The October 30th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA, and is the go-home show for Crown Jewel on Friday.
– The show opens up with a promo for Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton & The Miz in a tag match.
– WWE Champion AJ Styles comes out to the ring to kick off tonight’s show. AJ steps in the ring and gets on the mic, and he immediately calls out his Crown Jewel opponent Daniel Bryan. AJ says he has something to get off his chest, and he wants to say it to AJ’s face. Bryan comes out and gets in the ring. AJ says he feels the need to apologize for last week, and Bryan accepts the apology, but he says he doesn’t see AJ as a friend anymore. Bryan says all he sees is the WWE Championship, and that Title has a lot of meaning to him. AJ says the reason he’s apologizing is because the Pele kick he said was an accident last week, was on purpose. Bryan says he’s not shocked. Bryan says he’s not liar, and when he says he wants to hit AJ on purpose right now, he’s telling the truth. AJ says we don’t have to wait until Crown Jewel, because AJ will defend his Title right here and now in the ATL. AJ and Bryan look like they’re about to get into it, but then Shane McMahon comes out to interrupt. Shane says usually a match like this wouldn’t happen on TV, but since this is SmackDown and Shane’s back, he’s going to make it happen. Shane says AJ and Bryan’s Crown Jewel match for the WWE Title is going to happen right here and now, and that’s up next. Shane heads to the back as AJ and Bryan come nose to nose.
– AJ Styles (c) vs. Daniel Bryan: AJ’s WWE Title is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and AJ and Daniel have some tests of strength early on. They trade slaps to the face, then Bryan backs AJ into the corner. Bryan starts working over AJ’s right shoulder. AJ fights back with elbows to the face and chops to the chest. They brawl out to ringside and Bryan starts selling a knee injury on the floor. Back in the ring, Bryan lays in some kicks in the corner and then throws the Champion down to the mat. Bryan throws a kick, but AJ catches it and takes Bryan down to the mat with authority. AJ starts working over Bryan’s knee now. AJ connects with some kicks in the corner and Bryan looks to be in trouble. AJ goes for the moonsault into a reverse DDT, but Bryan blocks it and hits some knees to the face. Bryan looks for the running knee to the face, but AJ shuts him down with a dropkick. Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Bryan drops AJ on the top rope. Bryan takes AJ up to the very top rope for a back suplex, but AJ reverses it in mid-air and lands on top of Bryan. Bryan comes back and applies the Yes Lock, but AJ reaches the ropes to break it. AJ sends Bryan over the ropes out to ringside, and Bryan is still his knee on the floor. AJ picks up Bryan and slams him knee-first into the announce table. AJ misses a shot and Bryan pushes AJ into the ring steps. Back int he ring, Bryan hits the running knee strike in the corner, but Bryan is moving slow due to the knee injury. Bryan goes up top and looks for a Frankensteiner, but AJ stops him mid-move. It looks like AJ is going to go for the Styles Clash, but Bryan turns it around and hits the Frankensteiner after all. Bryan follows up with kicks until AJ blocks one and hits a dragon screw into the ropes. AJ looks for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Bryan dodges it and hits a version of a Michinoku Driver. Bryan follows up with the Yes Lock and AJ puts up a struggle. AJ picks up Bryan hits a version of the Styles Clash, and then he applies the Calf Crusher on Bryan’s bad knee. Bryan taps out and AJ wins.
Winner & still WWE Champion: AJ Styles
– AJ and Bryan shake hands after the match, but then Samoa Joe runs in out of nowhere and drops them from behind. Joe knocks Byan out of the ring, then puts AJ in the Coquina Clutch. Bryan comes over to break it up, but Joe takes out Byan’s bad knee and then puts him in the Clutch too. Joe holds up AJ’s Title belt and then leaves.
– In a pre-taped promo, Jeff Hardy talks about every risk he took in his career being like a brushstroke on the portrait of his life. He says at Crown Jewel he will prove he’s the best in the world.
– We go to a pre-taped promo from The Miz talking about his family and reality show, and then says he’s also the best WWE star in the world, and he’ll win the World Cup to prove it.
– Still to come: Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton & The Miz
– Halloween decorations are being brought out around the ring. The broadcast team tells us a “Treat-Or-Street Fight” is up next.
– SmackDown GM Paige is backstage with Charlotte. Paige says she loves Charlotte’s match last night, and she asks Charlotte to be the captain of their women’s team at Survivor Series. Charlotte declines, but Paige tries to persuade her. Paige tells her to think about it, and Charlotte leaves.
