Friday Night SmackDown, live from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, delivered on the ‘semi’ fallout show, tends to be following a significant Saturday show—like a PLE, but in this case, Saturday Night’s Main Event. Last Saturday night, both CM Punk and Jade Cargill won their divisions’ top titles, respectively, and though RAW offered up its Monday time slot to deal with the repercussions of SNME, SD offers a hybrid show by being both 1) the first show since SNME and 2) the next promotional build towards Survivor Series: WARGAMES three weeks from tomorrow.
Aside from all things PLE, the “John Cena Sweepstakes” (FightsATW’s Abe Gonzalez used that term weeks, if not months ago) got a two-match infusion after GM Nic Aldis pulled four new names scheduled for the first round of the tourney. The RAW side of the bracket left fans mostly unexcited, and the hope was that SmackDown would deliver on one of those ‘outside the company’ tournament participant names that were teased in the promo by Cena himself.
JOHN CENA SWEEPSTAKES
Nic Aldis announced that he will keep LA Knight’s opponent a secret after drawing the mystery tournament entrant’s name earlier in the show. This is completely unfair for LA Knight, and it plays into the ‘punishment’ narrative going on regarding Knight. Many look at Knight’s amazing work over the past several months and then point to his losses and lack of high-profile wins as a means of rationalizing his lack of push. Another interesting moment earlier in the show, R-Truth came into Aldis’ office as he was drawing names and offered up his ‘balls’ to be drawn by the GM—his place in the John Cena sweepstakes makes sense, but his earlier program with Cena makes him unlikely to win.
SD Opening Round:
LA Knight vs. (TBA)
Jey Uso vs. The Miz
CODY RHODES FACES OFF WITH THE ‘MAN IN BLACK’
Cody Rhodes had little to say following his win over Drew McIntyre this past Saturday, and so he offered to ‘sit with the fans’ as they collectively searched for the next worthy challenger to his WWE world title. He was eventually interrupted by Aleister Black and Zelina Vega, who challenged the champ with his cryptic promo style, typically layered with messages and double meanings.
Black was able to secure a non-title singles match with Cody for the main event. It was a pretty decent match as Black continues to push his way up the roster rankings. Unfortunately, the match was never meant for a fair finish, and instead Drew came out in all white to drop the referee with a Claymore Kick. The match was over, and the heels’ intentions were always to take something physical away from Cody, but not his title.
Damian Priest tried to make the save, and the heels battled with he faces before Aldis came out to suspend Drew in front of the live crowd as the SmackDown credits went to black.
JADE CARGILL IS THE CHAMP… AND ‘THAT B***H’
Jade came out for her first appearance as SmackDown‘s women’s world champion since dethroning Tiffany Stratton at SNME. Surprisingly, WWE did not go immediately back to the well to run it back real quick, and, instead, they allowed Jade to have a completely solo promo—no faces or heels came out congratulating or demanding ‘next’ at all, but that was mostly because her promo lasted no more than 10 seconds.
Cargill reminded everyone she is ‘that b****’ while confusing everyone about the nature of her reign, whether as a heel champ or a face champ with a heelish demeanor. They could be slow-playing Jade’s first title challenger and waiting for the ‘road’ to begin in January, but either way, keeping Tiffany off TV could help her to elevate her overall star power in the company.
It was announced later in the show that she will face B-Fab next week in a non-title singles affair.
DRAGUNOV SLAYS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE OPEN CHALLENGE
Despite a tumultuous stare-down between U.S. champion Ilja Dragunov and Tama Tonga of the Solo Sikoa-led MFT faction, Dragunov defended against one-half of DIY. Last week, Dragunov paid little attention to Ciampa, so he attempted, for a second week in a row, to answer the ‘open challenge’ originally issued by Sami Zayn.
However, instead of offering it to the two-time NXT champ known as “The Blackheart,” he offered the shot to his tag team partner, Johnny Gargano, in an early gift for the wrestling purist during this holiday season. The show’s limits kept this matchup from hitting heights that both Dragunov and Gargano can reach, but it was still amazing for what it was worth.
As two of the best pound-for-pound ‘wrestlers’ were working a solid match, the rest of DIY tried to aid “Johnny Wrestling” to no avail as Dragunov successfully defended the title for the 3rd time since winning it. Dragunov’s first ‘meaningful’ title feud in defense of his U.S. championship will likely come against Tama Tonga. DIY was roasted in the back post-match, setting up a potential tag team program of two of the best teams in WWE today.
SOLO MAKES MFT PLANS… WYATT SICKS STAYS ON THE HUNT
Later in the show, we saw Solo laying out orders for the MFT, including Tama Tonga keeping an eye on Dragunov and his open title plans. However, as soon as they left the area, it was the Wyatt Sicks who slithered their way into frame as fans were made to assume that the Uncle Howdy-led faction was watching their every move.
Cole said, ‘This will be a good one if it ever happens,’ which all but confirms it will, and the most likely event is Survivor Series: WARGAMES—it doesn’t even need the double-cage match.
TALA TONGA vs. REY FENIX
Earlier in the night, Sami Zayn stated he wanted to watch Fenix’s back against the MFT faction (when you face one, you face all) despite not being cleared for action. Tala Tonga picked up the win, and just when it seemed like a post-match beatdown was in store for the loser, Sami came out to make the save (though he never got physical).
GIULIA(c) vs. CHELSEA GREEN—Women’s U.S. Championship
SD TITLE CHANGE—The Grass is Always Greener
The champion’s reign, which began back in June, never really felt ‘activated’ other than short confrontations with various superstars, and tonight’s U.S. title defense was twice as memorable as her entire run. Chelsea Green has continued to move the needle even after losing the title as its inaugural holder, so it was not surprising to see her win it again.
Still, after only several minutes into the match (and a couple of interferences), we got a classic two-feet on the middle rope, cheat-to-win, pinfall victory.
OTHER TIDBITS/IN-RING ACTION
- Charlotte Flair took on Nia Jax in singles action as her co-tag team champion Alexa Bliss watched on from ringside. It was a physical match, and Charlotte performed well, but Jax utilized the assist from Lash Legend, who attacked Bliss on the outside and allowed for Jax to take advantage of a distracted Flair. Nia has been cutting promos about ‘friends letting her down,’ specifically referencing Bliss last week, and this was likely where that entire narrative was heading. In a later segment, Flair was tending to Bliss in the medical area when Auska, disguised as a doctor, sprayed both with the green mist.
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