, something she’s never done, which would be one heck of a silver lining.

We’ll see tonight which way the fates are leaning for Bayley. SmackDown is off and running, so here we go.

WWE SmackDown results from Lincoln:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Before we get to the first match, SmackDown helpfully reviews what happened last week with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline interfering in the main event, with Nick Aldis telling Paul Heyman it was now a Fatal Four-Way at Royal Rumble; we also see Reigns telling Heyman to “fix this” after the show
  • Grayson Waller is supposed to face Cameron Grimes, but Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa attack Grimes on the ramp and head to the ring … causing Waller and Austin Theory to head for the hills
  • “We’re not the bad guys here” – Paul Heyman accuses Nick Aldis of screwing things up, but he has an idea to ensure The Bloodline won’t mess up tonight’s main event
  • A short video segment features Santos Escobar discussing replacing Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde with his new “familia,” Angel and Humberto
  • Uso is beside himself because no one will team up with them, but Heyman tells him not to worry and that he’ll find them someone; Solo, on the other hand, is not worried
  • Angel and Humberto def. The LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) by pinfall; during the match Carlito pops out of the crowd and ambushes Escobar, who has joined the commentary desk
  • Carmelo Hayes is talking to Aldis when he is interrupted by Waller and Theory, and their chippy conversation ends up creating a match between Hayes and Theory for tonight
  • Heyman approaches The LWO backstage and asks if Carlito wants to team with The Bloodline, but he’s concentrating on Escobar (he does take Heyman’s apple, though)
  • A replay of KO’s one-shot knockdown of Logan Paul is shown from last week; afterward, a video promo has Paul talking about getting lawyers to get Owens’ cast banned
  • Butch and Tyler Bate have some coffee together, and it sounds like we’re close to getting Pete Dunne back
  • Bianca Belair def. Bayley by pinfall
  • Owens responds to Paul, scoffing at the idea that the cast is an advantage and asking if Logan will be a guest on The Kevin Owens Show next week
  • Dakota Kai tells Bayley that they didn’t help her because they didn’t want to cause a DQ, though she tries to encourage the Role Model that she can still win the Royal Rumble
  • Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits respond to Karrion Kross and AOP, who now are known by another name
  • Pretty Deadly offers their services to Heyman, but there’s only room for one more tag team partner and neither of them seems to want to do it alone
  • A hype video shows some Carmelo Hayes highlights for anyone unfamiliar with his game
  • Heyman approaches Lashley, who makes it clear he would only get in the ring with The Bloodline if he’s standing across the ring from Reigns
  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory goes to a no contest, as a Spanish Fly leads to a hard landing for both men
  • Heyman has no partner for Uso and Sikoa but makes it sound like no one was worthy of the spot; Solo still isn’t worried, and Jimmy tries to tell himself he isn’t either
  • Sikoa and Uso attack Orton before all the entrances for the main event, trying to even the odds
  • AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton def. The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa) by pinfall, then add to their misery with more punishment as the show ends

Nick Aldis isn’t playing with The Bloodline

After interrupting the scheduled first match, Paul Heyman gives a passionate explanation of why GM Nick Aldis is the bad guy. Oh look, he’s standing right there on the apron.

Aldis reminds Heyman this isn’t a conversation between equals, and The Bloodline won’t be able to interrupt tonight’s main event because they are in it. Tonight, AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton will take on all three members of The Bloodline … including Roman Reigns.

A furious Heyman tells Aldis the Tribal Chief isn’t in Lincoln, which of course he knew. The GM says The Bloodline has until the main event to find a partner if they want — or it will be a handicap match.

Bianca Belair outduels Bayley with Damage CTRL watching closely

All of Damage CTRL comes out to support Bayley, and they’re all sticking around ringside to see the Role Model fend off a number of early pinning attempts. Her clothesline stops Belair in her tracks, though only for a second.

Bayley is able to lure Bianca into the ropes for some pain but quickly gets taken to the mat afterward. Belair leapfrogs Bayley and hits a back drop followed by a standing moonsault for a two count.

A sliding clothesline gets two right back for Bayley. Belair responds quickly with multiple slams, though she ends up tangled in the ropes again right in front of Damage CTRL. Bayley gets run into the post and falls to the floor, where Bianca hits her with a plancha that makes Bayley’s teammates scatter.

After commercials, Bayley has retaken the momentum, and her groupmates are urging her on. But no one gets a second wind like Bianca, who smashes her foe into the corner and peppers her with right hands. Bayley frees herself and hits a running knee, covering near the ropes for a two count.

Despite the referee telling her not to, Bayley ties Bianca’s braid to the bottom rope, but even then The EST manages to trip her into the turnbuckles. Belair unties herself and bends Bayley’s back painfully around the post, and now both wrestlers are slow and trying to gather themselves.

Bianca hoists Bayley onto her shoulders and tosses her back into the post, then returns to the ring for repeated shoulders to the midsection. A stalling vertical suplex is next, then more corner punches.

A backbreaker allows Bianca to cover, but it’s still only for two. As both women counter each other, Bayley finally is able to throw her opponent back into the corner … but she gets lured in and slammed down. Belair hits her rope bounce moonsault and still can’t get the three.

Bayey isn’t about to take the KOD, hurling Belair into the buckles again. The Role Model connects with a top rope elbow, and it’s another two. They battle out to the floor, where Damage CTRL doesn’t intervene.

That might be costly, as Belair hits a spear when the fight goes back in the ring. There’s the KOD, and this time Bayley isn’t kicking out.

Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits get a message from The Final Testament

Lashley speaks for himself and the Profits saying that when someone causes a problem for them, they roll up their sleeves and fight. So get out there now, he demands.

Instead, Paul Ellering appears and points at the big screen, where Karrion Kross and Scarlett say that Lashley and the Profits are “now at the top of the list to be deconstructed.” Together, Kross’ group is The Final Testament.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory comes to an abrupt end

Corey Graves muses that Hayes is where Theory once was, with plenty of NXT success under his belt but a need to figure out how things work on SmackDown. A nice dropkick lands and has Theory off guard early on, but he comes right back and drops Melo before taking the Fadeaway in return.

Hayes launches Theory out to the floor and is fired up as commercials arrive. We return to see Austin send Carmelo out in return, and he takes a moment to gloat before resuming his offense.

A counter gets Theory off Hayes’ back, and Melo follows with atomic drops and chops. A springboard clothesline leads to a facebuster, and Hayes covers for a near fall.

They fight over to the corner, where Theory surprises Hayes with a Spanish fly that doesn’t get the required height, and the match is called off as both men look like they landed hard on their heads/necks.

 AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton beat then beat up The Bloodline

Knight and Styles can’t even seem to agree on who will start the match, leaving Knight at the mercy of Uso for just a second until he turns the tables. A tag to Styles leads to some double team offense, so it seems they will cooperate when necessary.

The crowd chants for Styles until he yields control back to Knight to pound Uso down into a corner. A leg across the back of Jimmy’s neck along the ropes leads to a cover and a two count.

