By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown on Fox
Aired live on November 15, 2019 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Wells Fargo Center
[Hour One] The show opened with a video package recapping NXT invading Smackdown and King Corbin beating Roman Reigns with help from Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler… The Smackdown opening aired…
King Corbin was carried to the ring on a platform hoisted up by six random dudes. The broadcast team noted that Corbin and Reigns will both be on Team Smackdown. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler were in the ring waiting for Corbin and presented him with the microphone.
Corbin did the usual King schtick and got good heat. Corbin recalled stating last week that Reigns is a shell of the man he once was and said he proved it by beating him last week. Corbin said it’s not Roman’s yard, it’s now Corbin’s Kingdom.
Corbin dubbed himself the Team Smackdown captain. He called MUSTAFA Ali and Shorty G the weak links of the team and said they would right the wrong. Dolph Ziggler said the only reason they made the team was because they were running with Reigns. Roode said they would rectify the mistake. Corbin called out Reigns.
Reigns’ entrance played, but an ankle biter dog replaced his usual logo and yelping sounds could be heard. A man dressed in a dog outfit walked to the ring. “This is embarrassing,” Cole said. Um, yeah. Once the “dog” arrived in the ring, Corbin had it bow to him. Cole hyped Ziggler and Roode vs. Ali and G for two spots on Team Smackdown…
Powell’s POV: The live crowd went from being hot for Corbin’s cliche king schtick to being silent for the silly dog gag. I guess the only thing that matters is that Fox officials are chuckling at this trash while continuing to sign those big checks.
Cole hyped the WWE Backstage series and then a video package on the FS1 show. CM Punk’s surprise appearance was shown and Cole hyped his return as an analyst for Tuesday’s show…
Powell’s POV: Tune in to find out whether Punk will savage the sad ass product that WWE is putting out on Mondays and Fridays or if he’ll play nice while collecting a presumably big paycheck.
1. Mustafa Ali and Shorty G vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler (w/Baron Corbin, guy in a dog costume) for spots on Team Smackdown at Survivor Series. Ali and G held the spots going into the match. Corbin distracted Ali who was knocked off the apron and into the broadcast table. Roman Reigns made his entrance going into a break. [C]
Reigns took out an interfering Corbin with a Drive By kick. In the ring, G performed a German suplex on Ziggler, then Ali performed a 450 splash and scored the pin…
Mustafa Ali and Shorty G beat Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler in 12:10.
Powell’s POV: There was a man dressed in a king outfit, a man dressed in a dog costume, and a grown ass man who likes to be called Shorty G all involved in this segment. Sure, the in-ring quality was good, but it doesn’t make a bit of difference when WWE is so damn corny.
Cole set up footage from last week of “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt attacking Daniel Bryan while Sami Zayn ran away…
A new Firefly Funhouse aired. Wyatt spun around and was suddenly dressed as a magician. He turned the red WWE Universal Championship belt into a blue version of the title and said it was much better. Wyatt said his favorite show Miz TV was still to come with extra special guest Daniel Bryan. “I’ll be watching and He will be watching too,” Wyatt said to close…
Powell’s POV: Will they use the same magic wand on Brock Lesnar’s blue WWE Championship belt?
The broadcast team recapped the opening match…
Backstage, Roode and Ziggler complained to Corbin about not being on Team Smackdown. Corbin said he’d fix it and walked off with the guy in the dog costume…
A recap of Tyson Fury’s segment from last week aired…
Braun Strowman headed to the ring where Drew Gulak and “The B-Team” Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas were already standing. Gulak showed a graphic of him getting his hand raised and said that’s what would happen if he replaced Strowman on Team Smackdown. A fight broke out. Strowman fought off the heels and powerslammed Axel. Gulak escape to ringside and had a long distance staredown with Strowman…
Powell’s POV: Gulak reinvented himself and became a serious wrestler on 205 Live and was very well received. Then he dumbed it down by reverting to his comedy goofball role once he was called up to the main roster clown show.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Big E and Kofi Kingston backstage and mentioned that they were shorthanded without Xavier Woods. E brought up the Philadelphia Eagles beating the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl for a dated cheap pop. Kingston, who was holding a platter of pancakes, said they won the titles and will defend them in honor of Woods. Big E did the New Day entrance schtick… [C]
Daniel Bryan was shown walking backstage when Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura approached him. Zayn encouraged Bryan to give him an answer now that The Fiend is watching his Miz TV segment. Zayn said Bryan needs them more than ever, and he, Nakamura, and Cesaro all want him to join them.
Bryan wondered if Zayn had his back, then why did he run away when The Fiend put him in the Mandible Claw last week. Zayn claimed he thought Bryan was right behind him. Bryan said he doesn’t need their help and he’s not joining their group. Bryan said Braun Strowman would be the perfect addition to their group. Zayn said they are artists and Strowman would bring nothing to the table. Strowman showed up and Zayn squirmed…
Powell’s POV: Does the tag title rematch mean that automatic rematches are no longer antiquated?
