It’s Friday night, which means another episode of WWE SmackDown! I’m Jordan Huie of the Overtimer and I will be giving you the live play-by-play of the show where hopefully Fox doesn’t spontaneously die on my feed for no reason this week! Watch this space.
We open seeing a ton of SmackDown folks backstage, blue shirts aplenty. Big E is limboing. The nipples are cut out from his shirt. King Corbin, Roode and Ziggler in tow, comes up to speak to them but he’s not being heard. Roman, Shorty G and Mustafa Ali come up as well. Roman says we already know Raw and NXT will be here tonight. But we won’t act like cowards like Corbin would. As the shutter door opens behind them, Roman says we’re opening the door and letting them right in. Corbin complains that that’s a stupid idea and they argue until Sasha Banks gets in between them. Says the women’s division is ready right now. Bickering continues until we get to the intro.
Sasha Banks indeed leads her team out as we get into the arena for the first time. I feel like they’ve altered how they’re filming again slightly… might be my imagination though. Sasha says this is her ring and their show. Claims NXT won’t have the guts to come out here when they dropped them last week, and then came to their house and did the same thing. And as far as Team Raw goes, they know they’re here tonight, so why not come out here and fight right now?
There’s no response, “Becky” chant as Sasha calls out queenie. Charlotte’s music eventually hits and yep, Team Raw’s here. They have a ref in tow funnily, not sure if we’re meant to see that. Charlotte calls Team SmackDown the welcome wagon, thanks them for opening the door, though it’s not like Raw wouldn’t have kicked it down anyway. They go up to the apron, and Charlotte challenges Sasha to go one-on-one for old time’s sake. The two teams both in the ring to argue… NXT theme hits! Rhea Ripley, Candice LaRae, Tegan Nox, Mia Yim and surprisingly Toni Storm are out here! Rhea offers to make this captain vs. captain vs. captain!
Inevitable brawl between all three teams breaks out afterwards, as we go to commercial.
Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Sasha Banks
Charlotte and Ripley in the ring, Charlotte with a hip toss, into a side headlock. Seems like the match started during the break with Sasha already being thrown from the ring, don’t see her. Rhea kicks away from a whip attempt, high kick to the face, but Charlotte responds with a big boot. Charlotte forces Ripley into the corner, shoulder thrusts, Rhea avoids one and Charlotte posts herself, Sasha sneaks up behind Ripley, Backstabber, pummels against the mat! Sasha catches a kick, lands one of her own. Hits the ropes, but Ripley grabs an arm for a short-arm clothesline, and another, before nailing a standing dropkick to take her to the floor. Ripley gets in the face of the SmackDown team as she throws Sasha into the ring but Sasha rolls right back for a kick to the face.
Sasha poses, cocky, until Charlotte throws her into Nikki Cross at ringside. Sasha comes up arguing with Nikki, hilariously. Until Ripley whips her around to brawl with her, Charlotte off the top with a moonsault to the floor wiping out both women! We come back to see Ripley getting a nearfall on Charlotte. Throws Sasha to the corner, eats a back elbow, Sasha with a headscissor, Ripley counters and sends her facefirst into the turnbuckle pad. Ripley takes her up top, forearm… Sasha counters off the top with a big meteora! Covers, Charlotte breaks it up by nailing Sasha with the Natural Selection! Cover, Ripley barely able to break it up! Ripley fights her way up, enziguri kick to Charlotte. Charlotte evades a dropkick, Natural Selection hits, Ripley escapes the ring to avoid the pin, Charlotte tries to pursue her but Sasha with a roll-up for a close 2 count. Sasha tries the Backstabber, Charlotte counters to get her into the Figure Eight! But Ripley slips in under Charlotte and hooks the arms for a very unique pin, Sasha still caught in the hold so she can’t break it up, Ripley gets the win!
Winner: Rhea Ripley
Cool finish, neat stuff.
Brawl afterwards. It’s kind of a long one, between Raw and SmackDown. Meanwhile NXT team is just standing on the stage watching as people chant for NXT. Eventually it’s broken up.
Baron speaking to Roode and Ziggler backstage. Saws we just saw how that works out when you let everyone through the door. Corbin makes sure to note that Ali is a hometown boy, that’s not a good omen. Claims he’ll beat the holy hell out of Roman Reigns and his partners. Sami Zayn shows up holding a bag, Corbin claims he’s the most annoying person he’s ever met. Sami challenges him to come out and see him in the ring. His music hits and he’s coming out now. He’s of course with Shinsuke Nakamura.