Styles scores his own quick near fall before Uso finally gets in some chops … and immediately runs into an AJ dropkick. Sikoa jumps in and tries to even the odds only to eat a barrage of alternating chops and punches. Sikoa is sent to the floor to the delight of the crowd before we fade out to commercials.

It may not surprise you to hear that Solo is controlling the action after the break, bashing Styles from corner to corner. Uso gets in some sneaky shots from the outside too, so it’s all coming up Milhouse … er, Bloodline, at the moment.

Styles finally puts Uso down on the mat, and the fans come to life hoping for a hot tag. Sikoa drags Knight off the apron to prevent it but gets thrown into the stairs for his trouble.

Back in the ring, Styles hits a Pele Kick but argues with Knight instead of making the tag. Uso superkicks Knight off the apron and then turns right into a double cross body with Styles that leaves both of them down.

By now, Sikoa has returned to the apron, but Randy Ortons music hits and he comes down the ramp. He’s in this now too, and Styles leaps to give him the hot tag.

The crowd comes roaring to its feet when he gets it, and Orton runs through some of his trademark offense. Uso foils an RKO attempt with a schoolboy for two, but that only delays the inevitable as a second RKO doesn’t miss and Jimmy is pinned.

After the bell, Styles halts Sikoa’s attempt to get some payback with a Phenomenal Forearm, and Knight piles on with the Blunt Force Trauma. And Orton adds another RKO for good measure before heading to the outside to attack Uso.

Orton uses the stairs on Uso, who is thrown into the timekeeper’s area by Knight. They clear the announce table and work as a trio to powerbomb Solo through it. That’s a definitive victory.

WWE SmackDown results 12/15/23: Roman Reigns returns to chaos, including a confusing AJ Styles

Also on WWE SmackDown, Carmelo Hayes got a big win.

The Tribal Chief. The Head of the Table. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. Roman Reigns has many other names, but no matter how you refer to him, he is “The Man” on Friday nights. Or at least he is when he’s around, which he will be tonight on WWE SmackDown in Green Bay.

He’s supposed to be back to handle “Tribal Business,” which likely means he feels the need to ensure The Bloodline is the dominant force in WWE. There are some definite signs that is no longer the case, particularly with Jimmy Uso (who’s been a bit on the periphery of the group anyway) and Solo Sikoa taking a big ‘L’ last week against LA Knight and Randy Orton.

Reigns has already faced Knight at Crown Jewel and beat him, with some help, but circumstances have unfolded in such a way that Orton has never had his shot at the Tribal Chief. The Viper will face Jimmy Uso tonight, but you can’t help but get the feeling that Orton and Reigns are on a collision course that leads to Royal Rumble. Maybe.

It’s also a big night for Carmelo Hayes. Supposedly hand-picked by Shawn Michaels to participate in the United States Title Tournament (which is only for a shot at the title), he’ll face Grayson Waller, someone he’s run into before in NXT.

All this and much more await us tonight in Green Bay. Let’s see what’s what.

WWE SmackDown results from Green Bay:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Roman Reigns praises Solo Sikoa and dismisses a challenge from Randy Orton
  • A hype video tells viewers more about Carmelo Hayes ahead of his match tonight
  • Carmelo Hayes def. Grayson Waller by pinfall in a United States Championship Tournament first round match
  • LA Knight runs into Orton backstage, reminding him “how those numbers work” with The Bloodline, and they bicker just a bit about who’s going to be the one to take down Reigns
  • Kevin Owens def. Austin Theory by pinfall in a United States Championship Tournament first round match
  • Reigns sits with The Bloodline and stews about Orton ruining their night, and Jimmy Uso sort of reluctantly accepts his role before saying “yeet” … and then taking it back as Roman slowly turns and glares at him
  • A video promo has Karrion Kross promising that “everything is about to crumble”
  • Cameron Grimes congratulates KO on laying out Theory, and he also gets a bit of a warning from Hayes before they meet in the next round
  • Bayley brags about Damage CTRL getting closer to her original vision of becoming the most powerful faction in WWE, and the rest of the members back her assertion that they’ll win all the titles
  • Kanuki Warriors def. Michin and Zelina Vega by pinfall, getting a little help from both Bayley and Dakota Kai
  • Jimmy Uso muses that he feels like he’s being set up and asks Solo Sikoa if he’d give him a heads up if that was the case; Sikoa responds “I’m your brother”
  • A video promo is shown for Santos Escobar, as he promises to defeat Bobby Lashley before going on to become the new United States Champion
  • Lashley delivers his response in a live promo, flanked by the Street Profits, all dressed to the nines
  • Randy Orton def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall, thanks in part to LA Knight neutralizing Solo Sikoa, but …
  • … Reigns lays out Knight on the ramp and heads in to trade shots with Orton; Uso, Knight and Sikoa all get involved as well, and so does AJ Styles, who sneaks in from the back and connects with a Phenomenal Forearm on Reigns, quickly clearing the ring
  • We’re not quite done, though, as Styles attacks Knight from behind and walks right by The Bloodline on his way back up the ramp

Roman Reigns is in the sights of Randy Orton

Back for the first time in a while, Reigns asks the fans to acknowledge him and then shit their mouths citing too many boos. It’s the holiday season, though, and Roman says he’s in the mood to celebrate. He’s a fair boss and in the mood to hand out a promotion.

The Tribal Chief says one man has done all he could for The Bloodline over the past year and is next in line if something happens to him. Jimmy Uso clearly is acting like he thinks it’s him, but it’s actually Solo Sikoa he means, and Reigns gives Solo a hug.

That’s when Randy Orton’s music hits, bringing the Viper out as the show goes to commercials. After the people in the arena apparently listened to Randy’s theme for two-plus minutes, Orton climbs in the ring as the crowd chants his name.

The Viper says he’s been thinking about what he wants to do and say in this moment for 18 months, but all he needs to say is “I’m coming for you.” Orton plans on taking everything away from Reigns, starting tonight and ending at Royal Rumble, as he lays out a challenge for that very event.

Dismissively, Roman says he hasn’t though about Randy for 18 months, and since he hasn’t done anything to earn a title shot, he can get in the back of the line. It’s not 2007, and Roman says he’s levels above him and everybody else. If they would meet, Reigns says, it will be “retirement” for Orton.

Maybe Reigns is right, Orton says. He admits that the Tribal Chief has evolved for the better, into a legend. But even though Orton has evolved as well, one thing he will always be … is a Legend Killer. Orton fakes an RKO and Reigns bids a hasty retreat, and Randy jokes that the voices in his head say Roman might have just crapped his pants.

And one more thing: Daddy’s back.

Carmelo Hayes makes a successful debut, catches Nothing But Net against Grayson Waller

A video is shown of Logan Paul dismissing Hayes by calling him “random guy,” so you have to figure he’s going to win here and at least tease heading toward a match with Paul. Even Corey Graves, the heel announcer, is vouching for Carmelo, so you know WWE is trying to push him as a legit talent (which he definitely is).

