By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,201)
Live from Detroit, Michigan at Little Caesars Arena
Aired August 26, 2022 on Fox
[Hour One] Michael Cole and Pat McAfee checked in on commentary, and Samantha Irvin was the ring announcer. They went to introductions for the opening match after hyping that the main event would be Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn…
1. Ricochet vs. Happy Corbin. A pre-tape aired with Corbin saying there was no way “that little punk” would beat him. Cole played up Corbin being on a losing streak. Ricochet hit a springboard elbow that sent Corbin to ringside. Ricochet followed and was launched toward the post, but he caught himself on the ropes and hit Corbin with a corkscrew dive on the floor heading into a break. [C]
Corbin went on the offensive. Ricochet went for a springboard move, but Corbin drilled him with a forearm to the back of the head. A short time later, Ricochet battled back and went up top for his finisher, but Corbin avoided it and drilled him with a boot to the face. Corbin slammed Ricochet to the mat and covered him for a two count.
Corbin showed frustration and barked at the crowd. Ricochet ducked a clothesline and went for the Recoil, but Corbin stuffed it. Ricochet hit him with a knee and a kick, then went up top again and hit a shooting star press for the win. McAfee used his telestrator afterward…
Ricochet defeated Happy Corbin in 12:20.
Powell’s POV: A solid match. The Corbin losing streak made the outcome feel less predictable than it would have been if they weren’t telling that story. This show and AEW Rampage are the only thing standing in the way of me entering deep prep mode for my fantasy football auctions/drafts. All of my leagues are held on the highly recommended MyFantasyLeague.com. Yep, that’s cheap plug for my friends and their great site.
“The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins were hanging out backstage when “Hit Row” Ashante Adonis, Top Dolla, and B-Fab showed up. The two teams got along and walked off together…
Cole hyped a video on Drew McIntyre’s “journey home” as coming up next… [C]
The first part of the McIntyre video package aired and featured footage of him from his early years in Scotland, his independent days, and his early WWE run. He spoke about his career falling apart and said it was around the time that his mother got sick. He said she passed and that sent him off the deep end. He spoke about being immature. He said he would achieve his potential and return to WWE a man…
Cole said McIntyre had to hit rock bottom before he could climb back into WWE. He said the redemption part of the video package would air later in the show. McAfee hyped McIntyre challenging Roman Reigns for the Clash at the Castle event…
The Karrion Kross entrance played. Kross and Scarlett were shown somewhere in the building. Kross said McIntyre’s story was beautiful and congratulated him. Kross said maybe now is McIntyre’s time or maybe not. He told him to take the moment in, think about it, and savor it, because he could put his arm through the back of his head and then all of his achievements would mean nothing. “Tick tock,” Kross closed…
Shotzi and Xia Li made their entrance for the four-way match for a spot in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title tournament semifinals later in the show. Cole explained that Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin had to pull out of the semifinals due to Dolin’s injury… [C]
2. Nikki ASH and Doudrop vs. Sonya Deville and Natalya vs. Dana Brooke and Tamina vs. Xia Li and Shotzi in a four-way second chance WWE Women’s Tag Team Title tournament match. Deville and Natalya’s entrance was shown, while the other teams were already in the ring. As Brooke was setting up to superplex ASH, Deville made a blind tag. Brooke superplexed ASH onto a pile of wrestlers at ringside. Deville tossed ASH inside the ring and quickly pinned her…
Sonya Deville and Natalya won the four-way in 3:10 to earn a spot in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title tournament semifinal match.
Powell’s POV: Despite all those wrestlers on the floor, ASH went over them and landed hard on her feet and legs. She immediately clutched the bottom of her right foot. Hopefully she’s okay. They kept the match brief because Deville and Natalya will face Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah in the semifinals tonight.
Highlights aired of Sheamus winning last week’s five-way to earn an Intercontinental Title shot at Clash at the Castle… Sheamus, Ride Holland, and Butch made their entrance… [C]
Detroit imagery was shown and McAfee noted that the Lions are the stars of Hard Knocks… A Shayna Baszler video package aired…
Sheamus stood inside the ring and spoke about how he and his sidekicks would be drinking pints after he beats Gunther to become the Intercontinental Champion.
Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser made their entrance and joined the trio inside the ring. Sheamus said Gunther calls himself The Ring General, but Sheamus said Gunther was looking at a ring general. Sheamus boasted about the people’s he’s beaten and closed out the list with Triple H.
Sheamus said no one has had banger after banger like he has. He told Gunther that they have similarities, but Gunther has something he wants – the Intercontinental Championship. Sheamus promised that he would drag the title off of Gunther’s lifeless body and into the belly of the red dragon.
Gunther said Sheamus is a man to be respected, but he’s nothing like him. Gunther said he would teach Sheamus what violence really means in order to keep his title. Gunther said he would chop Sheamus’s chest and crush his spirit. Gunther said he will break Sheamus.
