WWE SmackDown aired live on FS1 from the ThunderDome in Tropicana Field. It was the final show before WWE TLC this Sunday night.
SmackDown Results (12/18)
- Street Profits def. Roode & Ziggler to retain the SD Tag Titles
- Riott Squad def. Billie Kay & Tamina
- Otis def. Shinsuke Nakamura
- Bayley def. Bianca Belair
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Roman Reigns Beat Kevin Owens Down
Kevin Owens marched down to the ring to begin this week’s show. Owens said he is not waiting any longer and demanded that Universal Champion Roman Reigns come to the ring. Reigns will defend the Universal title against Kevin Owens this Sunday at WWE TLC.
Owens said that he told his family not to watch the match Sunday because he is afraid of what he is going to do to Roman Reigns at the PPV. Kevin added that he heard Reigns tell Jey Uso that he cares how his kids look at him and Owens claimed that they already know that their dad is a hypocrite.
Kevin stated that Reigns is not the head of the table, he is a coward. Paul Heyman appeared on the jumbotron and said he was here to confess his sins. Heyman said Owens must be a masochist to come back this week after Roman did to him last week but that is fine because Reigns is a sadist.
Heyman then said that Owens isn’t a masochist, he is a martyr that is willing to do whatever it takes to become Universal Champion. Paul stated that Owens has to be eliminated, taken out, and eradicated. Owens interrupted and said that he was coming to find Reigns and marched backstage as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Adam Pearce got in front of Owens and told him not to do this. Owens tried to get in Roman’s locker room but the door was locked. Universal Champion Roman Reigns then made his way to the ring with Paul Heyman as Owens stared at a monitor outside the champ’s locker room.
Reigns claimed that he didn’t want to hurt Kevin Owens or his family but he is running around here telling the world that he is a bad guy. Roman said he wasn’t a bad guy, he is just doing the things you have to do to be “The Guy”. Reigns suggested that Owens stay in his lane and stated that Kevin should acknowledge him as his Tribal Chief and the head of his family table.
Roman stated that if Owens doesn’t do that he is going to end him tonight. Reigns demanded that Owens get down here and apologize. Owens walked down the entrance ramp but was ambushed from behind by Jey Uso. Owens tried to fight back but Roman joined in and stomped Kevin to the ground. Reigns and Jey beat Owens down some more before WWE officials broke it up.
Reigns told Jey Uso that Kevin Owens still doesn’t understand and he is not going to stop. Roman instructed Jey to end Kevin Owens and take him out because he doesn’t want to see him anymore. Jey later attacked Owens backstage with a steel chair and hit him several times on the knee. Uso attacked Owens once again in the trainer’s room later on the show.
Street Profits Retained The SD Tag Titles
Street Profits defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler in the first match of the night. Montez Ford connected with a Dropkick on Ziggler for a two count to start off the action. Ziggler rolled up Ford for a two count and then got planted with a Back Suplex from Montez. Ford followed it up with a Moonsault and then made his way to the top rope. Roode shoved Ford off the top rope and into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Roode hit Ford with a Russian Leg Sweep for a near fall. Roode brought Montez to the corner and hit him with a couple chops before tagging Ziggler in. Dolph hit Ford with a Dropkick to the midsection for a two count. Ford finally was able to tag in Dawkins and Angelo leveled Roode with a Clothesline.
Dawkins slammed Ziggler to the canvas and delivered a Splash to Roode in the corner. Angelo connected with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Roode kicked out at two. Ziggler tagged in and hit Dawkins with the Fameasser for a near fall. Angelo hit the Anointment and tagged in Ford.
Montez connected with the Frog Splash but Roode broke up the cover. Roode tagged in and rolled up Ford while using his tights for leverage but Ford kicked out. Montez then rolled up Roode and grabbed his tights for the pinfall victory. Street Profits are still the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
Riott Squad Picked Up A Win
The Riott Squad faced Billie Kay and Tamina tonight. Tamina launched Liv across the ring to start off the match. Tamina stomped on Morgan and went for a Splash but Liv got out of the way. Ruby tagged in and rolled up Tamina for a two count. Tamina hit a Samoan Drop and Billie tagged herself in. Billie went for the cover but Liv broke it up at two. Liv tagged in and the Riott Squad Dropkicked Tamina off the apron. Liv then hit Billie with a Dropkick off the middle rope for a two count.
Carmella Hit Banks With A Bottle Of Champagne
Carmella made her way to the ring to begin the 2nd hour of SmackDown. Carmella said “tis the season to drink bubbly” and danced around. She said she had her assistant prepare a tasting so she can pick the perfect champagne to drink after she wins the SmackDown Women’s Championship at TLC.
