WWE SmackDown Review – December 22, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown AJ Styles says that Randy Orton & LA Knight both want matches with Roman Reigns, and he says he doesn’t blame either one of them. With that being said he says he doesn’t give a damn about the 2 of them. He says he’s #1 when it comes to getting his hands on Reigns and he wants to do so at the Royal Rumble.
Knight’s music hits and he appears. He says he’s not here to argue with Styles about who gets their match with Reigns first then says he can have Reigns once he gets him first. He says the 1st person on his list after last week is Styles & Styles reminds him that he’s faced Reigns twice before. He says if he’ll drop him or anyone else who gets in his way.
Orton’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says he can appreciate the issues both Styles & Knight have with Reigns & The Bloodline but he was put on the shelf for 18 months by them. He says while he was happy to be home he missed his 2nd home and nothing will get in his way. Knight cuts him off and says all 3 of them have been taken out by The Bloodline. He says no one remembers that he’s included in the group.
Nick Aldis then appears and says all 3 of them have a legitimate claim to face Reigns. He announces that the 3 of them will square off in a #1 Contenders Triple Threat Match 2 weeks from now at the Smackdown New Years Revolution special with the winner receiving their match at the Rumble. All 3 men agree to take part and Styles warns Knight & Orton to stay in the back during his match later tonight against Solo Sikoa.
8 Woman Tag Team Holiday Havoc Match
Damage CTRL (Women’s Champion Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane, Asuka & Bayley) vs. Bianca BelAir, Zelina Vega, Michin & Shotzi
Both teams waste no time going after one another before Bianca BelAir fires off boots on Iyo Sky in the corner as Zelina Vega brawls with Kairi Sane on the outside. BelAir looks for a vertical suplex on Sky but Sky escapes.
BelAir lands a single leg dropkick and a delayed vertical suplex then goes for a pin but Bayley breaks the fall but turns into a boot from Shotzi then grabs a present and unwraps it to reveal a chair.
Bayley grabs the chair and sets it up in the corner then looks to suplex Shotzi on top of it.
Shotzi escapes and looks to deliver a drop toe hold to Bayley into the chair but Bayley stops her momentum before she can.
Shotzi then delivers an arm drag and an enzuigiri then delivers a senton to her spine from off the chair.
Michin holds the middle rope open as Shotzi delivers a tope suicida to Sky & Bayley on the outside. Vega slides in the ring and Asuka & Sane blindside them with Candy Cane Kendo Sticks.
BelAir & Shotzi do the same to them then grab a table from under the ring. Sky & Bayley attack them before they can set it up then use the table to level both of them as we go to a break.
After the break everyone is getting hit with German suplexes off the middle rope as Sky looks to hit Vega with a vertical suplex on the outside but Vega counters into a DDT.
Michin delivers a powerbomb to Asuka in the ring but Sky levels her with a dropkick off the ropes. BelAir pins Bayley but Bayley kicks out then BelAir dumps her out of the ring but gets rolled up by Sky.
BelAir kicks out and puts a present on Sky’s head then gets Sky up on her shoulders in an electric chair position and Shotzi lands a dropkick on her from the top then goes for a pin but Asuka kicks out.
On the outside Sane opens up a present to reveal the lid of a trash can & clocks Shotzi with it then sends her crashing into a Christmas tree.
Vega then hits her with a chair across her spine but Dakota Kai tosses a pumpkin pie in her face and Asuka spits the blue mist into her face.
Bayley dumps Belair out of the ring where Asuka is waiting with kicks. Sane joins in and Bayley calls for them to toss BelAir back in the ring.
They then open a big present on the outside to reveal Isla Dawn then Alba Fyre pops out of a 2nd one and they attack Sane & Asuka. Fyre & Dawn then hit their finisher to Sane.
Back in the ring Bayley sets up for the Bayley 2 Belly but BelAir lands on her feet and hits KOD. Sky catches her with the Over The Moonsault but walks into an Eat Defeat from Michin. Michin sets her up on a table then ascends to the top and hits a Senton for the win.
Winners: Bianca BelAir, Zelina Vega, Michin & Shotzi
We head backstage to The Bloodline’s lounge. Jimmy Uso is hyping up Solo Sikoa for his match later tonight as Roman Reigns asks Paul Heyman to bring Nick Aldis to him.
NXT North American Title Match
Dragon Lee (c) vs. Butch
Match starts off with a lock up then Butch sends Lee crashing into the mat hard then delivers a knee to Lee’s arm.
He then goes to work manipulating Lee’s fingers and joints but Lee connects with a hurricanrana and a kick to his face from the apron.
The action then spills to the outside and Butch sends Lee crashing onto the apron as we go to a break.
After the break Butch delivers a stomp to Lee’s tricep. Lee responds with a hurricanrana off the apron on the outside then gets him back in and delivers a dropkick in the corner.
Butch lands a powerbomb and they exchange chops with one another before Butch rocks Lee with an enzuigiri then follows it up with a snap German suplex.
Lee hits one of his own then lands a powerbomb then Butch ascends to the top rope but Lee trips him. Butch snaps his fingers but Lee responds with a double stomp off the top.
