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Hey there people, it’s Friday so it’s time for WWE Smackdown. Well, at least the US broadcast of WWE Smackdown as this event took place a few hours ago in Germany. Anyone who watches via Netflix or has a VPN in the States could have already seen it. If you want results they’re right HERE. As for non-spoilery things let’s get to that. So the main event is WWE champion Cody Rhodes defending in a 3 Stages of Hell match against Drew McIntyre. This is pretty much Drew’s last shot, if he fumbles again he’s the worst kind of chronic loser. Trick Williams will make his Smackdown debut against Rey Fenix, Solo Sikoa and his Massive Familial Trainwreck will take on the Wyatt Sicks in an 8 man tag match, new US champion Carmelo Hayes indicated he’d keep the US open challenge going which is a good thing. The US title matches have been a big bright spot in the Smackdown landscape so Hayes keeping them going is a positive. WWE women’s champion Jade Cargill is still treading water, but she made noises at Jordynne Grace last week so we’ll see if anything comes of that. Giulia won back the women’s US title, hopefully they have something for her to do this time around. It’s also time for people to start making noise about the Royal Rumble, and with Damian Priest keeping Aleister Black firmly in the midcard last week I expect Priest to make noise around the main event scene tonight. We’ve got 3 hours to play with so let’s get to the action.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett welcome us to Berlin, Germany as we see wrestlers arrive. The crowd is pro Drew McIntyre and anti Cody Rhodes based on seeing them walk. Also tonight we’re getting Giulia defending her title against Alexa Bliss, well that could be quite good. Also the last hour will be commercial free apparently, so there’s that.

Randy Orton heads to the ring to get things going. Randy gets a mic and feels good then plays with the crowd a bit before Trick Williams interrupts him. Trick is in his wrestling gear and gets another solid “whoop that trick” chant for a little bit but it dies out much quicker than last week. Anyway Trick gets a mic and says every week a new wrestler is out here to say this will be their year and he’s tired of it. A new star has arrived named Trick Williams, and every country apart from Germany loves him and he puts himself over. He says this isn’t 2006, it’s 2026. Randy puts himself over playing with how Trick put himself over but Randy says the only number that matters is his 14 world titles. He does see a star in Trick though and puts him over but questions Trick’s intelligence since he interrupted Randy Orton of all people. Trick now puts over Randy as one of the greatest, he’s out here to brush up against someone of Randy’s stature. Also to say this is the year of Trick and they’re gonna whoop that all around the world. Randy warns Trick, who turned away from him, that if he turns his back on him again Randy will kick his ass. Trick slaps the mic out of Randy’s hand, that might have hit a fan given how everyone reacted, then Randy unloads on trick with strikes and hits a draping DDT. Miz shows up from behind to attack Randy while Trick is on the floor, but Randy drops Miz with an RKO. Trick is on the floor and Randy looks at him, and says he thinks he likes him before posing in the corner. Randy heads out and as he’s on the entrance ramp out comes Rey Fenix for his match with Trick. Fenix gets a fist bump from Randy on his way to the ring and we head to break.

Match #1: Trick Williams vs. Rey Fenix

Bell rings as we come back. They tie up, Trick shoves Fenix off as the larger man. Fenix gets pulled down by the mask then Trick hits the ropes but Fenix counters a hip toss and they trade pin attempts for a bit but neither man finds a 3. Fenix avoids a sloppy wheel kick then Trick runs over Fenix with a shoulder block. Some chops go back and forth but Trick takes over with corner work. Fenix slips to the apron and hits his bouncing triangle dropkick this time to send Trick out of the ring. Fake dive from Fenix, then Trick lands a side kick back in the ring to take over. Falcon Arrow from Trick gets a 2 count. Trick tosses Fenix out of the ring and follows him then rams him into the ring steps. Another step shot from Trick sends us picture in picture.

