WWE Smackdown results (11/15): Barnett’s review of Motor City Machine Guns vs. The Street Profits for the WWE Tag Team Titles, Nia Jax vs. Naomi for the WWE Women’s Championship

By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)

WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,316)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Fiserv Forum
Aired live November 15, 2024 on USA Network

Nia Jax was shown walking into the building split screen with Naomi. The Street Profits and Motor City Machine Guns were shown in the same fashion. Michael Cole and Corey Graves joined in on commentary, and Cody Rhodes made his entrance in the arena to start the show.

Footage was shown of Randy Orton’s piledriver injury angle from last week while Cody looked upset. He addressed Kevin Owens and said he had crossed a line. He demanded Owens come out to the ring immediately. After it didn’t happen, Rhodes reiterated in an angrier tone. Nick Aldis walked out and said he knew Cody was angry, and he was angry. He mentioned Orton having severe cervical trauma, and said that he used a move that was banned in this company for good reason, because they don’t want his generation of superstars in wheelchairs in 20 years.

Aldis continued and told Rhodes that until they figured out the punishment, he couldn’t allow Owens in the building. Cody told Aldis he made Owens a martyr, and he wouldn’t respond to financial punishment because he already drives a lamborghini. Aldis replied that he knows it isn’t about money, and that Owens wouldn’t be allowed back until they handled the issue internally. Cody replied and told Aldis to be real with him. He asked Aldis to put himself in his shoes.

Cody recalled Owens blaming him for the injury, and having to call Randy’s wife and loved ones and tell them that he didn’t know if his neck was broken or if he was going to be ok. He then told a story about how Randy had told him how proud he was of him after WrestleMania, and how much Randy Orton meant to him and his career. Cody asked Aldis if he wanted him to handle his business outside a WWE ring, because if he had to he would go to Owens house and take care of it on his front lawn he would. He said he didn’t think Aldis wanted that, and told him he wasn’t going to wait much longer.

Backstage, Jimmy Uso was on the phone. Jey and Sami walked up and they spoke about meeting Roman Reigns later to discuss War Games strategy. Sami said he had someone else he could ask, and told them he’d catch them later. In the arena, Bayley made her entrance for the first WWE Women’s United States Championship tournament match…[c]

My Take: A strong opening from Cody. He did well conveying his anger and how much Orton meant to him. Aldis played his part well too as the exasperated authority figure just trying to rein in the chaos.

Candice LeRae made her ring entrance, followed by B-Fab.

1. B-Fab vs. Candice LeRae vs. Bayley in a Women’s US Championship Tournament Match: LeRae jumped Bayley early on and tossed her out of the ring. B-Fab landed a body slam and a clothesline in LeRae and covered for a two count. Bayley climbed back up on the apron, and Bayley hit both women with a double clothesline…[c]

Bayley landed an elbow from the second rope to the back of B-Fab. She covered, but LeRae broke up the pinfall attempt. All three women ended up down on the mat, and Bayley and LeRae recovered first. Candice landed a Codebreaker on Bayley and landed on B-Fab in the process. She then went up to the top rope, but Bayley met her there and they brawled a bit. All three women ended up in a tower of doom, and Candice managed to shift her weight and make a cover on Bayley on the way down. B-Fab had to break it up.

B-Fab landed a swinging side slam on LeRae, and covered for a two count. B-Fab then landed a neckbreaker on Bayley. Candice tried to get rid of B-Fab to make a cover on Bayley, but she kicked out anyway. Bayley landed a Bayley to Belly on B-Fab, and LeRae tried to steal a pin on B-Fab but got rolled up for a two count. After some chaos, Bayley dumped LeRae to the floor and stacked up B-Fab in a roll up for the win.

Bayley defeated Candice LeRae and B-Fab at 10:02

After the match, Bayley celebrated in the ring. Sami Zayn was shown speaking to LA Knight backstage. Knight walked towards the ring for a US Championship open challenge up next…[c]

My Take: A fun little match there. I was hoping for a Candice LeRae upset, but Bayley was the crowd favorite throughout the match.

Backstage, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven approached B-Fab and called her B-Flop. She told her not everyone can be champion, and when they became the US Champion, they would let her hold it. B-Fab replied that only one of them can be champion, and what happens if they are in the finals together? Michin then walked up and asked if there was a problem, and Chelsea and Piper scurried away due to her carrying a Kendo Stick.