2. Big E and Kofi Kingston vs. “The Revival” Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder for the Smackdown Tag Titles. The Revival’s entrance was televised. The Revival were in offensive control heading into an early break. [C]
[Hour Two] Kingston performed a trust fall style leap over the top rope onto both opponents. Inside the ring, Dawson DDT’d Big E and covered him for a two count. The Revival set up for a double team move, but Big E sent them both to ringside. Big E launched Kingston to ringside and The Revival caught him and threw him into to the ring post, then dumped Big E on the broadcast table.
Back inside the ring, The Revival hit the Shatter Machine on Big E and had the pin, but Kingston returned with a top rope dive to break up the pin. Adam Cole and Roderick Strong pulled Kingston to ringside and worked him over for the no-contest finish.
Big E and Kofi Kingston fought The Revival to an apparent no-contest in 10:30.
After the match, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly joined their Undisputed Era stablemates in working over New Day and The Revival. Heavy Machinery, Lucha House Party, Apollo Crews, and Heath slater stormed the ring and ran off the Undisputed Era faction…
Powell’s POV: Finally, a break from the Hee Haw campiness for a good tag title match. The NXT invasion finish was fine in that it furthers the Survivor Series storyline and sets up the need for a tag title rematch once the pay-per-view passes and things go back to normal.
3. “Heavy Machinery” Otis and Tucker vs. Kevin Tibbs and Kip Stevens. Graves said he thought one of the jobbers may have waited on him the night before. Funny. He also asked Cole if he’s ever met a tough guy named Kip. In the end, Heavy Machinery hit their Compactor finisher on Stevens and then Otis scored the pin…
Heavy Machinery beat Kevin Tibbs and Kip Stevens in 2:20.
Powell’s POV: Otis is normally good comedy relief, but it’s hard to play that role when so much of the product is tongue in cheek these days.
The broadcast team narrated footage of Shayna Baszler, Bayley, and Becky Lynch’s recent interactions…
Braxton interviewed Bayley and Sasha Banks. Bayley said Baszler and Lynch will never think of her as an afterthought again. She said beating people brings her personal joy and thus nothing will make her happier than crushing Nikki Cross’s dreams. Banks said she beat Cross last week and Bayley has beaten her countless times, but she continues to play the victim. Banks said she would let Bayley handle her own business…
Nikki Cross made her entrance to near silence from the crowd… [C]
Powell’s POV: With Shayna Baszler showing up on both shows, it’s not exactly logical for Banks to opt to stay backstage rather than watch her friend’s back unless she’s out to save her own ass. Meanwhile, Cross was getting over when she was being manipulated by Alexa Bliss, but things have gone downhill since the writers called an audible and decided to make them friendly tag team partners.
Footage aired from the WrestleMania on-sale party in Tampa…
The broadcast team recapped footage of the opening match. They announced Reigns, Ali, and Shorty G vs. Corbin, Roode, and Ziggler for next week’s Smackdown…
4. Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. Nikki Cross in a non-title match. The stipulation was that Cross would earn a spot on Team Smackdown with a win. Bayley attacked Cross, then Shayna Baszler showed up and entered the ring. Bayley hopped the barricade and smirked, then turned and found Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Dakota Kai, and Mia Yim behind her.
Bayley fought Nikki Cross to an apparent no-contest in less than 1:00.
Sasha Banks showed up in the ring and hit Baszler from behind. The NXT crew entered the ring and then Dana Brooke and Carmella joined the fight for the Smackdown side and quickly cleared the ring. Banks took the mic and issued a challenge to a four-on-four tag match…
Powell’s POV: Shayna Baszler is heading up a team that will face Ripley, Nox, Yim, and Candice LeRae in a WarGames match the night before Survivor Series. Granted, they didn’t hang out with Baszler, but it sure felt like the idea was that this was a planned attack. Why not have Baszler’s teammates or even her usual sidekicks Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir interfere?
5. Sasha Banks, Nikki Cross, Carmella, and Dana Brooke vs. Rhea Ripley, Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, and Dakota Kai. Graves noted the ladder match that Yim had with on Wednesday’s NXT television show and said she had to be feeling the effects. Banks and Ripley ended up in the ring together at one point. Banks slapped Ripley, who then blocked a Banks move and slammed her down before jawing at her. All eight women entered the ring and bickered heading into a break. [C]
Cole said Smackdown is the hottest show on Friday nights and was trending No. 1 on Twitter. In the end, Cross performed a neckbreaker on Kai and pinned her.
Sasha Banks, Nikki Cross, Carmella, and Dana Brooke beat Rhea Ripley, Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, and Dakota Kai in 9:25.
After the match, the NXT team attacked Cross and then the Smackdown team brawled with them. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville ran out to help and ran off the NXT crew…
Daniel Bryan was shown walking backstage… [C]
Powell’s POV: I actually like the finish. Kai’s character has been down in the dumps about being left off Ripley’s WarGames team in favor of Yim. As such, Kai losing plays nicely into her story of frustration.