Butch lands a pop up right hand and sets up for Bitter End but Lee escapes and sends him crashing into the mat then follows it up with Operation Dragon for the win.
Winner & Still NXT North American Champion: Dragon Lee (STILL CHAMPION!!!)
After the match they shake hands.
After the break we head backstage and see Roman Reigns talking to Nick Aldis. Reigns expresses his frustrations with not being consulted by Aldis in regards to the #1 Contenders Triple Threat Match and Solo Sikoa’s match with AJ Styles. Aldis makes it clear that he’s in charge and says Sikoa will be fine considering he’s beaten John Cena clean in the past.
Semi Final Match Of The United States Title #1 Contenders Tournament
Carmelo Hayes vs. Kevin Owens
Match starts off with a lock up then they take turns locking one another in submission holds before Kevin Owens fires off a few strikes on Hayes in the corner.
Hayes responds with a few forearms and runs the ropes but Owens catches him with a back elbow and a senton. Hayes connects with a springboard clothesline but Owens dumps him out of the ring.
Hayes drags him out to join him then sends his face bouncing off the ring apron before Owens sends him crashing into the ring steps as we go to a break.
After the break Hayes hits an Ax Kick and a facebuster. Owens hits a DDT off the ropes and delivers a boot to Hayes’ midsection then follows it up with a pair of chops and a clothesline then sets up for a Pop Up Powerbomb.
Hayes counters into a The First 48 and looks for Nothing But Net but Owens avoids it and hits a 2nd Pop Up Powerbomb then follows it up with a Swanton Bomb and a Stunner for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens (10:04)
Rate: 7
After the match Owens helps Hayes up.
We head backstage where The OC approaches AJ Styles and questions why they weren’t given a heads up that he was coming back. Karl Anderson asks if they’re good and Styles simply repeats the question back to him.
Semi Final Match Of The United States Title #1 Contenders Tournament
Santos Escobar vs. Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley delivers a clothesline to Santos Escobar right out of the gate then follows it up with a shoulder to his midsection and tosses Escobar across the ring.
Escobar ascends to the top rope and looks to fly but Lashley dumps him out of the ring as we go to a break.
After the break Escobar fires off kicks on Lashley’s knee then they teeter on the top rope but Lashley pushes Escobar off and hits him with a flatliner.
A masked figure appears at ringside but gets dragged away by security then a 2nd one appears to join the 1st one grabbing Lashley’s attention & this opens the door for Escobar to roll up Lashley for the win.
Winner: Santos Escobar (8:44) (He will face Kevin Owens in the Finals)
Rate: 6
After the match the masked figures reveal themselves to be Humberto Carrillo & Angel Garza.
We head backstage and see Butch attack Pretty Deadly. Security pulls the 3 men apart and Nick Aldis tells Butch he can have Pretty Deadly in the ring at New Years Revolution if he can find himself a tag team partner.
AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
AJ Styles fires off chops on Solo Sikoa then hits a jumping knee and an enzuigiri that sends Sikoa crashing to the outside then follows it up with a running knee from the apron and goes flying over the top rope as we go to a break.
After the break Sikoa delivers a back body drop to Styles then they end up back on the outside and Sikoa delivers a diving headbutt once they get back in the ring.
Styles responds with a series of chops and sends him crashing into the turnbuckles face first then connects with a Hip Attack and climbs up to the middle rope before looking for a second diving headbutt.
Styles rolls out of the way and delivers a flying clothesline in the corner then hits a sliding forearm and a springboard moonsault.
Sikoa responds with a Samoan Drop and gets Styles up on his shoulders but Styles escapes and delivers a Pele Kick.
Styles sets up for Phenomenal Forearm but Sikoa catches him and sets up for a Samoan Spike but Styles avoids it and connects with an enzuigiri then hits Phenomenal Forearm.
Roman Reigns then appears out of nowhere and attacks Styles causing a disqualification.
Winner By DQ: AJ Styles
After the match Reigns gets Styles up on his shoulders but Styles escapes and hits an enzuigiri but Sikoa attacks him & Reigns joins in. Randy Orton runs down to the ring to provide Styles with a hand and fights off Sikoa & Reigns. Jimmy Uso appears and clocks Orton from behind but LA Knight appears to even the odds. Styles then begins yelling at Orton & Knight and all 3 men begin arguing in the center of the ring. They then begin brawling and continue to do so as the show goes off the air all while Reigns holds back Sikoa & Jimmy.
Finals (New Years Revolution Jan 5th)
Santos Escobar vs. Kevin Owens
New Years Revolution Card So Far (Jan 5th)
Undisputed WWE Universal Title #1 Contenders Triple Threat Match
Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight
Finals Of The United States Title #1 Contenders Tournament
Santos Escobar vs. Kevin Owens
Tag Team Match
Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince) vs. Butch & TBD
Women’s Title Match
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Michin
Updated Royal Rumble Card (Jan 27th)
30 Man Royal Rumble Match
Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk vs. 28 TBD
30 Woman Royal Rumble Match
Bayley vs. Nia Jax vs. 28 TBD
Undisputed WWE Universal Title Match
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Randy Orton, AJ Styles or LA Knight
United States Title Match
Logan Paul (c) vs. Santos Escobar or Kevin Owens
