Welcome to the live results coverage for WWE Friday Night SmackDown from ewrestlingnews.com
We are coming at you live from Detroit, Michigan tonight at the Little Caesars Arena. This week we are treated to the contract signing for Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens just eight days away from their undisputed WWE Championship title match. Sheamus and Drew McIntyre will take on the Viking Raiders in a first round match in the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship tournament. Imperium will face the Brawling Brutes in another first round match. LA Knight is expected to be in action. Charlotte Flair is also said to be making an appearance to comment on the brawl she had with Sonya DeVille last week.
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We begin with a flashback to the events that transpired last week between the Bloodline and Kevin Owens. Sami Zayn faced Kevin Owens in the main event of last week’s SmackDown that ended in a disqualification when the Usos and Solo Sikoa interfered. The Bloodline is seen pulling into the stadium with Sami Zayn pumping up his compatriots.
Drew McIntyre & Sheamus defeat Viking Raiders
Sheamus and Erik begin the match with the action quickly spilling to the outside of the ring after a clothesline over the top rope by Sheamus. Erik is thrown into the barricade outside of the ring by Sheamus and they return to the ring. Ivar attempts to get involved but Sheamus catches him and unleashes forearm chops to his chest. Erik stops him before the crowd counts to ten and receives ten chops of his own for his trouble. Sheamus is trapped in the corner and Erik makes the tag to Ivar. Ivar splashes Sheamus into the corner and then again into the barricade in the outside ring area. We go to commercial break.
Returning from commercial break Erik and Sheamus are back in the ring. Sheamus is left grounded by a rear face lock. Sheamus comes back after a swinging back breaker across his knee to Erik. He makes the tag and Drew McIntyre comes in, clearing the ring of Erik and Ivar. McIntyre hits a driver for a close two count. Ivar gets Drew McIntyre down and makes the tag to Erik. He slams McIntyre down and gets a close two count of his own. Ivar returns to the action and they double team McIntyre. Sheamus interferes and hits a White Noise on Erik, following with a slam from McIntyre to Ivar. We go to another commercial break.
Back from commercial, Ivar has Drew McIntyre down in the corner of the ring. McIntyre powers back and hits a Future Shock DDT and lines up for the Claymore. Erick hits Drew McIntyre with a kick and he goes down. Sheamus is tagged in just as Ivar makes the tag to Erik. Sheamus is distracted by Valhalla at ringside and it results in Ivar hitting a huge splash from the top rope. It is only good for a two count, though. The Viking Raiders attempt to double team but Sheamus fights back and hits a Brogue Kick on Ivar and covers for the pin. Sheamus and Drew McIntyre win via pinfall. They advance in the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship tournament.
Backstage Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman are sitting and talking when Sam Zayn enters and asks if he can speak with the Tribal Chief. Sami asks if everything is okay between them. Roman says Sami can be honest and asks him about his disappointed reaction to the Bloodline’s interference in last week’s match. Sami says he had the job done and was sad to see the Bloodline get involved. Roman Reigns tells Sami Zayn to leave. He is sick of having to explain himself every week. He says that Sami should go find his own friends and stop using the Bloodline.
LA Knight comes to the ring and takes to the microphone. He asks if anyone can help Bray Wyatt figure out who he is. He says that he will defeat Bray Wyatt at the Royal Rumble.
LA Knight defeats Jones
Despite interruptions from the Titan Tron screen LA Knight puts Jones away quickly.
Following the match Bray Wyatt appears on screen, welcoming us back to the Firefly Fun House. His stuffed critter friends taunt LA Knight along with Bray Wyatt who insults his name. Bray says that we should all be scared of the dark. He says that LA Knight opened the door, that all of this was his fault. He says he will see LA Knight at the Royal Rumble.
