By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,156)
Live from Wichita, Kansas at Intrust Arena
Aired October 22, 2021 on Fox
[Hour One] Smackdown opened with highlights from WWE Crown Jewel and the finish of the Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar match for the WWE Universal Championship… The broadcast team was Michael Cole and Pat McAfee…
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his entrance along with Paul Heyman. Cole noted that Reigns has held the championship for 417 days. Cole read a quote from Brock Lesnar that said he would beat Reigns senseless the moment that he arrives at Smackdown.
Once in the ring, Reigns held out his hand and then Heyman passed him the microphone. “Are you holding that title for me or for Brock?” Reigns asked. He recalled Heyman tossing the title belt in the ring at Crown Jewel. Reigns said they need to work on it. Heyman handed him the belt. Reigns said that was easy.
Reigns said Heyman isn’t great at his job. “But I am,” Reigns said. “I don’t think there’s any denying it at this point, I’m the best of the best.” Reigns said he’s carried the company on his back for over a year-and-a-half. “I’m the Tribal Chief, I’m the Head of the Table, I’m the greatest Universal Champion of all time.
Reigns said he’s smashed Daniel Bryan, Edge, Cesaro, Finn Balor, John Cena, and Brock Lesnar since WrestleMania. Reigns asked Heyman what Lesnar had to say about Smackdown. Heyman pulled out his phone and read the Lesnar quote about beating Reigns senseless. Reigns laughed and then knocked Heyman’s phone out of his hand.
“I whooped Brock Lesnar so bad that he’s tweeting now,” Reigns said. Awesome. Reigns boasted that he runs WWE. He said he wasn’t going anywhere. Reigns asked the crowd if they want to see Lesnar. The fans cheered. Reigns said he didn’t mind smashing Lesnar two nights in a row. He asked the fans if they wanted to see him smash Lesnar again. “Then acknowledge your Tribal Chief,” he told them.
Reigns handed the mic back to Heyman and then stared at the entrance ramp. Reigns took the mic back and assumed that Lesnar was afraid of him. Reigns announced that he wouldn’t leave the ring until Lesnar came out… [C]
Powell’s POV: A fun promo from Reigns with a great hook going into the first commercial break.
Reigns taunted the crowd coming out of the break. He said he’d given the people too much time. He said there was nothing else for him to do. Reigns held up his mic when a “we want Lesnar” chant broke out. “So do I, but Brock don’t want me because he’s scared of me,” Reigns said. He told the fans that this is when they had to part ways.
Brock Lesnar’s entrance music hit and he made his entrance. Heyman stood on the apron with his hand over his mouth. Lesnar entered the ring and ducked Roman’s attempt to hit him with the title belt. Lesnar cleared Reigns to ringside with a clothesline and then followed him. Lesnar shrugged off some punches and ran Reigns into the ring steps.
Lesnar turned his attention to Heyman and smiled at him, then picked up the top piece of the ring steps and slammed it on Reigns’ head. Lesnar tossed the top half of the steps inside the ring. Lesnar set up to F5 Reigns through the broadcast table.
Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso ran out and stopped Lesnar from performing the F5. Lesnar roughed up the Usos. Reigns hit Lesnar from behind, but Lesnar quickly regained control. Lesnar grabbed a camera and shoved the cameraman to the ground. Lesnar threw the camera at Reigns, who ducked it, and the camera hit the ring post. Lesnar roughed up a referee and agent Shawn Daivari.
Adam Pearce ran onto the stage and ushered a group of wrestlers that included Angel Garza, Humberto Carrillo, Reggie, Rick Boogs, and Erik to the ring. Lesnar tossed several of them to the ground while Reigns and his Bloodline members headed to the stage. Lesnar entered the ring and held the title belt above his head… [C]
Powell’s POV: While it’s not the post draft debut that some of those new Smackdown wrestlers dreamed of, this was a really good segment. Lesnar looked like a beast. I don’t think they are going back to Reigns vs. Lesnar right away because Reigns vs. Big E has been teased for Survivor Series, it’s possible that Lesnar’s meltdown will lead to a storyline suspension to write him off television temporarily.
Cole and McAfee were still standing coming out of the break. They said a production crew had to come out and put things back together. They also recapped Lesnar’s tirade while footage of it was shown…
Adam Pearce stood inside the ring and said no individual can hold the show hostage or cause the kind of chaos they just witnessed. Pearce said Lesnar’s actions were unacceptable. He said Lesnar endangered the officials, the crew, the wrestlers, and the fans. Pearce said he can’t let that happen on his watch. Pearce announced that he was indefinitely suspending Brock Lesnar.
Lesnar walked back ringside and pointed at his ear as if to suggest that he didn’t hear what Pearce said. Lesnar jumped onto the apron and entered the ring. A “Suplex City” chant started. Lesnar grabbed Pearce by the collar and said he wasn’t sure if he heard everything. Lesnar told Pearce to tell him again.
A choking Pearce told Lesnar that he was indefinitely suspended. Lesnar backed Pearce into the corner and straightened out his jacket and tie, then hoisted him up and put him down with an F5. Lesnar picked him up a second time and gave him another F5. Pearce’s pants split.
