WWE SmackDown Review – December 1, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with Bianca BelAir says Damage CTRL tried taking her and the rest of her War Games team out last week but they did what they had to do. She gives a shout out to Becky Lynch, Shotzi & Charlotte Flair then says her war with Damage CTRL isn’t over and puts Women’s Champion Iyo Sky on notice saying she wants the Women’s Title back
Iyo Sky’s music hits and she appears alongside Asuka, Kairi Sane & Dakota Kai. Kai says it’s great that BelAir can get fans to cheer for her and rags on Brooklyn as she, Asuka, Sane & Sky get inside the ring. Kai says that Sky told her that BelAir is way in over her head and if she wants another title shot she has to go through each member of Damage CTRL.
Charlotte Flair’s music hits and she appears alongside Shotzi. Flair tells Damage CTRL that BelAir isn’t the only one coming for them and says she wants to go through all of Damage CTRL. Shotzi shares the same sentiment and they slide in the ring. Everyone except Kai begins brawling with one another in the ring. BelAir hits a spinebuster on Sky then stands tall with Flair & Shotzi.
After the break we head backstage and see Bayley run into the rest of Damage CTRL. Kairi Sane tells her something in Japanese and Dakota Kai translates explaining that Sane would appreciate Bayley’s help at ringside during her match against Bianca BelAir later tonight.
Before the match begins Bobby Lashley grabs a mic and tells Butch that while he told him to make a name for himself on Smackdown Lowdown he should’ve chosen someone else to do it against because he’ll break him into pieces. Butch slaps him.
Bobby Lashley vs. Butch
Butch fires off a pair of boots on Bobby Lashley in the corner before Lashley sends him crashing into the mat and delivers a splash in the corner then sends Butch crashing into the middle turnbuckle face first and lands a series of right hands.
Butch delivers a dropkick to Lashley’s spine that sends him crashing out of the ring then delivers a jumping knee off the apron and a moonsault off the middle rope as we go to a break.
After the break Lashley sets for a delayed vertical suplex but Butch escapes but Lashley catches him with a chokeslam and sends him crashing into the ring post on the outside.
He dumps Butch back inside the ring and looks for a Spear in the corner but Butch moves out of the way and Lashley is sent crashing into the ring post shoulder first.
Butch then lands a pair of step up enzuigiris and a series of kicks in the corner then ascends up the ropes and delivers a double stomp. He stomps on Lashley’s fingers and lands a standing Sliced Bread then rains down Hammer & Anvil elbows.
Lashley gets Butch up on his shoulders and delivers a running powerslam then goes for a pin but Butch kicks out. Lashley connects with a clothesline that turns Butch inside out but Butch catches him with a kick before Lashley responds with a Spear for the win.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
We then head backstage and see Paul Heyman approach Nick Aldis in the his office. He asks Aldis if he invited Randy Orton to Smackdown tonight and Aldis says he did. He says he intends to sign Orton to Smackdown and Heyman asks if Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is aware of the situation. Aldis explains that he has a memo that all communication to Reigns must go through Heyman and he’ll offer up the entire Bloodline to sign Orton if he has to. He asks Heyman what he’s going to do about it and Heyman says he’ll do anything it takes.
After the break we see Butch get into a verbal exchange with Pretty Deadly & this leads to the 3 men brawling with one another and Pretty Deadly sending Butch crashing into a road case.
We get a recap of Santos Escobar turning heel, injuring Rey Mysterio & Carlito then beating Dragon Lee at Survivor Series.
Escobar is at gorilla getting an interview he will finish what Rey started and destroy the LWO. Tonight Joaquin Wilde will suffer since Cruz Del Toro is still recovering from the last beating.
Santos Escobar vs. Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde delivers a dropkick then fires off a pair of right hands on Santos Escobar then delivers a crossbody to him on the outside over the top rope then gets him back in but Escobar rolls back out of the ring.
Wilde delivers a cannonball off the top and gets him back in the ring for a 2nd time then ascends up the ropes.
Escobar trips him and sends him crashing into the top turnbuckle face first then drapes him from the top rope and delivers a dropkick to his chest.
Wilde lands a knee on Escobar’s head and follows it up with a DDT then charges at him. Escobar catches him with a superkick and gets him up on his shoulders then plants him with Phantom Driver for the win.
Winner: Santos Escobar
After the match Escobar fires off right hands on Wilde but Dragon Lee runs down to the ring to provide Wilde with a helping hand. Escobar tries blindsiding him from behind but Lee levels him with a hurricanrana and a kick to him in the corner from the apron. He then connects with a dropkick and checks on Wilde.
After the break we see Adam Pearce confront Nick Aldis about wanting to sign Randy Orton to Smackdown. He informs Aldis that he had a contract of his own for Orton and will be joining him in the ring later tonight.
United States Champion Logan Paul asks every friend who’s betrayed him and all of his haters where they are now that he’s United States Champion. He says the more people hope he fails the harder he works and the harder he works the more he wins and gets to stand in the ring and gloat. He says a champion is as good as his challengers and since he can’t give Rey Mysterio given that he’s injured he & Nick Aldis agreed to an 8 person tournament starting next week to determine his next challenger featuring Santos Escobar, Dragon Lee, Karrion Kross, Bobby Lashley, Grayson Waller, Austin Theory, Kevin Owens and an unknown Superstar from NXT.