Interviewer Girl #2 introduces Bayley. She says she’s prepared for Shayna and Becky tonight. Points out that she is the only woman in the match to have held the Raw, SmackDown, NXT and Tag Team Women’s titles. Says Shayna is too impulsive for her own good and all she likes to do is attack her from behind. She only shows up when her back is turned. If Shayna’s done hiding in the shadows, she’s here and she’s ready.
Back in the ring, Sami says it’s pretty clear King Corbin won’t come out of here because he’s afraid of him and Shinsuke Nakamura, everyone is afraid of Shinsuke Nakamura. The one thing you can’t call him is annoying, in fact if there was one word to describe him, he’d go with “stud”. In fact, for as big of a stud as he is, Nakamura-san is an even bigger stud. He claims that he’s been so studly as Intercontinental Champion, he went ahead and got him something. From the bag, he pulls out… a newly designed Intercontintental Championship! It’s pretty crazy looking. Much nicer than most. Says this is the only way you’ll ever take a championship away from Shinsuke Nakamura. Asks him to hand him the classic IC title and gives him the new one. Sami says this is why it’s the only match SmackDown is guaranteed to win. They act like they can’t remember Roderick Strong’s name, until the Undisputed Era make their way out!
Big chant of “Undisputed” as Roddy gets in the face of Sami and Shinsuke. Heels opt to make their leave. Cole picks up the mic and says he’ll fill them in, introduces himself – Adam Cole Baybay – and Roderick Strong. Says after they take care of some business at WarGames, they are going to wipe the floor with Raw and SmackDown and that’s undisputed. But the New Day interrupts now! Kofi says last week they ran away before they could do much of anything, but this time, they see them all here right now… “New Day Rocks” chant, pretty loud one. Kofi offers they can settle what they started last week in a match here right now! Roddy says “The two of you vs. the four of us? Be my guest!” New Day disagree and say it’ll be the two of them, teaming up with… WHO? Heavy Machinery make their way out! We got an eight-man tag up next!
The New Day & Heavy Machinery vs. The Undisputed Era
Big E and Roddy start us off. They grapple, Kyle O’Reilly aims a kick at E and it distracts him, Roddy pummels him in the corner, Kyle tags in, quick tags with him and Fish here, double whip, E no sells a double kick, goes for a double clothesline of the ropes, gets Kyle, Bobby ducks, but eats an overhead belly to belly anyway. Fish rolled onto the apron, E hits a big splash onto him! On the outside, Kyle runs at E but takes an overhead belly to belly to the floor! Roddy gets clipped as well, Big E looking strong! Kofi tags in as does Cole, exchanging shots now. Cole with a knee to the gut. Blind tag from Roddy as Kofi whips Cole to the ropes, superkick, but Roddy sneaks up from behind, huge backbreaker. Stomps him into the mat. Tag to Kyle, Roddy and Kyle chop and kick Kofi in the corner.
Tag to Fish, Kyle and Bobby with a double suplex. Fish covers for 2. Snapmare, setting up a hilo, 2 count. Tag to Cole, pulls Kofi out of the corner, swinging neckbreaker. Holds him down as Roddy tags in and stomps him down. Hoists him onto his shoulders for a Gory Special! Kofi rolls through for a cover, 2 count, Roddy with an immediate basement dropkick. Tag to Kyle O’Reilly who sends more kicks and stomps. Waistlock takedown in the center of the ring, Kyle with knees and elbows to the small of the back. Hits the ropes, running knee drive. O’Reilly drags to the corner, quick tags continue here. Roddy in now, wrestling Kofi to the mat. Kofi fights his way to his feet, Shuriken Kick in the corner! But Roddy clips him as he goes up top. Superplex attempt… no, Kofi shoves him to the mat. Tucker rolls around the ringpost to bicker with Kyle, Roddy dropkicks Kofi to the floor onto Tucker! Otis comes around and drags Kofi off of Tucker to check on his partner, Big E takes exception to the rough treatment. Argument between allies as we go to commercial.