The opening minutes are all Grayson, but Hayes finally gets in some offense that includes his Fadeaway and a springboard torpedo. But Waller reclaims the momentum during an ad break, with Hayes selling damage to his left knee and Waller scoring a near fall with a Flatliner.

A pump kick and tilt-a-whirl facebuster get Hayes right back into it with a two count. Waller responds with a move I don’t even know the name of out of the corner (a flipping, inverted legdrop, sort of?) and gets another near fall.

Hayes’ springboard DDT leads to some frustration on his face when it isn’t enough to finish the match. He perseveres, however, delivering the First 48 and Nothing But Net to win and advance.

Kevin Owens turns his weakness to a strength to beat Austin Theory

The narrative here is that KO has a broken right hand and is wrestling with a special cast as a result. Theory surely won’t take try to take advantage of that. Surely not.

Even with two good hands, Theory isn’t off to the greatest start, so he regroups before heading for the apron. That only gets him a cannonball, though he’s able to roll away when Owens heads to the top rope.

Theory hits a rolling dropkick and suplexes Owens on the apron as commercials arrive. We return to find Theory getting his knees up on KO’s Swanton Bomb, then stomping away.

KO chops away with his left hand and stomps Theory right back near the ropes. A flurry of offense ends with a DDT, but Theory kicks out at two. Another near fall has Owens in “what is it going to take?” territory, but it’s his foe that gets the next two count with a seated springboard Spanish fly. That’s fun stuff.

Owens responds with a superplex, selling the pain to his right hand as he sees Theory crawl to the floor. He gets crotched on the barricade and takes a rolling Blockbuster back in the ring, but Owens fights on.

Theory ends up in the Tree of Woe to take a cannonball, and KO follows with a Swanton Bomb .,. and that still doesn’t end it. Theory finally does the sensible thing and starts stomping on his foe’s injured arm, but Owens says screw it and lays him out with a big right hand (possibly aided by the cast), finally finishing this one.

Randy Orton has someone watching his back while defeating Jimmy Uso

Jimmy smiles as he takes an early timeout on the outside, the perfect excuse to go to a commercial break right after the bell. That timeout didn’t do much for him, as he’s bounced off the announce table and slowly worked over back in the ring.

Uso finally is able to get his offense untracked, hammering Orton down in a corner and delivering a hip attack to earn a near fall. He also avoids vintage Orton and elevates the Viper out to the floor, where he lands hard on his knee.

The fans are urging on Orton after more commercials, and he doesn’t miss this time with the elevated DDT. He hears the voices now, but there are still nine minutes left so the end can’t be coming just yet. Sure enough, Solo Sikoa’s music hits and the Enforcer comes partway down the ramp before he’s attacked by LA Knight. Orton hits an RKO and somewhat surprisingly, it’s over.

 

WWE SmackDown results 12/8/23: Randy Orton, LA Knight put a dent in The Bloodline

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes also had an interesting exchange on the Tribute to the Troops edition of WWE SmackDown.

Many men, many, many, many men (as 50 Cent once said back in the day) have tried to put an end to The Bloodline. None have completely succeeded. But until Roman Reigns and company completely fall apart, it’s an effort worth making, and two more superstars will attempt to weaken the group’s grip on the blue brand tonight on WWE SmackDown from Providence.

In this case, it will be LA Knight and Randy Orton. The former has already had one shot at Reigns and come close to knocking him off, while the latter seems likely to get a chance at the Royal Rumble. Before that can happen, though, the two fan favorites will tag up against Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa on SmackDown. A win could incur Reigns’ wrath … but that’s kind of the point.

Other big names will also be on hand. We’re talking CM Punk, for one, who may or may not be calling SmackDown home. Then there’s Cody Rhodes, who has successfully set up shop on Raw. What does the American Nightmare want to talk about with the Friday night crowd?

Throw in two United States Title Tournament matches and an intriguing collision between Asuka and Charlotte Flair and we’d say this is a pretty loaded edition of SmackDown, perfect for the Tribute to the Troops branding (though we do miss when that was its own separate broadcast). Let’s dive in.

WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops results from Providence:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • The War and Treaty kick off the broadcast by singing “God Bless America”
  • JBL is on guest commentary tonight with Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole
  • Santos Escobar def. Dragon Lee by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match; after the match, Dominik Mysterio takes a moment to mock Lee before they meet at NXT Deadline
  • Last week’s signing of Randy Orton to SmackDown is shown again for those who missed it
  • Orton wants to know why he’s being paired with LA Knight tonight, but Nick Aldis tells him all he needs to know is that both of them want to get at The Bloodline; Orton has also paid twice the fine he needed to pay, saying “that’s for next time”
  • Cody Rhodes is here to thank all the U.S. military servicemen and servicewomen, with a special appearance by the United States Army Drill Team
  • Bobby Lashley def. Karrion Kross by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match, with special guest commentary from Brad Nessler — yes, that Brad Nessler
  • Bayley tries to give Asuka a pep talk but is told by the rest of  Damage CTRL to “hang back” tonight
  • CM Punk delivers a spicier promo than his first one back, making a veiled joke about his firing, taking a shot at Seth Rollins and saying he’ll make his decision about which brand he’s signing for on Monday night
  • Walking backstage, Punk runs into Kevin Owens, who doesn’t seem thrilled to see him and won’t direct him to Nick Aldis’ locker room
  • Asuka def. Charlotte Flair by pinfall, getting some effective help from Bayley for once
  • Punk is seen talking to Aldis, and Rhodes stops by and notes that to finish his own story, Punk would have to win the Royal Rumble … which Cody finds “interesting”; he does say it’s good to have CM back
  • Punk wishes Randy Orton and LA Knight good luck before Orton asks Knight if he’s ready: “Yeah”
  • LA Knight and Randy Orton def. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa by pinfall

Santos Escobar advances in the United States Title Tournament, defeating Dragon Lee

Right before the match is about to start in earnest, Dominik Mysterio decides to come down and get a closer look. He hears it from the crowd about how he sucks as the match gets going, and Lee wastes zero time in flying to the floor.

More fancy moves lead to a superkick that puts Escobar on the mat for a near fall. Santos offers a painful response with a neckbreaker back through the ropes, covering for his own two count.

Escobar has some Spanish language taunts for his foe as he works in the corner, and he stops Lee from a hurricanrana to powerbomb him on the apron.

Lee is back in control with a near fall coming out of a commercial break, and he delivers a German suplex before taking a nasty superkick that forces him to kick out again.

A Phantom Driver looks like it’s in the offing, but Lee counters with a rollup, then hits a sitout powerbomb, but neither can bring this match to a conclusion. Lee has some words with Mysterio, who he’ll face Saturday night at NXT Deadline, but Escobar catches him right afterward with a Phantom Driver that ends it.

Cody Rhodes pays his own Tribute to the Troops, with some special guests

Despite this not being his usual stomping grounds, Rhodes receives a warm welcome from the SmackDown fans. What does Providence want to talk about? Cody says he asked to be here because it’s Tribute to the Troops, and he talks about how proud he is to carry on this tradition, giving thanks to the servicepeople in attendance and watching at home.

