Don’t adjust your monitors, but our resident Friday Night SmackDown Synopsis reviewer Ian Agubov is celebrating Rosh Hashanah this week. To that, we wish him a sweet New Year. His commitment means we need to keep this review going with the Smackdown Synopsis for 9/18/20 edition. We crack out an old school banner that you’ll next to never see anymore, but it’s special this week. This week begins with the crack of Thunder as SmackDown emanates at the Thunderdome at the Amway Centre. This brings about The Dirt Sheet with The Miz and John Morrison.
SmackDown Synopsis for 9/18/20
The Dirt Sheet
with The Miz & John Morrison
The co-hosts are in the ring and sharing about the latest gossip. First off, we hear about Mandy Rose moving to Raw. That he called in a favor to have her moved to Raw, both Miz and Morrison are making a comment after comment at Otis who came in and cleaned house. Tucker then arrives at ringside and feeds Otis, both men, to beat down.
https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1307109428190117890
Otis comes back to continue to beat down The Miz, who ripped off the clothes of The Miz. Morrison and The Miz scamper to the back, trying to hide his tighty whities. After the commercial break, we see The Miz and Morrison recovering from an attack by Otis. Kayla Braxton asks The Miz if he feels terrible for upsetting Otis. Something is being cooked up here upon a phone call received by The Miz.
Gran Metalik with Lucha House Party vs. Cesaro with Shinsuke Nakamura
Both Lince Dorado and Metalik argue while giving Metalik advice. The arguing among the LHP in the ring is distracting, but we’re witnessing the tag team champions managing to come together. Metalik and Cesaro have a fantastic exchange; however, advice from his partners outside proves to be distracting outside the ring. This leads to an advantage by Cesaro. Cesaro is then hit with a hurricanrana. This is followed up with an armbar by Cesaro on Metalik. Cesaro then whips Metalik in the turnbuckle. Both Lince Dorado and Kalisto climb on the apron, and the referee kicks them both out from being at ringside.
This distraction leads to Cesaro dropkicking Metalik off the ring apron. Cesaro picks him up and whips into the ring. Metalik then hits a springboard Swanton from the ropes to the floor on Cesaro. After the break, Cesaro catches Metalik with a big book and then turns that into a rear chinlock. Metalik hits strike after strike and then proceeds to place him on the top rope. However, Metalik catches him and hits a hurricanrana from the top rope onto Cesaro. Metalik tries a moonsault, but Cesaro catches him and follows that up with a neutralizer for the three count.
Winner: Cesaro
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1307113296827383811
Kayla Braxton interviews Jey Uso after the match asks him about Sheamus and King Corbin from the previous week and highlights of that match. There were moments that seem that there was some tension between the two.
The range of emotions by Matt Riddle? Unsure why it was needed, but apparently it’s crucial to have. It was something.
A Moment of Bliss with Alexa Bliss and Special Guest Nikki Cross
Alexa awaits her guest and ‘best friend’ Nikki Cross. Cross comes out as pumped as pumped can be. We get a flashback of her hitting Sister Abigail on Cross from the previous week. It ultimately ended with a win by Cross and a championship opportunity. We see Cross beginning to become uncomfortable with the questioning by Bliss. At this point, Cross starts to become more animated during this interview. She then calms down, and the two share a chuckle. Cross then asks Bliss about how she has been lately to which Bliss has no idea.
To which, Lacey Evans comes out and interrupts this interview between the two. She makes her way between the two women and antagonizes both of them. Eventually, Cross stands up and takes the napkin from her and hand whips her nose with it and throws it to the ground. This leads to an attack by Cross.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1307117329977925632
SmackDown Synopsis for 9/18/20
Nikki Cross vs. Lacey Evans
With Alexa Bliss on commentary, we manage to get these two women in this next match. Evans disinfects her hands while at ringside until Cross makes the attack. Cross then brings the fight to Evans and hits her with a crossbody from the middle rope. She then attempts a La Mahistra cradle but only for a count of two. Evans then gets the advantage and continues to beat down on Cross. With Cross sitting prone in the corner, Evans continues her assault. Evans has a rest hold on Cross in the middle of the ring, leading to continued work on her arm. Evans is relentless with boot after boot on her.
A standing moonsault by Evans is next on Cross. She then proceeds to pick up disinfectant and sprays her in the face with it. Battered and beaten, Cross regains control and continues her assault on Evans. Cross then hits a tornado DDT on Evans along with a finish off the resting Evans on the rope.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
After the match, walks Evans crawls over to Bliss, who appears as though she is in a trans. She picks up the beaten Evans and proceeds to hit a Sister Abigail on her and then walks away. We then see Sasha Banks backstage in a neck brace being set up for her upcoming interview.
https://twitter.com/WWENetwork/status/1307156654211858432
After the break, we see the Tribal Chief’s history and their legacy in wrestling history as champions. It was a look back at all that have been a part of the family’s dynasty. The tag team success of the Uso’s and their friendship and brotherhood with one another is leading to a match against one another at Gold Rush Clash of Champions.
