By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown on Fox
Aired on same day tape delay on November 8, 2019 from Manchester, England at Manchester Arena
[Hour One] A video package recapped last week’s NXT invasion… The AC/DC opening aired (you all need it) and then pyro shot off on the stage… The broadcast team was Michael Cole and Corey Graves…
Powell’s POV: No need to worry about me revealing spoilers even though the show was taped earlier today. We didn’t get a report on the taping and I only know one spoiler, but I won’t mention it in this review until after it airs.
King Corbin headed to the ring for a promo. Corbin praised Reigns for returning form a life threatening battle, but he questioned what he’s done lately. Corbin noted that Reigns spends time at hospitals and takes time off with his family when “this used to be your family.” Corbin said Reigns is half the man and a step behind what he used to be. He also said Roman’s brothers in The Shield abandoned him.
Corbin said The Big Dog’s testicles have shriveled into tiny little marbles. He pointed to the big screen where the Reigns dog logo barked “like a little ankle biter.” Corbin seemed to be the only one who found this comical. Corbin wondered where Roman’s music was. He told him to come out and bring his little testicles to the ring.
Corbin said Reigns wasn’t actually there because he was granting a starlight wish and making some child’s day. “Awwww,” Corbin said before adding that Reigns would be there in time for the main event. Corbin told the fans to get their little doggy poop bags ready so that they could scrape up the excrement and take it home as a souvenir. Corbin said the fans would all bend a knee to their king…
Powell’s POV: Meh. WWE officials have to know that Corbin’s king attire makes him look like a joke. I’m not anti-Corbin. I actually think he is a good heel, especially when he’s given the freedom to cut his own promos rather than recite a script, but this king gimmick is sports entertainment nonsense that makes it impossible to take him seriously no matter how modern they think the Game of Thrones style crown is.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Big E and Kofi Kingston and noted that they had a message for Xavier Woods. Big E told him not to drop the soap. Kingston said Woods is recovering from an injury and he’s not in jail. Kingston turned the focus to beating The Revival for the tag titles. Big E questioned how they would ever catch up to Charlotte Flair if they didn’t win the titles. They both pointed to their “XW” armbands while Cole said the tag title match was up next… [C]
1. “The Revival” Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder vs. Big E and Kofi Kingston for the Smackdown Tag Titles. Greg Hamilton delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Wilder leapt over Big E and then sold a knee injury heading into a break less than two minutes into the match. [C]
Wilder was fine coming out of the break and highlights aired of him dropkicking Big E. Late in the match, Big E held up Wilder while Kingston hit him with Trouble in Paradise. Big E covered Wilder and scored the pin for the tag title change…
Big E and Kofi Kingston defeated The Revival in 8:30 to win the Smackdown Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: The tag title change was the only spoiler that I was aware of, so we have that out of the way. The live crowd was happy to see the title change and all, but its hard to be excited about the New Day duo winning when The Revival’s latest title reigns was as forgettable as their Raw Tag Title reigns. Is there a real plan for Big E and Kingston as tag champions or was this done with the goal of getting the word out about the tag title change and hoping that it would lead to more viewers watching a taped show?