The broadcast team hyped Survivor Series. Cole noted that this will be the 33rd Survivor Series event…
The Miz made his entrance for Miz TV and introduced Daniel Bryan as his guest. A graphic listed Bryan’s LeBell Lock finisher as the LaBell Lock (pot, kettle, black). Footage aired of The Fiend attacking Bryan last week. The Miz asked Bryan why he thinks The Fiend selected him to attack.
Miz said he think it’s because Bryan is conflicted as to who he is and knows that he’s not the same guy he once was. Miz wondered if Bryan was the ultimate underdog or the New Daniel Bryan who loves to tell everyone to recycle. Miz said he thinks The Fiend thinks Bryan is washed up and he wants to be the one to end him.
Bryan stood up and said the reason he was quiet is because Miz TV sucks and has always sucked. There were some boos. Bryan said Miz is right, he’s not the Bryan from ten years ago and he may be washed up and even mentally unstable, but the passion that led him to overcome the odds is still there. Miz tried to speak, but Bryan yelled at him to shut his mouth.
Bryan said Miz and the fans don’t understand the passion combined with mental instability. Bryan said that’s what drove him to kill off the Yes Movement when Miz would have rode that out for the rest of his career. He said Miz doesn’t understand, but Wyatt does because he’s mentally unstable as well. Bryan said we don’t know if The Fiend controls Wyatt or if Wyatt controls The Fiend.
The Firefly Funhouse opening interrupted Bryan. Wyatt appeared on the screen from the Funhouse and waved while saying, “Hi, Daniel.” He said it was rude to speak about another person when he’s not present. Wyatt said being confused is scary and maybe The Fiend attacked him to scare him. Wyatt got serious and said maybe it’s because of what Bryan did. He switched modes again and said maybe The Fiend wants to play with Bryan.
Wyatt opened a toy box and pulled out demented toys, a saw, and a horn and threw them all aside. Wyatt pulled out his WWE Universal Championship and said that if Bryan wants to play then he just needs to say the magic word. “No,” Bryan said. Abby appeared on the screen and said yes. Bryan responded no. Rinse and repeat with the buzzard, Huskis, and the rabbit with Bryan saying no each time.
Bryan said he wouldn’t play with Wyatt’s puppets. Bryan said Wyatt was trying to manipulate the people. Bryan said that if Wyatt wants to fight then they should fight and they should do it for the Universal Championship. Bryan asked Wyatt what he had to say. Well, to that I guess I have to say yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.” Wyatt continued to say yes and laughed maniacally and then the Funhouse theme song played.
In the ring, Miz announced The Fiend vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Universal Championship at Survivor Series. The fans kinda cheered. Bryan left the ring. Graves the universe shifted around Bryan and the man puling the string was Wyatt…
Powell’s POV: The live crowd wasn’t as hot for the announcement as I expected them to be, but I did enjoy the segment. Bryan’s current conflicted persona is probably the reason that fans aren’t rallying behind him, but it was surprising to hear some boos when Bryan said Miz TV sucks. It is crazy that they only have go-home week left to push this match. It’s a nice addition to the Survivor Series card, but it just feels like it needed a longer build. I will have more to say about this show coming up in my weekly audio review for Dot Net Members. 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.
The WWE Championship is black, not blue. *pushes glasses up on nose*
There was a man dressed in a king outfit, a man dressed in a dog costume, and a grown ass man who likes to be called Shorty G all involved in this segment. Sure, the in-ring quality was good, but it doesn’t make a bit of difference when WWE is so damn corny.
oh that’s nothing compared to the 80’s WWE when the place was a Zoo as Bobby Heenan said in his HOF speech. you had snakes, lizards a bird, two dogs. and many other animals.
I lived through it. Times change. Just because something worked then doesn’t mean it still works today. The bulk of the Smackdown product feels dated and out of touch.
Yeah i think you inadvertently proved Jason’s point there, my dude. 80s campiness only works nowadays if you are self-aware or ironic about it.
Nothing about this product winks at the audience. It’s just Vinny and Brucey’s outdated taste not playing well at all in the modern era and it’s quite frankly embarrassing.
Maybe the more serious wrestling fans would’ve popped if the “dog” kept its paws in its jean pockets and did fake shin kicks.
You guys really don’t have to choose sides. I don’t get it. Anyway, listen to the crowd when Orange Cassidy appears. They love him. He’s over. And no one in AEW has sold those shin kicks. It was something that happened in independent matches and I got the appeal at a small show, but I’m happy it hasn’t carried over to AEW.
“Finally, a break from the Hee Haw campiness”
Hee Haw was a good funny show.
They would’ve been better off not explaining the suddenly blue belt instead of using “magic” to change the color.
I dunno, I feel like they can get away with it on the funhouse – Bray regularly changes costume in an instant, kids appear/disappear, there’s sentient immortal puppets
It’s like, you can trust that things have happened, but not the why’s and how’s
He’s an unreliable narrator
With the pancake tossing, unicorn horn wearing, trumpet playing, ass wiggling new day being quite possibly the most consistently popular act over the past several years, why wouldn’t the wwe continue to crank out the corniness?