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Hey there everyone, time for WWE Smackdown. This episode was taped last week so if you want spoilers they can be found HERE. That mostly means a lot of the fallout from Saturday Night’s Main Event, specifically Chelsea Green’s women’s US title win, wont be referenced in arena. Probably some backstage stuff though since that could be taped without spoiling anything. Speaking of that event, Cody Rhodes defended his title against Kevin Owens who then hit Cody with a Package Piledriver and walked off with the novelty belt so that feud will continue just long enough for Owens to continue his yearly tradition of losing a WWE title match at the Royal Rumble. DIY and Motor City Machine Guns seem to be heating up as a feud so we’ll get Johnny Gargano vs. Alex Shelley, Bianca Belair and Naomi will defend the women’s tag team titles against Candice LeRae and Nia Jax, and recent Smackdown roster member Braun Strowman said he’d be on the Grayson Waller Effect tonight. I’m sure there will be Bloodline related stuff as we’re heading towards Roman vs. Solo main eventing the first RAW on Netflix next year in Tribal Combat for the ula fala. Anyway that’s more or less the preamble, so let’s get to the action.

First a predictable recap of Saturday Night’s Main Event, which is a show I didn’t get to watch but have heard mixed reviews on. This does include the Package Piledrive from Owens to Rhodes but we’ll get more on that later.

Our first thing from the arena is seeing the wrestlers backstage “arriving” and a few previews of matches tonight.

Solo Sikoa heads down to the ring with the real star of this group Jacob Fatu as well as Tama Tonga for our first match. Solo gets a mic and just addresses the crowd as “Smackdown” because admitting it’s the same venue and crowd as last week would kill the mood. Unfortunately no interruption yet as Solo on the mic is still a work in progress, he brings up Roman’s challenge to Tribal Combat. He’s getting the “What?” treatment pretty badly. The post production work here is a tad obvious. Anyway Solo accepts, and says both men can leave all the help behind. Seriously, is my feed off or is the editing here really obvious? Solo says he’ll still be the head of the table after January 6th. After Solo beats Roman he says Roman can get back on his boat and stay irrelevant. That, boy that was a rough promo. Solo on the mic is still very much a work in progress. Anyway here’s Drew McIntyre to maybe finally address the one guy who actually screwed him out of the title. Drew stalks around the trio in the ring then gets a mic. Solo says he was happy to see Drew kick Jimmy in the face last week, but he better have a reason for interrupting. I for one am glad he did. Drew says he’ll be quick because being this close to them causes him physical pain, he asks Solo if he asks when Drew is coming for him. He says Solo cost him the WWE title at Clash at the Castle, the one who caused pain to his family, but Solo is the one who stood up to Roman. The rest of them acted tough but they fell back in line. Anyway Drew is torn since he wants to tear Solo apart but knows they have the same goal, so Drew will take out OG Bloodline members and Solo can take out Roman for good but once that is done then Drew will finish his business with Solo. Jimmy pulls Drew out of the ring and starts attacking him with a crutch and they head out through the crowd. LA Knight the heads to the ring for trios action. All three men are out and we get a brawl with the good guys standing tall as we head to break.

Match #1 – Trios Match: Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight, Andrade, and Apollo Crews

Joined in progress as Apollo lands a dropkick to Tama. Gorilla Press to Tama then he drops him. Knight tags in and starts laying into Tama with strikes and a running neckbreaker. Andrade tags in and kicks at Tama. Apollo back in and they land a double elbow to drop Tama. Andrade back in, Tama tries to fight back with body shots but Andrade hits a hurricanrana then low bridges Fatu. Apollo tags and he and Andrade with stereo aerial moves to the outside. Knight calls on Solo but Solo thinks better of getting involved right now. Everyone’s back in the ring and Tama is able to let Fatu tag in who lays out Apollo and sends us to break.

We come back to Solo working over Apollo. Apollo tries to tag out but Solo is blocking him. Fatu tags in to hit a scoop slam but then Apollo blocks a senton with knees. Andrade tags in, he starts laying in strikes to Fatu then hits a flying forearm. Andrade hits the corner knees for a 2 count. Next Andrade heads up top for the double moonsault but again only a 2 count. Blind tag from Solo, then Fatu elevates Andrade and he bounces out of the ring where Solo slams him into a ring post. Fatu tags back in then hits a pop up Samoan Drop onto Andrade to send us picture in picture.