He introduces a highlight video of Tribute to the Troops through its 21 years, heavily focused on John Cena. A “USA” chant breaks out in response.

Rhodes then welcomes the United States Army Drill Team, which shows off its typically incredible skill and precision on the stage.

Bobby Lashley buries Karrion Kross, advances in the tourney

Legendary sports announcer Brad Nessler sits in with the commentators for this one as he’s calling the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. No way that Lashley, a former Army sergeant, is losing this one on Tribute to the Troops night, right?

He certainly looks fine in the early going, tossing Kross around with ease and posing for the fans. Michael Cole is impressed Nessler knew JBL once played football, but jokes aside, he seems pretty comfortable trading lines with the actual WWE announcers.

Lashley pretty much cruises anyway, finishing Kross with a spear and advancing to face Escobar in the next round.

CM Punk is back on SmackDown, but is it for good?

The fans start a big chant for Punk, who says that since he’s not at the end of the show tonight, he’s not going to have his time cut, so they can go ahead and chant. Punk notes that Adam Pearce is trying to sign him to Raw and suggests he’ll partly leave it up to the fans.

Where do they want him to sign? Well these folks want him to sign for SmackDown, obviously, and they are fond of the idea that he’ll be in the Royal Rumble match too.

Even though he’s famous for talking, Punk says he’s been listening too, and there are some people who don’t like the happy go lucky version of him. So let’s make this spicier: Who do you want Punk to talk about?

He could tell stories about Cody Rhodes, or he could talk about somebody who’s not here, who’s never here: Roman Reigns. “Don’t forget who the OG Paul Heyman guy is.”

Punk says he isn’t familiar with Solo Sikoa, and if he messes with Jimmy Uso on SmackDown, he’s going to need backup. Would Randy Orton tag with him? He’s not sure. Punk thinks LA Knight would tag with him. Would Kevin Owens? Maybe they are too much alike, and he also makes a crack about his firing from AEW in not so many words.

Moving on, Punk says the one guy who wasn’t happy to see him back “isn’t even The Man in his own house,” referring to Seth Rollins. He claims he’ll reveal where he’ll sign on Monday night, even teasing that he’ll consider NXT, and where other people are talking about finishing their stories, he’s back to finish what he started.

Bayley actually comes through, helps Asuka beat Charlotte Flair

Before the bell rings, Zelina Vega and Michin attack Asuka’s Damage CTRL teammates, and they soon get reinforcements from Bianca Belair and Shotzi too. The announcers discuss the history that Flair and Asuka have together, including some of the best women’s matches in WWE history.

Flair gets an early edge that the Empress quickly reverses on the outside. Charlotte takes it back with a moonsault that almost overshoots and runs her into the announce table, but fortunately she comes out just fine.

After commercials, referee Charles Robinson is checking on Flair, but despite limping a bit, she wants a Figure Four. Can she bridge into the Figure Eight? Nope, because Bayley breaks the hold.

Flair ends up hammering Bayley with a forearm shot, giving Asuka a chance to roll up Charlotte for the pinfall. “I did that,” yells Bayley.

LA Knight and Randy Orton prove too much for Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa

The crowd is definitely feeling the team of the Megastar and the Viper, no question. The announcers, and especially JBL, put over how Orton looks better than ever and what a scary thought that is.

Knight only reluctantly looks like he’s willing to let Orton tag in, and Randy looks set to face Sikoa but gets jumped from behind by Uso.

After commercial breaks, Knight is on a roll, crushing Sikoa in the corner. But he stops to deal with Uso on the apron and gets viciously powerslammed by Solo.

Jimmy sneaks in another cheap shot or two from the floor, setting up a Sikoa vertical suplex for two. Solo follows with headbutts, then trades right hands with Knight, coming out on top.

Uso is now the legal man and looks very confident, making a quick tag back to Solo to whip Knight hard into the turnbuckles. Knight fires back with a bulldog off the second rope, and the fans come even more alive as Orton gets the hot tag. The Viper sends Sikoa to the floor and hits a powerslam on Uso before bouncing his face off the table and dropping him on it for good measure.

The vintage elevated DDT is next, and Orton signals for an RKO. But Sikoa attacks from behind before being taken out in turn by Knight. LA wants the Blunt Force Trauma, but Randy beats him to an RKO, pinning Uso afterward. LA and Randy seem on food enough terms as they pose following their victory.

WWE SmackDown live report 12/1/23: Randy Orton strikes

Wrestling Junkie was in the house for the Friday, Dec. 1 episode of WWE SmackDown, where Randy Orton was the center of attention.

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BROOKLYN, NY — WWE atmospheres exude a special feeling these days. The content is hot, the fans are eagerly consuming it and venues are consistently drawing near sellouts. Friday, Dec. 1 at the Barclays Center proved no different.

WWE filled most seats for the first episode of SmackDown since Survivor Series: WarGames, when, you know, that CM Punk guy returned. Everyone came to see the fallout and if WWE had another surprise planned, which they did not since the Straight Edge Superstar wasn’t advertised. Yet that sense of hope for something helped spark a crowd that stayed active through the night.

But have no fear, because WWE advertised Randy Orton, the other returning top star, mid-week for SmackDown. While it wasn’t made clear what he would do until the show went live Friday, this marked his third WWE TV appearance in a week after missing 18 months. It was an early Christmas present for his fans and a jolt entering Royal Rumble season.

Orton’s WWE future became the focus of the night, as a question of choice arose. Would he sign with Raw or SmackDown? In pro wrestling, the either-or angle is always effective in keeping fans on their feet. With WWE having a ton of time to spare due no premium live event, in December, it was a smart move to have something like this to keep fans engaged, especially among a group in Brooklyn who were prepared to cheer.

WWE always draws great in New York City, and they consistently elicit strong reactions, resulting in high-quality shows. This was no exception.

WWE SmackDown results from Brooklyn:

  • Bianca Belair cuts a promo about wanting “her” title back from IYO SKY. Without Bayley, Damage CTRL emerge and they dsay that Belair must defeat every member of the group in order to earn a title shot. As a result, a brawl erupts between Belair and the heels, with Charlotte Flair and Shotzi joining in to level the playing field.
  • Damage CTRL question Bayley backstage about not accompanying them in the first segment.
  • Bobby Lashley def. Butch via pinfall in a fun, hard-hitting match where the Brooklyn crowd went wild for everything the All Mighty did.
  • Nick Aldis tells Paul Heyman he wants to sign Randy Orton, who’s a free agent, as soon as tonight. The Wise Man questions this, and Aldis says he’ll offer the entire Bloodline to make it happen.
  • Promos play for New Day and the Undertaker’s Netflix choose-your-own-adventure show and WWE’s partnership with the Big 12.
  • Butch tells Kayla Braxton he does not know why Ridge Holland has been walking out of matches. Then, Pretty Deadly interrupts and mocks one half of the Brawling Brutes, which causes a fight between the three men.
  • Santos Escobar says he wants to finish what Rey Mysterio started since Rey chose Carlito over him.
  • Santos Escobar def. Joaquin Wilde via pinfall with a Phantom Driver. Dragon Lee makes the save for Wilde in the post-match brawl. With everything he does, Lee is gaining more popularity as makes his way toward stardom.
  • Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce argue backstage about whether to sign Randy Orton for their respective brand.
  • Amazingly, Logan Paul came out for just his first WWE TV appearance since winning the United States Championship at Crown Jewel. As he bragged about defeating Rey Mysterio, he received one of the largest reactions of the night. He then announced that the No. 1 contender’s tournament to determine his next challenger will begin next week …
  • … and out came one of the competitors, Kevin Owens, to tell Paul WWE isn’t like his world. Not sure how much shelf life this angle possesses since Paul has been with WWE for over a year, but the crowd responds well to the “us vs. them” story.
  • Grayson Waller and Austin Theory interrupted Owens, who punched Theory in the face as he ran his mouth.
  • Kevin Owens def. Grayson Waller in a long, uneventful match that consumed a chunk of the second hour.
  • WWE touted the social media reactions to CM Punk’s return, but then announced Punk will return to SmackDown on Friday, Dec. 9 for Tribute to the Troops to overwhelming boos. Fans had thought he might make a surprise appearance at the Barclays Center, but alas.
  • Bianca Belair def. Kairi Sane by pinfall. After the referee sent everyone else away, Bayley attempted to help her Damage CTRL teammate at ringside. However, despite her efforts, Sane still lost. That’s probably concerning for Bayley’s future with the group.
  • Randy Orton signed with SmackDown over Raw in a Royal Rumble season-building segment. Paul Heyman attempted to influence Orton against joining the blue brand by sending Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso after him, but the Viper put pen to paper anyway. LA Knight also made the save mid-brawl to even the odds.
  • Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a post-show dark match. It went maybe 10 minutes and had little to no reaction from the crowd.
  • Cody Rhodes def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall in the final dark match of the night. Their entrances lasted longer than the match.

WWE SmackDown live notes:

  • As he did at Survivor Series and Raw, Randy Orton soaked in the atmosphere, seeming moved by it while he posed for the crowd. Having him back when his career once looked over is just wonderful. Let’s appreciate every moment, since we can’t be sure how much longer WWE will have the Apex Predator.
  • On a scale of 1-10, LA Knight’s pop was a 12.
  • WWE announcing CM Punk for next week garnered the biggest heel reaction of anything.
  • Most of the arena had cleared out after the show, but Cody Rhodes was still taking pictures with fans. He might become a great heel one day, but that won’t happen while he’s still beloved by the fans.

WWE SmackDown results 11/17/23: The Man has come around for WarGames

LA Knight also completed step one of his mission on this week’s WWE SmackDown from Evansville.

Bianca Belair thought she got one over on Damage CTRL last week when she got Charlotte Flair and Asuka to team with her … only to find Asuka was simply waiting to betray them and join the villains. Whether Bianca has one more trick up her sleeve will be a big thing to watch tonight on WWE SmackDown from Evansville, Ind.

There’s also intrigue around The Bloodline, and when is there not? Solo Sikoa makes his way back to SmackDown tonight for the first time since he put a hellacious beating on John Cena, and Jimmy Uso takes on LA Knight. Methinks those two things might end up interconnected before it’s all said and done.

Evansville, let’s roll.

WWE SmackDown results from Evansville:

  • Road Dogg joins Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole tonight on commentary as Corey Graves remains on paternity leave
  • With the newly enlarged Damage CTRL standing in the ring, Bayley brags about her plan to bring in Asuka and calls the group the strongest faction in WWE right now; when they agree to challenge Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and Shotzi to WarGames, the three faces try a sneak attack and are quickly driven off
  • Belair wants to know why Shotzi jumped the gun on their payback, and Bianca thinks Charlotte knows someone who can help them; meanwhile, GM Nick Aldis tells them he needs to know their fourth member by the end of the night
  • Street Profits def. Brawling Brutes and Pretty Deadly to become the No. 1 contenders for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, in large part because Butch accidentally hits a Brogue Kick on Ridge Holland; meanwhile, B-Fab stops by again to talk to Bobby Lashley, who is watching backstage
  • Belair is shown talking to Michin backstage as part of her recruiting attempt, but after a commercial break, we see that Damage CTRL has already found Michin and taken her out
  • Dragon Lee def. Axiom by pinfall
  • Santos Escobar talks about the famous expression that you should never meet your heroes, and mainly is upset that Rey Mysterio sided with an “outsider” like Carlito over him; Escobar doubles down and says he hopes Mysterio never comes back, which brings a distraught Zelina Vega to the ring to smack him …
  • … and then Escobar drives the last nail in the coffin of his time with the LWO by attacking Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde, though he takes off when Carlito rushes out to confront him
  • Grayson Waller def. Cameron Grimes by pinfall, with an assist from Austin Theory
  • Belair talks to a still upset Vega, but after commercials, we see that Damage CTRL has found and beaten Zelina up too
  • Paul Heyman wants to do an acknowledgement ceremony for Solo Sikoa and claims that John Cena will never appear in a WWE ring again thanks to Solo; since Cena can’t do a rebuttal, LA Knight appears instead, promising to run through The Bloodline one by one beginning with Jimmy Uso tonight
  • Belair tells Flair they’re out of options and she needs to make the call, and Charlotte breaths deeply before agreeing
  • LA Knight def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall, but he takes a Samoan Spike from Sikoa after the bell and needs to be bailed out by Cody Rhodes
  • “I called her, but I don’t know if she’s going to make it in time,” Flair says to Belair and Shotzi before they head to the ring
  • Aldis tells Rhodes he needs to hit the bricks
  • Flair says they accept the WarGames challenge and sounds ready to reveal the fourth member of their team when Bayley and Damage CTRL come out to brag about taking out every possible candidate; the heels want to storm the ring, but our heroes are reinforced by Becky Lynch and the show ends with all eight women still in the middle of a huge brawl

WWE SmackDown preview 11/17/23: Solo’s back (alright!), LA Knight takes on Jimmy Uso

LA Knight will face Jimmy Uso in one of the featured matches tonight on WWE SmackDown.

(With apologies to the Backstreet Boys.)

We haven’t seen Solo Sikoa since his brutal beatdown of John Cena at Crown Jewel, one that had Cena thankful for the end of the actors strike. But he’s back tonight on WWE SmackDown from Evansville, Ind., probably feeling more untouchable than ever.

What might attract Solo’s attention? Possibly what a certain Megastar is up to.

Can LA Knight battle The Bloodline alone?

Though LA Knight promised in the wake of his defeat at Crown Jewel to run through The Bloodline person by person, he’s hardly the first superstar to attempt that. Both SmackDown and Raw have examples of wrestlers who have tried, but no one seems able to hand the group more than a temporary setback or two.

That said, Knight can get started in Evansville when he takes on Jimmy Uso. While Jimmy has proven a little more prone to freelancing over the last few weeks, he’s generally done what Roman Reigns asks of him in the end. But one wonders what will happen if he loses this match and if Sikoa will have to get involved.

