Welcome to the ewrestlingnews.com live coverage of WWE Friday Night SmackDown coming at you from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Be sure to refresh the page throughout the program for live results. Join our community below in the comments section to interact with viewers in real-time.
We open to the lights going out and Bray Wyatt’s theme music chiming through the arena. Bray emerges with his lamp and comes to the ring. We are given a recap of Bray’s attack on a WWE cameraman last week. Bray introduces himself to the crowd. He says that deep down he does not feel like a good person. He says that he has done many things that he regrets, including his attack from last week. He attempts to apologize to him but LA Knight’s music hits and he comes out to ridicule Bray for trying to apologize.
LA Knight says that Bray is the guilty party and he needs to pay. He says this year’s Royal Rumble is his first and he wants to make it special. A challenge is made but Bray calls him a “little idiot” and asks him who he thinks he is. Bray thinks everyone has forgotten how brutal he can be. He accepts LA Knight’s challenge. A montage flashes on screen and then Uncle Howdy makes his way down to the ring. He stands between LA Knight and Bray Wyatt and they stare one another down before he moves to Bray’s side. He hits Wyatt with a Sister Abigail and he drops to the mat. LA Knight exits the ring and be heard saying “What the hell is going on?” as he surveys the ring.
Sami Zayn can be seen walking to the door of The Bloodline’s dressing room. He knocks and Paul Heyman comes out. They discuss their holidays and Sami says he thought to come and talk to Roman Reigns before their main event match later this evening. Paul Heyman mentions Roman’s gratitude for his pledge of loyalty this past Monday on WWE Raw. He also mentions that Roman may become weary of the crowd’s cheering of Sami Zayn lately.
Solo Sikoa defeats Sheamus
Sheamus enters the ring with The Brawling Brutes in toe. Solo Sikoa comes down with his brothers, The Usos, accompanying him. They both lock up at the bell and exchange heavy strikes to one another as well. Sheamus clotheslines Solo to the outside and he becomes frustrated, grabbing a steel chair and stalking the outside area of the ring. We go to commercial.
As we return from commercial break we see Solo with a rear chin lock on Sheamus who is attempting to break free of the hold. Solo Sikoa switches up to a Samoan Drop on Sheamus and sends him down to the mat. Too much time is wasted in Solo’s stalking and he eats a big boot from Sheamus. Sheamus lands a heavy front body slam on Solo and then hammers him with repeated forearm slaps to the chest. Solo receives a big knee from Sheamus but kicks out for a close two count. Sheamus hits the Irish Curse back breaker and then locks in the Irish Clover submission hold. Jimmy Uso pulls Solo’s arm to the rope to have the hold broken. The Brawling Brutes begin the fight with The Usos at ringside before Sheamus dives off of the top rope on to them. Sheamus is driven into the ring post and thrown back into the ring. Solo Sikoa nails him with the Samoan Spike and lands the pinfall victory. The Bloodline takes to triple teaming Sheamus. Drew McIntyre’s music hits and he storms the ring, sending Solo over the top rope and hitting a Claymore on Jimmy Uso before they retreat.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship: Rhonda Rousey (c) defeats Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel Rodriguez enters the ring with a bandaged arm from the attack by Rhonda Rousey and Shayna Bayzler. Rhonda Rousey enters with Shayna by her side. The two attempt to intimidate Raquel during introductions. Rhonda and Raquel lock up and Rhonda goes right for the bandaged elbow of Raquel. Rodriguez over powers Rhonda with a stiff shoulder block and a body slam. Rhonda attempts to confer with Shayna outside of the ring but Raquel slams her on the apron and throws her back into the ring. Raquel goes for a tackle in the corner but Rhonda dives out of the way and she crashes into the steel ring post. We go to commercial.
Returning from commercial we see Rhonda Rousey continuing her assault on the injured arm of Raquel Rodriguez. Rhonda wraps Raquel into a MMA style submission hold but Raquel breaks the hold and begins to fire back with stiff right hands. Rhonda blocks and hits a hard side body slam for a two count. Raquel finds herself in another submission lock but powers to a standing position and slams Rousey down. As Raquel attempts a spinning body slam Rhonda slips in another arm bar. Rodriguez powers out and locks in a Texas Cloverleaf. Rhonda reverses into an ankle lock. The hold is broken and Raquel lands a face plant on the champion. Rhonda responds with another arm bar that sees the two women topple out of the ring. Raquel powers Rhonda into a powerbomb position and slams her into the ring apron. We go to another commercial break.
