By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,111)
Live from in Orlando, Florida at Amway Center
Aired December 4, 2020 on Fox
[Hour One] Smackdown opened with the Smackdown wrestlers standing on the stage with Vince McMahon, Gerald Brisco, Sgt. Slaughter, and Bruce Prichard. The memorial graphic for Pat Patterson was on the big screen. Michael Cole and Corey Graves stood behind their broadcast table. Cole welcomed viewers to the show and said they were paying tribute to Patterson in the form of the ten bell salute. A “thank you, Pat” audio track played… The Smackdown opening aired…
Kayla Braxton stood in the ring and introduced WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, who was accompanied by Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. One the trio finally made it to the ring, Reigns told Braxton to announce him properly. Heyman stepped in and delivered a slightly more obnoxious introduction than Braxton gave him earlier. Braxton set up footage from last week of Reigns scolding Uso, and their issues with Kevin Owens.
Braxton said Owens doesn’t fear Reigns and then questioned if Reigns feared Owens. Reigns said this is probably the biggest thing that Braxton has been a part of. Reigns said Cole could have done the job, but they gave her a chance and she blew it with a stupid question. “Next question,” Reigns said. Braxton asked Reigns if he’s manipulating Uso. Reigns said those are stupid words for stupid people.
Reigns said Uso is one half of the greatest tag team of their generation, but he questioned what Uso has done over the last three months. Reigns said Heyman has been working with Braxton on Talking Smack and went to bat for her, and she was blowing her opportunity. Heyman stepped up and spoke about the ratings surge with Uso in the main events and credited Reigns with being a motivator.
Kevin Owens’ entrance music interrupted Heyman. Owens walked to the ring with a mic in his hand. Owens said Reigns didn’t come to him last week, so he was coming to him with the hope of settling their issues on the spot. Jey took the mic and said they run the show. Owens said he wasn’t talking to the bus boy, he was talking to the head of the table. Owens challenged Reigns to face him at TLC in a TLC match for the WWE Universal Championship. Owens said the alternative was to settle things right away.
Reigns said Owens wanted to fight him because it would be the best thing for his career. Reigns said he and his cousin don’t back down from anyone. Reigns said that if he was the man that he used to be, then he would whoop Owens’ ass immediately, but there’s a time and place for everything. Reigns said he’s not a savage, he’s a gentleman. “There’s a lady in the ring,” Reigns said. “Grow up.” Reigns dropped the mic and then exited the ring along with Uso and Heyman.
Cole said they would have to wait to see if WWE officials made the TLC match official. Owens told Reigns that he’ll grow up once Reigns grows some balls. “It’s clear to everyone that you’re just a bitch,” Owens said. Reigns stopped and seethed for a second on the entrance ramp, then walked to the back while Graves praised his restraint. Cole and Graves hyped a couple of previously advertised segments…
Bayley made her entrance for a match… [C]
Powell’s POV: The Reigns character continues to be excellent and this was another strong performance. Uso’s facial expressions were really good when the idea of Reigns manipulating him were brought up. It’s tough to view Owens as a real threat to beat Reigns, but he I like the way he calls Reigns on his BS and shows no fear of him. Meanwhile, the ten bell salute for Pat Patterson was classy. They are also dedicating tonight’s six-man tag match to him.
Uso was shown venting while Reigns and Heyman stood by. Reigns remained calm while talking with him…
Cole announced that Reigns vs. Owens in a TLC match for the WWE Universal Championship was official for the TLC pay-per-view…
1. Bayley vs. Natalya. Bianca Belair sat in on commentary for the match. Bayley got the better of Natalya at ringside. Bayley jawed at Belair, then Natalya recovered and ran Bayley into the ring post. [C]
Bayley regained offensive control in the ring. Natalya rolled her up and was kicked into the corner. Bayley charged at Natalya, who moved, and Bayley ran into the corner. Natalya tripped up Bayley and put her in the Sharpshooter for the win while Belair stood up and applauded from ringside…
Natalya beat Bayley in 6:05.
Powell’s POV: Well, that was strange. We didn’t see much of the match due to the commercial break. It was odd to see two heels going at it, and even odder to see Bayley lose clean to Natalya.
Cole hyped more of the celebration of Pat Patterson’s life… [C] A montage of Patterson photos were shown along with tweets regarding his death written by various active wrestlers, legends, and Vince McMahon…
The original Intercontinental Title belt was shown on a podium next to the broadcast table. Cole said Patterson was the first person to win the title in a (fictitious) tournament in Rio de Janeiro. Cole and Graves set up the terrific “My Way” montage that originally aired on Wednesday’s NXT television show….
Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, and Big E made their entrance for the six-man tag match. They set up a bowl with talcum powder on the stage for Big E’s entrance. Big E put some on his hands and clapped, similar to the way Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, and other NBA players have done… [C] The heel trio made their entrances…
2. Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, and Big E vs. Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, and Robert Roode. Graves said all six men were honored to be invited to be in the match that paid tribute to Pat Patterson. The babyface trio controlled the early offense until Bryan went up top and was dropkicked to ringside by Ziggler. [C]
Big E performed a uranage slam on Nakamura in the corner and had him pinned, but Ziggler broke it up. E crashed and burned in his own corner, which led to Mysterio tagging in and getting some offense on Zayn, who countered a huracanrana attempt into a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
A short time later, Bryan and Ziggler both tagged in. Bryan roughed up Ziggler and then performed a huracanrana from the ropes, but Ziggler rolled him into a pin for a near fall. Ziggler dropped Bryan with a Fameasser and went for the pin, but Big E broke it up.
Zayn tagged himself in. Bryan hit a running knee on Ziggler, then Zayn ran in and went after Bryan, who put him in the Yes Lock. Zayn reached the ropes to break the hold. Zayn came back with a brainbuster for a two count, but Bryan rolled him right into a pin for a near fall. Bryan ended up catching Zayn in an inside cradle for the win.
Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, and Big E defeated Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, and Robert Roode in 11:30.
[Hour Two] After the match, the heel trio grumbled in the ring. The babyface trio huddled up, then charged the ring. Nakamura and Zayn went after the babyfaces, who cleared them from the ring. Ziggler was left alone with the babyfaces and offered a handshake, begged for mercy, and tried to do the Yes bit.
Ziggler took a swing at Bryan, who ducked it, then the babyfaces took turns hitting their finishers on Ziggler. Big E capped it off with his Big Ending, then pounded his chest and looked to the sky. Bryan, Mysterio, and E did the Yes bit on the ropes…
Powell’s POV: A fun six-man tag match. These babyfaces would be heavy favorites over this group of heels in a typical week, but it was a slam dunk that they would win the tribute match. And because this was a tribute match, I will behave myself by taking the week off from mocking Ziggler’s entrance music. My irrational hatred of that song will return next week.
Kevin Owens was interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton and was asked what about Reigns draws his ire. Owens said he used to respect Reigns and even looked up to him. He said that as successful as Reigns was, he never looked down on others and never had his own locker room. “He was just one of the boys,” Owens said.
As Owens was talking, Kalisto walked out of the doorway behind him. Owens told him it was all good. Owens spoke about Reigns being an arrogant jackass. He said there was a word that describes Reigns, but he didn’t want to upset Fox. Owens hummed the word asshole. Otis showed up and said Reigns doesn’t respect guys like him and Owens. He said he wants to bulldoze through Reigns and Uso…
Split screen shots were shown on Sasha Banks and Carmella preparing for their interview… [C] Another batch of Patterson photos and tweets were shown… A sponsored ad recapped the Banks and Carmella feud…
The Banks and Carmella split screen interview aired. Cole conducted the interview from ringside. Banks and Carmella jawed at one another. Banks acknowledged that she and Carmella trained together at the WWE Performance Center and gave her props for being the first female Money in the Bank winner.
Banks said they’ve never met one on one and told Carmella that she’ll never be in her league. Carmella accused Banks of being jealous. Carmella said Banks wanted to be a WWE star since she was a child and she had to work her butt off for it. Carmella said Banks resents that everything came easy for her. Carmella said she would embarrass Banks and take her title. Banks called for a title match at TLC, then told Carmella that she’s never been in the ring with a badder bitch than her. Carmella snapped her fingers and her screen went black…
Murphy headed to the ring with the Mysterio family (minus Angie)… The NXT WarGames ad aired for Sunday’s show… [C] Graves hyped Sami Zayn, Carmella, Liv Morgan, and Ruby Riott as the guests on Saturday’s Talking Smack…
Highlights aired of last week’s Murphy vs. King Corbin match… Corbin made his entrance and was accompanied to the ring by two men wearing hoodies (appeared to be Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake)…
3. Murphy (w/Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, Aliyah Mysterio) vs. King Corbin (w/Steve Cutler, Wesley Blake). Murphy sent Corbin to ringside and followed him to the floor. Murphy was distracted by “these individuals” as Cole called them, and was tossed over the broadcast table. [C]
Graves acknowledged Cutler and Blake by name coming out of the break. Cutler and Blake attacked Rey and Dom at ringside. Murphy chased them into the ring and ran right into Corbin’s End of Days finisher. Corbin covered Murphy for the win…
King Corbin defeated Murphy in 10:30.