Carmella claimed that Banks is mentally weak and that she is in so far in over head that she is drowning. She added that she already has Sasha Banks beat because she is going to be so angry and lose control. Carmella said that nothing lifts her spirits more than a fine glass of champagne.
She didn’t enjoy the first glass and said it tasted “cheap and frantic like Sasha Banks. Sasha’s music hit and Banks showed up in the ring. Sasha took a sip of the bubbly and then threw it in Carmella’s face. Banks tacked Carmella and tried to lock in the Bank Statement but Carmella’s assistant broke it up. Carmella smashed another bottle of champagne across Sasha’s back.
Otis Defeated Nakamura
Otis battled Shinsuke Nakamura tonight on SmackDown. Chad Gable and Cesaro were ringside for the match. Otis dominated the match early but Nakamura battled back with a knee to the face. Otis shrugged it off and leveled Nakamura with a Clothesline. Otis followed it up with a Splash and went for the Caterpillar Elbow but Gable hopped on the apron. Chad shouted that Otis should go for a Suplex and Nakamura capitalized on the distraction with a roll-up for a two count. Otis then hit a Splash for the pinfall victory. Gable then told Otis that he should have hit the Caterpillar and that the Alpha philosophy is “don’t do what I say, do what I mean”.
Big E Interrupted The Sami Awards
Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn hosted the 1st Annual Sami Awards tonight on SmackDown. Zayn joked that the Slammy Awards have taken a dive as of late and has just become about highlighting corporate favorites. Sami then presented a video of highlights of himself. Sami Zayn then gave himself the first Sami Award for Comeback of the Year.
Zayn stated that it feels good to get some recognition and presented the award for Match of the Year. Sami announced that the Match of the Year was when he defeated Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Championship at Clash of Champions.
The final award was for Superstar of the Year and it was Big E. Sami looked confused as Big E came down to the entrance ramp and shoved Sami away from the podium. Big E thanked Notre Dame football in advance for covering the spread before Sami shoved him away. Sami said there seems to be some kind of a mix up here and Big E booted him in the midsection. Big E then launched Sami down the entrance ramp and spiked the Sami Award on the floor.
Bayley Stole A Victory
Bayley faced Bianca Belair tonight on SmackDown. Belair controlled the match early and leveled Bayley with a shoulder tackle. Bayley escaped to the apron and hung up Belair on the ropes. Bianca tripped up Bayley and went for the cover but Bayley kicked out at two.
When SmackDown returned from a break, Belair sent Bayley into the steel steps outside the ring. Back in the ring, both superstars connected with a punch and fell to the canvas. Belair connected with a vertical Suplex and followed it up with an Arm Drag.
Bianca hit a Moonsault and went for the cover but Bayley kicked out at two. Belair connected with two Backbreakers and went for the cover but Bayley kicked out at two. Bianca then hit a Spinebuster for another near fall. Belair went for a Powerbomb but Bayley raked her eyes. Bayley then planted Belair with the Rose Plant for the pinfall victory.
Kevin Owens Wouldn’t Stay Down
Universal Champion Roman Reigns came down to the ring again with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman in the final segment of the show. Reigns began to speak but Kevin Owens immediately interrupted.
Owens hobbed down the entrance ramp and hit Jey Uso with a steel chair. Owens got into the ring and hit Reigns with a couple punches but turned around into a Superkick from Jey Uso.
Reigns leveled Owens with a Spear and then grabbed the steel chair. Roman hit Owens several times with the chair as Jey slid a couple tables into the ring. Jey planted Owens through a table with a Spinebuster and then set up another table. Roman then slammed Owens through the table with a Samoan Drop as Jey brought another table into the ring.
Reigns buried Owens under tables, ladders, and chairs and then bashed the pile with chairs. Reigns was about to be interviewed backstage but Owens dug himself out of the pile and grabbed a microphone. Owens took a seat on the chair and said that nothing Reigns or his family does to him will keep him down. Kevin vowed to take the Universal Championship at TLC or die trying.
Opinion: I thought this week’s SmackDown did a great job of building up the Universal Championship match at TLC. Roman Reigns continues to be by far the best act in WWE and he’s much watch every time he is on the screen. The only bummer during this show was Otis defeating Shinsuke Nakamura. I think both Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura are insanely talented and underused but for whatever reason WWE doesn’t see much in them. SmackDown has been miles ahead of RAW in terms of entertainment and this week was no different.