Has the power shifted in the larger, stronger Damage CTRL?

While all of us were focused on Damage CTRL adding Kairi Sane, it turned out the group had an even bigger surprise in store when Asuka turned on her tag team partners and joined the stable as well. That makes them four strong at the moment, and five when Dakota Kai is able to compete again.

It will be interesting to see if IYO SKY set aside her history with the Empress of Tomorrow and did the recruiting. And if so, what does that mean for Bayley? Sane said the right things about her leadership last week, but she can’t feel good about her teammates reaching out to others to join without her knowledge.

We very well might get some answers to these questions in Evansville.

WWE SmackDown heads our way at 8 p.m. ET on FOX on what will be a very busy night of pro wrestling, to be sure.

WWE SmackDown results 11/10/23: Damage CTRL grows even stronger with a surprise addition

The all-star team assembled to take on Damage CTRL on WWE SmackDown didn’t even make it through one match.

Was the stunning return of Kairi Sane at Crown Jewel a boon to Damage CTRL or the beginning of the group’s end? That’s going to be one of the big questions that may get answered tonight on WWE SmackDown from Columbus.

It was Sane, not Bayley, who helped ensure that IYO SKY remained WWE Women’s Champion at the end of a hard-fought encounter with Bianca Belair in Saudi Arabia. And of course, Sane and SKY go way back.

But it was Bayley who was mostly responsible for running Sane out of WWE (in storyline, anyway). So is Sane back for some revenge? And if so, will SKY side with her or with Bayley? The future of Damage CTRL certainly seems like it might be hanging in the balance.

Another highlight for tonight will be LA Knight (no, all that rhyming wasn’t intentional) taking on Grayson Waller after the two superstars got into it on social media. Knight is undoubtedly looking for someone to beat up after his valiant but losing effort against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, while Waller is just stirring the pot as per usual.

Oh, and Kevin Owens is on commentary tonight, filling in for new dad Corey Graves (congrats to Corey and Carmella). KO has already punched Waller in the face once and would probably like to continue doing so, but GM Nick Aldis made it a condition of his announcing gig tonight that he can’t touch anyone or he’ll be suspended.

Also, he needs a tie, but Aldis promised to hook him up.

Good stuff.

WWE SmackDown results from Columbus:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Kevin Owens is dressed like he normally is, but also has a tie on as he joins the commentators.
  • The LWO is in the house, but not united for long as Carlito blames Santos Escobar for Rey Mysterio’s loss to Logan Paul at Crown Jewel
  • Bobby Lashley def. Carlito by pinfall; after the match, Santos Escobar decides not to save Carlito from a beating by Lashley and the Street Profits and ends up finally turning on Rey Mysterio
  • Escobar is asked why he attacked Mysterio on his way out of the building, and simply says “Rey had it coming”
  • Bayley reluctantly accepts that Kairi Sane is now part of Damage CTRL, but Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and Asuka are ready to see how united the group really is later tonight
  • Dragon Lee def. Cedric Alexander by pinfall
  • LA Knight says Crown Jewel didn’t go exactly as he’d hoped for, but that he did what he said he would and would be champion now if not for Jimmy Uso; Knight also says he won’t go to the back of the line and he’s not done with The Bloodline, but Grayson Waller wonders if he’s just “not the guy,” which turns out badly for the Aussie
  • LA Knight def. Grayson Waller by pinfall
  • Waller comes back out with Austin Theory, spilling water on KO and throwing a bottle at Michael Cole, so Owens pursues and catches them on the ramp, eventually hitting Waller with a Stunner in the ring
  • Jimmy Uso says he’s happy to take on Knight next week, and the phone call from Roman Reigns doesn’t seem like it’s stopping him from doing it
  • Damage CTRL (Bayley, IYO SKY and Kairi Sane) vs. Asuka, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair ends in a no contest after Asuka turns on her teammates, seemingly joining Damage CTRL and helping them beat down Belair, Flair and Shotzi

WWE SmackDown results 10/20/23: IYO retains, Bianca returns, Logan gets his match

Plus John Cena sort of ended his long losing streak, but not really.

It’s back to work for Logan Paul tonight on WWE SmackDown in San Antonio.

Yes, Paul was just in a boxing match of dubious quality last weekend, and he is pretty busy with his social media empire and sports drink business on a daily basis. But he insists that WWE is his full-time gig, so we’re humoring him here.

After said boxing match, Paul said he would like to more seriously pursue a WWE title, and specifically the United States Championship. One problem: WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio currently has that belt in his possession, and he’s not likely to want to hand it over.

But Mysterio responded to Paul’s interest in a positive manner, making it seem that perhaps we’re setting things up for a title showdown at Crown Jewel (or perhaps Survivor Series, which is just a few weeks later). We should know more after tonight, as Paul will be on hand and Mysterio isn’t likely to just hang out in the back if he’s being called out.

There’s also a big championship match on tonight’s card. IYO SKY has been a great WWE Women’s Champion so far, but to truly validate her reign, she needs to hold off more than one top challenger. Charlotte Flair would certainly qualify, seeing as she’s only the most decorated women’s wrestler of all time. Can SKY push herself to new heights, or will The Queen reclaim her place on the throne?

Plus, while Roman Reigns isn’t scheduled to be on SmackDown tonight, he did respond to the news today that he’ll be facing LA Knight at Crown Jewel. It seems possible, maybe even probable, that something will happen in San Antonio related to that upcoming bout.

Many eyes in Texas will be on a certain baseball game today, but we’re guessing there will still be plenty of people interested in SmackDown too. Let’s get into it.

WWE SmackDown results from San Antonio:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Paul Heyman chops it up with LA Knight, much to Paul’s dismay
  • Bobby Lashley and Angelo Dawkins give a pep talk to Montez Ford, whose match is up next
  • Montez Ford def. Santos Escobar by pinfall, but Carlito arrives with a steel chair to prevent any post-match liberties by the Street Profits
  • The LWO regroups backstage, but Rey Mysterio says he needs to handle whatever Logan Paul has in store by himself
  • Pretty Deadly is as excited as they’ve been since the opening night of Taylor Swift’s tour, but they’re mistaken about never seeing the Brawling Brutes again, much to their chagrin
  • Jimmy Uso is feeling pretty good about what he did earlier this week, but Heyman is more interested in who just walked into the arena: John Cena
  • Bad Bunny doing a WWE-style promo on himself to promote his host/musical guest stint on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend is shown
  • John Cena is fired up and not ready to quit yet, and he’s able to fend off an attack by Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso thanks to some help from one of their family members
  • Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn warn that “The Unholy Union is Coming”
  • Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis agree to disagree about Jey Uso’s fine or punishment, and when Aldis asks for security to escort Jey and Pearce from the building, Pearce has a swift response: “Let the games begin”
  • Logan Paul confronts Rey Mysterio, and the two men agree to a championship match at Crown Jewel
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Cameron Grimes and Dragon Lee by pinfall
  • Kevin Owens tells Cathy Kelley “it doesn’t feel great” being separated from Sami Zayn, but he feels like it’s a clean slate for him on SmackDown, and he discusses some opponents he’s never faced before and some new faces he can punch
  • IYO SKY def. Charlotte Flair by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Championship after hitting Flair with her title belt, but …
  • … Bianca Belair returns to save Flair after the bell, delivering an emphatic KOD to close the show

WWE Raw results 10/16/23: Brotherly betrayal as Jimmy Uso costs Jey gold

Also, see how Gunther overcame the literally biggest challenge to date for his WWE Intercontinental Championship on the season premiere of WWE Raw.