Back in the ring Trick with some corner work that sends Fenix out of the ring. Wheel kick from Trick gets a 2 count when Fenix gets back into the ring, then Trick follows with mounted punches. Fenix counters a suplex with a small package for 2 then he lands a flurry of kicks to put both men down. They trade blows as we come back to broadcast. Pop up uppercut from Trick gets a 2 count. Fenix with a thrust kick then rolling leap but Trick catches him on his shoulders and Fenix slips free then hits a corner kick. Trick gets put up top, Fenix up with him and they fight for position until Fenix hits an avalanche hurricanrana because he’s great. Fenix climbs up top, tries a moonsault but Trick blocks with kicks then hits a tornado kick for a 2 count. Uranage from Trick but again only a 2 count. Fenix avoids a corner splash then lands chops after missing a leaping kick but he follows with a tornado reverse DDT for a 2 count. Hook kick from Fenix then the Adios Amigo kick. Fenix up top again, but misses his flying nothing and Trick gets a modified Victory Roll counter and grabs the tights for the 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Trick Williams won in 11:14

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Solid match, Trick getting the win was the right overall call and he got to show what he can do. But please, Smackdown creative, I’m begging you to find something meaningful for Fenix to do soon. He’s so much better than being used as just the bump guy for people like Talla Tonga.

In the back Byron talks with Giulia and Kiana James. Giulia says her title is back where it belongs. James then says Giulia will dominate the entire market. Giulia warns Alexa Bliss, a legend and former champion, that she’ll make an example of her. She closes with some Japanese then arrivederci.

After this break we’ll get a recap of the Ambulance match from last week.

Post break we do in fact get that recap of the Aleister Black vs. Damian Priest Ambulance Match.

After that we find Byron talking with Priest in the back. Priest is banged up after that match but he won the war with Black, and next he’s looking forward to challenging for the WWE title. Drew McIntyre wanders over to interrupt and Priest knows Drew could become champ tonight, but that would just mean they’d get to go another round and the last time they wrestled he scrambled Drew’s brains. Priest leaves and Byron asks Drew about tonight. Drew says emotions are high, not his of course, and he shows off the watch Dusty Rhodes pawned to send Cody acting school. Cody is going to just get himself disqualified in their first fall so Drew only needs to win one more to finally become WWE champion. Admitting to property theft on national TV is certainly a choice there Drew.

Alexa Bliss talks on the phone to Charlotte Flair, she only recently found out about her match tonight and wishes Charlotte a quick recovery. Nia Jax and Lash Legend wander over to do the usual talking points. Bliss tells Lash, from someone who’s been there, to drop Jax before Jax does it to her.

Giulia heads to the ring and we head to break.

Post break here comes Alexa Bliss.

Match #2 – Women’s US Title Match: (c) Giulia w/ Kiana James vs. Alexa Bliss

Giulia shoves Bliss, they then shove each other for a bit before both women avoid punches until Bliss finally lands a knee. Giulia grabs the hair of Bliss and hits a snap suplex. Corner hip attack from Giulia then she follows with a second rope dropkick. Giulia throws Bliss around by the hair but Bliss low bridges Giulia and follows with a cannonball senton from the apron to the floor. That sends us to break.

Giulia is still in control and does some corner work as we come back. Cheap shot from James. Back elbow from Bliss then a kick out of the corner and Bliss starts to fire up with elbows. Hard elbow from Giulia stuns Bliss but Bliss does get boots up out of the corner and lands shoulder blocks. Striking combination from Bliss then a step over Blockbuster for a 2 count. Giulia with a headbutt, Bliss responds with an STO then double knee drop but misses the flipping senton. Arrivederci knee from Giulia then Bliss avoids the Glamorous Driver but James distracts things as Bliss hits a DDT. Bliss slaps the crap out of James, the ref deals with James which means when Bliss goes up top Lash Legend can shove Bliss down. Northern Lights Bomb from Giulia connects to end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Giulia retained the title in 8:41

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Nice to see Giulia just get to wrestle, and she and Bliss could have decent chemistry. I’d like to see more of this pairing later, preferably without all the shenanigans.