The broadcast team hyped Sasha Banks vs. Nikki Cross, and Tyson Fury’s appearance…
Roman Reigns arrived at the building and that little snitch Shorty G was there to tell him what King Corbin said about him… [C] Heavy Machinery and Carmella were featured in a pizza shack commercial…
Backstage, Sami Zayn approached Daniel Bryan and recalled the invitation he made to have Bryan join him and Shinsuke Nakamura. Zayn said that if Bryan had accepted when he made the offer, then Bryan would be the NXT Champion. Zayn told Bryan to talk to Nakamura and Cesaro, then encouraged him to sit at ringside for their tag match so that Bryan could see what he and they can do…
“Heavy Machinery” Otis and Tucker made their entrance for a tag ream match. Cole said Otis and Tucker love to entertain and love to have fun (kiss my ass with that BS). Suddenly, NXT UK faction “Imperium” Walter, Alexander Wolfe, Fabian Aichner, and Marcel Barthel attacked Heavy Machinery. Apollo Crews, Big E, Shorty G, Kofi Kingston, and Ali quickly ran out for the save and ran off Imperium…
Braxton interviewed Sasha Banks and Bayley on the backstage interview set. Bayley said Shayna Baszler was trying to be relevant, but she and Sasha Banks put the NXT women’s division on the map. Bayley said she will be the only person in the Triple Threat match with Baszler and Becky Lynch who has held the Raw, Smackdown, and NXT Women’s Titles…
Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro, and Sami Zayn made their entrance… [C] An ad aired for Survivor Series that focused on Brock Lesnar vs. Rey Mysterio for the WWE Championship…
2. Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro (w/Sami Zayn) vs. Ali and Shorty G. Daniel Bryan walked onto the stage, crossed his arms, and watched the match. Ali went for a top rope cross body block, but Cesaro caught him and gave him a backbreaker that led to a near fall. Cole acted amazed by Cesaro catching Ali.
Shorty tagged in and applied an ankle lock, but Cesaro kicked his runt ass off him and tagged in Nakaura, who ran into a superkick from Ali. Zayn climbed onto the apron while Ali was going up to the top rope. Shorty G cut off Zayn, but the referee was distracted by them, allowing Cesaro to push Ali off the ropes. Nakamura hit his Kinshasa on Ali and pinned him.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro beat Ali and Shorty G in 4:10.
After the match, Bryan simply walked backstage without giving any clue as to what he was thinking…
Powell’s POV: Poor Chad Gable. The saddest part is that once Vince McMahon finally gives in and admits that this is a disaster, he’ll probably convince himself that Gable is to blame because he didn’t go all in with the awful character.
Nikki Cross was shown walking and smiling backstage while Graves hyped her match against Sasha Banks… [C]
Bayley came out to sit in on commentary, then ring entrances for the match took place. Banks had a remixed version of her entrance theme. Cole said Banks will be the captain of a Smackdown women’s team at Survivor Series. Footage recapped Bayley beating Cross with help from Banks last week, followed by Shayna Baszler attacking destroying everyone…
[Hour Two] 3. Sasha Banks vs. Nikki Cross. Cross and Banks went to ringside. Cross went after Bayley and knocked her out of her chair. Cross put on the headset and yelled. Cross picked up a near fall back inside the ring. Banks rolled to ringside and huddled up with Bayley going into a break. [C] In the end, Banks applied her finisher and won via submission.
Sasha Banks beat Nikki Cross in 9:40.
After the match, Bayley attacked Cross. Shayna Baszler entered the ring and attacked Bayley. A loud “NXT” chant broke out. Baszler suplexed Bayley. Graves noted that Banks didn’t appear to be in any hurry to come to Bayley’s aid. Banks did enter the ring and then Baszler left through the other side of the ring…
Powell’s POV: I’m pleasantly surprised that they flew Baszler to England to continue the feud. It’s worth noting that Monday’s Raw was also taped at this same event, so it’s possible that she will also be involved in that show. By the way, if you attended the event, you are encouraged to send Raw spoilers to dotnetjason@gmail.com.
Backstage, Zayn told Bryan that he know artists are temperamental and he’s as guilty as anyone. Zayn said he could tell that Bryan already made up his mind, so he should just say that he doesn’t want to go back to the Yes! movement, he wants to move forward with him. The lights went out and when they turned on the lighting was red and The Fiend was standing behind Bryan. Zayn ran away. The Fiend put Bryan in the Mandible Claw and laughed maniacally… [C]
Powell’s POV: Well, I guess we know The Fiend’s first feud on Smackdown. I assume they will play on Bryan’s brief run in the Wyatt Family.