Sometimes you just have to give a dominant champion the most intimidating possible physical challenge you can. That’s exactly what Gunther is getting tonight on the season premiere (wink, wink) of WWE Raw in Oklahoma City.

The Ring General has fended off all kinds of challengers during his record-setting reign as Intercontinental Champion. Perhaps the only kind of opponent he hasn’t faced is someone who can not only stand toe to toe with him, but actually overpower him and toss him around.

Bronson Reed can do that. And while no one is probably expecting the big man to win the title tonight, stranger things have happened.

We’ll also see The Judgment Day try to reclaim their tag team gold from the gentlemen who beat them for it, Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. While perhaps a bit of an unusual pairing at first, Rhodes and Uso have proven to be an effective team, even beating former titleholders Kevin Owens (now off to SmackDown) and Sami Zayn to prove they belong.

Of course, Damian Priest and Finn Balor may be even more motivated than the Canadian duo, since they want not just personal redemption but some manner of internal group peace as well. Would a victory stop some of the infighting in The Judgment Day? It sure wouldn’t hurt.

We’ll also see Shinsuke Nakamura and Ricochet battle in a Falls Count Anywhere match, as well as what should be an absolute collision between Rhea Ripley and Shayna Baszler.

Let’s jump in, because it’s season premiere time.

WWE Raw season premiere results from Oklahoma City:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or in-ring segment in bold)

  • Sami Zayn flies without Kevin Owens … but not alone, as Jey Uso helps prevent him from getting rushed by The Judgment Day
  • Shinsuke Nakamura delivers a message to Ricochet before their Falls Count Anywhere match comparing him to a bug he’ll squash on the floor
  • Walking backstage, Zayn is approached by Uso, who wants to know if they’re good, but Sami admits that he’s struggling with the Jey only being there because KO is gone; Jey says he didn’t know Sami felt like that but says “it is what it is Uce,” and Zayn runs to offer an apology that is happily accepte
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ricochet in a Falls Count Anywhere match
  • Chelsea Green and Tegan Nox exchange insults … and Nikki Cross is there lurking in the background
  • A hype video is shown for Gunther ahead of his Intercontinental Championship later tonight
  • Piper Niven def. Natalya by pinfall, but finds Nox is able to prevent a post-match beating
  • Damian Priest wonders again if they should take out Drew McIntyre and questions Rhea Ripley for all the phone calls she’s been taking, but they all agree they’re about to handle their business tonight and the meeting of the whole team seems to end on a positive note
  • Seth Rollins is confused by Drew McIntyre, but they understand each other a little better after a pointed conversation
  • Video is shown of Logan Paul challenging Rey Mysterio after his most recent boxing match, as well as Rey’s response on YES
  • Ludwig Kaiser def. Johnny Gargano by pinfall
  • Becky Lynch likes Indi Hartwell’s suggestion that they compete for the NXT Championship Indi never lost, then turns and finds herself face to face with Ripley
  • McIntyre tells Zayn he respects what he’s done as of late, and Sami appreciates that … but he isn’t fond at all about Sami forgiving Jey, and while it becomes clear they aren’t going to agree on this topic, they do agree to work out some of their differences in the ring next week
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler goes to no contest after Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez and Zoey Stark all crash the match
  • Lynch convinces Adam Pearce to make the match with Hartwell, and Xia Li wants a shot too … on her time; Jade Cargill also arrives, and Lynch tells her to get in line
  • Uso and Cody Rhodes are feeling good about their title defense tonight, YEET
  • Gunther def. Bronson Reed by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Miz is irritated to have to wait until the third hour to get on the season premiere, suggesting that Pearce should be fired and that Nick Aldis should take over as GM of both shows; Jax steals the mic from him and says everyone has hit her with their best shot, but she’s still standing and is the one who does the squashing
  • Ripley is mad that Pearce hasn’t controlled her division, but he’s taking no crap, so he books Rhea in a Fatal Five-Way at Crown Jewel, which she isn’t happy about; Indus Sher stops by at the end and says they need to talk
  • Alpha Academy is busy training (as well as Akira Tozawa), but The New Day isn’t pleases about tag team championship talk that doesn’t include them, and they agree to battle it out next week before everyone gets dazed by Tozawa’s moves
  • Gunther is happy that Kaiser won but says Vinci will need to make sure Gargano is stretchered out when he faces him next week
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso by pinfall to become the new Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions after Jimmy Uso arrives to superkick Jey at a key moment in the match

WWE SmackDown results 10/13/23: Roman Reigns returns, Triple H names new General Managers

Roman Reigns’ return, the trade pick being revealed, and a Triple H announcement headlined this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown.

WWE never takes a break, though the Oct. 13 episode of SmackDown has been dubbed the “season premiere” of the show. Two big appearances have been announced in advance, making it anything but an ordinary show.

Triple H will make an appearance during the show, likely to announce something meaningful as he did when he announced the WWE Draft earlier this year. We can only speculate what he has in store, but whatever it is, will it impact the upcoming busy month that includes Crown Jewel and Survivor Series?

Going one step further, Roman Reigns, the long-lost Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, will grace the blue brand for the first time in two months. The Bloodline has experienced plenty since his last appearance, including Jey Uso’s defection to Raw and Jimmy Uso’s return to the group following a dramatic breakup.

The Tribal Chief will surely have plenty to say as Crown Jewel approaches, and his title could be challenged by a fresh face. A few weeks ago, LA Knight dropped Reigns’ name as someone he’s chasing, which might hint at what’s to come.

Following his momentous NXT appearance, John Cena will be present. Does he have something to say about Tuesday night, or what happened at Fastlane?

Let’s see what the night has in store, and if the build to Crown Jewel continues.

