WWE SmackDown Review – October 13, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with John Cena welcomes fans to the season premiere of Smackdown but before he can continue Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns’ music hits and he makes his way down to the ring alongside Solo Sikoa & Paul Heyman.
Reigns tells Tulsa to acknowledge him then takes several shots at Cena. He says they’ve ran into this issue before then tells him to leave unless he wants The Bloodline to make him leave. He says WWE is always unpredictable but with Smackdown you can never tell especially with the 2 of them in the same ring. Cena says he’s not here to challenge Reigns but to acknowledge him and his 1,100 day plus reign as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. He says he hasn’t earned the right to challenge him but he knows someone who has.
LA Knight’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He tells Tulsa he wants to talk to them then asks Reigns if he’s pissing his pants yet. He asks if Reigns is The Head of the Table & Tribal Chief then says he’s standing in his way before formally introducing himself. He says he is the fastest rising star in Smackdown history but before he can continue Jimmy Uso blindsides him from behind.
Knight dumps Jimmy out of the ring then stares down Reigns. Reigns rolls out of the ring and backs down with Sikoa & Heyman following suit although Sikoa hops back up on the apron. Knight then challenges Sikoa to a match later tonight.
Tag Team Match
Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland & Butch) vs. Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince)
Butch & Elton Price lock up to get this match started Butch stomps on Prince’s fingers then tags in Ridge Holland. Wilson tags in and Holland catches him with a clothesline then follows it up with an uppercut.
Butch tags in and delivers a dropkick then executes a German suplex and levels Wilson on the outside then delivers 10 Beats Of The Bodhran to him on the announce table as Holland does the same to Prince using the ropes as we go to a break.
After the break Wilson fires off right hands on Butch then fires off a few stomps but Butch lands several chops and tags in Prince. Prince fires off right hands and a stomp then follows it up with an uppercut and a few stomps.
He sets up for 10 Beats Of The Bodhran but Butch escapes by snapping his fingers. Wilson tags in and delivers an uppercut then tags in Holland.
Prince tags in and Holland levels him & Wilson with a pair of clotheslines. He lands a bodyslam on Prince and a powerslam to Wilson then tosses Prince on top of Wilson and lands a powerslam on him.
Wilson delivers a back body drop to Butch on the apron but Holland clocks him then delivers a suplex to Prince, and Prince immediately grabs his knee.
Wilson and the referee check on him before Wilson lands a cheap kick on him & Prince making a miraculous recovery & rolls up Holland for the win.
Winners: Pretty Deadly
We then head backstage and see Bobby Lashley talking with Carlito but Street Profits attacks Carlito from behind and Lashley grabs a chair, but Adam Pearce intervenes before he can hit him with it. Officials then check on Carlito.
Zelina Vega vs. Bayley
Bayley mocks Zelina Vega’s height then Vega lands a forearm across her jaw then follows it up with an arm drag. Bayley fires back with a clothesline, then looks for Bayley 2 Belly.
Vega fires back with a kick to her head and dials it up for the 619 then ascends to the top rope and delivers a Meteora then she goes for a pin but Bayley kicks out.
Vega looks for a Code Red but Women’s Champion Iyo Sky hops up on the apron before she can land it.
She hits Sky with a 619 and Bayley takes advantage by hitting Rose Plant for the win.
Winner: Bayley
After the match Damage CTRL continues beating down Vega but Charlotte Flair runs down to the ring to provide Vega with a helping hand.
Triple H talks about WWE’s upcoming Premium Live Event schedule and says he came out to the ring alongside Adam Pearce for a special reason. He thanks Pearce for everything he’s done throughout his career and says being a WWE official alone isn’t easy. He says he won’t be alone anymore then declares him as the new General Manager of Raw. He then looks to introduce the new General Manager of Smackdown but before he can NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio’s music hits and he saunters down to the ring.
Mysterio addresses Damian Priest & Finn Balor’s upcoming Undisputed Tag Team Title rematch against Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso and complains about their upcoming match tonight. Triple H says Mysterio is talking to the wrong people then introduces the new General Manager of Smackdown Nick Aldis.
Aldis gets in the ring and shakes Pearce’s hand. He says he looks forward to healthy competition then shakes Mysterio’s hand and takes a shot at him. He brings up Cody Rhodes bringing Jey Uso over to Raw and the trade that would be happening over to Smackdown then looks to introduce the newest member of the Smackdown roster. Mysterio cuts him off before he can and continues complaining about Rhodes & Jey.
Kevin Owens’ music hits and he reveals himself to be the newest member of the roster & Owens delivers a Stunner to Mysterio & Aldis raises his hand.
After the break we see Nick Aldis speaking with the Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven about changing the design of the titles before Charlotte Flair walks in & Aldis makes Charlotte Flair vs. Iyo Sky for the Women’s Title next week before she runs into Jade Cargill.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles Match
Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso (c) vs. A Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller)
Cody Rhodes & Grayson Waller go back & forth. Jey Uso tags in and delivers a headbutt to Waller before low bridging him out of the ring then Austin Theory sends Jey crashing into the ring post shoulder first as we go to a break.
After the break Theory sends Jey crashing into the mat as he fires off stomps on him in the corner but Jey fights his way out. A Town Down Under overpower him and double team on him but Jey lands an enzuigiri and tags in Rhodes.
Rhodes lands a powerslam and the Disaster Kick then connects with one on Waller before Theory fires back with a shoulder breaker but Rhodes & Jey connect with Cody 1D on Theory. Rhodes follows it up with Cross Rhodes for the win.
Winners & Still Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!!)
After the match Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso make their way down to the ring to stare down Jey & Rhodes. Roman Reigns & Paul Heyman are right behind them and Reigns stares down Rhodes directly.
LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa
Match starts off with a lock up then Solo Sikoa sends LA Knight crashing into the mat but Knight returns the favor.
Sikoa delivers a chop but Knight fires back with a kick to his head and clotheslines him out of the ring.
He delivers a kick to his face through the middle and gets him back inside the ring before Sikoa sends him shoulder first into the ring post as we go to a break.
After the break Sikoa flattens Knight and delivers a belly 2 belly suplex then delivers a hip attack and slaps Knight but Sikoa responds with a Samoan Drop.
Knight looks for a sunset flip but Sikoa blocks it and looks for a Sit Out.
Knight rolls out of the way and delivers a flying clothesline then follows it up with a DDT and fires off stomps in the corner.
He lands a running knee and a powerslam and they level one another with clothesline.
Jimmy Uso slides inside the ring and looks to attack Knight but John Cena gets in the ring and catches him with an Attitude Adjustment. Sikoa levels him allowing Knight to land BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
After the match Reigns spears him out of nowhere and holds up the one symbol to close out this week’s Smackdown.
Next Week’s Smackdown
Women’s Title Match
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Santos Escobar vs. Montez Ford
