Friday Night Smackdown begins with highlights of the NXT invasion on the Smackdown roster. These included; Shayna Baszler’s attack on Bayley. It also included; Tommaso Ciampa’s win over The Miz. Finally, Daniel Bryan facing and being defeated by Adam Cole for the NXT Championship. With each of these things taking place, it appears the NXT roster has fired the first shot. Triple H then goes out and says that at Survivor Series they will contend against Raw and Smackdown. They are NXT. Tonight’s episode emanates from Manchester, England at the Manchester Arena. Tonight’s main event will be the King Corbin and Roman Reigns matchup that was slated to take place last week.
Corbin makes his way out to the ring with scepter in hand. He begins to speak of Survivor Series and the battle for brand supremacy. Corbin says the attack on NXT is Roman Reigns’ fault. He spoke of all of Reigns’ past accomplishments. Corbin also spoke about how Reigns’ priority is different. That his desire and commitment isn’t what it once was. He is a step behind. Corbin continues to rundown Reigns and tries to provoke him to come out. King Corbin then pulls out a poop bag? Who writes this stuff? Corbin then says that Reigns will bend a knee to him. He then heads back.
The New Day is shown backstage and is interviewed by Kayla Braxton. Kofi shares about how they are facing The Revival Smackdown tag team championships. The attempt is to become the seven-time tag team champions. it is slated to happen after the commercial break.
Smackdown Tag Team Championship.
The Revival vs The New Day
The New Day make their way out first to the ring. Dash and Dawson make their way out next with the championships in tow. As soon as the bell rings, Wilder takes the fight to Kofi. Eventually, Kofi tags in Big E who regains control. Wilder drops and clutches his knee appearing to favor it. This was a well planned commercial break it seemed too. With them back from commercial, Wilder lured him into an attack by Scott Dawson during the commercial break. Once Big E makes the tag to Kofi, Kingston brings the fight to the champions. Kingston attempted the trouble in paradise but Scott Dawson pulls his partner out of the way.
Big E comes into the match and all four members are in this match Kingston hits the S.O.S and pin but only for a count of two. Big E is tagged in and the attempt Midnight Hour only for the champions to regain control. An uppercut and belly to back suplex resulted in a pin only for a count of two. Wilder regains control with an errant tag made to Kofi by Big E. With Dawson taken out of the match, Kingston hits a prone Dash Wilder held by Big E with the trouble in paradise. 1….2….3
Winners: And NEW Smackdown Tag Team Champions, The New Day
The champions celebrate their seventh championship reign. We are shown a replay of the last sequence of the match. A graphic is shown of the upcoming Nikki Cross and Sasha Banks matchup along with an appearance by Tyson Fury.
Roman Reigns is shown backstage and stopped by Shorty G who makes him aware of what King Corbin was saying.
After the commercial break, we see Daniel Bryan backstage who is confronted by Sami Zayn. Zayn comes back to him and says that if he aligned with him he would have been the NXT Champion. Sami then takes credit for Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura’s recent success. He invites him to come watch at ringside and watch.
Heavy Machinery vs…
Before the match can take place, Imperium storm the ring and attack Tucker and Otis making it a four on two attack. Walter, Marcel Bartel, Fabian Aichner, Alexander Wolfe beat down the duo until The New Day and the rest of the Smackdown locker room makes the save.
Bayley and Sasha Banks are interviewed backstage and addressed about Shayna Baszler’s recent attack. They spoke about how they made the NXT Women’s division and that the current roster will live in their shadow. Bayley then addresses the recent face to face interview between Becky Lynch and Shayna Baszler and how both women would ‘keep an eye’ on Bayley. She says that she is the only woman to hold all the women’s championships and that they can play ‘takeover games too’.
Shinsuke Nakamura w/ Sami Zayn and Cesaro vs. Shorty G and Ali
As the match begins, Daniel Bryan walks to the stage to look on. Cesaro attacks with an uppercut and tags in Nakamura. Cesaro is then tagged back in as Shorty G tries to get to Ali. However, Cesaro cuts him off at the pass. Shorty G attempts to fight off Cesaro’s attack. He hits a victory roll and springs into a diving tag to Ali. Ali comes in takes the fight to Cesaro. Ali hits a nice combo into a tilt a whirl DDT.
Shorty G then suplexes Nakamura to the outside. Cesaro ends up outside and Ali hits a dive to the outside. Cesaro catches Ali and hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker midair. Ali attempts to fight them off as Shorty G puts him in an ankle lock. Nakamura hits a reverse exploder suplex on Ali. Nakamura then comes charging in and super kicked by Ali. With Ali climbing the top turnbuckle, Shorty G stops Sami Zayn allowing Cesaro to push him off. Nakamura then hits a Kinsasha for the 1…2…3.
Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro
We then see a graphic of an upcoming tag team match between Dana Brooke and Carmella against Fire and Desire. The winner will represent Smackdown at the Survivor Series.
Nikki Cross is then shown backstage as she is awaiting her match with Sasha.
Nikki Cross vs. Sasha Banks
With Bayley at ringside now, Sasha Banks makes her way out next. She has a remix of her music that is different. Snoop Dogg appears to add a bit of voiceover wrap. Banks will captain the Smackdown team. We are shown highlights of last week’s episode shown. Bayley is fighting for that. Nikki Cross and Sasha Banks are set to come at each other. Banks beat down Cross and goes for the pin. Sasha lays a knee across the throat of Cross who is resting on the middle rope.
The Boss lays in a few kicks on the former Sanity member. Cross hits consecutive arm drags. Nikki then hits a running crossbody on Sasha on the floor. She then attacks Bayley at ringside. Banks then hits a kick on Cross while she is distracted by the recovering Bayley. Back in the ring, Cross sneaks in a small package on Sasha Banks. Banks recover at ringside with Bayley at her side.
After a commercial break, Bayley gets back on commentary with Sasha Banks regaining control in the match. Cross then hits a tornado DDT on Sasha Banks. She makes a pinning attempt but only for a count of two. With consecutive clotheslines, Cross then hits a bulldog on Sasha Banks. Cross then hits a crossbody but Banks rolls through that. Banks attempts a pin with a roll through but Cross kicks out. Sasha then hits a Banks statement who then eventually makes Cross tap out.
Winner: Sasha Banks
After the match, Bayley attacks Cross but is then met with an attack by Shayna Baszler. Baszler then leaves the ring as Banks didn’t realize that the Smackdown champ was in trouble.
Zayn is speaking with Bryan in the locker room. He tells Bryan that he wants to move forward. The lights go out and a red light comes on to show Daniel Bryan being attacked by The Fiend Bray Wyatt with a mandible claw. At this point, Zayn takes off leaving the former champion at the will of the WWE Universal champion.
After the commercial, we are shown highlights of a confrontation backstage of what happened just before the break. We are then shown highlights of Tyson Fury’s in-ring debut.
England’s own, Tyson Fury then makes his way out to the ring to the cheers of his countrymen and women.
Fury gets on the microphone and addresses his recent matches. He spoke of unfinished business that he has and it’s with Braun Strowman. Strowman then makes his way out to the ring. Once in the ring, Strowman gets in Fury’s face and he shakes his hand. Fury says the next time they face each other it should be as a tag team. Strowman says he didn’t think anyone would be stupid enough to fight them. That brings out the B-Team and Axel says they are stupid enough to face them. Dallas and Axel get clobbered by a freight train by Strowman. The two big men celebrate their annihilation of the B-Team.
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville vs Carmella and Dana Brooke
As the match begins Deville and Carmella start the match off. Carmella is isolated in the corner as both Rose and Deville beat down on the former Smackdown women’s champion. Deville continues to ties up Carmella and cuts the ring in half on her. Brooke is eventually tagged in. Dana Brooke hits a combination of moves on Deville until Rose breaks it up. Brooke hits a dropkick on Deville outside. She rolls her into the ring and then climbs the top rope. Brooke then hits a senton from the top for a three count and then pin.
Winners: Carmella and Dana Brooke
Both women have earned a spot on the Smackdown women’s team for Survivor Series.
Roman Reigns vs King Corbin
Reigns makes his way out to the ring first to face King Corbin. After a commercial break, King Corbin comes out to the ring. As soon he enters the ring, Reigns attacks Corbin right away. The match spills to the floor. The bell officially rings signaling the start of the match. Corbin and Reigns exchange blows. Corbin rolls out of the ring and Reigns attacks the King. Then, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode come out and attempt to get involved. Corbin hits a deep six on the distracted Reigns and makes a pin but only for a count of two.
After another commercial break, we see Ziggler and Roode at ringside supporting Corbin who has the advantage. Corbin is relentless in his attack. Both Ziggler and Roode lay in kicks on the big dog once he falls to the outside. Once rolled back in the ring, Reigns regained some semblance of control but only momentarily. Corbin continues to beatdown Reigns inside the ring. Reigns tried to fight back against Corbin. The two exchange blows. Reigns builds momentum but is once again stopped by King Corbin. Corbin attempts a pin but only for a count of two. King Corbin continues to drive fists on the former champion.
Reigns’ begins to fight back once again and follows up with a pinning attempt
The Big Dog attempts to set up for the Superman punch but both Ziggler and Roode aid in distracting Reigns and the referee. Reigns hit a Superman punch on Roode and a spear on Ziggler. As Reigns turns around King Corbin hit an End of Days for a pin..1….2..3.
Winner: King Corbin