WWE SmackDown results from Tulsa:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Roman Reigns returns to interrupt John Cena, who welcomes LA Knight as the next deserving challenger to Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
  • Pretty Deadly def. The Brawling Brutes by pinfall
  • A video package shows Carlito’s return at Fastlane.
  • Carlito says the only word to describe his return is “cool.” Bobby Lashley interrupts to welcome him back and references their past. But when Carlito asks for a match, The Street Profits attack him from behind.
  • While everyone tends to Carlito backstage, Bayley and Zelina Vega have a heated back-and-forth that leads to Adam Pearce granting them a match.
  • Roman Reigns says all that matters is the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, and calls Jey Uso holding the tag titles with Cody Rhodes a disgrace and a slap in the face.
  • A highlight package shows IYO SKY retaining her WWE Women’s Championship at Fastlane.
  • Bayley def. IYO SKY via pinfall
  • Triple H announces Adam Pearce as the new Raw General Manager, but he names before SmackDown’s General Manager, Dominik Mysterio interrupts to complain about Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes defending their titles before they face Judgment Day. Triple H tells Mysterio to direct his complaints to SmackDown’s new General Manager, Nick Aldis, who immediately welcomes Kevin Owens as the blue brand’s newest superstar.
  • Reigns is upset with there being many people he doesn’t like now on SmackDown.
  • A video package plays for Dragon Lee.
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven tell Aldis to do something about their tag team titles being cursed. But Aldis says he has a meeting with Charlotte Flair. He tells Charlotte he saw what happened at Fastlane, and that she’ll go head-to-head with IYO SKY for the WWE Women’s Championship next week.
  • When Charlotte turns to leave, Jade Cargill meets her face-to-face with Triple H. Flair says to save the intro because she knows who Cargill is.
  • Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship by pinfall
  • LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa by pinfall

John Cena welcomes LA Knight as Roman Reigns’ next challenger

With a raucous reaction, the fans are more than ready for “The Greatest of All Time” in Tulsa. He welcomes everyone to the season premiere of SmackDown, but Roman Reigns wastes no time, interrupting Cena, with Paul Heyman and his recolored hair and Solo Sikoa, to make his first WWE appearance in two months.

Reigns orders Cena to open “his show” properly and tells Tulsa to acknowledge him as a Tribal Chief. Reigns doubts Cena’s presence, claiming he only returned because Reigns is gone and questions Cena’s “Greatest of All Time” moniker. Reigns then proclaims himself to be “that guy” and warns Cena to leave or he will make him leave.

Cena hypes up being in the same ring as Reigns and acknowledges him. Despite not challenging Reigns tonight as he hasn’t earned it, Cena suggests someone who has and the crowd erupts for LA Knight’s music.

Knight rattles off a bunch of things about Reigns, questioning if a defending champion sits at home. Reigns tries to put Knight down, but when he retorts, Jimmy Uso attacks Knight from behind. However, Uso gets quickly disposed of. Knight then stares down Reigns and Sikoa, causing them to retreat, but not before Knight challenges Sikoa to a match for tonight.

Elton Prince returns with a victory

After months sidelined due to injury, Elton Prince is back in action with Kit Wilson.

Butch targets Prince’s rehabilitated shoulder immediately as he and Wilson struggle to get ahead on the Brawling Brutes, while also taking simultaneous punches to the chest to dampen the early stages of their return.

Returning from the commercial break, Wilson maintains control of Butch while Prince tags in to lay some punches on the former Pete Dunne.

A dropkick connects on both members of Pretty Deadly, allowing Ridge Holland to make the hot tag and lay body slams on Prince and Wilson. As Prince goes to the top rope, Holland picks up the formerly injured member of the tag team and slams him for a near-fall.

Prince feigns a knee injury, fooling the referee, while Wilson takes advantage and kicks Holland in the face. Prince quickly rolls a stunned Holland for the pin.

Zelina Vega falls to the numbers game

Zelina Vega gets the most of Bayley early, but after she attempts an Irish whip, Bayley clotheslines her to take control and nearly gets a pinfall after a leg drop.

As Bayley tries a Bayley-to-Belly, Vega counters and hits a 619 in tribute to Rey Mysterio. She hits a meteora for a near-fall, but IYO SKY distracts Vega, allowing Bayley to hit a Rose Plant for the win.

Charlotte Flair, running in heels, rushes down to make the save as Bayley and IYO SKY attack Vega after the match.

Triple H names Raw and SmackDown’s new General Managers

It’s a welcome sight when The Game arrives, but already in the ring is Adam Pearce, which is unusual. Triple H praises the crowd and says Crown Jewel and Survivor series are near, and the build all begins on the season premiere.

Triple H heaps praise on Adam Pearce, an unsung hero of WWE, and gives him an ovation while acknowledging his in-ring work too. He thanks Pearce for overseeing both Raw and SmackDown, a difficult job to do solo.

Dominik Mysterio interrupts Triple H’s announcement of SmackDown’s head honcho to say Fastlane wasn’t successful, but the boos drown out his words as Pearce gets promoted to general manager of Raw.

Triple H laughs at how loud the crowd is, but he acknowledges Mysterio’s words before telling him to direct his complaints to the new SmackDown general manager, Nick Aldis.

Aldis welcomes SmackDown’s newest superstar, Kevin Owens, as part of the deal that sent Jey Uso to Raw. Immediately, Owens enters the ring and hits a stunner on Mysterio, and Aldis holds his hand high to close the segment.

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso remain successful fighting champions

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso are making their second title defense of the week, and if they win, it’ll be three matches with the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship on the line with Monday’s match against The Judgment Day.

Austin Theory and Grayson Waller, a recently formed tag team, answered an open challenger for this match, which is also their first title bout together.

Rhodes attempts an early Figure Four on Theory, but fails to lock it in, prompting Waller to tag in. Uso tags in and hits a few moves, but when he doesn’t spot Theory tagging in, the match takes a turn in the heels’ favor.

With Theory still in control, Uso tries fighting back, but an elbow from Waller from the second rope draws a near-fall.

Uso makes the hot tag to Rhodes, who hits a powerslam on Theory and a disaster kick. He takes Waller out of the equation, but it allows Theory to take advantage briefly.

Uso superkicks Theory, which sets up their Cody 1-Day move. The American Nightmare then hits Cross-Rhodes for the win to retain the tag titles.

Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa confront Jey and Rhodes after the match, with Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman not far behind. Reigns and Rhodes stare each other down before Nick Aldis breaks it up.

LA Knight topples Solo Sikoa, but Roman Reigns has something to say

As a potential match with Reigns brews, LA Knight must first conquer Sikoa.

The Bloodline’s muscle takes immediate control, but Knight counters the early offense with a neckbreaker for a quick kickout.

Knight fails to pick up Sikoa, who hits a nasty chop in the corner, but gets knocked out of the ring and brought to the ringside barricade. When Knight tries a suplex from the apron to the mat at ringside, Solo blocks it and shoves Knight into the ring post.

Knight breaks a hold from Sikoa, but when attempting to pick him up again, Sikoa drops an elbow and a belly-to-belly suplex to nearly score a pin.

Working his way back, Knight hits a bulldog from the second rope to get a two-count. But Sikoa fires back with a Samoan drop.

Missing Knight and going head-first into the turnbuckle throws Sikoa off his game and allows Knight to work his comeback, including a running knee. A sharp powerslam takes Sikoa down, but Jimmy Uso runs in to distract Knight.

However, John Cena saves Knight and hits an AA on Jimmy, but he takes a Samoan spike for his troubles. It’s enough for Knight to hit a BFT for the win.

Roman Reigns comes from out of nowhere to spear Knight. He holds the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship high to close SmackDown.