– Big E vs. Cesaro: This one is a Halloween themed street fight. The New Day comes out as The Brood for Halloween, complete with Gangrel’s old entrance music. The New Day, Sheamus, and Big Show are all at ringside. There are pumpkins and Halloween decorations everywhere, and they bring a table into the ring. Big E takes control early on after teeing off on Cesaro with a kendo stick. Sheamus runs in and attacks Big E, so Kofi and Xavier run in, and The Big Show follows. This one turns into an all-out brawl until Big Show grabs Woods and Kingston by the throats and throws them outside. Big Show throws Big E out next, then follows him out to ringside with Sheamus. After some brawling at ringside with pancakes and decorations, they throw Big E in the ring. Cesaro picks up Big E and slams him into a pile of pumpkins. Cesaro looks for a suplex through the table, but Big E reverses and suplexes Cesaro into the pumpkins now. Sheamus comes in and Big E slams him through the table. Kofi and Woods get into it with Big Show at ringside, and Kofi spits red liquid into Big Show’s face. Meanwhile in the ring, Cesaro looks for the Neutralizer on Big E, but Big E breaks free. Big E spits the red liquid in Cesaro’s face now, then hits the Big Ending for the three count.
Winner: Big E
– The New Day celebrates up the ramp as The Bar and Big Show recover around the ring.
– Shane McMahon is backstage with the participants of tonight’s main event: Rey, Hardy, Orton and Miz. The two teams briefly exchange words about tonight’s match and the World Cup at Crown Jewel. Shane says the worst thing that could happen to him, is if his sister Stephanie gets to brag that a RAW superstar won the World Cup and is the best in the world. Shane says that if a SmackDown star loses to a RAW star in the finals, they will no longer have a spot on SmackDown.
– AJ Styles approaches Paige in the back and demands a shot at Samoa Joe at Crown Jewel. Paige says she doesn’t want to reward Joe’s behavior with a match. AJ insists, so Paige books the match for Crown Jewel. AJ says Paige won’t regret it, and Joe will.
– R-Truth vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: This one is a non-Title match. R-Truth and Carmella rap together before the match. Nakamura starts off strong off the opening bell, until Truth shuts him down with some shots to the face. Truth hits a spinning headscissor takedown into a legdrop, and Nakamura looks stunned. Truth hits a hip toss and then clotheslines Nakamura to the outside. Carmella gets in the ring and has a ‘dance break’ with Truth. Nakamura gets back in the ring and takes down Truth, then hits some knee drops for a two count. Nakamura misses a shot in the corner and Truth boots him in the face. Truth follows up with a series of clotheslines and a flying side kick. Truth bounces off the ropes for a flying forearm to the face for a two count. Truth misses an axe kick, and Nakamura answers with a spinning heel kick to the face. Truth misses a splash in the corner and Nakamura kicks him in the back of the head. Nakamura ties up Truth in the corner and hits a running knee strike. Nakamura looks for a suplex, but Truth escapes. Nakamura shuts Truth down with a knee to the back of the head, and then the Kinshasa for the three count.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
– Women’s Champion Becky Lynch is out to the ring next. Becky gets on the mic and talks about her victory at Evolution, and says she is “the man” around here. Becky talks about what’s next for her, and she calls out Ronda Rousey. Becky says all of Ronda’s opponents were beaten before the matches even started, but Becky says she’s built differently.
– The broadcast team runs down the card for Crown Jewel, and we go to a video package looking at Braun Strowman vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title.
– We go to Samoa Joe in his locker room, where he cuts a promo on AJ. He tells AJ that things aren’t safe for him now like he told his family. Joe says AJ is going to get choked out at Crown Jewel, and Joe will be raising the WWE Championship above his head, the end.
– The Miz & Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio & Jeff Hardy: Jeff and Orton start this one off. Jeff looks for the Twist of Fate early on, but Miz runs in to break it up. Jeff drops Miz and then turns his attention back to Orton. Jeff climbs the turnbuckle, but Miz cheap-shots him while the ref is distracted by Orton. Orton stomps on Jeff on the mat now and then tags in THe Miz. The Miz beats on Jeff in the corner, and Orton gets in some cheap-shots. Orton tags back in and elbows Hardy across the throat on the apron. Orton chokes Jeff on the rope and then stomps on him. Jeff starts to fight back, but Orton hits a thumb to the eye and then a dropkick. Jeff finally fights off Orton, and Miz and Rey get the tags. Rey cleans house and hits a tornado DDT on Miz for a two count. Miz fights back and looks for a boot to the face, but Rey dodges it. Miz catches him and looks for a facebuster, but Rey avoids that too and tags Jeff back in. Rey leaps off of Jeff and hits a hurricanrana on Miz, then Jeff leaps off of Rey’s back for a version of the Poetry In Motion. Rey hits the 619, and then Jeff hits the Swanton Bomb for the three count.
Winners: Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy
– Immediately after the match, Orton gets back in the ring and hits an RKO out of nowhere on Jeff. Rey goes after Orton, and Orton hits an RKO on him too. The Miz finally gets to his feet, and Orton hits the RKO on him too. Orton poses on the turnbuckle as SmackDown goes off the air.
