Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Sami Zayn’s United States Open Challenge, Tiffany Stratton addressing Stephanie Vaquer ahead of their champion vs. champion match at WWE Crown Jewel, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes teaming with Randy Orton to battle The Vision. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton vs. The Vision
- Sami Zayn’s United States Open Challenge continues
- Tiffany Stratton addresses Stephanie Vaquer ahead of WWE Crown Jewel
WWE SmackDown Results:
The Champ is Here
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes asks the crowd what they want to talk about. Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed interrupt. Before anything can happen, Randy Orton teleports into the ring. Heyman says they aren’t here to talk to Rhodes; they are here to talk to Orton. Heyman knew if they cornered Rhodes, Orton would appear. Regardless of their strategy, they will ultimately lose to Reed and Breakker. Heyman says Rhodes and Orton will be at each other’s throats if they lose. Their partnership can’t work. That isn’t a prediction, it’s a prophecy.
Grade: B-
Solid promo from Heyman, which is no surprise. Heyman did a great job sowing the seeds of discontent between the champion and his inevitable challenger.
Backstage, Carmelo Hayes tells The Miz they are done.
United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes
Carmelo Hayes says he has already challenged Zayn, but this time, no one is holding Hayes back. Before Hayes can make his way to the ring, The Miz appears and drops Hayes with the Skull Crushing Finale. Aleister Black walks down the ramp and says he’ll take the shot.
No Contest
United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Aleister Black
Black destroys Zayn with a series of kicks. Zayn tries to fire u, but Black catches Zayn with an Asai Moonsault. After the break, Zayn sends Black over the top. Arabian press to the floor by Zayn. Black gets a near fall after a headkick into a German suplex. Zayn responds with a superplex. Zayn leaps off the top into a knee from Black. Black lands a flurry of strikes. Zayn ends up in the corner. Black lands a flurry of kicks. Zayn tries a surprise Helluva Kick, but Black avoids it. Double stomp by Black. Zayn kicks at 2.9! Black calls for Black Mass. Damian Priest hops the barricade. In the confusion, Zayn lands the Helluva Kick, followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb for the win.
Winner and STILL United States Champion, Sami Zayn!
After the match, Priest sends Black through the commentary desk with a Razor’s Edge.
Grade: B
Good match. Black got a hell of a showcase here. Beyond his feud with Priest, Black hasn’t been in a ton of high-profile matches. Even though this was a loss, Black looks better coming out of it.
Alba Fyre and Chelsea Green vs. NXT North American and Speed Champion Sol Ruca and Zaria
Green and Alba are in control early. Zaria takes Fyre out outside of the ring. Green runs into a Sol Snatcher from Ruca for the win.
Winners- Sol Ruca and Zaria
Grade: B
Solid TV match. Having more NXT talent on Raw and SmackDown is an excellent idea. Additionally, the women’s tag division is currently lacking in competition. There are a ton of solid teams in NXT that can be featured to fill out the division.
Women’s Crown Jewel Championship Contract Signing
SmackDown GM Nick Aldis introduces WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer. Vaquer says she respects Stratton, but she is going to show Stratton who she is. Next week, may the best woman win. Stratton nods in agreement. Stratton says she is going to be the one woman walking out of Crown Jewel, and it will be her.
Read More: Reason For Botched Finish On WWE SmackDown Finally Revealed — Report
No matter where they are, it will always be Tiffy Time. Stratton and Vaquer both sign the contract and shake hands. Stratton walks up the ramp. Guilia attacks her from behind. Kiana James pitches to Vaquer to join James’ “team.” James says she can make Vaquer the Women’s Crown Jewel Champion. Stratton pulls James out of the ring. Everyone brawls.
Grade: D
This was a mess, and this writer has no idea why this was ever booked. Why did this match require an in-ring contract signing? If you want to put Stratton and Vaquer in a situation where they have to tag, just do it. No need to waste five minutes on the show with bad, scripted verbiage.
Je’Von Evans and Rey Fenix vs. Los Garza
Evans sends Berto flying with a spinning hip toss. Springboard clothesline by Evans. Evans lands a bouncy rana. After a sneak attack from Angel, Berto slingshots Evans into an elbow strike from Angel. Fenix lands a dive. Berto lands a dive. Evans lands an even higher dive. After the break, Angel gets a near fall after a double team move with Berto. Evans takes out Angel with the OG Cutter. Fenix hits the Fire Thunder Driver for the win.
Winners- Je’Von Evans and Rey Feni
Grade: B
Evans is basically on the SmackDown Roster now. Screw it, let’s just go with it.
Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton vs. The Vision
Reed and Breakker work over Orton. Orton manages to tag in Rhodes. Rhodes lands a disaster kick, and a dive to Reed. Rhodes tries another kick, but Reed plucks him out of the air. World’s Strongest Slam by Reed. After the break, Breakker and Reed are beating down Rhodes. Rhodes manages to tag in Orton. Orton powerslams Reed.
Reed goes up top. Orton cuts Reed off and hits a superplex. Breakker breaks up the pin. Breakker dives off the apron and spears Rhodes through the barricade. Back in the ring, Orton hangman’s DDTs Reed. Heyman distracts the referee while Seth Rollins hops the barricade and Stomps Orton. Reed crushes Orton with the Tsunami for the win.
Winners- Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker
After the match, The Vision walks up the ramp. Rollins looks back at Rhodes in the ring. Heyman tells Rollins to stop, Rollins looks conflicted. Rollins pushes past Heyman and tries to deliver a Stomp to Rhodes. Rhodes avoids it and obliterates Rollins with Crossroads. Breakker and Reed try to help, but Heyman holds them back.
Grade: B-
This one gets a bump, not because of anything that happened during the match, but because of the afterbirth. There are cracks already starting to show with Rollins. That’s a good thing, since the idea of the Vision being a year-long angle is scary to say the least.
WWE SmackDown Review:
Tonight’s show was nothing to write home about. Stagnant angles running in place, coupled with wasted time on angles that don’t need to happen (looking at you, Crown Jewel contract signing), equals a show that you could miss, and it would be no great loss. The Crown Jewel shows essentially happens in Wrestling Bizzaro world, so most everything that happens there stays there (just like those ugly-@$$ Crown Jewel title belts). At this point, it would be best for everyone if we could skip directly to Survivor Series.
Rating: C+
This event is ongoing. This information will be updated as the event progresses.
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