Hit Row defeat Los Latharios
Homberto and Adrian Adonis begin the match. Angel is tagged in and Los Latharios double team Adonis. He fights back and backs Angel into the corner where he tags in Top Dolla. Top Dolla chops Angel across the chest over the announcer’s table as he taunts Michael Cole. Adonis reenters the match just as Homberto is tagged back in. B Fab grabs Angel’s foot and Adonis rolls him up. Hit Row score the pinfall victory. Hit Row advances in the tournament.
Charlotte Flair makes her way down to the ring. We are shown a replay of the brawl that took place between Sonya DeVille and Charlotte Flair. Flair says that if Sonya has an issue with her she can come tell her to her face. Sonya’s music plays and she comes out to the entrance aisle. She says she doesn’t care what the fans want, it’s what she wants. Sonya says that no one might think she is worthy of a title match, but she has proven herself in the ring. Flair asks Sonya what she thinks she has that the other female superstars don’t have. She reminds Sonya that she tapped out to her in their match. Flair says that if Sonya wants to fight, she will do so tonight. Sonya declines, asking why she would do that if there was nothing in it for her. She says she would take a match if the title was on the line. Adam Pearce appears claiming he has had enough. Sonya takes the provided distraction to strike Charlotte Flair from behind.
Paul Heyman is in the back with Roman Reigns. Paul says he has never like Sami Zayn but has tried to understand the motives of the Tribal Chief. He says that with the Royal Rumble match approaching, wouldn’t it be better to keep Sami on their side?
Brawling Brutes versus Imperium
Ridge Holland and Giovanni Vinci begin the bout. Holland makes quick work and tags in Butch. Butch is knocked down and Ludwig Kaiser is tagged in by Vinci. Butch locks in a front facing arm bar on Ludwig but he makes a blind tag to Vinci. They double clothesline Butch and he is grounded. We go to commercial break.
Returning from commercial, Butch is reaching for a tag to Holland but he is being kept back by Ludwig Kaiser. Butch is able to make the tag and Holland runs through Kaiser with ease. He picks up both members of Imperium and slams them to the mat. Butch takes to the top rope but misses his move due to Holland being rammed into the steel steps by Vinci. Butch locks in an arm bar but Ludwig makes the tag to Giovanni Vinci. Imperium line up for a double team maneuver but Holland breaks it up. Butch and Vinci exchange chops with Butch hitting a Tornado DDT. Both men make a tag to their partners. Holland storms the ring and tosses Kaiser around with numerous slams and suplexes. Giovanni Vinci hits Butch with a suplex on the outside and makes the blind tag to Kaiser. They set Holland up for the Imperial Drop and lay him out. Vinci covers and they score the pinfall victory. Imperium advance in the tournament.
Paul Heyman approaches Sami Zayn backstage and tells him the Tribal Chief will see him now.
Legado Del Fantasma defeat Maximum Male Models
Maximum Male Models take the early lead as they double team the members of Legado Del Fantasma. The two teams exchange back and forth with double team maneuvers and blind tags. Legado Del Fantasma hit a double superkick and cover for the pin. Legado Del Fantasma win via pinfall. They advance in the tournament.
Sami Zayn approaches Roman Reigns backstage. Roman says to Sami that he knows he has an anger issue. He says maybe he hadn’t understood Sami’s questions earlier in the night. Roman says as the Tribal Chief he has to foresee all scenarios. He says he expects to be betrayed. Sami reassures him that he will always be there for the Bloodline. Roman tells Sami to have the cars ready to go for after the contract signing.
Adam Pearce is in the ring, ready for the contract signing. Roman Reigns’ music hits and he comes down the aisle with Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman by his side. Roman takes a seat and puts his feet up on the table in the ring. Kevin Owens comes out of nowhere and tosses Solo Sikoa out of the ring. He nails Roman with a stunner and goes to meet the Usos on the outside of the ring. He disposes of them and returns to the ring where he powerbombs Roman through the table. Kevin Owens approaches Paul Heyman and grabs the contract out of his hands. As he signs it Sami Zayn comes out and chases Kevin Owens from the ring.