Hip attack from Fatu then he tags in Solo. Solo then hits an assisted hip attack. Tama tags back in now and hits a hilo. Strikes from Tama then Fatu tags back in. Fatu with a nerve hold until we come back to broadcast, then he misses a hip attack on Andrade. Enziguri from Andrade then he tags in Knight who gets to run wild on Tama for a bit. Apollo tags back in and things break down. Knight winds up fighting with Fatu on the floor but Shinsuke Nakamura shows up to wipe him out with a knee strike while Apollo has Tama in a Crossface. Solo breaks that up, tags himself in, wipes out Apollo with a Spinning Solo then a Samoan Spike, and pins to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga won in 16:39 shown

Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: This was kind of rough and overlong, felt like a house show match more than a TV match.

In the back Byron talks with the Machine Guns, Alex Shelley is ready for payback. They’ve known Johnny Gargano for a long time and Shelley promises to show him how big a mistake he’s made. Shelley asks Sabin to stay in the back for the match, he wants to see if Johnny is man enough to do the same.

We get a recap of Chelsea Green winning the women’s US title. In the back Byron, in a different outfit, talking with Green and Piper Niven. Green knew this was going to happen, this is her time and night. She’s asked about being the first women’s US champion, she’s in the history books and should have been here earlier, and now is her time. She wants to go Disneyland tomorrow and has to get on a plane.

After this break we’ll get a recap of Cody and Owens plus an update on both men.

Post break we do get that promised recap. This one includes more footage of Owens’ attack Cody after the show ended and the stretcher job from Cody after the Package Piledriver. Allegedly Cody is home resting.

We get a Kevin Owens video, he’s still holding the winged eagle belt. He says what happened wasn’t his fault, we should blame Cody, the refs, Nick Aldis, or WWE management, they’re all to blame for screwing him over. He should be standing here WWE champion but he’s not so instead he took the winged belt because he deserves it. And he wont give it back until he gets what he wants. He warns us that he hasn’t snapped yet, and that we don’t want that. So to everyone, what happens next is on them, not him.

After this break, the Grayson Waller Effect.

In the back Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are holding the belts and talking. Ciampa is surprised Shelley is dumb. Johnny asks Ciampa to stay back here because Johnny is all man, he’s no longer an 18 year old kid with a dream and he’s going to prove who he is to Shelley.

To the ring for the Grayson Waller Effect. Waller and Theory get some piped in boos, and man Cena was prescient with that one. Anyway Waller has a big scoop for us, the first transfer to Smackdown, it’s Braun Strowman. Here comes Braun in a Santa hat and vest as well as a gift bag so he tosses some merch out to the fans on his way to the ring. Waller welcomes Braun to the show and accidentally reminds us we’re in Hartford, then he says he’s spent money on the new set so please don’t break it. Braun says he can make no promises but we’ll see. Waller thinks Braun gets the benefit of associating with them, and Braun might have thrown up in his mouth. Ultimately Waller offers Braun a spot with the two of them, they could be the ultimate team. Braun declines but to save us from more of that here’s Carmelo Hayes with a mic. Hayes has a bone to pick with Braun, last week wasn’t fair as he wasn’t ready. Well now he wants a rematch right now as he’s ready this time. Braun accepts, then throws set pieces at Hayes. After this break we’ll get that rematch.

Match #2: Braun Strowman vs. Carmelo Hayes

33:30 between matches, that’s quite a lot for a 2 hour show. Hayes tries kicks early but Braun just no sells him until Hayes hides in the ropes. Right hand from Hayes but Braun then misses strikes and Hayes keeps avoiding Braun. Hayes hangs out outside the ring so Braun starts chasing him back into the ring where Hayes lands a kick then a sort of fade away DDT. Braun shoves Hayes out of the ring then hauls him back into it. Hayes lands a dropkick to the knee but then jumps into a chokeslam attempt but Hayes counters into a hurricanrana that just went awkwardly. Braun rises behind Hayes then charges but gets low bridged. Hayes follows Braun out of the ring and tries to charge him but just slowly runs into a big boot. Braun catches Hayes but Hayes slaps him then Braun throws Hayes into the ring at the count of 9 but can’t get back in to break the count so Hayes wins.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Carmelo Hayes won via count out in 3:27

Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: Well that was a booking choice I guess, I get not wanting to bury Hayes again but now we’re not doing Braun any favors either.

Post match Hayes gets chased to the back by Braun.

In the back Tiffany Stratton wishes Nia Jax and Candice LeRae luck, she wants to be ringside for them but Candice and Jax think she should stay in the back. Jax looks a little annoyed by the friction between Candice and Tiffany.

Johnny vs. Shelley will be up after this break.

Post break we see Hayes running in the back, he pushes Legado del Fantasma into the path of Braun. Braun squares up to them briefly but Angel defuses the situation. Braun keeps after him, he’s distracted by Pretty Deadly then Hayes whacks him with a chair a couple of times. That just slows Braun for a moment who keeps marching after him.

