Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes battling Carmelo Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura returning to a WWE ring to face Andrade, the Women’s U.S. Title Tournament continues with Michin vs. Piper Niven vs. Lash Legend, Jey Uso and Jacob Fatu meeting in a Men’s WarGames Advantage Match, final Survivor Series: WarGames Hype, and more! Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- Women’s U.S. Title Tournament: Michin vs. Piper Niven vs. Lash Legend
- Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Andrade
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Cody Rhodes
- Men’s WarGames Advantage Match: Jey Uso vs. Jacob Fatu
WWE SmackDown Results:
It’s time for War…
Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Bayley, and Naomi make their way to the ring. Ripley says not everyone on this team is the best of friends. That doesn’t matter. Tomorrow, they step into WarGames. They all have someone they want to get their hands on in that match. Noami says they are going to get dealt with. Belair says one of them took their girl out. Tomorrow night, they can all get it. SKY says they will destroy Team Morgan. Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton, Raquel Rodriguez, and Candice LeRae interrupt. Jax says they are going to implode before they get to the match.
Morgan says she’s going to break Ripley’s face. Ripley says she will destroy Morgan’s face to the point that her boy toy, Dominik Mysterio, won’t even want to look at her. Morgan rushes to the ring but stops in her tracks. Morgan isn’t going to fall for this. She’ll see Ripley and her team tomorrow night at Survivor Series. As Morgan and Co walk up the ramp, Ripley yells she isn’t waiting. Ripley and her team run up the ramp and attack Morgan and everyone else. The brawl is broken up by referees and officials.
Grade: B
Great opening segment. It set the stage nicely for tomorrow’s women’s WarGames match. Everyone involved in this match hates each other… What? That’s it. That’s all I have to say here. They are going to try to kill each other, and I’m here for it.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Andrade
After a bit of back and forth, Andrade lands a cross body. Andrade sends Nakamura out of the ring. Andrade tries a dive, but Nakamura catches him with a kick to the face. Nakamura goes up top. Andrade dropkicks Nakamura off the top to the floor. After the break, Andrade lands his second chance moonsault. Nakamura kicks out.
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After a series of reversals, Andrade lands his feint elbow strike. Nakamura kicks out. Andrade tries his double knee strikes in the corner, but Nakamura moves out of the way. Andrade collapses to the mat in a heap. Nakamura removed the turnbuckle pad and Andrade crashed into the exposed buckle. Nakamura destroys Andrade with the Kinshasa for the win.
Winner- Shinsuke Nakamura
After the match, LA Knight runs down to the ring, and Nakamura immediately blinds him with the mist.
Grade: C+
Wait… Nakamura has a new theme, and it doesn’t suck? Who produced that? Then the mix is lazy as all get out, but it’s not terrible. Andrade and Nakamura have had many matches over the years, so for a return match, it makes sense to have Nakamura in there with someone familiar. This was a good TV match, but considering some of their previous contest, they didn’t exactly leave it all in the middle of the ring tonight.
Nakamura’s new gimmick is just his old gimmick with face paint, but hey, if it leads to him being on our TVs and hopefully beating LA Knight at Survivor Series. Also, LA Knight running into the mist like a Looney Tunes character is the funniest thing this writer has seen all week.
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Carmelo Hayes vs. Cody Rhodes
Rhodes and Hayes trade takedowns and pin attempts. Hayes avoids Rhodes’ dropdown uppercut. Hayes mocks Rhodes. Uppercut by Rhodes. Rhodes sends Hayes out of the ring. Dive by Rhodes. Rhodes slams Hayes’ head into the commentary desk. Hayes misses a springboard and gets turned inside out by a disaster kick from Rhodes.
Hayes avoids Rhodes’ patented powerslam. Head Scissor Facebuster by Hayes. Rhodes kicks out. Running powerslam by Rhodes. Rhodes locks Hayes in a figure four. Hayes gets to the ropes. Rhodes and Hayes trade strikes. Hayes kicks Rhodes in his previously injured knee. Hayes hits a modified version of the fadeaway. After a series of reversals, Rhodes lands a Cody Cutter. Rhodes hits Crossroads for the win.
Winner- Cody Rhodes
Grade: B
Hayes and Rhodes have GREAT chemistry. It says a lot that Hayes keeps getting put in the position of being in the ring with the best on the main roster. The downside is he rarely wins; big ups to Randy Orton for being the one vet to actually put Hayes over. As good as this match was, it feels like there was a bit of a missed opportunity here not to have Rhodes’ anger cost him this none-title match. Anyway, Hayes, once again, sells the Crossroads like his rent is due and it’s already the 5th.