Butch attacked Kaiser and they brawled while Gunther and Sheamus glared at one another. Kaiser clotheslined Holland to ringside and dumped hm on the floor. Kaiser returned to the ring and fought with Butch while Gunther and Sheamus continued to glare at one another. They continued the staredown while eventually holding back their sidekicks. Gunther and Kaiser left the ring…
Megan Morant interviewed Natalya and Deville while ASH and Doudrop could be seen arguing in the background. Deville said they are one small rookie mistake away from going to the finals of the tournament…
Bayley, Iyo Sky, and Dakota Kai made their entrance while Cole hyped the tournament match… [C]
Powell’s POV: ASH was standing while arguing with Doudrop, so that’s a good sign. Hopefully the argument means they are getting back to that time on Raw when Doupdrop asked ASH if she was ready to get serious.
A video package recapped last week’s show-closing segment with Drew McIntyre, Roman Reigns, and Sami Zayn…
Backstage, Zayn knocked on Roman Reigns’ dressing room door. The Usos answered the door and joined him in the hall. Jimmy was kind to Zayn, while Jey pointed out that he lost the five-way match. Sami assumed that Roman would want to see him. Jey was telling him to get lost when Roman indicated that he could enter the room.
[Hour Two] Reigns had Zayn take a seat next to him and asked how he was doing. Zayn said his jaw was still sore from last week. Reigns said he lost. Zayn said he technically lost. Reigns said sometimes bad things happen so what we can redeem ourselves. Zayn said that’s how he sees it.
Reigns asked Zayn if he thought he forgot. He said he was alone and he appreciated Zayn helping him out. Reigns said that’s something family would do. Zayn said Reigns can count on him for anything. Reigns said he needed a favor. He told Zayn that he needed Drew McIntyre occupied and distracted.
Zayn said he had a match with McIntyre and added that Reigns could not have asked a better person. Zayn said he would get in McIntyre’s head, throw down a blanket, have a picnic, and do a little dance in there. Zayn said it could be a bonding moment if they all did it together.
Reigns said he’s extremely distracting. He told Zayn that he has a chance to become main event. Jimmy wished Zayn luck and slapped hands with him. Sami hoped Jey would do the same, but Jey pointed at the door…
Powell’s POV: I continue to love the dynamic between Zayn and The Bloodline. Reigns is making Zayn his useful idiot, and it’s really fun to see Jimmy act like buddies with Zayn while Jey can’t hide his disdain. Everyone involved is doing a really good job with these segments.
Bayley was on commentary with McAfee and an annoyed Cole while Sky and Kai stood behind her. Entrances for the tag team match took place…
3. Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah vs. Sonya Deville and Natalya in a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title tournament semifinal match. Early in the match, Natalya performed a Michinoku Driver on Aliyah at ringside. [C] The heels isolated Rodriguez while Cole pointed out that Aliyah was still down at ringside.
Natalya went for a Sharpshooter, but Rodriguez kicked her to ringside. Deville blasted Rodriguez with a knee to the face and covered her for a near fall. Rodriguez powered up Deville and hit the Texana Bomb and then pinned her…
Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah defeated Sonya Deville and Natalya in roughly 8:00 to advance to the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title tournament final.
Cole hyped Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai vs. Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions for Monday’s Raw…
Mansoor and Mace were posing for a photoshoot while Max Dupri barked at the photographer and Maxxine Dupri stood by. They all became distracted when they heard the Hit Row theme song coming from a nearby tour bus. Max said someone needed to fix it. Maxxine said she had an idea and walked away…
Cole hyped New Day for after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: Wait, Hit Row sits around and listens to their own theme song? Anyway, I assume Sky and Kai win on Monday. They’ve been the favorites from the start and I don’t see any reason for the Rodriguez and Aliyah to move forward as a team.
Backstage, Maxxine returned with the Los Lotharios duo of Angel and Humberto. They had spray paint cans and told Max that they had an idea…
Kofi Kingston stood in the ring while Xavier Woods was seated in a wheel chair with a blanket over his legs. Woods said they are normally clapping and dancing, but this was difficult for them. Woods said they underestimated the Viking Raiders. Kingston recalled having his ribs crushed by Ivar.
Woods said they saw the viking funeral, which included the Viking Raiders burning Booty-O’s, New Day shirts, unicorn horns, and their legacy. Woods indicated that New Day might be done. Kingston said they had a chance to do a lot of great things.
“The Viking Raiders” Erik and Ivar made their entrance. “This is pathetic,” Erik said. He said they gave New Day a warrior’s sendoff and now they were out there sniveling. Kingston and Woods asked for just a few minutes to say what they had to say.