Post match Nia Jax and Lash Legend beat down Bliss and stand tall.

In the back Jordynne Grace has signed with Smackdown and celebrates with Nick Aldis. Chelsea Green comes over to make noise and wants a rematch with Giulia. Alba Fyre and Grace get into things and Aldis says they can settle that in the ring. Grace leaves and Green asks what about her, Aldis says she can help Fyre get ready. The women leave then Kit Wilson comes over to complain. Aldis asks for a second, then goes into his office and leaves Wilson outside it.

Elsewhere in the back Byron talks with Matt Cardona. Cardona says it’s great to be back and talks a bit about the journey then moves over to talk with Cody Rhodes. The two hug and Cardona says he’s here to win the WWE title. Cody says when he’s done with Drew they can talk.

After this break we’ll get the Solo Squad and Wyatts 8-man tag match.

Post break we get a quick history of 3 Stages Of Hell matches, there’s a lot of Triple H in this because he’s been in almost all of them.

After that a video recap of the Wyatts and Solo Squad issues to this point.

Match #3 – 8-Man Tag Team Match: Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, and Dexter Lumis) w/ Nikki Cross vs. MFT (Tama Tonga, Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa, and Talla Tonga) w/ JC Mateo

Loa and Lumis start, Loa lands a shoulder block but Lumis kips up and shoulder blocks Loa down then hits a dropkick. Gacy tags in and Loa takes some tandem offense. Things break down a bit and everyone winds up standing off on the floor as we go picture in picture.

Gacy sends Loa back into the ring then kicks him and punches Tama but then gets cheap shotted by Talla. Loa with some corner work, his stomps are marginally better than his punches at least, and Tama tags in. They double team Gacy for a bit then Talla tags in. Talla with a corner attack then an uppercut. Solo now tags in and makes noises at the Wyatts. Gacy fires some punches but Solo just hits him back and retains control. Solo is landing corner punches as we come back. Gacy takes a hip attack then Solo cheap shots Lumis and tags in Tama. Tama makes noises but Gacy starts fighting back with strikes, he reaches for Rowan but can’t make the tag yet, then Gacy with the handspring clothesline and tags in Rowan as Loa tags in as well. Rowan just runs wild for a bit on everyone including both Guerillas of Destiny. Crossbody to Tama. Talla tags in and the two big men square off to not the reaction they wanted. Punches are traded for a bit and Rowan gets the better of that before Talla lands a headbutt but he runs into a clothesline. Talla with a clothesline of his own then boots Gacy and chokeslams Lumis. Rowan and Talla then run into each other and both men are down. Howdy wants the tag, and both he and Solo tag in. They start trading punches, Howdy hits the ropes and stats taking over. Solo misses a Samoan Spike and takes a Uranage. Howdy wants Sister Abigail but Solo avoids it. Tama tags in and takes a Uranage as well. JC gets hit from the apron and takes a Mandible Claw but Solo grabs the lantern from the Wyatts on the floor, that lets Talla boot Howdy. Howdy’s left alone and Tama hits the Cutthroat to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: MFT won in 10:03

Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: This wasn’t the epic contest they wanted but it was serviceable overall. Tama getting the pin was a choice, I’m curious if they’ll follow up on Tama’s interaction with Shinsuke Nakamura last week at all or not. Anyway this was OK but not any more than passable.

In the back Miz leaves the office of Aldis and runs into Carmelo Hayes. Hayes says he’s about to have an open challenge so Miz could challenge him. Miz says he can’t move his neck after what Randy did to him, Hayes says there’s always next week and punks him out. Miz leaves but Ilja Dragunov shows up, and Hayes says Ilja could accept his challenge. Ilja says they’ll fight again, but not here as he’s got to talk with Aldis about something else right now. Ilja goes into the office and Hayes heads off.

Back to the ring, here comes Alba Fyre but to Chelsea Green’s music and we head to break.