The Voice of the Voiceless sits down with the Orginal Tribal Chief
In an undisclosed location, Roman Reigns is sitting at a table with Paul Heyman. Reigns is frustrated. They are here to meet CM Punk and Punk is late. Reigns demands that Heyman tell him where Punk is. Heyman doesn’t know. Punk walks in and sits down. Reigns goes on a rant about how much he hates Punk and doesn’t want to team with him. Punk says he isn’t here for Reigns, he’s here for Heyman. Heyman tells Reigns that Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline have had them on the ropes since WrestleMania.
Heyman turns to Punk and tells him that when Solo is done ith the OG Bloodline, Punk is next. Punk perks up. Heyman notes that if they united, at best they can all survive this. Punk he want’s scalps for what the Bloodline did to his friend (Heyman). Punk notes that when this is all said and done, if Reigns wants to revisit this, they can. After this, Punk wants one favor. Reigns is incredulous. He isn’t giving Punk anything. Punk says not Reigns, THEIR Wiseman will owe him a favor. Punk walks off.
Grade: A
This situation is going to explode, most likely right after WarGames. How does this not end with a Wiseman on a pole match? As the Bloodline Turns continues to be the best show on TV. You would think the addition of cousin Punk would have made the show jump the shark, but no. It’s better than ever.
Women’s U.S. Title Tournament: Michin vs Piper Niven vs Lash Legend
Everyone trades shots. Niven lands a low crossbody on Michin. Legend breaks up the pin with a splash. Legend picks up Niven for a slam. Michin dropkicks Niven, taking both women out. Michin dives off the top and lands a diving rana. Legend falls out of the ring. Asai moonsault by Michin. Chelsea Green pulls Michin off the apron and boots her in the face. B-Fab runs down and attacks Green. B-Fan and Green fight off. Niven realizes that Green is gone.
In the confusion, Legend boots Niven’s head clear off her shoulders. After the break, Legend chokeslams Niven. Niven kicks out. Michin tries a rana, but Legend counters with a nasty powerbomb. Michin kicks out. Niven crushes both her opponents with a running senton. Michin breaks up Niven’s pin. Niven misses a senton off the second rope. Lash hits the Lash Extension on Niven. Michin breaks up the pin with a senton off the top. Michin pins Niven.
Winner- Michin
Grade: B
Out of all of the triple threat matches in the Women’s United States Championship tournament, this was the best. All three women in the match are underutilized on SmackDown. It stinks that for one of them to win, the other two had to lose; this was a bad draw for all three women. Legend stood out tonight, effortlessly tossing Niven around the ring. Michin is an interesting choice to win, but out of the three, she weirdly has a better chance of pulling out an upset if she makes it to the finals.
Men’s WarGames Advantage Match: Jey Uso vs. Jacob Fatu
Fatu runs over Jey. Fatu eats a kick from Jey. Jey sends Fatu over the top with a clothesline. Jey tries a dive, but Fatu catches him. Fatu sends Jey into the ring post, then flying over the commentary desk. After the break, Jey fires up. Running hip attack by Jey. Fatu kicks out. Jey leaps of the top and gets caught by Fatu. Spinning uranage by Fatu. Fatu follows that with a handspring moonsault. Jey kicks out. Jey superkicks Fatu.
Fatu surprises Jey with a pop-up Samaon drop. Jey kicks out. Fatu tries a swanton byt Jey gets his knees up. Jey Spears Fatu. Uso Splash by Jey. Fatu kicks out. Jey sends Fatu outside. Suicide dive by Jey. Jey clears the commentary desk. Fatu surprises Jey with a superkicks. Fatu Samoan drops Jey on the commentary desk. Implant DDT by Fatu. Fatu crushes Jey with the Best Moonsault Ever for the win.
Winner- Jacob Fatu
Grade: B+
Great match. Fatu is a star and they should just give him all the titles now. IC, US, World, Divas, X-Division, all of it. Jey fought valiantly but, Fatu put them paws on him tonight. The Samoan drop on commentary desk was sick. The best thing about this match is it was allowed to be a match without any silliness. That’s rare these days.
WWE SmackDown Review:
PLE go-home shows always suck. Don’t look at me, this is a scientific fact. That said, tonight’s show was the completely bucks that trend. Don’t be mistaken, this wasn’t the greatest episode in SmackDown history or anything like that, but it was a good night. ALL of the matches were solid tonight, with the stand out being the main event. Tonight’s show had a limited amount of promos and backstage segments, which is what normally all we get for a go-home show. Go out of your way to watch a replay of tonight’s SmackDown. It’s taped and a the night before a PLE but totally worth it. What did you all think of tonight’s show? Let us know in the comments!
Grade: B
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