The road to WWE Fastlane 2023 continues tonight.
WWE Friday Night SmackDown returns at 8/7c this evening on FOX with the latest installment of the weekly two-hour blue brand program from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
On tap for tonight’s show is Finn Balor & Damian Priest vs. Butch & Ridge Holland in non-title action, Jimmy Uso vs. AJ Styles, IYO Sky & Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair & Shotzi, as well as the fallout from this past Saturday’s WWE Payback 2023 premium live event.
Featured below are complete WWE Friday Night SmackDown results from Friday, September 8, 2023. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 8-10pm EST. on FOX.
WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN RESULTS (9/8/2023)
The “WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” signature narrated by John Cena airs to get us started. We see an in-depth video package looking back at the action from this past Saturday’s WWE Payback 2023 premium live event.
After the lengthy video package wraps up, we see the regular opening video with the “Who’s better than me?” theme song. We then shoot inside the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. where Kevin Patrick welcomes us to the show as fireworks and pyro explode in the building.
Charlotte Flair & Shotzi vs. IYO SKY & Bayley
We then head to the ring for our opening contest. We hear the familiar sounds of Charlotte Flair’s theme song and out comes “The Queen” with fireworks. We see footage from last Friday’s show as she heads to the ring to bring us up to speed on her issues with Damage CTRL and helping Shotzi beat Bayley.
Now we hear Shotzi’s theme and out comes the short-haired bad ass on her trademark tank. She gets off the tank and heads to the ring to join her partner Charlotte in this scheduled tag-team tilt.
Damage CTRL’s theme hits and out comes Bayley, Dakota Kai and WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY. Bayley hops on Shotzi’s tank and stomps on it. Bayley and IYO SKY settle in the ring and this one gets underway.
The bell sounds and we see two of the Four Horsewomen kicking this one off, as Charlotte and Bayley start things off for their respective teams. We see Charlotte doing well but IYO comes in to help Bayley. Shotzi also enters ansd when the smoke clears, we see Charlotte beating down Bayley on the floor.
IYO SKY dumps Shotzi out to the floor and hits a springboard splash onto Charlotte and Shotzi at ringside. On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this one continues.
When we return from the break, we see IYO working over Shotzi, who is starting to show signs of life. IYO stops her from making the tag and then tags in Bayley. The two hit a double team spot and then Bayley picks up where she left off, taking it to Shotzi as Charlotte watches on.
After some back-and-forth action, we see Asuka come down to ringside and take IYO’s title and pose with it. The distraction allows Shotzi to pull off the win.
Winners: Charlotte Flair & Shotzi
Asuka Has Sights Set On IYO SKY
Once the match wraps up, we see Charlotte and Shotzi celebrate and then leave. Asuka heads into the ring and gloats. IYO SKY looks serious and pissed and she heads into the ring. The two have a stare down. Asuka flashes a sadistic smile and walks off staring her down.
Paul Heyman & Jimmy Uso Talks Bloodline Status
We shoot backstage and we see Paul Heyman and Jimmy Uso approach each other. Uso talks about being in The Bloodline. Heyman says he’s in The Bloodline but he’s not IN The Bloodline until Roman Reigns says so. He mentions Jimmy turning down a yacht and other offers from “The Tribal Chief.” He says he’ll bring this family back together.
Heyman tells Uso to handle AJ Styles tonight and he’ll worry about the rest. As he walks off, he sees AJ Styles and confronts him. Styles gets upset and pushes him but Jimmy hits the scene and beats him down. Jimmy smiles and tells Heyman he’s ready to handle that AJ Styles business. He walks off and Heyman says “Call Roman Reigns” into his phone. We head to another commercial.
Austin Theory vs. LA Knight
When we return from the commercial, we see IYO SKY backstage issuing a challenge to Asuka for the title. We then return inside the TD Garden where LA Knight’s theme hits and the crowd goes wild.
Knight throws a subtle dig at Kevin Nash by calling “play” an adjective, referencing his arrival in WCW when telling Eric Bischoff “this is where the big boys play? Look at the adjective, play! We ain’t here to play!” Nash has been vocal of calling Knight a rip-off of The Rock.
Anyways, LA continues by bringing up The Miz’s theme song and parody of him a couple of weeks ago. As he continues, the theme for Grayson Waller hits and out he comes to a bunch of boos. He brings out Austin Theory.
After some back-and-forth trash talk between the two sides, a match is made pitting Theory one-on-one against Knight. That match is up next. We head to a commercial break.
When we return, we see the two in the ring and the bell sounds. Grayson Waller joins in on special guest commentary for this one. Theory starts off well but Knight ends up getting him on the floor, where he bounces his head off the commentary desk as fans chant “Yeah!” right in front of Waller.