LA Knight made his entrance in the arena. He said he’s been around the world and everybody is looking for his United States Champion. He brought up Sami Zayn asking him to join the Bloodline Civil War. He said it’s not his fight, and he doesn’t care if the Bloodline tears itself apart. Knight said he’s got his own prize to worry about, and it wasn’t the Logan Paul show because it gets defended more than twice a year. He called out the open challenger, and Santos Escobar made his entrance with the rest of Legado Del Fantasma.

They surrounded the ring and tried to make it a mystery about who was accepting the match. Santos grabbed a microphone and asked Knight why he can’t say something cool like “Es Co Bar Si!” and that got a chuckle out of LA Knight. Escobar mentioned Elektra Lopez having an opportunity to become the first Women’s United States Champion, and he thought it would be a good idea to bring home the US Title to his family. Knight drew attention to Berto, who was staring a hole in him. Knight said he was staring at him like his head was covered in BBQ sauce, and wondered if he was hungry.

Knight told Escobar he had already beaten him, but he could give Berto the opportunity of a lifetime. He then said he would beat him just like his Daddy. Knight then told Berto not to get any ideas, because the only one who could call him Daddy was Elektra. He then said while she was calling him Daddy, and Berto was screaming Uncle, he’d have every saying LA Knight. Berto then jumped Knight heading into commercial…[c]

My Take: A fun little promo from Knight and LDF. Berto is very good in the ring so this should be an entertaining match.

2. Berto vs. LA Knight: Berto shoved Knight off the top rope and landed a missile dropkick for a two count as the match was in progress when the show returned. Knight recovered and clotheslined Berto to the floor. He then pursued to the outside and slammed him into the announce table a handful of times. Back in the ring, Knight landed a DDT and covered for a two count. Berto rolled up Knight a moment later for a two count, and then landed an impressive springboard heel kick.

He then went up top for a moonsault, but Knight got his feet up. Both men battled on the turnbuckles in the corner and Knight managed to knock Berto in the ring and landed a big elbow drop. He followed up with a BFT and got the win. 

LA Knight defeated Berto via pinfall

After the match, Knight celebrated and taunted Santos Escobar. As he climbed down from the turnbuckles, he was met by Shinsuke Nakamura, who landed some quick strikes and left Knight laying in the ring. Graves called him the “Fallen Samurai” and he wore some red face paint over his eyes. Backstage, the Usos and Sami Zayn walked into Roman Reigns’ locker room…[c]

My Take: Nice to see Nakamura back after a long layoff. Here’s hoping they have something good cooking with what appears to be a new look and character. Berto looked very good in the ring as always.

Sami spoke up to Roman Reigns backstage and said they’ve been to Raw and Smackdown and there was nobody that wanted to work with The Bloodline. Jey looked at Roman and said it was time to make the call. In the arena, Solo Sikoa made his entrance with the New Bloodline. Before he could ask Milwaukee to acknowledge him, the OG Bloodline made their entrance and a brawl commenced soon afterward.

Roman and company got an early advantage, but Jacob Fatu quickly turned the tables. Roman saved Solo from a spike with a Spear, and then had a confrontation with Fatu. Bronson Reed showed up and jumped Roman from behind. He and Fatu had a staredown, and then took turns crushing Roman in the corner. It became a numbers game at that point and the OG Bloodline laid waste with the help of Bronson Reed. Fatu then hit a Moonsault on Zayn, and Reed delivered a Tsunami to Jimmy Uso.

Roman tried to fight back, and managed to get Fatu and Reed on their heels, but Solo put him down with a Samoan Spike. Fatu then landed a moonsault, and Reed landed a Tsunami. The new Bloodline celebrated as Jimmy and Jey told Roman to make the call (to Seth Rollins).

My Take: An effective segment with Reed being used well. Looking back now, it makes even less sense for Reed to have lost the first match in their series to Seth Rollins.

recap of the previous segment aired. Cole then introduced a video from Kevin Owens, who explained that he was turned away from the arena. He said he only did his job, and it was ridiculous that Randy Orton called him out and now he was in trouble for putting Orton on the shelf. Owens then said Nick Aldis told him to be in Salt Lake City next week because Golden Boy Cody Rhodes wants him there. He said he shouldn’t, but he would be there for himself and not Cody. Owens then warned Rhodes that he’s going to show up next week and do his job like everybody seems to want him to.

In the arena, the Street Profits made their ring entrance, followed by Motor City Machine Guns.

3. Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) vs. Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) for the WWE Tag Team Championships: Sabin and Ford started the match. The commentary team said the Street Profits had recently claimed they were conned by somebody who left the company to do his own thing. Sabin offered Ford a handshake, but he didn’t accept. Sabin then landed a couple of arm drags. The Guns then performed some tandem offense with a slick basement dropkick combo. Dawkins managed to tag in and Ford sent Shelley to the floor. Dawkins then took a lap around the ring and knocked Shelley over the announce table…[c]

Shelley managed to escape isolation and make a tag to Sabin. Sabin landed a baseball slide to Dawkins and sent Ford to the floor with a back body drop. Shelley and Sabin took out Dawkins and Ford on the floor with separate splashes. Shelley tagged back in and both Guns landed a double team dropkick assisted flatliner. Sabin entered the match again and quickly got caught in a double team. The Profits were set to go for a double team blockbuster, but Tommaso Ciampa intervened and the match was quickly called off.

The match was called off as a No Contest at 8:22

Gargano ran down to the ring to defuse things and Ciampa shoved him down to the mat. The Guns helped the Street Profits to their feet, but Dawkins took a cheap shot at Shelley anyways. They then left the ring. Naomi vs. Nia Jax was advertised for later…[c]

My Take: A disappointing finish but not an unexpected one if you were watching last week. The Profits getting an edge is a good sign for them. It doesn’t seem like DIY will remain a team for much longer, unless they are going in an unexpected direction with Gargano.

Footage was shown of Naomi getting a pinfall victory over Nia Jax a few weeks ago. Bayley and Naomi had a discussion backstage about both of them being champions. Bayley told Naomi that she had seen Raw and told her not to trust Iyo. Bianca and Jade then walked up and things got awkward. They told Bayley they would have Naomi’s back, and this wasn’t about them. Bayley walked off and told them that they better have her back. Naomi then made her ring entrance in the arena…[c]

Nia Jax made her ring entrance. Tiffany Stratton came out with her but left for the back and didn’t come down to ringside. Alicia Taylor made ring announcement.

4. Nia Jax vs. Naomi for the WWE Women’s Championship: Nia backed Naomi into a corner early on. She then picked her up and tossed her around the ring. Naom avoided a leg drop and rolled up Nia with a crucifix pin for a two count. She then followed up with a split leg drop for another two count. A moment later Naomi pulled Nia down with a sunset flip for a third two count early in the match. Nia eventually recovered with a back elbow, and then slammed Naomi’s head on the mat a couple of times.

Nia then landed a big headbutt and gloated to the crowd. Naomi capitalized and landed a facebuster using the ropes for leverage. Nia ended up on the floor, where Naomi jumped at her with a suicide dive…[c]

Naomi hit the ropes and Nia cut her off with a body block. She then covered and got a near fall. Nia followed up with a falling headbutt and then applied a half crab. Naomi managed to reverse a powerbomb into a sunset flip for a two count. Naomi then landed a cross body from the second rope, and then a springboard enziguri using the second rope. Naomi then managed to land a Rear View, but Nia kicked at a near fall. She then took a run at Nia, who managed to catch her and pull her in for a Samoan Drop. Nia went for the Annihilator, but Naomi got to her feet and shoved Jax to the floor.

The match spilled outside, and Naomi landed a Cross Body from the turnbuckle to the floor. Backstage, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill were laid out by Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. At ringside, Tiffany Stratton attacked Naomi and sent her back into the ring. Nia set up for an Annihilator again, but Naomi met her on the turnbuckle. Jax set up for a body slam, but Naomi managed to reverse it into very fun pinfall attempt that got a near fall.

Bayley attacked Tiffany Stratton on the outside. Naomi managed to land a split legged Moonsault on Nia for a close near fall as Bayley looked on in shock. She went back to the top rope, but Candice LeRae shoved Nia into the ring post and distracting Naomi. Jax then landed a second rope Samoan Drop and an annihilator for the win.

Nia Jax defeated Naomi at 13:47

After the match, Nia celebrated with Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae. Roman was shown backstage and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He told his phone to call the Wise Man, but an automated recording played that said the number was disconnected. Roman dropped his phone and disappointment washed over his face.

My Take: I’m not sure that was the call that Jimmy and Jey wanted Roman to make, but Heyman being unreachable is a fun development in the Bloodline story. Jax and Naomi had a fun match to close the show. The rapid fire interference make the finish slightly unsatisfying, but it seemed unlikely to be clean given how they seem to be using all the top level women’s matches to forward the very hastily put together story for the upcoming Wargames match. Overall this was an above average show, and filled the two hours of time nicely.