Lesnar went to ringside and brought a mic back to the ring. “I can’t hear you, tell me again, please,” Lesnar said. Brock’s music played and he left the ring to cheers while Pearce remained down in the ring. Lesnar stopped at the stage area, turned back, and smiled… [C]
Powell’s POV: Lesnar feels red hot as a babyface. Even if they don’t want to go with Reigns vs. Lesnar again, it will be a shame if Lesnar is going away again. Ideally, they would have a management endorsed roadblock for him to go through in order to get to Reigns. But given his part-time status, I assume that this is their way of writing him out for the time being.
After a recap, footage aired of Pearce being helped to the back…
Backstage, Sonya Deville was shown talking on the phone while a group of wrestlers were shown talking. Kayla Braxton tried to speak with Deville, but she continued to talk on the phone. Naomi showed up and then Deville ended her call. Naomi said she wanted a fair match with Deville, who told her that she had other things to handle and told her to get out of her face.
Drew McIntyre showed up and told Deville that he would do her a favor by issuing an open challenge with or without her permission to see who had the balls to face him…
McIntyre made his entrance (yes, he still has the sword). Pyro shot out of the ring posts while he stood on the ropes. McIntyre got a mic and said enough with the B.S. and asked who was ready for a match. He issued the open challenge.
Sami Zayn’s music played and morphed into new music. Zayn labeled himself a master strategist and claimed to be the longest tenured member of the Smackdown roster. Zayn said McIntyre might be a former WWE Champion, but on Smackdown he’s just a newbie. Zayn accepted the open challenge…
1. Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn. The bell rang and Zayn immediately rolled to ringside. McIntyre chased him back inside the ring and Zayn once again went back to the floor. McIntyre caught him and threw him into the barricade. [C]
McIntyre dominated coming out of the break until Zayn clotheslined him over the top rope. McIntyre cut him off quickly with a headbutt, but then charged him in the corner and Zayn moved, causing McIntyre to run shoulder first into the ring post. Zayn mocked McIntyre by doing a countdown for his Helluva Kick, but McIntyre beat him to the punch with a Claymore Kick and then pinned him…
Drew McIntyre beat Sami Zayn in 6:50.
A Hit Row video package aired and listed them as debuting later in the show…
The ring was set up for the King of the Ring coronation. Kofi Kingston made his entrance… An ad for Monday’s “season premiere” of Raw focused on some of the new additions to the roster without listing any matches… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good Smackdown “debut” for McIntyre. He dominated the match and had the crowd with him from bell to bell. The great thing about Hit Row being on Smackdown is that I can stop wishing for terrible things to happen to that one fan who randomly yelled “Hit Row” during their NXT matches at the WWE Performance Center.
Clips aired from the Crown Jewel event… Cole set up footage of Xavier Woods beating Finn Balor to win the King of the Ring tournament at Crown Jewel…
Xavier Woods made his entrance. Ring announcer Greg Hamilton introduced Kingston, who was in the ring with the KOTR throne, cloak, scepter, and crown. Kingston introduced “King Xavier Woods.” The big screen graphic listed “King Xavier” and then Woods made his entrance with his trombone. He stopped to admire a young fan’s sign that celebrated his KOTR win. Kingston presented Woods with the cloak.
[Hour Two] Kingston presented Woods with the scepter. Kingston pointed to “thy crown.” Kingston said it represented the respect that Woods had earned from now until the end of time and then put it on Woods’ head. Kingston handed Woods the mic.
Woods told the fans that they helped turn his dream into reality. Woods said his reign would be fun and fair. He said he wanted to give the fans a chance to hear the king’s gospel. Kingston read from a scroll and led a “Hail King Woods” chant. Woods strutted around the ring and held up his scepter…
Backstage, Becky Lynch said the Smackdown Women’s Championship was still drenched in history from Crown Jewel. She said that instead of a title exchange, maybe it’s time for Becky Two Belts to make a comeback…
Mansoor made his entrance… [C] Cole hyped Lynch and Charlotte Flair exchanging title belts for later in the show… A Xia Li video package aired and listed her as coming soon… Still shots aired of Mansoor beating Mustafa Ali at Crown Jewel… Mustafa Ali made his entrance…
2. Mustafa Ali vs. Mansoor. Ali went for a dropkick when the bell rang, but Mansoor sidestepped it. Mansoor backdropped Ali to ringside moments later. Ali returned to the ring and Mansoor performed a top rope cross body block for a near fall. Ali pulled Mansoor throat-first into the middle rope to take offensive control.
Ali performed a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Mansoor came back with a nice suplex and then turned Ali inside out with a clothesline. Mansoor charged Ali, who put his boot up. Ali went for a sunset flip, but Mansoor sat down on him and got the pin….
Mansoor defeated Mustafa Ali in 2:35.
Powell’s POV: Dammit, I had the “Toto, we’re not in Saudi Arabia anymore” line all cued up, but then Mansoor went over.
