Another Friday night brings another edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, and thus another WWE SmackDown Results page. I’m Jordan Huie and you’re here at my personal site, 1Z1ProWrestling.com. I’ll be with you throughout the evening, giving the live play-by-play of the show as it happens. This page will be updated over the course of the show. I’ve got a growing archive of show recaps all done this way, building by the day! Watch this space for your WWE SmackDown Results! And in the meantime, maybe check out this article asking if we need faces and heels. It goes into what these terms really mean, and how they’re exclusive to wrestling.
Quick Preview Of Tonight’s Show:
They’ve advertised that Bayley will be explaining her actions after her big betrayal, an angle that I’ll be making a comprehensive article about very soon. She brutalized Sasha Banks in an attack that was genuinely years in the making, and this actually seemed to get a solid ratings spike. Given she’s the one who’s really been antagonizing Sasha all along, and costing her titles, it was a minor surprise that Bayley was the one who broke things off.
We’ve also got an Intercontinental title match to look forward to. Jeff Hardy will defend against former champion AJ Styles in a rematch, though assuredly Sami Zayn will be protesting the match the whole time. It’s the latest chapter in a controversy over who the true IC Champion really is.
Plus, Bray Wyatt has promised that we’ll be getting a new character in the Firefly Funhouse this week. Never easy to predict what’ll happen there. They’ve had some false promises of this before actually, but with Alexa Bliss going deeper down the Fiend’s (ramblin’) rabbit hole by the week, it seems likely to come true this time.
You can follow along with all that right here~!
Show start!
9/11 nod in the cold open. Replays of Roman Reigns’ unveiling as Universal Champion. Heyman and Reigns go to the ring, Paul calls Roman your tribal chief. Says two weeks ago on SmackDown they let the secret out of the bag. Told everyone what only the two of them knew and at Payback, Roman Reigns wrecked everyone and left as Universal Heavyweight Champion.
Says last week, Roman said full transparency, no secret, tell them everything and on that very same night, his bloodline, his family, his cousin Jey Uso stepped up. Not only did Jey Uso emerge as the only benefactor of a fatal four way, he dethroned a King, he braved a Brogue, he solved a Riddle all in one night to emerge as No. 1 Contender for the Universal Championship. Therefore your champion has bestowed upon Heyman the honor and privilege of introducing his challenger at Clash of Champions.
He comes to the ring and seems happy, tells Heyman he owes him his thanks.
Paul declines and says it was Roman’s idea, he just executed a command from his boss, your Tribal Chief, the Reignsing, Defending Universal Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns. Roman tells him he doesn’t have to thank him because he earned it, nobody gave it to him. It was his moment last week but at Clash of Champions, it won’t be his moment. Just like when they were kids, he’s gonna whip his ass. Jey tells him they’re grown men now, it’s different. But now King Corbin interrupts.
He says it’s a setup, he picked a hand-picked opponent for his first title defense, a classic case of nepotism and it makes him sick. Nothing he despises more than watching somebody walk around and abuse their power! Sheamus’ theme hits now. He agrees with Corbin, says this whole situation stinks. Last week when he kindly reminded Big E when his car was parked, he took a little spill and it should’ve been a triple threat match! But strings were pulled and Jey Uso was added to the match, how can anyone prepare on such short notice?
Jey speaks up and asks, you want time to prepare? How about the two of them prepare to take the tag match with him and big ‘cuz. Says it’s the blood vs. buttmudd. They both take turns charging but Jey disposes of each of them!
Sami Zayn is in the production truck furious at them for showing Jeff Hardy vs. AJ Styles as a graphic. He asks how they can be fighting for the IC title when he’s the IC Champion. That title match is up next!
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. AJ Styles
Before the bell rings though, out comes Sami Zayn. He asks, “How dare you? How dare all of you?” Claims the match is not for the IC championship because he is the Intercontinental Champion. Talks about winning the title on March 8th and defending it against Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania! Then he takes a couple months off for personal reasons and WWE sees fit to crown a new sham champion! Says if they want to beat each other up that’s fine but let the record be shown it’s an exhibition match! Adam Pearce comes out with security to usher him away. Sami demands they don’t touch him. Tells them he’ll leave but they should all be ashamed.
AJ attacks Jeff from behind and the match starts proper!
Jeff avoids a corner charge! Twist of Fate nailed!! He goes up top, Swanton Bomb but AJ rolls out of the way! Commercial break! We come back to see Jeff laid out on the floor. AJ stomps him. He pulls him up but Jeff counters and throws him into the steps! He leaps off the stairs and nails him but he also flies right into the barricade wildly! Rolls him into the ring, charging back elbow. Inverted Atomic Drop, double leg, tries for the Legal Low Blow but AJ trips him up!