To the ring and here comes Alex Shelley followed by Johnny Gargano with the new DIY theme song that’s more heelish.

Match #3: Alex Shelley vs. Johnny Gargano

Shelley with right hands to start then corner kicks then an attempted 10 punch but Johnny slips free and knocks him down. Some chops now from Johnny but Shelley hits an elbow then a diving knee to the arm. Shelley starts working the arm of Johnny but Johnny lands a back elbow to cut him off. A bit of corner work from Johnny then Shelley sends him to the outside and hits a jump onto the arm of Johnny then a kick from the apron and a diving knee to the floor which sends us to break.

We come back to Shelley landing a jawbreaker but then running into a boot and Johnny with a Sling Blade backbreaker for a 2 count. Shelley blocks a slingshot Spear with a superkick but the crowd is too burned out by now to care much. Chops from Shelley then a Kitchen Sink knee lift and kick to the back then a crucifix pin for 2. Shelley tries the Border City Stretch but Johnny counters then Shelley hits a standing Shiranui for a 2 count. Shelley tries the arm of Johnny again but settles for chops then an armbreaker but Johnny hits an enziguri. Superkick from Johnny then he lawn darts Shelley into the second turnbuckle for a 2 count. Johnny looks for the Gargano Escape but Shelley easily blocks that one then hits a corner Flatliner. Shelley up top but Ciampa runs down to distract him so Johnny can hit an enziguri. Chris Sabin runs down to chase off Ciampa while Johnny counters a crossbody from Shelley into a pin with the tights gripped to get the dirty win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Johnny Gargano won in 10:04

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Some good stuff here hampered by the crowd not really caring too much about any of it.

We get a recap of the RAW on Netflix kickoff event.

Bianca Belair and Naomi are at gorilla talking with Byron, Belair says the last few weeks have been rough but she’s not letting what happened in the past to weigh her down and she’s got a friend who’s got her back in Naomi. Naomi knows how important the titles are and she’ll do everything she can to help them retain them. Belair offers her one of the belts, she’s carrying both, but Naomi wont take it until she earns it. Naomi then heads to the ring followed by Belair, and our main event will be up after this break.

Post break here come Nia Jax and Candice LeRae.

Match #4 – Women’s Tag Team Title Match: (c) Bianca Belair and Naomi vs. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae

Belair and Candice start off, Belair overpowering Candice then pressing her overhead but Candice slips free and scurries over to tag out. Jax squares up with Belair, Belair grabs a side headlock then hits the ropes to land a dropkick. Naomi tags in and they hit tandem moves for a 2 count. Mule kick from Naomi but Jax cuts her off with a pop up headbutt and we go picture in picture.

Jax keeps control over Naomi then tags in Candice. Candice with some corner work then Jax tags in to work a rest hold. Naomi fights back with a jawbreaker then boots Candice and hits Jax with a Heatseeker on the apron. Candice tags in as does Belair who runs over Candice repeatedly. Jax with a blind tag as Candice takes a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Belair gets caught with a Codebreaker from Candice then a Samoan Drop from Jax gets a 2 count. Jax grabs a surfboard stretch then posts Belair. Cheap shot from Candice then Jax grabs another rest hold. Belair fights back and tries to suplex Jax, that’s a mistake but she’s still able to fight free but Jax rams Belair into the heel corner. Candice tags in and they hit a dropkick version of the Hart Attack, then Candice with a cheap shot to Naomi and a senton to Belair for a near fall. Jax tags in but Belair fights back and sends Jax into Candice then tags in Naomi. Naomi fires up with strikes to Jax then a springboard kick. Boot from Naomi then a jumping X-Factor for a 2 count. Jax lands a headbutt but then posts herself and Naomi misses a split legged moonsault. Jax up for the Annihilator but Naomi shoves her down then tags in Belair, Naomi hits a powerbomb then Belair with the 450 Splash and Candice breaks up the pin because we know she’s the one eating it. Tiffany walks down to the ring as Candice tags in. Tornado DDT from Candice to Belair but Naomi breaks up the pin as there’s a decent “cash it in” chant. Naomi tags behind the refs back. Jax gets the briefcase from Tiffany but Belair knocks her off the apron then dives onto her after tagging in Naomi. Naomi with a knee, split legged moonsault and that’ll retain the titles.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Bianca Belair and Naomi retained the titles in 11:05

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Decent overall match, Naomi and Jax work well enough together and Belair is still very good. The question over who took out Jade still looms but it’s more and more looking like maybe Naomi.

Naomi and Belair celebrate as Naomi accepts her half of the belts now and that’ll end the episode.