Oba Femi video as we come back. He’s probably going to RAW given all the other NXT callups that have come to Smackdown.

Jordynne Grace heads to the ring for the next match.

Match #4: Alba Fyre w/ Chelsea Green vs. Jordynne Grace

Grace avoids a punch and lays into Fyre with elbows and chops. Wrist control clotheslines from Grace then a modified Big Ending. Fyre lands a superkick then tornado DDT for a 2 count. Grace blocks a suplex then lands a back elbow. Spinebuster from Grace then a release Package Powerbomb but Green distracts the ref so no count on the pin. Grace throws Fyre into Green then hits a Torture Rack Bomb to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Jordynne Grace won in 2:26

Rating: Butternut SQUASH
Thoughts: Exactly what it needed to be.

As Grace leaves out comes Jade Cargill to meet her on the ramp with a mic. Jade walks around Grace and runs Grace down before telling her she’s on Jade’s show and Jade is that bitch. OK then.

In the back Byron talks with Sami Zayn. He kind of wants Drew to win just because he’s the one person Sami hasn’t beaten and beating him for the WWE title sounds great. He’s still rooting for Cody to be sure and puts Cody over, ultimately saying his money is on Cody winning tonight. But whoever wins tonight, he’s waiting on the other side for them.

We see Drew getting ready for the main event.

Carmelo Hayes heads to the ring for the open challenge match and we head to break.

Post break commentary remind us the Royal Rumble is coming up. If Saudi slave labor can get the venue built in time that is, they’re behind schedule.

In the back Nathan Frazer warms up, Axiom comes over but it’s the wrong mask and it’s Johnny Gargano to attack Frazer. The real Axiom runs him off.

Back to the ring and here comes Shinsuke Nakamura to answer the challenge. Should be a good match here.

Match #5 – US Title Match: (c) Carmelo Hayes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

They tie up, Nakamura with a go behind and they move to the mat but wind up in a stalemate after some escapes. Another tie up, Hayes goes for the arm but Nakamura counters with a body blow then some rope running until Hayes lands a dropkick. Nakamura with a kick to intercept a dive from Hayes then Hayes hits the springboard clothesline. That sends us picture in picture.

Hayes with a clothesline out of the corner then he follows with a 10 punch but pauses between 6 and 7 for the hand meme. Leg drop from Hayes gets a 2 count. Small Package from Nakamura and they both trade trying pins but neither finds a 3 count. Hayes then runs into a kick and Nakamura takes over. Knee drop from Nakamura then some corner kicks and Good Vibrations. Nakamura grabs a chin lock then knees Hayes in the body followed by a kick to the chest. Corner chop from Nakamura as we come back then he lands a front kick. More corner strikes from Nakamura then Hayes misses a springboard clothesline and Nakamura with a dropkick to the knee. Hayes moves to the apron and tries to kick but Nakamura catches it and hits a Dragon Screw, sort of, and that sends Hayes to the floor. Back in the ring Nakamura hands Hayes in the ropes and hits an ax kick to the back of the head for a 2 count. Hayes pulls himself up in the ropes but Nakamura hits a Dragon Screw through the ropes then continues going after the leg. Half Boston Crab from Nakamura but Hayes is able to scramble out of it. Kitchen Sink knee lift from Nakamura then a kick to the chest. Another kick from Nakamura and the “come on” spot. Hayes catches a kick then starts striking with Nakamura. Superkick from Hayes then a leaping DDT for a 2 count. Nakamura puts Hayes up top but Hayes kicks him off then hits a diving DDT and both men are down. That sends us picture in picture again, commercial free last “hour” I guess instead of a real hour.