Jeff fights back with a Basement Dropkick, but AJ blocks a kick, Ushigoroshi for a 2 count! AJ wants the Styles Clash but this time Jeff double legs him into the Legal Low Blow, another Basement Dropkick for a nearfall! AJ fights back, but then Sami Zayn attacks him from behind causing the DQ!
Winner: AJ Styles (by DQ)
Afterwards Sami attacks Jeff as well and poses with his own title. We see Jeff try to walk up the ramp moments later but he collapses, his leg getting the better of him. But backstage it’s said he actually suffered from dehydration. AJ Styles is mad, says Jeff cheated to become IC Champ and Sami Zayn left for months! Says this sounds like frustration but it’s determination. He can beat both of them. Doesn’t care when, where, how or what match it is. He wants to prove that AJ Styles is the true, one and only Intercontinental Champion.
Afterwards the Street Profits meet up with Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura backstage. They say they just wanted to check out the champion’s lounge. Cesaro says they have a match next, don’t have time for their nonsense. Angelo says it sounds like the perfect time for their nonsense. They’ll look after everything during their match. Cesaro warns them not to break anything, Nakamura demands they don’t touch their popcorn.
Kalisto cuts a promo on behalf of Lucha House Party, pretending everything’s a-okay between them. Sami and Jeff brawl in the doctor’s room.
Lucha House Party vs. WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro
We begin with Gran Metalik getting a big spinning headscissors in on Cesaro. Walks across the ropes for a flying headscissor, tag to Kalisto! Leaps off the shoulders for a splash for 2! Hits the ropes but Nakamura walks in front of him from the apron. Off the distraction, Cesaro with a clothesline to the back of the head. Nak tags in, knee drive to the gut, snapmare, knee drop to the face for 2! Nakamura throws him into the heel corner, Bad Vibrations. Cesaro tags in, uppercut drops him. 2 count. Biiig body slam and a leg drop for 2.
Nakamura tags in, roundhouse kick. Takes Kalisto to the top rope horizontal, running knee to the gut, Cesaro tags in, hoists him up, Gutwrench Suplex/Flying Knee combo for a nearfall! Street Profits up on the screen though now. They pop bubbly, Kalisto rolls up Cesaro and they get the cheap win!
Winners: Lucha House Party
Bayley walking around backstage with a chair. We’ll hear her discuss her even-heeler turn from last week, up next.
Lucha House Party joins the Street Profits party backstage, there’s a lot of people there now. Then out comes Bayley to the ring. She brings the chair with her, the same one she attacked Sasha Banks with apparently. Sits down on it in the middle of the ring. She silently introduces a video showing the past week for her and Sasha.
She says after all that, everybody is asking how Sasha is. When will she be back? Nobody is asking how Bayley is doing or how she feels. Do you think she enjoyed doing that to her tag partner? To take this steel chair and destroy her best friend? Well yes she did, she loved every single second of it. Piped boos become deafening. Bayley says Sasha followed her and when she saw her become double champ, she NEEDED to become Two Belts Banks. She pretended to be her friend but Sasha was using her and how does she know that? Because she was using her too!
That’s why she became the first-ever Grand Slam Women’s Champion! And thanks to her, she’s the longest reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion. But after last week, Sasha is completely useless to her. She leaves with the chair. But as she’s going up the ramp, out comes Nikki Cross for a No. 1 Contender’s four way. She walks past her, Bayley smacks her across the back on the way down to the ring! Commercial break immediately follows. We come back to see Alexa Bliss tending to Nikki. Lacey Evans comes out and she’s heel again I guess because she throws her skirt at Nikki.
Nikki Cross vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina
Lacey with a quick trip and cover on Alexa for a 1 count. Throws her into a boot from Tamina, Lacey to the apron, chokes Tamina in the ropes. Wipes herself down as she does it, legsweep takes her down, pullover stomp but Tamina rolls out of the way. Headbutt hits, Alexa with a dropkick to both of them. Slaps to both, dropkick to Lacey. Starts Insult to Injury but Tamina with a clothesline interrupts it! Tamina with a Vertical Suplex to Evans, Bliss breaks it up.
Tamina with a big boot takes Alexa down. Pulls her to her feet, whip to the corner. Avalanche charge. Evans pulls her off, grinds her face into the top rope. Goes for the elevated Bronco Buster but Tamina kicks her out of the air, sending her to the floor. Tamina chokes Bliss with a boot until Nikki leaps onto her in a Piggyback Sleeper! Tamina tosses her away but Nikki with hammerfists, low dropkick, charging clothesline for a 1 count. Nikki charges and knocks Tamina to the floor, double team from Bliss-Cross, Alexa with a baseball slide on both opponents! Nikki leaps off the apron for a Crossbody to both of them as well!
Afterwards, Alexa pulls Cross up, hooks her for the Sister Abigail and nails it on the floor! Brutal landing, commercial break!