SmackDown Synopsis for 9/18/20
Interview with Sasha Banks
Backstage (at the WWE Performance Centre), we see Sasha Banks being asked about the attack she received from her then friend Bayley. The beat down was relentless from each kick and punched to the chair wrapped around her neck and jumped on. The production of this video was powerful. Banks laid quivering in a heap as she was carted away. We see anger on the face of Banks. We hear anger, disappointment, and being hurt by someone’s best friend. The betrayal felt genuine. Sasha fights back the tears about their relationship. For this segment, I turned down the volume to see if I could feel her pain. While a cavalcade of emotions ran through Sasha, we could see pain evident throughout.
Banks’ demeanor changes as she emphatically makes her claim at Bayley. This was until the SmackDown Women’s champion attacks her. Bayley wraps a chair around her neck, but the result doesn’t lead to more of an attack because backstage helps pull the champion off her.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1307124325305253890
After the break, we see Sasha Banks recovering from another Bayley attack.
SmackDown Synopsis for 9/18/20
AJ Styles vs Sami Zayn
We see flashbacks from last week when Sami Zayn was attacking at both Styles and Hardy during their matchup last week. Zayn makes his way to the ring while AJ Styles now awaits him in the ring. Sami pursues the announcer saying, why wasn’t he recognized as the champion. Styles attacks Zayn and brings the fight to the former champion in the ring. To see the great liberator with much longer locks is unlike what we’ve seen before. Zayn then regains control and takes the fight to Styles. This was temporary until Zayn recovers.
After a commercial break, we witness Zayn regains control against AJ Styles. With Styles sitting on the top rope, Zayn stops him and then catches him while dropping him over the top rope. Styles reverses a suplex attempt and turned it into a neckbreaker. Combinations by Zayn lead to a Pele Kick by AJ Styles. Both men are trying to make it to their feet, and Zayn blocks Styles. Zayn then hits a Blue Thunder bomb. Sami stood over top of Styles, who attempted to catch him with a calf crusher. With Styles was trying to make it to his feet, and Zayn caught him and tried to pin him, but the referee didn’t see Styles pull the tights while making a pinning attempt but for the count of three.
Winner: AJ Styles
After the match, Jeff Hardy charges the ring attacking both Sami Zayn and AJ Styles. Hardy is attacking both former champions. He takes a ladder and begins to use it against both former champions. With Zayn crawling out of the match, Hardy comes out and challenges both Styles and Zayn. The challenge is to a triple threat ladder match at Clash of Champions for the Intercontinental Championship.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1307325188690804737
After a commercial break, Tucker reads to Otis that he is being served by The Miz and Morrison and tells him to forfeit his Money in the Bank briefcase. What is impressive is that The Miz has a lawyer on retainer that can serve someone with papers within an hour. Who does he work for? We then see King Corbin and Sheamus speaking until a security guard informs the Celtic Warrior that his car is getting towed. He leads Sheamus to Big E, who attempts to attack the Celtic Warrior but ultimately beats down the security guard.
Samoan Street Fight
Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman & Jey Uso vs. King Corbin & Sheamus
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1307122506046857216
With Heyman in tow, Reigns picks up the mic and says that this is his WWE. If anyone wants it, they need to come and take it from him. We return from a commercial with Corbin making his way to the ring with Sheamus already at ringside. We see both teams taking the fight to one another. Corbin attempts to take the battle to Reigns with a steel chair. However, the champion uses the hardware against him. Reigns and Sheamus fight until Cobrin comes around ringside and collectively beatdown Reigns.
With Reigns taken out, both Corbin and Sheamus begin to get to Jey Uso, but both men beat him down. This leads to a powerbomb through a table. Sheamus makes the pin but only for the count of two. Reigns attempts to fight back but Sheamus him and then kicks him low and hits a Samoan drop. Roman then spears Sheamus with a spear through a barricade. Uso hits a splash preceded by a spear by Roman Reigns. Uso makes the pinfall for the count of three.
Winners: Roman Reigns and Jey Uso
After the match, Uso throws the title to Reigns, and they celebrate in the ring together. A smile in the middle of the ring and a nod to Heyman was a sure sign something was going to happen between the cousins. But not yet and not tonight…but soon? We hope you enjoyed this past week’s SmackDown Synopsis for 9/18/20.