Kevin Owens’ music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says Paul being in his ring is a nightmare and recalls first seeing him 10 years ago on Vine. He says it took him 6 seconds to figure out that Paul was unbearable and the only junk is Prime Energy Drink. He tells Paul his days as United States Champion are numbered and Paul says 6 seconds is 5 more than he needs to KO Owens. Owens says Paul is clever but WWE is his world.
A Town Down Under then make their way down to the ring and Grayson Waller tells Paul he doesn’t need to engage with Owens. He says Owens is a troll trying to get attention then says himself & Austin Theory have a lot in common with Paul. Theory says that since Owens likes punching people in the face he’s standing in the ring with a man who likes knocking people out.
Owens has heard enough and delivers a right hand to Theory that sends him crashing out of the ring. Waller checks on him then stares down Paul.
Grayson Waller vs. Kevin Owens
Grayson Waller rolls out of the ring then Kevin Owens follows and lands a right hand then delivers a chop and sends Waller bouncing off the announce table face first.
He gets him back inside the ring but Waller fires off stomps on him and connects with an uppercut. Owens lands a back elbow and a senton then charges at Waller in the corner.
Waller catches Owens with a boot and a leg lariat then fires off strikes and hits an elbow drop off the top rope then looks for a vertical suplex but Owens blocks it and lands one of his own.
He fires off a series of stomps in the corner and looks for a cannonball but Waller rolls out of the ring. Owens follows him out there and Waller sends him bouncing off the announce table face first. Owens responds with a clothesline and a splash off the apron.
Waller then sends him crashing into the ring post and Theory takes a cheap shot while the referee is distracted. He tosses him back in the ring and Waller fires off stomps on him in the corner then sends his arm bouncing off the ring post as we go to a break.
After the break Waller delivers a variation of a DDT and continues wearing down Owens’ arm with a submission hold.
Owens fights his way out with a series of right hands to Waller’s midsection but Waller sends his injured arm bouncing off the top rope and looks for the Rolling Stunner.
Owens catches him with an atomic drop and a DDT then connects with a headbutt and a series of chops. He follows it up with a superkick and a cannonball then ascends to the top and delivers a Swanton Bomb. He goes for a pin but Waller kicks out.
Waller cinches in another submission on Owens’ injured arm, but Owens makes it to the bottom rope to break the hold.
He looks to deliver a kick to Owens’ arm in the corner but Owens moves out of the way and Waller’s foot collides with the bottom rope then rolls up Waller for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
We a recap of CM Punk’s return and his return promo on Raw.
At gorilla everyone hypes up Kairi Sane while Bayley stands off to one side and pretends to be ok with this. Iyo Sky tells her to stay at gorilla.
Bianca BelAir vs. Kairi Sane
Match starts off with a lock up then Kairi Sane delivers a kick to Bianca BelAir’s hamstring but Belair catches her with a pair of shoulder tackles and follows it up with a single leg dropkick. She runs the ropes but Asuka trips her while the referee is distracted.
This opens the door for Sane to fire off strikes on BelAir’s spine then Sane runs the ropes but Charlotte Flair trips her but the referee catches her and ejects Flair & Shotzi from ringside.
Asuka slides in the ring looking to interfere but the referee spots her and ejects Damage CTRL as well. BelAir delivers a dropkick to Asuka and sends Sane crashing into the mat with a spine as we go to a break.
After the break Sane sends BelAir crashing into the ring post shoulder first then BelAir responds with a Michinoku Driver and fires off right hands in the corner on Sane then plants her with a powerbomb and a springboard moonsault.
She gets Sane up on her shoulders and sets up for KOD but Sane escapes before BelAir plants her before Sane hits a spinning back fist and ascends to the top rope.
She lands a flying forearm and sends BelAir crashing out of the ring with a hurricanrana then looks to go flying off the apron.
BelAir sends Sane crashing into the barricade face first and gets her back in the ring then she looks to follow her but Bayley trips her on the apron while the referee is checking on Sane.
Sane high 5s Bayley and ascends to the top rope but BelAir trips her and gets her up on her shoulders then lands KOD for the win.
Winner: Bianca BelAir
Nick Aldis welcomes Randy Orton to the ring. Orton’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Pearce tells Orton he belongs on Raw and tells him he’ll receive a World Heavyweight Title match should he sign. Aldis says he’ll give Orton a chance to get his hands on The Bloodline should he choose to sign with Smackdown.
Paul Heyman appears on the ramp and introduces himself then says Orton is back after 18 months on the shelf thanks to The Bloodline. He says there will be no RKOs or decisions made by Orton because The Bloodline will make his choice for him.
Solo Sikoa’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring with Jimmy Uso. Jimmy & Sikoa attack Orton but LA Knight runs down to the ring to even the odds. He dumps Sikoa out of the ring and they begin brawling up the ramp leaving Jimmy in the ring with Orton. Orton hits a middle rope DDT to Jimmy off the ropes then hits him with an RKO.
Orton stares down Heyman on the ramp before he calls for Aldis & Pearce to give him the two contracts. He holds both of them out then tosses the Raw one out of the ring and opts to sign with Smackdown. He tells Heyman that he can call Roman Reigns to tell him that Daddy’s back. Nick Aldis then holds his hand up in the air but Orton catches him with an RKO and stands tall celebrating with the crowd to close out this week’s Smackdown.
Tribute To The Troops Card (Dec 8th)
Quarter Final Match Of The United States Title #1 Contenders Tournament
Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross
Quarter Final Match Of The United States Title #1 Contenders Tournament
Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar
Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