We come back to see Bobby Fish with Kofi in a headlock. Cheap shot to E after throwing him away. Kofi with a missile dropkick however! They each go to their corner, simultaneous tags to Otis and Kyle O’Reilly! Otis is a house of fire, suprisingly quick just taking out everyone with clotheslines, Pancake to Strong! Kyle with scything kicks to Otis, but he just become more jiggly! Catches a kick to headbutt him! Kyle with the rebound, only to get powerbombed! Otis with a huge splash in the corner to both Cole and O’Reilly! Cole flops down!! Otis signals for the Caterpillar, but Cole is pulled from the ring to stop it.
Roddy tags in, rushes at Otis but gets taken right down. Tag to TUCKY, Otis catapults Roddy into a Belly to Belly, that looked awesome, nearfall. Tucker with control of both arms, big overhead suplex. Sideslam, cover for 2. Tucker to the top rope, beautiful moonsault! Cole has to break it up. Cole in, kicks Tucker out of the ring, but E gets him with a belly to belly! Fish and O’Reilly dispatched from the ring, Kofi teases a dive but Cole catches him and pulls him from the ring. E taken to the outside, Total Elimination on the floor! Kofi rushes around the ring and leaps from the steps but is evaded, and he eats it as well! In the ring, Otis with a huge spinning bodyslam to Roddy, but he’s all by his lonesome now, eventually succumbs to the numbers, high knee to Otis for the win.
Winner: The Undisputed Era
That was really cool! And nice to see NXT looking strong again thus far tonight, even if it might hint things won’t go so well for them on Sunday.
Afterwards, Roddy confronts Shinsuke Nakamura who was still watching from the stage that whole time… AJ Styles flies in from offscreen with a phenomenal forearm! Attacks them until Sami Zayn comes in with a chair! Takes it to AJ and Roddy, Undisputed Era swarms to chase him off!
We come back from commercial to see the OC in the arena, AJ angrily asks Chicago if they enjoyed that. Says of course they would, there’s nothing in this city, they’re the only thing they have to enjoy. Basically baiting out a “CM Punk” chant and they get it, AJ says he’d mop the floor with him. Original, Official, Only Club That Matters. AJ says he should enjoy the moment they had, him and that mouthpiece are getting what’s coming to him. Roddy should enjoy his 15 minutes of fame.
Daniel Bryan makes his way out now to a loud chant of “Daniel Bryan”. He shoots to a recap video of the last few weeks. Daniel says he didn’t come out here to say yes, lecture about climate change, he came out here to summon Bray Wyatt. Pop. Says he doesn’t know what goes through Bray’s mind, but the same is true for him. Asks him to come down here where they can talk face to face, man to man and they can just clear the air. If they want to reminisce about the past, if he wants to talk out any issues he has with him, it’ll be fun. And if not, the two of them can fight right now because that will be fun too! Says he won’t just be another name added to his list, not another toy added to the collection… the lights go out to cut him off! But when they come back, Daniel’s just there by himself.
Amidst boos, Bryan chastises him for disappointing the people and again urges him to come out and fight. The Miz comes out instead. Bryan says if there’s one thing worse than the Fiend, it’s the Miz and asks what he’s doing out here. Miz says that based off his behavior last week, it’s clear that unlike him he’s a professional. Because like a professional he bit his tongue as he disrespected him on his own show. Starts to say tonight he’s not a talk show host, Bryan cuts him off and says he doesn’t like him or respect him, Miz says the feeling is mutual. He’s felt like he could help him ever since he came to WWE, that perhaps he could slap some sense into him, but knows that’s not gonna work so he’ll just do part of it – and slaps him across the face. Bryan looks furious as we go to commercial.
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
We come back to see The Miz mid-It Kicks, Daniel avoids the last one, takes him out to the floor with a back body drop. Running leaping knee off the apron takes him down! Poses as the crowd applauds. Throws him into the ring, European Uppercuts, Miz trades shots with him, Bryan with a headbutt. Whip to the ropes, kitchen sink knee from Miz! Hits the ropes, running kick to the face, cover for 2. Hits the ropes twice more for two more kicks to the face. And a fourth time for a cover, kickout, Miz gets him in a headlock. Bryan swiftly comes to his feet, shoots him off, Miz with a shoulder tackle. Bryan chops Miz into the corner, charging kicks and knees, hits the opposite corner but Miz pursues, gets the Miz Clothesline.
