By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown on Fox
Aired live on September 11, 2020 from Orlando, Florida at the Amway Center
[Hour One] A 9/11 “We Will Never Forget” graphic opened the show… A video package that recapped last week’s Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman promo segment… There was a second recap that focused on Jey Uso winning a four-way to become No. 1 contender to the WWE Universal Championship…
The ThunderDome set lit up while the AC/DC opening theme played (you all breathe it). Michael Cole and Corey Graves were on commentary…
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman made their entrance. Cole called Reigns “The Big Dog” while they piped in loud boos. Ring announcer Greg Hamilton introduced both men. Cole and Graves hyped Reigns vs. Jey Uso for the title at WWE Clash of Champions on September 27. Cole noted that Uso has never had a singles title shot in WWE.
Heyman said “your tribal chief” authorized him to enlighten viewers on some history. Heyman recalled how Reigns won the title at Payback. He also claimed that Reigns wanted full transparency last week, so Heyman said he laid everything on the table.
Heyman turned the focus to Jey Uso winning the four-way to become number one contender. Heyman said Reigns gave him the privilege of introducing the number one contender. Heyman introduced Uso while saying that he’s Roman’s cousin, but he may as well be his blood brother.
Jey Uso made his entrance and joined Reigns and Heyman in the ring. Cole said Jey refers to the match as “The Big Dog vs. The Underdog.” Photos of Reigns and the Usos from their younger years were shown. Uso said Heyman goes way back with his family and he thanked him for getting him in the four-way match last week.
Heyman credited Reigns with the idea of Jey replacing Big E in the four-way. Reigns said Jey doesn’t have to thank him because they are blood. Reigns said they’ve thought about this for years. Reigns said he and the entire family are proud of Jey and said that he’s earned it. Reigns said Jey is about to take a huge payday home for his family.
Reigns said Clash of Champions won’t be Jey’s moment. “Just like when we were kids, I’m going to whoop your ass,” Reigns said. Reigns said it would be all love afterward. Jey said they are not kids anymore.
King Corbin interrupted and complained about Reigns getting a handpicked opponent for his first title match. Corbin called it nepotism and said it makes him sick. He said nothing makes him more sick than watching someone abuse their power.
Sheamus made his entrance and said he had to agree with Corbin. He said the situation stinks. Sheamus and Corbin entered the ring. Jey suggested that the Sheamus and Corbin face him and Reigns in a tag team match. Jey cleared Sheamus and Corbin from the ring while Reigns stood with the title belt over his shoulder and watched…
Powell’s POV: A strong segment with Reigns playing nice with his cousin and then sternly telling him that he won’t be taking the title at Clash of Champions. The tag match is formula WWE, but it’s intriguing in this case. Jey seems a bit naive for being so trusting of Reigns, but we’ll see how it plays out.
The broadcast team hyped Bayley’s promo, Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina in a four-way to earn a Smackdown Women’s Championship match at Clash of Champions. Cole said the Intercontinental Title match would be the first match of the night…
Sami Zayn threw a fight in the production area about Hardy being listed as the Intercontinental Championship… [C]
1. Jeff Hardy vs. AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Championship. Greg Hamilton delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Sami Zayn walked onto the stage and said he wanted the match to be known as an exhibition match because he is the real Intercontinental Champion.
Adam Pearce walked out with security and ushered Zayn to the back. Styles attacked Hardy before the bell. The referee checked on Hardy and then started the match. Styles charged Hardy, who moved, and then Styles crashed into the corner. Hardy hit a Twist of Fate. Hardy tried to follow up with a Swanton Bomb, but Styles rolled out of the way. [C]
Styles targeted Hardy’s injured knee. Sami Zayn returned and attacked Styles at ringside for the DQ. While it seemed like it would be a no-contest, Graves indicated that Hardy lost by disqualification.
AJ Styles beat Jeff Hardy by DQ in 7:35 in an Intercontinental Championship match.
The broadcast team hyped the Firefly Funhouse. Jey Uso was shown sitting on top of a couch and talking nonstop while Roman Reigns sat on the couch looking miserable.
Cameras cut back to the ring where Hardy was walking up the ramp following the match. Hardy collapsed. Cole said they needed help… [C]
Powells POV: So Jey is completely oblivious to the fact that his cousin is annoyed by him? I’m still into their feud and tonight’s main event, but I really hope they won’t make Jey look absurdly naive. The finish to the title match was fine in that they are clearly building to a Triple Threat match between Hardy, Styles, and Zayn.
Alyse Ashton stood outside the trainer’s room. She said Hardy never lost consciousness and the early word is that he was suffering from dehydration. AJ Styles showed up and vented about how he can beat Hardy and will prove that he’s the one and only Intercontinental Champion…
The broadcast team spoke about the brand to brand invitation that allows wrestlers to travel from brand to brand once a quarter. Footage aired from Raw of Sheamus and Cesaro challenging The Street Profits to a champions vs. champions match that will take place on Monday’s Raw…
Backstage, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura were talking when “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins showed up. The room had champagne and popcorn. The Profits noted that it was the champion’s lounge (and they still want the smoke). Cesaro noted that they had to go to the ring for a match. The Profits said it was a great time to scout. Cesaro told them not to break anything…
Powell’s POV: Champagne and popcorn?
