The November 22nd, 2019 episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL. It was the go-home show for WWE Survivor Series this Sunday night. Here are 6 takeaways from the show:
Rhea Ripley Defeated Flair & Banks
Sasha Banks, Lacey Evans, Nikki Cross, Carmella, and Dana Brooke (Team SmackDown) made their way to the ring to start off this week’s show. Banks stated that NXT does not have the guts to show up tonight because they dropped them next week. Sasha challenged Team RAW to come down to the ring for a fight.
Charlotte Flair, Sarah Logan, Asuka, Kairi Sane, and Natalya (Team RAW) came down to the ring and hopped on the apron. Flair challenged Sasha Banks to a match right now but Candice LeRae, Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Toni Storm, and Mia Yim (Team NXT) interrupted. Ripley wanted to join the match with Banks and Charlotte. A brawl broke out as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks then battled in a Triple Threat Match. Flair and Ripley booted Banks to the outside and then circled each other in the ring. Ripley drove Flair to the corner and then booted her in the face. Charlotte battled back with a big boot of her own as Team RAW cheered her on.
Sasha Banks knocked Charlotte to the outside but turned around into a Clothesline from Ripley. Rhea followed it up with a Dropkick that sent Sasha tumbling out of the ring. Flair thew Banks on to Cross ringside and then Sasha and Nikki started arguing. Ripley and Banks started trading punches and Charlotte hit them with a Moonsault off the top rope as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Flair locked in the Figure Four on Banks in the middle of the ring. Rhea Ripley slid underneath Charlotte and rolled her up for the pinfall victory. After the match, Banks and Charlotte traded punches in the middle of the ring. Team RAW and Team SmackDown brawled in the ring as Team NXT watched from the entrance ramp.
Sami Zayn Introduced A New IC Title
King Corbin and Sami Zayn argued backstage and Sami challenged him to meet him in the ring. Sami Zayn and Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura came down to the ring and Zayn claimed that King Corbin is afraid to come down here because he is afraid of him.
Sami told Nakamura that he had a present for him and revealed a new Intercontinental Championship belt. Zayn and Nakamura joked that they didn’t know the name of the NXT North American Champion before Undisputed Era interrupted.
NXT Champion Adam Cole, NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong, and NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish then joined Zayn and Nakamura in the ring. Sami and Shinsuke exited the ring and retreated up the entrance ramp. Cole vowed that they were going to wipe the floor with RAW and SmackDown at Survivor Series.
I love original design of the IC Championship but the new title looks awesome as well. Nakamura vs. Strong. vs. Styles could steal the show at Survivor Series if it is given enough time.
Undisputed Era Picked Up A Win
New Day & Heavy Machinery squared off against Undisputed Era tonight on SmackDown. Undisputed Era dominated the match early and isolated Kofi Kingston in the corner of the ring.
Roderick went for a Superplex but Kingston fought back and shoved Strong to the canvas. Roderick hit Kingston with a Dropkick and he fell on to Tucker outside the ring. New Day and Heavy Machinery then started arguing with each other as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Otis tagged in and beat the hell out of Undisputed Era. Otis hit a Splash onto Cole and O’Reilly in the corner of the ring. Tucker tagged in and planted Strong with a Side Slam for a near fall. Tucker hit a Moonsault off the top rope and went for the cover but Cole broke it up at two.
Fish and O’Reilly took out Big E and Kofi outside the ring. Tucker Clotheslined Strong out of the ring and Otis planted Kyle with a slam. Otis followed it up with the Caterpillar but Cole knocked him out of the ring. Roderick Strong then hit Tucker with a knee to the face for the pinfall victory.
After the match, AJ Styles, Roderick Strong and Shinsuke Nakamura battled on the entrance ramp. Sami Zayn beat Roderick Strong and AJ Styles down with a steel chair before the rest of Undisputed Era broke it up.
The Fiend Attacked Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan stated that he was not going to be another toy for Bray Wyatt to add to his collection at Survivor Series. The lights in the arena went out but nobody showed up. The Miz interrupted and marched down to the ring. Miz slapped Bryan in the face and this led to a singles match.
The Miz dominated the match early but Bryan was able to battle back with a Dropkick. Bryan unloaded a few Yes Kicks and Miz fell to the canvas. Bryan was about to start a Yes chant but the lights in the arena went out. The Fiend then appeared in the ring as the lighting was completely red. Bryan charged at him but The Fiend locked in the Mandible Claw.
I’m hoping that tonight was the start of The Miz going back to being a heel. His character is much better when he is irritating and mocking everyone he interviews on Miz TV. I was already sold on Bryan versus Wyatt at Survivor Series and hope they deliver a great match this Sunday.
Bayley Ran Away From Shayna Baszler
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley accused Shayna Baszler of only attacking her from behind. Later on the show, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler marched down to the ring and called out Bayley.
Bayley attacked Shayna from behind but Shayna battled back and hit a few punches to the face. Bayley tried to retreat over the barricade but Shayna locked in the Kirafuda Clutch. Bayley broke free for a moment and sent Shayna into the barricade.
Bayley threw Shayna into the ring post and retreated up the entrance ramp. Shayna got pissed off and stared at Bayley and the SmackDown Women’s Champ ran backstage to conclude the segment. Bayley, Shayna Baszler, and Becky Lynch will square off this Sunday at Survivor Series.
The Brands Brawled One Last Time Before Survivor Series
Mustafa Ali, Shorty G, and Roman Reigns battled Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, and King Corbin in the main event of SmackDown. Robert Roode and King Corbin slammed Shorty G and onto the announce table in the beginning of the match as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Ali and King Corbin tagged in and Mustafa connected with a couple Dropkicks. Ali connected with a Facebuster and then caught Dolph with a boot to the face. Ali leveled Ziggler with a Suicide Dive and then flipped onto King Corbin on the other side of the ring.
Ali rolled Corbin in the ring and hit a Tornado DDT off the middle rope. Mustafa climbed to the top rope but Roode tripped him up and crotched him on the top turnbuckle. Roode then planted Shorty G with a Spinebuster. Reigns leveled Roode but turned around into a Superkick from Ziggler.
Corbin connected with Deep Six on Ali for the pinfall victory. After the match, Reigns hit Corbin with a Spear and then Seth Rollins’ music hit. Rollins led Team RAW through the crowd and Seth hopped over the barricade. Rollins got into the ring with Roman Reigns as the crowd chanted “CM Punk!”.
Rollins and Reigns traded punches as the rest of Team RAW hopped over the barricade. The SmackDown locker room rushed to the ring and Strowman hit a series of shoulder tackles. The crowd loudly chanted “NXT!” as the brawl continued. Team NXT then showed up in a mini-tank and Triple H, Road Dogg, and Shawn Michaels led them to the ring.
The massive brawl continued as Keith Lee stood alone in the ring. Lee planted Montez Ford with an absolutely massive Powerbomb. Braun Strowman got into the ring and had a stare down as SmackDown and traded punches as SmackDown went off the air.
The way NXT came down to the ring was awesome and the brawl was fun as well. The build to Survivor Series was a bit repetitive but I’m definitely looking forward to the show. NXT WarGames has gotten lost in the shuffle but that should also be an entertaining show tomorrow night. Overall, tonight’s show was entertaining and I cannot wait for Survivor Series on Sunday night.