Credit: WINC
The Survivor Series go-home edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up live from the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee. We see what happened last week with King Xavier Woods and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
– We go right to the ring and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos are out – Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. There’s a throne fit for a king in the middle of the ring, and what looks like a velvet ring apron cover. There’s also the crown, scepter and robe worn by King Xavier Woods. The Usos give a grand royal introduction for WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and then bring him out. The music hits and out comes Reigns with Paul Heyman.
Reigns stops and stand tall at the entrance-way, raising his finger in the air as the pyro explodes. Heyman and Reigns march to the ring now as Heyman raises the strap in the air. Cole and McAfee hype the non-title champion vs. champion match between Reigns and WWE Champion Big E at Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view. They also hype The Usos vs. RAW Tag Team Champions R-K-Bro on Sunday. Reigns poses in the ring as The Bloodline raises their titles in the air, and more pyro goes off.
Heyman takes the mic and says he’s so overcome with emotion he’s fumbling mics. He tells Reigns this has been in the works for him all week. Heyman says no one in the history of WWE has deserved to be crowned King as much as The Head of The Table, The Tribal Chief, The Tribal King, Roman Reigns. Heyman says he knows in his heart, a little out of character, that everyone here tonight will agree that the distinction of King certainly doesn’t belong to Woods. Fans boo. Heyman says and it sure as hell won’t ever belong to Brock Lesnar. Fans boo again. Heyman says it also won’t belong to someone like Big E, who will be smashed by Reigns this Sunday. Reigns takes the mic from Heyman to interrupt. Heyman goes on praising Reigns. Reigns asks whose idea was this. Heyman points at The Usos.
Reigns says this must be a joke, right? Reigns says they don’t really think he cares about or needs this stuff. He doesn’t need this to be acknowledged, he puts in the hard work and earned the respect. Reigns tells Hartford to acknowledge him and they respond with a loud but mixed reaction. Reigns says the only reason he took the crown last week is because he can. The music interrupts and out comes Woods.
Woods says those items in the ring are his possession, but they do not make a true king. Woods says what makes a king is knowing that you’re doing good for the WWE Universe. Woods says if Reigns was a king for what he did last week, he’d face Woods like a man and settled this man-to-man with Woods. Woods challenges Reigns to settle this like a man, without his goons, so he can show Reigns what a real king is made of.
Reigns can’t believe Woods doesn’t care about his stuff, and that it means nothing to him. Reigns instructs Jey to throw the robe down, and Reigns steps on him. Reigns taunts Woods, who says the clothes don’t make a man.. Reigns orders Jey to snap the scepter in two now. Fans boo. Reigns asks Woods if he’s sure. Reigns orders The Usos to slam the throne down and destroy it now. They toss it to the floor and Reigns laughs at Woods, taunting him for looking unhappy.
Woods seethes on the ramp now. They go to destroy the crown now but Reigns asks for it. Reigns holds the crown up and asks Woods one more time if he’s sure it means nothing to him. Reigns puts the crown down on the mat and teases a stomp, but Woods rushes the ring and gets beat down by The Usos. Reigns never stomped on the crown. Woods is double teamed in the corner now. They hold Woods down as Reigns taunts him, saying he’s the only King around here who doesn’t need props because he’s the one. Reigns stomps the crown and destroys it as Woods yells out. They put Woods back down and fans boo. The Bloodline stands tall over Woods now as the music starts up and fans keep booing.
– We see how Sami Zayn was removed from the men’s Team SmackDown last week.
Cesaro vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Sheamus vs. Ricochet – Winner Joins Survivor Series Team
Cesaro ducks a Brogue Kick and rolls Sheamus for 2. Holland gets on the apron and swings but Cesaro ducks it and goes for him but Holland retreats to the floor. Sheamus takes advantage and levels Cesaro with a Brogue for the pin to win.
Winner: Sheamus
After the match, Holland comes in the ring to celebrate with his fellow Irishman as the music hits. The announcers confirm Sheamus for the men’s Team SmackDown at Survivor Series. He joins Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, King Xavier Woods and Happy Baron Corbin for Sunday’s 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match against Team RAW’s Bobby Lashley, Austin Theory, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins. Sheamus and Holland celebrate and head to the back together.
– Kayla is backstage with Jeff Hardy now. She asks about how this year’s Team SmackDown stacks up against past years. He talks about teaming up with legends in the past, but then praises Drew McIntyre, Xavier Woods, and Sheamus, but talks about how Happy Baron Corbin is out for himself and you never know what will happen with him. Corbin and Madcap Moss walk up. Moss makes a redneck joke on Hardy. Adam Pearce walks up. He says he wants Team SmackDown to win on Sunday but it won’t with this attitude. Pearce advises Corbin to act like a member of the team, and says Moss is always laughing but we’ll see if he’s laughing when he wrestles Hardy tonight. Hardy busts out laughing at Moss to end the segment.