Returning from the second commercial break we have Rhonda Rousey high in the air with a vertical suplex from Raquel Rodriguez. Rodriguez lands the suplex but is put in yet another arm bar. Raquel powers out again and slams Rhonda down but is unable to recover quickly. Rhonda wiggles out of another suplex attempt and locks in a sleeper hold. Raquel dives towards the corner and Rousey smacks her head into the ring post. Raquel lands a corkscrew moonsault but Shayna puts Rhonda’s foot on the rope to break the pinfall. As Raquel goes for a firemen’s carry slam Rhonda wiggles out and locks in another arm bar. Raquel falls from the top rope with the hold still locked in and she submits. Rhonda Rousey wins via submission and retains the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship.
As Rhonda and Shayna go to attack Raquel Charlotte Flair’s music plays and she comes to the ring. Rhonda takes to the microphone to make fun of Charlotte’s recent elbow injury, asking if she wants to challenge for the championship at the Royal Rumble. Charlotte says no, shes challenging her for tonight. Rhonda accepts despite Shayna’s protest. Charlotte hits a big boot for a close two count. Charlotte goes for a spear that Rhonda reverses into an arm bar but Charlotte rolls up Rousey and gets the three count. Charlotte Flair wins the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship for the 14th time!
Roman Reigns and The Bloodline are all hanging in their dressing room. Sami Zayn comes right out and asks Roman if the fans cheering him on Monday bothered him. Roman says no, especially with the amount of conviction that Sami declared his loyalty with. We go to commercial break.
Returning from commercial we are shown a WWE Digital Exclusive of Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley attempting to show up at the Mysterio house to celebrate Christmas. Rey Mysterio denies them entry and the police are called. Dominik cries out to his parents from the back of the police car that he won’t make it in prison. Michael Cole reveals that Mrs. Mysterio did bail Dominik out of jail later that evening.
Imperium come down the aisle to the ring. We will hear from Gunther after the commercial break.
Returning from commercial we are told that we will see Bray Wyatt versus LA Knight at the Royal Rumble!
Imperium treats us to a video displaying the dominance of Gunther over Sheamus and Ricochet. Braun Strowman takes to the ring and says that he didn’t see himself in the video. He says he isn’t asking for a title shot, he’s telling him. Imperium go to attack Braun but he over powers all three of them. As the action spills to outside of the ring Gunther puts Braun Strowman through an announcer’s table. Imperium send Strowman into the steel ring steps. Gunther locks in an elbow lock as Imperium keep the referees away. Ricochet comes running down the aisle with a steel chair and chases them off. He assists Braun Strowman as Adam Pearce is seen trying to restore order at ringside.
Backstage we see The Bloodline getting ready for the main event.
Next week we will see The Usos defend their undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre.
Kevin Owens & John Cena defeat Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn
Kevin Owens comes out first to a large pop from the crowd. John Cena’s music hits and the arena goes crazy. John talks directly to the camera and thanks the fans at home. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn enter together with the remainder of The Bloodline by their side. Michael Cole casts his doubts over whether or not Sami Zayn will truly give up on his entire past with Kevin Owens. We go to commercial break.
Coming back from commercial we have Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens starting things off. Sami beckons to Owens to come at him. Owens takes Sami down with a shoulder block and hits him with a back splash. Kevin taunts Sami, saying he is embarrassing himself in front of the Tribal Chief. Sami tags in Roman and the fans begin to chant John Cena’s name. Cena caters to the crowd but Roman takes Kevin Owens down with a clothesline. Roman begins to hit Kevin with hard strikes. We go to commercial break.
Returning from the commercial break we see Sami Zayn delivering boots to Kevin Owens in the corner. Kevin retaliates with a clothesline and goes for the tag to John Cena. Roman Reigns pulls Cena down from the ring apron to prevent the tag. Zayn goes for a kick but Kevin Owens blocks and they both hit the mat. Owens makes it to his corner but Cena is still down. Sami tries to attacks from behind but Owens hits a powerbomb and covers Zayn. Roman breaks up the pinfall at two. Sami makes the tag and Kevin Owens hits a superkick and frog splash on Reigns but he kicks out at two. Roman hits a superman punch on Owens but misses his spear attempt. Cena is back up on the apron now and Owens begins to crawl towards him. He makes the tag just as Roman gets to Sami Zayn. John Cena takes him down and draws Roman into the ring, taking him down as well. Cena tags Owens in and they hit a double Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena hits an AA on Roman and he crawls from the ring. Kevin Owens hits a Stunner and scores the pinfall on Sami Zayn.
Be sure to tune in next week for further action!