When we come back, it appears Alexa Bliss just up and left in a daze during the commercial? Evans with a hot shot on Tamina. Pullover Elbow Drop for a 2 count. Evans climbs to the second rope but Tamina trips her up! Charges but Evans drop toe holds her into the second turnbuckle. Evans with the elevated Bronco Buster, goes up top, Double Jump Moonsault but Nikki Cross breaks it up! Nikki with clotheslines to both in adjacent corners! Bulldog/Clothesline combo! Covers Evans for a nearfall! Nikki goes up top, Tornado DDT to Tamina! Ducks a line from Evans, for a messy neckbreaker, Tamina breaks it up. Throws her into the corner, superkick to Evans! Samoan Drop attempted, Evans escapes it, Woman’s Right nailed! Nikki looks for her Spinning Neckbreaker, Evans blocks it, Nikki avoids a Woman’s Right, Draping Neckbreaker but Evans rolls from the ring before she can pin her! Tamina wants a superkick, Nikki turns it into a sunset flip and gets the pin!
Winner: Nikki Cross
Always like seeing Nikki get opportunities. I really adored her in NXT, still have a soft spot.
Heavy Machinery make their way out.
We see a woman getting dressed. Quite voyeuristic stuff. She’s some kinda platinum blonde. Still don’t see her face, it might be Maryse?
Otis vs. John Morrison
Otis back body drops him, shoulder block nailed. Morrison with some leg kicks, superman punch but Otis is jiggling! Roundhouse blocked, Otis hoists him up, tosses him with a big Overhead Belly To Belly, that nearly dropped him on his head, damn! Spinning bodyslam! Miz leaves the commentary table to distract Otis. Tucker gets Miz to back off. Otis charges in the corner but Morrison evades him. He grabs the lunch box this time and passes it to Miz who runs off with it! Otis with an Avalanche Splash, Caterpillar follows! Then he goes to the second rope, Vader Bomb for the win.
Winner: Otis
We’re promised an update on Big E after the assault from Sheamus last week.
Heavy Machinery going through backstage. Tucker is worried but Otis says Miz may have A lunchbox but he doesn’t have this. He takes a while to open the MITB briefcase and shows that this time the lunchbox with the contract inside was IN the briefcase. Miz and Morrison celebrate getting the other lunchbox. He says there’s loopholes in every contract, needs to show it to his lawyer. But they open it and there’s nothing but an apple core in there.
Firefly Funhouse segment begins.
Bray says there’s something he’s been meaning to get off his chest. Thanks to Roman Reigns, something very special has been missing from the Funhouse. But it’s okay, everyone’s been experiencing loss. How you deal with loss defines the person you become. “The Less You Know!”
He goes over to a box and says inside is the newest member of the Firefly Funhouse! He says he wants to welcome him, having overcome so much to get this far. Pasqually, the Persevering Parrot! He opens the box but nothing comes out. Bray urges it to say something inspirational but there’s just silence. He looks in the box and seems horrified. Technical Difficulties screen. Ramblin’ Rabbit says he flew the coop. Bray admits he probably should’ve poked some holes in this box. Oh well!
Vince McMahon appears in the door though. Asks “What the My Home is going on here?!” Says Bray lost the Universal Championship and the parrot, and he’s lost his trust! He can’t handle the responsibility of the funhouse. Says he’s introducing a new special advisor to the Firefly Funhouse! And it’s a very weird looking walrus puppet named Wobbly Walrus! Vince calls it such good sh*t. Bray puts his hands to his face Home Alone style and yells “Oh no!” Segment ends.
We have the main event next, with very little time left actually.
Sheamus & King Corbin vs. Roman Reigns & Jey Uso
Before Roman Reigns comes out, Sheamus and Corbin rush Uce and attacks him! Sheamus throws him into the barrier then whips him into the ring where Corbin tries to take advantage. He throws him to the heel corner as the bell rings but Jey evades a charge. Uppercut strikes, thrust kick to Corbin’s gut. Roman Reigns taking his sweet time here. Corbin with a Deep Six for a 2 count! Sheamus tags in, Ten Beats of the Bowery, Black Hole Slam! Corbin tags in, chokes him in the ropes, wants an axe handle but Uce with a superkick! Knocks Sheamus off the apron, yet another Superkick to Corbin leads to a Samoan Drop!
Jey with a Rikishi charge but Corbin avoids it, Sheamus tags in, hoists him up, White Noise for a nearfall! Stalks for the Brogue Kick. Finally Roman’s music hits. Slowwwly he comes down. Jey ducks a Brogue, Dragon Whip! Rikishi Charge, suicide dive sends Corbin flying over the announce table! Jey goes up top, crossbody but Sheamus catches him, only for Jey to escape behind him for a superkick, he goes up top as Reigns tags himself in. Jey with the Uso Splash, Reigns stalking now, just gestures for Jey to leave. Spear nailed and that’s that.
Winners: Roman Reigns & Jey Uso
This new character for Reigns is already great. That’s it for tonight.