WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome in the Amway Center. Roman Reigns & Jey Uso battled Kevin Owns & Otis in the main event. SmackDown opened with a ten bell salute to the late Pat Patterson.
SmackDown Results (12/4)
- Natalya def. Bayley via submission
- Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Big E def. Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Shinsuke Nakamura
- King Corbin def. Murphy
- Kevin Owens & Otis def. Roman Reigns & Jey Uso via DQ
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Kevin Owens Challenged Roman Reigns
Universal Champion Roman Reigns came down to the ring with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso to begin the show. Kayla Braxton said Kevin Owens has made it clear that he does not fear Roman and asked Reigns if he feared Kevin. Reigns laughed and told Kayla that this is probably the most relevant thing that she has ever done and she comes in here and asks stupid questions.
Reigns said that Michael Cole is more experienced and Kayla blew it with a stupid question. Braxston asked if Reigns is using Jey as a pawn and manipulating him. Roman stated those are stupid words for stupid people and claimed that he is a protector and a provider. Roman called Kayla an amateur and asked Paul to respond. Heyman noted that Jey has main evented SmackDown several times and SmackDown has had its highest ratings in some time.
Kevin Owens interrupted and said he doesn’t see the point in waiting until later tonight. Owens got into the ring and Heyman went to respond but Jey ripped the microphone away. Jey accepted the challenge for a fight but Owens said he wasn’t talking to the busboy, he was talking to the Head of the Table.
Owens suggested that Roman Reigns put the Universal Championship on the line in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match at the WWE TLC PPV later this month. Reigns said that they do not fear anyone and accepted Owens’ challenge. Roman added that there is a time and a place for everything and the time is not right for a fight now. Reigns noted that there is a lady in the ring and Owens needs to grow up. Reigns, Jey, and Heyman then left the ring but Owens grabbed the microphone again. Owens said he will grow up when Reigns grows some balls and called the Universal Champion a bitch.
It was then made official following the commercial break. Roman Reigns will put the Universal Championship on the line against Kevin Owens in a TLC match on December 20th at the PPV.
Natalya Tapped Out Bayley
Bayley squared off against Natalya in the first match of the night. Bianca Belair joined commentary for the match. Natalya took Bayley to the mat to start of fthe match. Bayley battled back and unloaded several punches to Natalya against the ropes.
Bayley knocked Natalya out of the ring and started taunting Belair. Bayley leveled Natalya with a Dropkick and continued to yell at Bianca. Natalya capitalized and sent Bayley into the steel steps as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Bayley tried to get Natalya in the Sharpshooter but she escaped. Bayley caught Natalya with a knee to the face and followed it up with a Clothesline. Bayley went for another knee but Natalya got out of the way and Bayley hit the turnbuckle. Natalya applied the Sharpshooter and Bayley tapped out as Bianca Belair clapped ringside.
Daniel Bryan, Mysterio, Big E Picked Up A Win
Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Big E faced Dolph Ziggler, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Sami Zayn in a 6-man tag team match.
Mysterio hit Nakamura with a Hurricanrana and then tagged in Big E. Ziggler tagged in and Big E greeted him with a slam. Daniel Bryan tagged in and hit Dolph with an uppercut. Sami tripped up Bryan and Ziggler capitalized with a forearm to the back of Daniel’s head.
Bryan hit Sami with a Suicide Dive and then knocked Nakamura off the ring apron. Ziggler sent Bryan to the floor outside the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Ziggler and Bryan collided and both superstars crashed to the canvas.
Big E and Nakamura tagged in and Big E connected with three Belly to Belly Suplexes. Big E followed it up with a Splash but Nakamura sent him to the corner with a boot to the face. Nakamura charged at Big E but he was ready and planted Shinsuke with a Uranage.
Sami Zayn and Rey Mysterio tagged in and traded shots in the middle of the ring. Zayn connected with the Blue Thunder Bomb and went for the cover but Rey was able to kick out at the last moment. Dolph and Bryan tagged back in and Daniel connected with a Dropkick in the corner of the ring.
Bryan unloaded some Yes Kicks and perched Ziggler up on the top turnbuckle. Bryan joined him up there and went for a Hurricanrana but Dolph countered into a roll-up for a two count. Ziggler planted Bryan with the Fameasser and went for the cover but Big E broke it up.
Mysterio hit Nakamura with a Senton but Sami quickly launched Rey into the barricade. Zayn tagged himself in as Bryan hit Dolph with the Running Knee. Zayn got into the ring and rolled up Bryan but Daniel countered into the Yes Lock in the middle of the ring. Sami got his foot on the bottom rope to break up the hold. Sami connected with a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Bryan kicked out at two. Bryan rolled up Sami for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Big E and Rey sent Nakamura and Sami out of the ring. Ziggler pleaded for mercy and Daniel hit him with an Atomic Drop. Rey followed it up with the 619 and then Big E hit the Big Ending on Ziggler.