Erik and Ivar walked to the ring. Ivar said it made them sick to see them groveling like wounded animals. Ivar said sometimes the best thing to do for a wounded animal is to put it down. The Viking Raiders entered the ring. Kingston drew them away from Woods.
Woods stood up and had a walking boot on with two kendo sticks stuffed inside it. Woods tossed a kendo stick to Woods and then they beat the Viking Raiders with it until they quickly bled the ring. Woods picked up his wheelchair and tossed it toward Erik and Ivar…
Cole hyped McIntyre vs. Zayn… [C] The broadcast team pushed Undertaker’s one man show in Cardiff…
Backstage, Hit Row discovered “Hit Row Sucks” painted on the tour bus. Adonis said they couldn’t wait to get Mace and Mansoor in the ring next week. Top Dolla informed them that it wasn’t even their bus. The Street Profits emerged from the bus and the heel teams fled…
Jon Stewart’s POV: Have you ever listened to Hit Row’s theme song on a tour bus… on weed?!?
Backstage, the Usos approached Zayn. Jimmy said Roman doesn’t talk like that to everyone and told Zayn this was a big opportunity for him. Jey said Zayn blew it last week and told him not to blow it again. Zayn questioned why he had to be so negative before his match. Jey barked at Zayn for talking behind his back last week and told him to take care of his business…
The second part of the McIntyre video package aired. It focused on his redemption and capturing the WWE Championship. McIntyre spoke about being in the main event in the first UK stadium show in thirty years. He spoke about taking down Reigns and fulfilling his destiny in front of 70,000 people…
Powell’s POV: I have no idea what the finish of the match will be, but they’ve done a really good job of making McIntyre feel like a much bigger threat to beat Reigns than most of Roman’s recent challengers.
Drew McIntyre made his entrance for the main event. The stupid sword is back… [C] An Ozzy Osbourne inflatable was shown outside the venue while Cole explained that it’s traveling the country to promote his new album…
The broadcast team hyped the following segments for next week’s Smackdown: Roman Reigns celebrates two years as champion, Ronda Rousey’s “final judgment,” Karrion Kross’s in-ring debut, Mansoor and Mace vs. Hit Row, and Butch vs. Ludwig Kaiser, and The Viking Raiders vs. New Day in a Viking Rules match (Cole said there are no rules)…
Sami Zayn made his entrance. Cole told the story of Sami sending out a happy birthday tweet to Jimmy Uso, yet not tweeting about Jey Uso’s birthday. Awesome…
4. Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn. McIntyre dropped Zayn with an early punch. Zayn came back by clipping McIntyre’s knee. McIntyre recovered quickly and performed a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. McIntyre placed Zayn on the ropes and went for a superplex, but Zayn raked his eyes and performed a sunset bomb. [C]
McIntyre took control and set up for his finisher, but he was distracted when Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso ran to ringside. Zayn put McIntyre down with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. McIntyre came back a short time later with a Claymore Kick and scored the pin…
Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn in 10:20.
After the match, Roman Reigns ran out and attacked McIntyre from behind. McIntyre came back by running Reigns through the ropes and into the post. The Usos attacked McIntyre, who fought them off, and then turned into a spear from Reigns.
The Usos brought chairs into the ring and beat McIntyre with them while Reigns stood by. Reigns had the Uso toss McIntyre to ringside where they tossed him over the broadcast table. The Usos picked up McIntyre and ran him into the barricade. Jimmy held McIntyre against the barricade and then Zayn hit McIntyre with a Helluva Kick. Zayn held McIntyre and then the Usos battered him with the top piece of the ring steps.
Reigns stood in the ring and watched it all play out, then had the Usos roll McIntyre back into the ring. Reigns grabbed McIntyre’s head and told him the top of the mountain belongs to him and McIntyre will never have it until he’s done with it. Reigns put McIntyre in the guillotine choke and then released him. Reigns placed a chair over McIntyre’s chest and neck and then sat down on it while the Usos draped the title belts over his shoulders. Reigns looked into the camera and said the whole industry runs off of him. “I want somebody to take it from me,” Reigns said…
Powell’s POV: Are you listening, Rock? A really good heat generating segment for The Bloodline. It made McIntyre look sympathetic heading into the go-home show. It was also a wise call because they are taping next week’s Smackdown tonight, so now the live crowd has a reason to hope that McIntyre gets a measure of revenge on the go-home show.
Overall, McIntyre and The Bloodline (including Sami!) were the highlights of the night. The women’s tournament matches and the opener were predictable and forgettable, and I enjoyed the Gunther and Sheamus segment. I will have more to say about the show in my weekly same night audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
This show felt phoned in. But if they are taping next week after I suppose I understand why this week felt like a placeholder
That’s what I don’t understand about WWE over the years. With so many entertainment options, NO episode should feel like a phone in or a throw away, no matter how many they produce in a year