A montage of new arrival promos aired. Ridge Holland said that if you had told him that fighting and scrapping in the streets would lead him to Smackdown, he would have believed you. Aliyah spoke backstage and said she was going to “give this place a makeover. She said Smackdown would get a lot more bougie. Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo said they are the hottest tag team. Sheamus said no one delivers in the ring like he does…
“Hit Row” members Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Top Dolla, Ashante Adonis, and B-Fab made their entrance. They stood on the stage area with mics in their hands and took turns talking. They introduced themselves and Top Dolla said Smackdown just got four new stars. A graphic listed Hit Row as debuting next… [C]
3. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Top Dolla (w/Ashante Adonis, B-Fab) vs. Dustin Lawyer and Daniel Williams. Dolla caught Lawyer and then didn’t flinch when Williams leapt onto his back. Dolla slammed them both. Scott tagged in. Dolla held Lawyer while Scott kicked him, and then Scott got the three count…
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Top Dolla beat Dustin Lawyer and Daniel Williams in 1:20.
Powell’s POV: A decent debut. The best thing Michael Cole can do is stay quiet rather than repeat any of Hit Row’s catchphrases or sing their praises. Nothing will make them seem less cool than an endorsement from Cole.
The broadcast team recapped Brock Lesnar’s meltdown from earlier in the show. Cole once again noted that Lesnar was suspended indefinitely…
Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviewed Sonya Deville, who claimed she told Adam Pearce that she would have gone out there to tell Lesnar he was suspended indefinitely, but he insisted. Deville said the show must go on. She said she has to handle the title swap alone and it could be a combustable situation…
Rick Boogs introduced himself and then played Shinsuke Nakamura to the ring… [C] Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss made their entrance. A pre-tape aired with Corbin saying he wouldn’t be incredibly happy if it wasn’t for Nakamura stealing his KOTR crown. Moss told his latest cornball joke…
4. Happy Corbin (w/Madcap Moss) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (w/Rick Boogs). Nakamura had Corbin down in the corner and put his boot on him. Nakamura rocked out while Boogs played his guitar. Moments later, Corbin dropped Nakamura face-first on the apron. [C]
Corbin was in offensive control until Boogs fired him up by playing his theme song on the guitar. Moss stopped Boogs, who shoved him. Nakamura went to ringside and threw a kick that took out Moss. Corbin followed and ran Nakamura into the ring steps. Back inside the ring, Corbin performed End of Days and scored the pin…
Happy Corbin beat Shinsuke Nakamura in 9:20.
Powell’s POV: It’s the first show with the new rosters and we’re back to Corbin vs. Nakamura? New gimmick or not, I’m ready for both wrestlers to do something fresh.
Backstage, Charlotte Flair said Becky Lynch should pretend the title is Flair’s suitcase that Lynch spent half her career carrying and hand it over… Highlights aired of the Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks match from Crown Jewel…
Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch made her entrance for the title exchange segment… [C] An ad aired for the NXT Halloween Havoc themed show (they aired it at least once earlier in the show)… Additional still shots from WWE Crown Jewel were shown…
Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair made her entrance. Sonya Deville was already in the ring and explained that they would be exchanging championships and then go to their respective new brands. A “Becky Two Belts” chant started.
Flair gave the Raw belt to Deville. Lynch tried to take it, then tossed the Smackdown belt at Flair’s feet. Flair said that if Lynch wants to be Becky Two Belts so bad, they could have a winner take all match on the spot.
Sasha Banks made her entrance with a mic in hand. Banks said that if Flair thought she was just going to come out and take over, then she was out of her damn mind. Banks entered the ring. Lynch said she was going to Raw. She said she would let Flair and Banks figure it out and then see one of them at Survivor Series.
A Becky chant broke out. Banks said she’s the star of any show that she’s on and Friday night is Boss Time. Flair asked if anyone even remembers when she had a title. Banks hit Flair and they fought. Banks avoided a big boot. Flair avoided a Backstabber. Flair ended up at ringside. Banks performed a meteora off the apron. Deville stood between them at ringside…
Powell’s POV: A bad segment to close the show. Don’t tease viewers with Becky Two Belts only to have her toss the belt away and declare that she was heading off to Raw. WWE has to rename these belts and their men’s tag title belts. Not only will the belts sound more prestigious, but it will help them avoid these idiotic title exchanges going forward.
Overall, the show peaked with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns in the early segments. It wasn’t all bad after that, but there was no way that the show was going to maintain that type of momentum. I will be back with my same night audio review of Smackdown for Dot Net Members. Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Join Colin McGuire for his live review of AEW Rampage on the main page. Join us on Saturday for Jake Barnett’s live review of AEW Dynamite and John Moore’s live review of Impact Wrestling Bound For Glory.
So would this add to Charlotte’s title reigns?
I believe they counted it as another title reign last time this happened.
Awful show and flair disrespecting lynch at the end was pathetic.
2 toy belts … that arnt worth a dime .. no world champion. Only a company as bad as Wwe would have that scenario.
Awful show and a terrible segment to close it made worse by flair and her ego.
Onto tonight and a proper wrestling show where they might even have some actual wrestling.