The Lucha House Party trio made their entrance. A pre-taped promo featured Kalisto saying the tag titles would soon belong to them. Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik gave him an odd look, then joined him in a “lucha” chant…
Inside the trainer’s room, Hardy was talking with the doctor when Sami Zayn showed up and started jawing at Hardy, who tackled him and was roughing him up going into a break… [C]
2. Smackdown Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kalisto and Gran Metalik (w/Lince Dorado) in a non-title match. Cesaro and Nakamura’s entrance was shown coming out of the break. Cole hyped “an in your face edition of Monday Night Raw.” Um, okay.
Late in the match, the Street Profits popped up on the big screen. They were having a party in the champion’s lounge with Matt Riddle, Drew Gulak, and some women. In the ring, Kalisto rolled up a distracted Cesaro and pinned him…
Kalisto and Gran Metalik beat Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in 3:35 in a non-title match.
Powell’s POV: While I usually grumble about how many tag team and secondary champions lose non-title matches on Raw and Smackdown, this worked on multiple levels. Well, sorta. The Profits getting the better of Cesaro and Nakamura going into Raw didn’t really matter, but I like that Kalisto got the win for his team, as he can hold that over his tag partners.
Bayley was shown walking backstage. Cole said no one had heard from Bayley in a week and they hoped to find out why she attacked Sasha Banks last week…
An ad for Raw hyped Asuka vs. Mickie James for the Raw Women’s Championship, Nakamura and Cesaro vs. The Street Profits in a champions vs. champions match, Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio in a cage match, and Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee in a non-title match…
Powell’s POV: No one can accuse WWE of phoning in Monday’s Raw due to the Monday Night Football doubleheader. That said, I can’t help but wonder how long they wasted coming up with the “In Your Face Raw” slogan.
The party continued in the champions lounge with Lucha House Party joining the Profits and the rest of the partiers…
[Hour Two] Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley made her entrance with a chair in hand. Once in the ring, Bayley yanked the mic away from Hamilton, then sat down on the chair. The production crew cranked up the boos. Bayley responded by holding up her mic. A video package recapped the Bayley and Sasha Banks breakup angle.
Bayley looked into the camera while she delivered her promo while sitting on the chair. She said everyone is asking when Sasha will be back, but no one is asking how she feels. She asked if people think it felt good for her to attack her best friend and tag partner. She said she loved every second of it.
Bayley said she knew Banks was watching. She said Banks thought she was naive. She said Banks was waiting for the right time to strike. She said Banks kept her close and used her to become Two Belts Banks. Bayley said she was using Banks too. “Thanks to you, I am the longest reigning Smackdown Women’s Champion,” Bayley said. “But after last week, you are completely useless to me.” Production cranked up the boos again.
As Bayley was walking up the ramp, Nikki Cross made her entrance for the four-way match. Bayley walked past her, then turned and hit her with the chair. [C]
Powell’s POV: A good promo from Bayley that didn’t overstay its welcome. She hit the necessary points and got amazing heat! Okay, so they went a little overboard with the canned heat at the end, but it’s still better than week one of ThunderDome when they seemed afraid to add much crowd noise.
Coming out of the break, Tamina was in the ring while Alexa Bliss and trainers checked on Cross at ringside. Lacey Evans made her entrance and taunted Bliss and Cross by tossing a piece of her wardrobe at them…
3. Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina in a four-way for a shot at the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Clash of Champions. Cross sold back pain from the chair shot, but she worked her usual style and dove from the apron onto Evans and Tamina, who were at ringside a few minutes into the match. Bliss helped Cross to her feet, kissed her, and then put her down with Sister Abigail. [C]
Highlights were shown of Bliss acting like she was in a trance while walking up the ramp. The match continued without Bliss. Evans and Tamina fought in the ring while Cross was still down at ringside. Evans performed a moonsault on Tamina and had her pinned, but Cross returned to break it up.
Cross worked over both opponents and hit a bulldog and clothesline combo. Cross covered Evans for a two count. Cross performed a tornado DDT on Tamina and then put Evans down with a move, but Tamina recovered to break up the pin attempt. In the end, Cross slipped out of a Samoan Drop and ducked a superkick, then rolled up Tamina for the win…
Nikki Cross defeated Tamina, Lacey Evans, and Alexa Bliss in 11:45 to earn a Smackdown Women’s Championship match at Clash of Champions.