Sasha Banks Will Battle Carmella At TLC
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and Carmella were interviewed in separate locations tonight on SmackDown. Cole was about to ask Carmella a question but Sasha quickly interrupted.
Banks stated that Carmella wishes she could be like her and Carmella called Sasha a Nicki Minaj wannabe. Sasha noted that Carmella needed help to win the first two women’s MITB matches and Carmella joked that she cannot help that men are obsessed with her.
Sasha said that Carmella isn’t in her league and that is why they have never faced one on one. Carmella claimed that Banks was jealous of her because she walked into the WWE Performance Center and everything came so easy to her. Carmella added that she held onto the SmackDown Women’s Championship longer than Sasha’s title reigns combined. Banks said it was embarrassing that Carmella thinks she has a chance against her. Sasha told Carmella that she has her title shot at TLC.
Cutler & Blake Returned As Corbin’s Henchmen
Murphy once again battled King Corbin tonight on SmackDown. The Mysterio family accompanied Murphy to the ring and the Forgotten Sons (Cutler & Blake) came to the ring with King Corbin.
Corbin slammed Murphy into the turnbuckle and launched him across the ring. Murphy went for a Sunset Flip but Corbin blocked it. Murphy sent Corbin out of the ring but got distracted by Cutler & Blake. Corbin capitalized on the distraction and launched Murphy over the announce table as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Corbin planted Murphy with a Side Slam for a two count. Murphy connected with a Dropkick off the middle turnbuckle and then a knee to the face that sent Corbin tumbling out of the ring. Murphy climbed to the top rope as Blake and Cutler attacked Dominik & Rey. Corbin capitalized on the distraction and hit End of Days on Murphy for the pinfall victory.
Reigns Attacked Owens & Jey Uso
Kevin Owens and Otis faced Roman Reigns and Jey Uso in the main event. Roman Reigns told Jey that there would be consequences for his actions and didn’t come down to the ring with him.
Otis beat Jey down in the corner of the ring to start off the match. Jey hit Otis with a couple strikes to the face but Otis responded with a massive Clothesline. Owens tagged in and Jey connected with a Samoan Drop. Universal Champion Roman Reigns then made his way down the entrance ramp and hopped on the ring apron.
Owens dropped Jey with an Enziguri and Reigns hopped into the ring. Roman hit Otis with a Superman Punch and slammed him into the ring post. Reigns then launched Otis into the steel steps and then bashed then on Otis’ midsection several times. Kevin attacked Reigns but Jey took him out with a Suicide Dive as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Reigns hit Owens with a Clothesline and tagged Jey in. Jey taunted Owens and said he talked too much as he punched him in the face in the corner of the ring. Owens battled back and hit Jey with a Cannonball as Roman Reigns got frustrated on the ring apron.
Owens hit Jey with a couple chops to the chest and followed it up with a Clothesline. Kevin connected with a Senton and then planted Jey with a DDT for a two count. Owens planted Jey with a Samoan Drop and stared at Reigns on the apron. Owens shouted at Reigns to get into the ring and he did. Roman hit Kevin with an uppercut and Jey followed it up with a Superkick.
Jey climbed to the top rope and set up for the Uso Splash but Roman demanded that the get down and come tag him. Owens hit Reigns off the ring apron and then connected with a Stunner on Jey. Reigns got into the ring and locked in the Guillotine choke on Owens and the match ended in a DQ. Reigns told Jey to grab a steel chair and chased the referee out of the ring.
Reigns and Jey took turns beating the hell out of Kevin Owens with steel chairs as Heyman shouted “oh my God!” from ringside. Jey put the steel chair on top of Owens and hit him with the Uso Splash. Roman then betrayed Jey Uso and beat him down with the chair. Reigns grabbed Owens’ and said that he is trying to make him a monster in front of the whole world. Roman vowed to take everything that Owens loves away at TLC. Reigns added that Owens and his family will now fear him as the show went off the air.
Opinion: SmackDown has been very good as of late and this week’s show delivered once again. Roman Reigns is must watch television right now because everything he is doing is flawless. I loved the opening promo and just what a pompous jerk Reigns was during it. If there was a crowd everyone would have been chanting “a**hole!” at Roman at the beginning and at the end of the show. It will be interesting to see if this another lesson for Jey Uso or Roman is done with him.
There hasn’t been anything interesting in the feud between Banks and Carmella but I really enjoyed their interview segment tonight. I thought each superstar got in some good shots at each other and provided some material to get excited for the title match at TLC.