Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Roman Reigns going face-to-face with Solo Sikoa, Los Garza and A-Town Down Under battle a mystery tag team, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes addresses his pending match against the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, and more! Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa face off
- Cody Rhodes addresses Crown Jewel Clash with Gunther
- Los Garza vs. A-Town Down Under vs. Mystery Opponent
WWE SmackDown Results:
The Bloodline has Arrived
Solo Sikoa and the rest of the outlaw Bloodline are in the ring. The crowd chants “OTC” at Solo Sikoa. Sikoa tells the South Carolina crowd to acknowledge him. The crowd boos him out of the building, as is tradition. Sikoa tells the angry crowd to get used to what they are seeing. This is the Bloodline, and they are looking at the Tribal Chief. Sikoa is the man who created a bigger, stronger Bloodline. Roman Reigns can do nothing about it. Jimmy Uso can’t do anything about it either. Jimmy went to Raw, and Jey Uso said he wanted nothing to do with this. The crowd chants “Yeet” at Sikoa. Sikoa responds, “No Yeet.”
Sikoa proclaims that the beatdowns will continue if Roman Reigns doesn’t come to the ring and acknowledge him by the end of the night. Shockingly, Jey Uso‘s music hits. The Intercontinental Champion makes his way to the ring through the crowd. Jey says he isn’t out here to fight his little brother. At the end of the day, he still cares about Sikoa. Jimmy and Reigns aren’t here yet, so Jey came out here to talk to Sikoa, uce to uce. Jey tells Sikoa to think about what he’s doing. Sikoa is tearing the family apart. No one has more issues with Reigns than Jey does, but Jey got away. Jey went to Raw, charted his path, and became the Intercontinental champion. If Sikoa wants to be Chief, this isn’t how to do it. Dividing the family isn’t the way to do it.
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Sikoa asks Jey if he’s done because he’s wasting his time. Sikoa is trying to unite the family, not divide it, and Jey needs to address him as the Tribal Chief, not his little brother. There is a place for Reigns and Jimmy in Sikoa’s Bloodline. Jey as well. All they have to do is acknowledge him. Jey asks why he went to get them (the Tongans and Jacob Fatu) if Sikoa was trying to unite the family. Jey notes that they stayed away from Jacob Fatu specifically for a reason. Jey bows up and tells Fatu that if he keeps staring at him like that, Jey will knock him out. Sikoa holds Fatu back. Jey notes he’s not here for all that. Sikoa continues to hold Fatu back. Jey says the next time he sees Sikoa, things will be different.
Grade: B
That was a good opening segment. Jey’s appearance was a complete surprise at this stage of the Bloodline Civil War. At first glance, this writer is unclear on whether it’s a good thing to have Jey interacting with the Outlaw Bloodline at this point, but there needs to be a catalyst to put Jey in Sikoa’s crosshairs. This interaction is more than enough to do it. Holding the IC title in Sikoa’s face and flaunting it was a bad idea. Jey is defending the IC title against Bron Breakker this week. Don’t be shocked if Jacob Fatu specifically cost Jey the IC title Monday night.
Triple Threat Contender’s Qualifying Match: The Street Profits vs. #DIY vs. Pretty Deadly
Ciampa chases Prince around the ring after slapping him in the face. Wilson catches Ciampa with a body block. Everyone lands a dive. Ford dives off the top into a knee strike by Ciampa. Wilson and Prince beat down Ciampa. Ciampa lands an air raid crash off the second rope. Ford catches Ciampa with a 450 as soon as Ciampa lands. Gargano breaks up the pin. The Street Profits hit their modified version of Grand Amplitude.
Wilson breaks up the pin. Ford goes up top and gets cut off by both members of Pretty Deadly. Dawkins knocks Wilson out of the ring. Ford and Dawkins hit the Doomsday Blockbuster on Prince. Gargano and Ciampa blast Wilson with Meet in the Middle. Ford pins Wilson as Gargano pins Prince, leading to a double count. After some confusion, Referee Carr announces that #DIY pinned the legal man, so they win the match.
Winners- #DIY
Grade: B-
It was a fun match, but the wrong team won. This is likely leading to a showdown between the Motor City Machine Guns and #DIY, which isn’t something that this writer is particularly interested in seeing. MCMC, even being in the tag title shot qualifiers, doesn’t make sense unless the plan here is to have them beat the Bloodline. It’s a bit soon for all of this.
Reunion, interrupted
Backstage, Jimmy Uso and Roman Reigns arrive and run into Jey. Jimmy tries to dap Jey up, but Jey gives him no play. Reigns and Jey have a staredown. Jey tries to walk away, but Reigns grabs Jey’s arm and pulls him back. Reigns tells Jey that he’s proud of him. They all are. Jey says no Yeet and walks away. Reigns tells Jimmy that he told him this would happen.
Grade: A
This interaction was amazing. There will not be any quick reconciliations here, and there shouldn’t be. Jey and Reigns have too much negative history for things to be as they were. Jey is sticking to his guns and showing all of the character development he’s had over the past few years.
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Backstage, Candice LeRae offers to be Nia Jax partner tonight since Tiffany Stratton has the flu. SmackDown GM Nick Aldis books the match. Jax is pissed and tells LeRae that if she doesn’t hold up her end, she’s going to end her.