Powell’s POV: Murphy teamed with Blake and had Alexa Bliss as their manager during their NXT days. It’s nice to see Cutler and Blake back in the creative mix. They disappeared from television after their Forgotten Sons’ sidekick Jaxson Ryker expressed pro-Trump political beliefs via social media at a questionable time, which led to a locker room backlash.
The Street Profits spoke backstage. Angelo Dawkins spoke about how Roman Reigns thinks he’s Michael Jordan and has his own locker room. Montez Ford agreed. Robert Roode and Cesaro showed up separately and made pitches for tag title shots for their respective teams. Dawkins bickered with Roode, while Ford bickered with Cesaro…
Kevin Owens and Otis made their entrances for the main event… [C] Another round of Patterson photos and tweets were shown… Uso made his entrance, but Reigns didn’t come out, presumably as punishment for Uso being overzealous during the opening segment with Owens…
4. Roman Reigns and Jey Uso (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Kevin Owens and Otis. Uso started the match without a partner. At 1:45, Reigns’ entrance music played and he headed to the ring with Heyman. Reigns tagged into the match and then ran across the ring and knocked Otis off the apron with a Superman Punch.
Reigns ran Otis into the ring post and then into the ring steps. Reigns grabbed the top piece of the ring steps and hit Otis. Owens hit Reigns from behind and slammed his head into the broadcast table. Uso leapt off the apron and onto Owens. [C]
Owens roughed up Uso and called for Reigns to tag in. When Reigns blew him off, Owens put Uso down with a Samoan Drop. Owens called for Reigns to get in the ring. Reigns obliged, then Uso hit Owens from behind. Reigns threw an uppercut at Owens, who was superkicked by Uso.
Uso went to the top rope for his finisher, but Reigns barked at him to get down and tag him in. Uso was going to comply, but Owens regrouped and put him down with a Stunner. Reigns broke up the pin and then put Owens in the guillotine choke while the referee called for the bell.
Kevin Owens and Otis beat Roman Reigns and Jey Uso by DQ in 11:25.
After the match, Uso grabbed a couple of chairs per Roman’s instructions, then they took turns hitting Owens with the chairs. Reigns barked another order. Uso put his chair on top of Owens, then performed a top rope splash that left both men hurting.
Reigns hit Uso with the chair a few times, then jabbed it into his gut a few more times. Reigns got his title belt from Heyman, then placed it on Owens and jawed at him. Reigns barked at Owens for trying to come between his family. Reigns told Owens that he would take his manhood, his livelihood, and his whole world. Reigns took the title back and held it up over his hand while standing over Owens and Uso to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Great stuff. I was surprised to see Reigns attack Jey, but it was consistent with the storyline given that Jey was out of mind (in Roman’s mind) for being overzealous during the backstage segment. Will Uso continue to be submissive or are they building toward him eventually snapping and standing up for himself despite the threat of him, his wife, and children becoming outcasts from the rest of the family? Let me know what you thought of the show by giving it a letter grade via our post Smackdown poll via the main page. I will be back shortly with my weekly same night audio review for Dot Net Members.
Join John Moore for his live review of NXT Takeover WarGames on Sunday night.
I wish WWE and Reigns would move on from the Family storyline..I don’t care for it and have had no interest in Reigns since his heel turn.
I don’t mind him being a heel I just have no interest in the family head of the table storyline and him being a bully to Jay Uso. so I just skip his segments and matches when I watch SD on line.
I will take this Reigns over “sufferin’ succotash” Reigns any day.
“2. Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, and Big E vs. Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, and Robert Roode. Graves said all six men were honored to be invited to be in the match that paid tribute to Pat Patterson. The babyface trio controlled the early offense until Bryan went up top and was dropkicked to ringside by Ziggler. [C]
Big E performed a uranage slam on Nakamura in the corner and had him pinned, but Ziggler broke it up. E crashed and burned in his own corner, which led to Mysterio tagging in and getting some offense on Zayn, who countered a huracanrana attempt into a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.”
So was it Roode or Nakamura in the match? This description is super confusing.
It was Nakamura.Roode hasn’t been intercontinental champ and the guys in the match were because of the Pat Patterson tribute..