Hayes climbs the ropes but Nakamura kicks him then hits another Dragon Screw. Hayes spins out of another Dragon Screw and lands a Buzzsaw Kick and both men are down. Chop from Hayes but Nakamura returns it. Elbow from Nakamura then a knee. Hayes is trying to strike back but he’s not the striker Nakamura is and trading with him isn’t working out. Some leg stomps from Nakamura then Hayes flips out of a reverse Exploder suplex attempt but Nakamura counters his La Mistica with a general facebuster and both men are down as we come back. Nakamura puts Hayes up top and looks for an avalanche reverse Exploder, Hayes fights that off though but Nakamura kicks him down into a tree of woe. That lines up Nakamura but Hayes sits up to avoid a knee to the head and Nakamura knees the bottom turnbuckle. Nakamura heads out of the ring and Hayes with a leap onto him from the corner. Back in the ring Hayes pulls himself up top but misses a Frog Splash. Nakamura with a rolling kneebar now, he cranks the kneebar but Hayes is able to drag himself to the ropes. Hayes tries a Victory Roll but can’t get it, but he counters a Landslide with a Stunner then unfortunately runs into a high kick. Landslide from Nakamura and a near fall. Now Nakamura lines up the Kinshasa but he runs into a superkick. Hayes with the springboard fade away DDT then he again pulls himself up the ropes. Nakamura with a gamen giri then he lines up Hayes on the top rope for the knee to the ribs then a second rope leaping knee strike. Nakamura runs into a First 48 when trying a Kinshasa, that lets Hayes climb up and hit Nothing But Net to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Carmelo Hayes retained the title in 18:29

Rating: 3.5 stars
Thoughts: As expected a good match, the major downside was just that Nakamura was pretty much never going to win here. Nakamura hasn’t done much for quite a while and he wasn’t going to just buck that trend here. This might be the start of trying to rehab Nakamura but at this point I just don’t have a lot of faith in them doing anything interesting with him. Hayes keeps rolling, which is good for him.

Post match both men shake hands.

In the back Byron talks with Cody about tonight. Cody says Drew doesn’t need to bring Dusty into this, it’s lazy and cheap.

Nick Aldis talks about the main event, then says next week we’ll have four qualifying matches though. Those four winners will have a Fatal 4-Way at Saturday Night’s Main Event with that winner getting the title shot at the Royal Rumble. OK then, the title rarely changes hands at the Rumble but having the title match there is still good.

The matches next week will be Randy Orton vs. Miz, Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams, Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov. A few of those have pretty obvious outcomes but any of the main players there getting a title shot at the Rumble should be good overall.

A hype package for Cody vs. Drew, it’s the usual excellent quality that WWE produces for these things.

Main event time, the crowd is very pro Drew.

Match #5 – 3 Stages Of Hell WWE Title Match: (c) Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

First Stage: Normal match.

Drew came out with the watch puts it under one of the corners. Cody comes out hot and starts stomping away at Drew in the corner. Knee lift from Cody then he clotheslines Drew out of the ring. Suicide dive from Cody then he starts bouncing Drew around the ringside area. Drew gets a chair and hands it to Cody, Cody declines and kicks him then they head back in the ring. Disaster Kick from Cody then jabs into the Bionic Elbow that sends Drew back out of the ring. Cody follows Drew and starts choking him on the announce table. Drew launches Cody into the ring steps. Back in the ring Cody flips out of a back suplex and hits a super Cody Cutter for a 2 count. Drew tries to beg off, Cody just punches him and again stomps him down in a corner. German suplex from Cody. Drew yanks off the cover of a turnbuckle, then kicks Cody in the dick as the ref handles that. Claymore from Drew and he wins the first fall in about 3:41.

Second Stage: Falls Count Anywhere.