Lash Legend w/Jakara Jackson vs. Piper Niven w/Chelsea Green
The Women’s Tag Champions Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill are in the crowd for this match. Niven is in control early. Legend tries to lift Niven for a Samoan drop. Niven escapes. Legend body slams Niven. Green gets on the apron. Jackson launches Green into the barricade. While Legend is distracted, Niven crushes her in the corner. Niven misses a Vader Bomb. Legend lifts Niven and hits a Crucifix facebuster for the win.
Winner-Lash Legend
Grade: C+
Legend and Niven weren’t given much time here, and the match started off a bit slow. The crowd was dead until Legend attempted her first slam on Niven. Typically, in a match like this, they would have time to build to the spot where Legend would finally get Niven off the mat. Because of the time constraints, the moment didn’t have the impact it could have had. This was a missed opportunity, for sure.
What do you want to talk about?
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is in the ring with the Crown Jewel Championship. Rhodes puts over the idea of champions facing each other and his opponet Gunther. Rhodes is leaving as the first Crown Jewel Champion because a girl sitting at home watching this is only about four feet tall. Rhodes must show his daughter that you must strive to be the best. The crowd cheers. Rhodes invites Gunther to SmackDown next week so he can ask him what his motivation is and what he wants to talk about.
Grade: C
It’s more of the same from Rhodes. It’s a well-prepared promo, but there is zero heat for this Champion vs. Champion match. We all know this is only happening to pop the crowd at Crown Jewel. It’s hard to get excited about a title we will probably never see again… slowly turns and looks at Braun Strowman and that ugly belt he won on a Saudi show years ago
Triple Threat Contender’s Qualifying Match: A-Town Down Under, Los Garza, The Motor City Machine Guns
As soon as the bell rings, Angel and Waller attack Chris Sabin. Sabin surprises Waller and Angel with a crossbody off the top. Shelley holds the ropes open so Sabin can land a dive. Waller knocks Shelley off the ropes but ends up eating kicks from Sabin and Shelley. After the break, Shelley and Sabin pin Berto after a splash/neckbreaker combo.
Winners- The Motor City Machine Guns
Grade: C
Seeing the Machine Guns on SmackDown is something this writer never thought would happen. It took a bit for the crowd to get up during this, but that may be because there was a debuting team here that, though “smart” fans are aware of, the casual fans are not. It’s an odd choice to debut MCMG here, as having it happen with a more snarky crowd would have given their debut a bit more oomph.
The match was fine, as everyone involved did their best to sell the importance of this match. A potential title shot was on the line, so each team put together some of their best offense to try to get the dupe. The ending was a bit anti-climatic; Shelley and Sabin’s splash/neckbreaker finish leaves a bit to be desired, so hopefully, that won’t stick.
Naomi and Bayley vs. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae
Jax is firmly in control of Bayley. LeRae tags in and gets run over by Naomi. Naomi avoids a charging Jax in the corner. Naomi mocks Jax by dancing on her back. Jax flicks Naomi away. Naomi lands on her feet. Jax runs over Naomi and flattens her with a senton. After the break, Bayley gets the tag and clears the ring. While the referee is distracted, Indi Hartwell pushes Bayley into the ring post. Hartwell sends Bayley back into the ring. LeRae hits her stunning springboard moonsault for the win.
Winners- Nia Jax and Candice LeRae
Grade B
This was a fun match. Jax is really coming into her own and comes off as a legitimate monster in the squared circle, utilizing her size and strength more than effectively. Adding LeRae was an out-of-left-field wrinkle that added to this match. LeRae and Hartwell have been underutilized for a while, so seeing LeRae get the pin here was a welcome surprise.
The Orginal Tribal Chief
Reigns says this may be the last time he says this, then tells the crowd to acknowledge him. Solo Sikoa’s music immediately hits. Sikoa is in his ring gear and makes his way to the ring. Reigns says the family is more divided and is far from being stronger than ever. After everything they lost this summer, this is where they are? Reigns says he told his father he could fix this. Reigns asks what he has to do to fix this. Sikoa says it’s easy: all Reigns has to do is acknowledge him. Reigns acknowledges Sikoa and asks if that’s good enough.
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Sikoa says that’s not good enough; Reigns needs to acknowledge him as Tribal Chief, or else. Reigns bows up and says or else what? Sikoa laughs and says he knew Reigns would never change. The rest of the Bloodline drags a beaten Jimmy out on the stage. Sikoa takes a swing as Reigns. Reigns decks Sikoa. Fatu, Tonga, and Loa hit the ring. Reigns takes everyone out. Reigns puts on the ‘Ula Fala. Sikoa low blows Reigns. The Bloodline beats down Reigns. Sikoa drops Reigns with a Samoan Spike. Sikoa hits another spike for good measure.
Grade: A
This Bloodline stuff never gets dull. Just make the entire show the Bloodline saga, and the show will be an “A” every week. When Reigns finally reunites with the original Bloodline, the arena is going to explode.
WWE SmackDown Review:
Tonight’s episode of SmackDown was solid. Good in-ring action with meaningful promos. The Bloodline drama took centerstage (as it should) and has moved into its next phase, which puts us on the path to SurivorSeries WarGames. The tag team division continues to heat up, with the debuting Motor City Machine Guns winning and moving on to challenge #DIY for a shot at The Bloodline’s Tag Team Championship. Lash Legend made her singles debut on SmackDown and got a huge win. There is a renewed focus and interest in the women’s tag division, and I’m here for it, especially if the faces of that division will be Belair, Cargil, Jackson, and Legend. What are you most excited about heading into next week’s show? Let us know in the comments!
Grade: B
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