Back in the ring, we see things shift back in favor of Theory. As it does, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this match continues. When we return, we see Waller expose the turnbuckle by taking the pad off. It never matters, however, as Knight hits Blunt Force Trauma for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
Finn Balor & Damian Priest vs. Butch & Ridge Holland
We shoot backstage where Cathy Kelley is with AJ Styles. She asks him about the attack by Jimmy Uso. He says he can attack him all he wants, but nothing is gonna stop him from ripping his head off tonight.
Back inside the arena, The Judgment Day theme hits and out comes the Undisputed WWE World Tag-Team Champions for non-title action. When we return, we see Paul Heyman talking to Adam Pearce backstage about the trade coming up.
In walks LA Knight and he tells Adam Pearce he wants a match with The Miz. It’s made for next week. Heyman introduces himself to Knight and pretends to be a fan but ends up getting mouthy and telling him next time he sees him in a locker room doing business — knock first.
We return inside the TD Garden where Balor and Priest have settled in the ring. Their music dies down and the two, along with Dominik Mysterio, cut a quick promo. When Dom talks, of course, the booing is so loud you can’t even hear him.
Priest touts The Judgment Day doing something The Bloodline nor Roman Reigns could do. They beat Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens and took their titles. Dom addresses Jey Uso but the fans crap all over it so loud you really can’t believe it.
As they continue talking, they are interrupted by the theme of The Brawling Brutes duo of Butch and Ridge Holland. They come out in green shirts milking the Irish thing in Boston and proclaim it being “FIGHT NIGHT!” themselves, as opposed to Michael Cole doing it.
Butch confronts Balor while he is still on the mic and Balor tries laughing him off as a threat until Butch yanks at his fingers like he often does. Balor yells, the fight is on, and Butch and Holland beat down Priest and Balor early on. We head to a commercial break before the match begins.
When we return, we see the match in progress. The Judgment Day duo dominates things early on, but eventually we see Ridge Holland fire up and show some impressive power man spots. As the action continues, we see Pretty Deadly watching on via a monitor backstage.
Once again The Brawling Brutes duo fires up on offense as Butch tags in and goes crazy with fast-paced offense. He hits a big diving splash to the floor just as we head to yet another commercial break. Our third since The Judgment Day stuff started.
As we settle back in from this break, we see Pretty Deadly watching again backstage and then we see Priest hit his south of heaven choke slam and Balor follows up with the Coup de Grace for the win.
Winners: Finn Balor & Damian Priest
Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits Confront The Judgment Day
Once the match wraps up, we see Balor and Priest celebrating with Dominik Mysterio in the ring when the theme for Bobby Lashley hits.
“The All Mighty” comes out with The Street Profits — Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford. Balor and Dom stare down The Street Profits while Lashley and Priest go face-to-face.
Lashley agrees that The Bloodline is crumbling but he says it isn’t The Judgment Day who is taking over, “It’s gonna be us.” His theme hits again and the stare down continues.
Jimmy Uso vs. AJ Styles
It’s main event time!
We see AJ Styles backstage looking upset. He approaches The O.C. gang of Anderson and Gallows, who are goofing off with Michin. Styles slaps something out of Anderson’s hand and asks where they were when he was attacked by Jimmy Uso earlier.
Anderson says he told him not to get involved in Bloodline business. Styles says he doesn’t want them anywhere near his match with Uso tonight. He walks off and we head to another commercial break.
We hear some announcements for next week’s show, which includes John Cena on “The Grayson Waller Effect” and Miz vs. LA Knight II, as well as IYO SKY vs. Asuka for the Women’s title the week after, before we head to the ring for our final match of the evening.
Jimmy Uso’s theme hits and out he comes by himself for our headline bout of this week’s show. He settles in the ring as we head to a quick pre-match commercial break.
When we return, AJ Styles’ theme hits and out comes “The Phenomenal One.” The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. Styles takes it to Uso straight out of the gate. We see Uso fight back just as Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman come out to the top of the stage.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see Heyman and Sikoa at ringside now. Uso continues to work over Styles, stopping to smile and make it clear he’s happy that The Bloodline seem to be welcoming him back.
We see Styles take over and knock Uso to the floor in front of Solo and Heyman. Styles hits a springboard splash on Uso on the floor and then mean mugs Solo. Back in the ring, Styles continues to work over Uso.
The action spills out to the floor again where Uso asks Solo why he’s not helping. Styles comes out after him and Solo turns his back on Uso. Styles knocks Uso down and then Solo and then hits his finisher on Uso in the ring for the win. Styles exits the ring but as he heads to the back he is attacked by Damian Priest and The Judgment Day.
Priest and Balor roll Styles back into the ring and throw their arms up, letting Solo pick the bones. Solo hits a Samoan Spike and we see The Judgment Day smiling. Solo looks at them and that’s how this week’s show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
Winner: AJ Styles
