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.