Goes up top, wants the Double Axehandle, but Bryan catches him out of the air with an attempted LaBell Lock, Miz escapes, Bryan with a floatover out of the corner to flip over his head, running elbow. Bryan up top, Miz crotches him. Miz pursues up top, but a headbutt takes him to the mat, Bryan with a missile dropkick, kip up! Yes Kicks commence! Miz in the corner, Bryan starts shaking his hands with fingers outstretched! Throws the hands up for a Yes – just as the lights go out! It’s all darkness… the lights turn to red, and shockingly quickly, the Fiend has taken the Miz’s place in the corner! There’s a dramatic hum playing as the Fiend gets his way up. Bryan charges but gets taken into the Mandible Claw. The Fiend takes him down and cackles! Lights go out right as we go to commercial.
Winner: No Contest
After we come back, Shayna Baszler comes out. She says she heard what Bayley’s been saying about her, how she only attacks her from behind. Apparently she isn’t getting the message, so here she is, in her ring, not in the shadows, calling her out. Shayna rips off her jacket and faces the stage… funnily Bayley sneaks in and attacks her from behind this time! Shayna gets the better of her though, Bayley fights her off and then slips out of the ring… she wants out, but Shayna ruses out for the Kirifuda Clutch! Bayley struggles in it, but manages to send her into the barrier and then the ringpost. This lets her make her leave, Shayna slowly looks up with a dark grimace…
Mustafa Ali gets a decent reception as he comes out for our main event here.
Roman Reigns, Shorty G & Mustafa Ali vs. King Corbin, Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler
Roman starts with Roode, quickly throws him out of the ring, drive-by dropkick to Baron. Roode rushes in and eats an uppercut. Ziggler distracts him, Roode clips him from behind. Throws him to the barrier and then into the ring. Tag to Ziggler, double teaming in the ring until Roman punches Ziggler away and gets a Samoan Drop to Roode. Tag to Shorty G who who swiftly takes out Ziggler with a back kick, throw to Roode, Northern Lights Suplex to Ziggler for 2. Shorty G on the apron, shoulder thrust to Ziggler, but Roode and Baron both grab him, toss him way out onto the announce table, big bump! Ali and Reigns come out to check on him as we go to commercial.
We come back to see Ziggler counter a Superman Punch with a Leaping DDT for a nearfall. Tunes up the band, goes for a superkick but Reigns hits the Superman Punch this time. Simultaneous tags to Mustafa Ali and King Corbin, Ali with a big dropkick, WWE Headkick out from the apron, floats through for the X-Factor! Ziggler sneaks up behind, Ali catches a superkick, dragon whip takes him to the floor! Suicide dive takes Ziggler into the announce table! Corbin has bailed to the floor, only to eat a tope! Ali throws him into the ring. Corbin looks for a chokeslam, but Ali escapes, Tornado DDT out of the corner! Ali goes up top, Roode comes in to crotch him. Shorty G pulls Roode to the floor, wants a German but Roode escapes, Spinebuster takes him down. Roman off the steps with a superman punch, Ziggler with a superkick to Roman. Ziggle knocks Ali off the mat, Baron with the Deep Six and for once that’s a finish.
Winner: King Corbin, Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode
Yeah, once they acknowledged that Ali was from Chicago there was just no avoiding having Baron pin him…
“BURN IT DOWN”! Rollins leads Team Raw out from the crowd… actually, a good chunk of the Raw roster in general because screw ensuring that people actually know who the team is. Rollins into the ring and his presence breaks out another “CM Punk” chant. Rollins throws the first shot, he and Roman brawl! The redshirts keep everyone else from intervening. Braun’s music hits as expected and he comes out with a buncha blueshirts running through everybody at ringside! Big brawl in the ring, unsurprisingly to a chant of “NXT”, the one team not yet represented.
SmackDown takes a clear advantage, Braun with a Running Powerslam to McIntyre. Backstage, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Road Dogg are driving a jeep through backstage with a ton of NXT folks! Big pop as they lead the troops into the arena and there is a crazy amount of people fighting here now. Keith Lee standing alone in the ring for a long while as everyone else fights outside. Montez Ford springboards in just to eat a huge Spirit Bomb. Braun Strowman enters the ring to stare him down for a tease, bull charge teased. They bull through interfering folks and then staredown in the middle of the ring. We fade to black right after they start throwing hands.
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