They head out of the ring and Drew gets a table. Drew sets the table up on the floor and powerbombs Cody through it but only a 2 count. They brawl around the ringside area and up the entrance ramp. Cody’s back it cut open from that stack on the broken table, but he hits a suplex on the ramp. They fight back to the ringside area and Cody tosses Drew into the fans then jumps onto him with an ax handle from the barricade. Some brawling through the crowd and up some stairs, Cody hits Drew with something but we don’t see it. They fight back down the stairs and Cody punches Drew to the backstage area. They fight around a garage area and Cody launches Drew into a door. Now they fight back to the hallway that leads into the fans, Drew lands a Russian legsweep into the wall. Drew now gets a table and positions it, he wants another powerbomb through the table but Cody grabs the guardrail and pulls free then kicks Drew. Cody then slips off of Drew’s shoulders and rams him into the wall a few times. Next Cody puts Drew on the table, climbs up into the fans over it and hits his really stiff body splash to drive Drew through it but only a near fall on the cover. They head back to the ringside area after Cody throws Drew over the barricade. Drew with a couple of chair shots to Cody then he tries to Claymore his head through the side of the announce table but Cody intercepts with a superkick. Cody pulls the announce table apart then drags Drew on top of it. Once up there Cody hits a Cross Rhodes on the announce table, which does break, and that gets Cody the second fall in 12:55 total.

Third Stage: Steel Cage Match.

It takes a bit but Cody is able to drag Drew into the ring so the cage can be lowered. The cage is down and Drew pulls himself up but Cody is waiting and starts ramming him into the cage walls. Eventually Drew counters one of those and tries to escape, the door is open but Cody grabs him and pulls him back. Ugh, escape rules. Suplex from Cody for a 2 count. Drew with a kick to the body out of the corner but barely a 2 count on the cover. They both climb up on the cage and trade some blows, Cody tries to escape but Drew pulls him into a superplex from the middle of the ropes and that gets a 2 count but was a pretty cool spot. Back elbow from Drew, he keeps trying for pins but can’t find one despite getting more and more desperate. Drop down right hand from Cody but Drew avoids a corner rush and then hits the Future Shock DDT for a near fall. Cody is bleeding from the head, around near the back of it, and Drew lands mounted punches. Punches from Drew as he tells Cody to stay down. Cody hits the ropes and does a satellite Cross Rhodes but only a near fall this time. They start trading punches for the “boo yay” spot though both men are getting mixed responses. Things get more pro Drew as they get into a hockey fight. Cody hits a snap powerslam for a 2 count.

Cody hits a Cody Cutter but still can’t keep Drew down. You could just walk out the door Cody but he wont even think about it. Cross Rhodes from Cody, but he holds on and hits the second, then Drew gouges the eyes to avoid the third. Drew rams Cody into the exposed turnbuckle then follows with a Claymore but now he only gets a near fall. Drew pulls himself up and climbs the cage, Cody grabs his leg and bites it then climbs up to the top of the cage with Drew. They start trading punches and chops while sitting up there, then Cody rams Drew’s head into the top of the scaffolding. Both men slip back into the cage, Cody rams Drew off the wall to the mat then hits a cage top Cody Cutter but only a near fall again. Cody pulls himself up and climbs the cage, Drew comes over and climbs with him, ultimately both men fall crotch first onto the top rope after they bounce each other off the cage a few times.

They’re both down and Drew rolls for the cage door. The door is open, but a masked man in a hoodie (again with that Trips?) shoves the outside ref out of the way. Hood goes back, mask comes off and it’s the Samoan Werewolf Jacob Fatu! Drew runs from Fatu, like you would, but Fatu chases him across the ring and starts stomping the crap out of Drew. For some reason Cody comes over to pull Fatu off of Drew. . . just why? Fatu then hits Cody and attacks him in the corner, why? Anyway that lets Drew flop out of the cage to the floor to win the title.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Drew McIntyre won the title in 31:00

Rating: 3.5 stars
Thoughts: That was an excellent match cocked up by a truly baffling finish. Why did Cody try to stop Fatu? Why did Fatu waste time with Cody if he wanted Drew? Just a mess of a finish in terms of characterization, motivation, logic, and everything dramatic. Somehow everyone looks just a little worse after this, which is a really impressive thing to achieve if you think about it. The relatively high rating is for everything but the finish, the finish knocks almost a full star off of this.

Post match Drew crawls up the ramp with the belt and Cody rams Fatu into the steel cage. Just, what in the world was that? Anyway that ends the episode.