King Corbin and Sheamus were shown talking backstage, and then the broadcast team hyped the main event… Heavy Machinery made their entrance… [C]
Powell’s POV: Let the record show that Corbin won the King of the Ring tournament on September 16, 2019. He’s had the awful King gimmick for nearly a full year. End this. Anyway, I like the story told with Bliss hitting Bray Wyatt’s finisher on her friend. I could have done without the trance part, but I guess they didn’t want her to be part of the finish. Cross was the most appealing of the remaining options for another title match with Bayley. There won’t be much mystery regarding the outcome given that they are obviously build to Bayley vs. Banks.
The woman from last week’s feet video showed she’s more than just feet, but we still don’t know if she has a head. She snapped her fingers and a man draped a mink coat over her…
Powell’s POV: Was that a repackaged Carmella?
4. Otis (w/Tucker) vs. John Morrison (w/The Miz). Miz sat in on commentary briefly. Morrison tossed Otis’s lunchbox to Miz, who ran to the back. Otis hit the Caterpillar on Morrison, then followed off with a middle rope splash for the win…
Otis beat John Morrison in 2:25.
Powell’s POV: So Miz could have grabbed the lunchbox and the briefcase, but he decided to only grab the lunchbox. Isn’t Miz the same guy who told Morrison last week that holding the contract wouldn’t make him Mr. Money in the Bank? On the bright side, the babyfaces are not the only stupid characters on WWE television?
A sponsored video package recapped Sheamus’s attack on Big E from last week. Cole said Big E suffered bruised ribs and lacerations. He said Xavier Woods would provide another update on Big E on Talking Smack. Paul Heyman, AJ Styles, and Nikki Cross were announced as the guests for Saturday morning’s show…
A Firefly Funhouse teaser was shown. Ramblin’ Rabbit and Huskus stood in front of a “welcome” sign while Cole questioned who the new friend would be… [C]
Backstage, Otis opened his MITB briefcase and had another lunchbox and the MITB contract inside. In another part of the backstage area, Miz told Morrison that his lawyer said there are loopholes in every contract, so they just needed to get it to him. They opened the lunchbox. Miz said he was calling in a favor…
The new Firefly Funhouse aired. Bray Wyatt said something very special is missing from the Funhouse thanks to Roman Reigns. Wyatt said it’s okay because everyone experiences loss and how you handle loss defines the person that you become. Wyatt gave a double thumbs up sign while a “The Less You Know” graphic appeared.
Wyatt pointed to a box and said the newest member of the Funhouse was inside. Wyatt said “he has overcome so much in his life to make it this far.” Wyatt introduced The Persevering Parrot. Wyatt opened the box, but the parrot didn’t come up. Wyatt encouraged the parrot to say something inspirational. Wyatt looked inside the box and then a “technical difficulties” logo appeared.
Wyatt said he probably should have cut some holes in the box. “Oh well,” Wyatt said before throwing the box aside. The Vince McMahon devil appeared and said Wyatt lost the title, the parrot, and his trust. Wyatt asked what he had in mind. McMahon introduced Wobbly Walrus as the “special adviser” to the Firefly Funhouse. The walrus introduced himself in Paul Heyman style. The Vince puppet said this is some good shit (censored). “Oh, no” Wyatt said while striking the Home Alone pose. A “to be continued” graphic appeared…
Powell’s POV: If WWE really want to have a memorable Talking Smack episode, they should have Heyman and Styles appear at the desk at the same time, then have Xavier Woods and Kayla Braxton just walk away to let them fill the full show together.
King Corbin and Sheamus made their entrances for the main event… [C] Jey Uso made his entrance and was attacked at ringside by the heels. For some reason, the bell rang to start the match even though Roman Reigns hadn’t made his entrance…
5. Roman Reigns (w/Paul Heyman) and Jey Uso vs. Sheamus and King Corbin. Uso was alone to start the match. Sheamus hit the Irish Curse on Uso. Sheamus set up for a Brogue Kick, but Reigns’ entrance music played and distracted him long enough for Uso to recover. Reigns made his entrance with Heyman by his side. Uso put Sheamus down and went to the top rope. Reigns arrived just in time to tag himself into the match before Uso performed a top rope splash. Reigns speared and pinned Sheamus.
Roman Reigns and Jey Uso defeated Sheamus and King Corbin in 4:00.
After the match, Uso looked a little frustrated as Reigns headed up the ramp. Reigns walked to the stage where Heyman presented him with the WWE Universal Championship belt. Jey joined Reigns on the stage and then raised the hand that Reigns was holding the title belt with. Reigns shot Uso a nasty look. Uso sold injuries from the match while Reigns said something to him to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A really clever match that played perfectly off of the way Reigns showed up late and took the title at WWE Payback. It’s nice that Uso seemed upset with Reigns and wasn’t just obliviously happy that they won the match. Overall, this was a good episode. That’s two enjoyable Smackdown episodes in a row. Here’s hoping they can keep the momentum going. I will be back shortly with my same night audio review for Dot Net Members. Let me know what you thought of the show by assigning it a letter grade in our post Smackdown poll available on the main page. Have a great weekend.
What is up with the audio? It sounds like drag racing commercials from the 70s