The broadcast team recapped Bray Wyatt’s attack on Daniel Bryan and the entire attack was replayed. They also set up footage of Tyson Fury’s count-out win over Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel…
Tyson Fury made his entrance and received a decent reaction. Fury worked up the crowd a bit once he was in the ring. He recalled his recent fights and his match with Strowman. Fury said there’s no place like home and Manchester is where he calls home. Fury said he goes back to the United States for a fight in February and said he would finish what he started with Diontay Wilder. Fury said he doesn’t like unfinished business and that’s why he was at Smackdown. Fury called out Strowman.
Braun Strowman made his entrance and said, “You wanted me, here I am.” Fury thanked Strowman for the opportunity in Saudi Arabia and said it was one of the toughest fights he’s ever had. Fury offered Strowman a handshake, which Strowman accepted. Fury said if they ever fight again then it should be as a tag team. There were some cheers. Strowman said he liked the sound of that, but there aren’t two guys backstage who are stupid enough to fight them unless they want “all four of these hands.”
“The B-Team” Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas walked out. “Hey, morons, we’re stupid enough to fight you,” Axel hilariously said. Dallas said that’s not what Axel meant. He said the B in B-Team stands for fearless. Strowman gave Dallas a shoulder block that knocked him off the apron. Strowman went to ringside and performed his running shoulder block. Strowman rolled Dallas into the ring where Fury punched him out. Strowman gave Axel his running powerslam…
Powell’s POV: The crowd seemed to like Fury, but their reaction during his entrance was underwhelming for a hometown guy. Fury appeared on Graves’s podcast and threw out the idea of facing Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. I can’t say it interests me in the least. And based on the reactions to Fury in various cities and now his hometown, I don’t think the masses have much interest either.
Footage aired from two weeks ago of Corbin attacking Reigns while he was being interviewed on the WWE Backstage studio show. Graves hyped their match as the main event… [C]
4. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville vs. Carmella and Dana Brooke for a spot on Team Smackdown at Survivor Series. Rose and Deville’s entrance was not televised. Footage aired of Bianca Belair attacking Carmella and Brooke last week. Cole noted that the winning team will join the team captained by Sasha Banks for the match against teams from Raw and NXT. In the end, Brooke performed a top rope senton onto Deville and pinned her…
Carmella and Dana Brooke beat Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville in 3:50.
Powell’s POV: The live crowd reacted to bigger moves, but they were nearly silent when Carmella and Brooke celebrated their win. I have no idea why creative doesn’t do more with Rose and Deville.
Footage of Corbin spoofing Reigns earlier in the show as replayed…
Roman Reigns made his entrance and received pyro when he punched the stage. Graves hyped Roman Reigns and Finn Balor as his podcast guests for next week… [C] Viewers were graced with Corbin making his second televised entrance in the same show (ugh). Cole hyped Adam Cole for next week’s WWE Backstage…
5. Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin. Reigns clotheslined Corbin to ringside and slammed him face first into the broadcast table. Cole noted that the match had not officially started. Once they returned to the ring, the referee rewarded Reigns for being a cheating dick by calling for the bell to start the match.
Bobby Roode and Dolph Ziggler came out to help Corbin, but Reigns beat up both men while Graves said the heels interfered because Reigns lost the locker room. Back inside the ring, Corbin hit a Deep Six for a near fall. [C]
Reigns went for a Superman Punch, but Corbin caught him and chokeslammed him for a near fall. Reigns came back and set up in the corner. Roode distracted the referee while Ziggler grabbed Reigns by the hair. Reigns broke free and punched Roode off the apron, then speared Ziggler right in front of the referee, who just motioned for Ziggler to get out of the ring. Corbin used the distraction to hit End of Days and then scored the pin…
King Corbin beat Roman Reigns in 11:35.
Powell’s POV: A typical Reigns style television match. Corbin drew some decent heat, but this felt uneventful. Unfortunately, there’s obviously more to come since Corbin beat Reigns. Overall, Smackdown continues to be dull and uneventful despite being glammed up for Fox. I will have more to say in my weekly same night audio review for members coming up shortly. Let me know what you thought of the show by giving it a letter grade in our post show poll available on the main page.
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