WWE SmackDown Review – October 20, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a video recapping what happened between The Bloodline, John Cena & LA Knight last week.
Paul Heyman introduces himself and says he has some big shoes to fill in The Bloodline this week. He asks fans if they saw what Jimmy Uso did on Raw on Monday then says he took Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns’ advice to cost his brother Jey Uso & Cody Rhodes the Undisputed Tag Team Titles to Judgment Day. He then addresses Reigns’ upcoming Undisputed WWE Universal Title match against LA Knight at Crown Jewel and says although it may be hard to believe he’s like everyone in the crowd. He says that despite being a New Yorker in Texas they are all fans of Knight but November 4th will be the last time he competes in a ring.
Knight’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He grabs the mic from Heyman’s hand and tells him that if he wants to make noise then he should go ahead because that’s all he’s been doing then calls out Reigns as Heyman looks to leave the ring but Knight calls Heyman back inside and questions where Reigns is. He says he heard Heyman making a bunch of idle threats and asks what Reigns will do to him if he’s not here. He tells Heyman that he better put him down for good if he’s going to take shots at him, then says he won’t stop until he owns Reigns and the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. He says Reigns should be scared because he will take his titles off him as fast as he’s risen up in WWE. He informs Heyman that himself & Reigns will be signing the contract for their Crown Jewel match next week and gives Heyman a message for Reigns make it clear who’s game this is.
Santos Escobar vs. Montez Ford
Match starts off with a lock up then Montez Ford delivers a right hand and a kick to Santos Escobar’s spine then sends him crashing into the mat and follows it up with a dropkick.
He then lands a kick on Escobar’s chest before delivering a standing splash and an enzuigiri that sends Escobar crashing to the outside as we go to a break.
After the break Ford delivers a splash in the corner before Escobar fires back with an overhand chop but Ford goes flying out of the corner to level him.
He begins wearing down Escobar’s shoulder with a hold but Escobar escapes and lands a dropkick then follows it up with a pair of flying shoulder tackles and a superkick that sends Ford crashing to the outside then goes flying with a tope suicida.
Escobar tosses Ford back inside the ring and ascends to the top before landing a crossbody then he gets Ford up on his shoulders but Ford escapes and connects with an enzuigiri from the apron. He ascends to the top rope but Escobar joins him and delivers a hurricanrana.
Angelo Dawkins pulls Ford out of the ring before Escobar can pin him & Escobar flies over the top to level him then gets him back inside the ring but Dawkins sends him crashing into the ring post before he can. Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro go after him & Escobar levels him when he slides back in the ring Ford rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Montez Ford
After the match Street Profits continue to beat down Escobar in the ring but Carlito runs down with a chair in hand to even the odds and Street Profits are forced to retreat.
After the break we head backstage to LWO. United States Champion Rey Mysterio & Zelina Vega join their teammates and Mysterio checks up on everyone before he says that he has to go take care of Logan Paul. Vega asks if he wants some backup and Mysterio says he’ll be fine.
We head to a video of Pretty Deadly relaxing at a spa until Brawling Brutes crash it and blindside them with an attack.
We then head over to The Bloodline in their dressing room where Jimmy Uso is bragging about what he did on Monday night.
John Cena says it’s been a rough day and says he got hit with some pretty harsh truths today. He says he feels the need to be honest with fans and himself and says he talked about Reigns’ streak as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. He says he has a streak of his own going 2,002 days since he won a televised match. He says his last win came in 2018 and he’s been talking lots about retirement. He says he believes in himself, the fans and the beauty that is this madness. He says he believes he can still go and still bring it and says the time is now to turn things around. He says it’ll be a bad night for the next person to walk through the curtain because they will get smoked.
Solo Sikoa’s music hits and he marches down to the ring. He gets inside the ring and stares Cena down before they begin brawling with one another. Cena delivers a splash in the corner as Jimmy Uso runs down to provide Sikoa with some backup. He lands a superkick on him and Sikoa fires off stomps on him. A masked person pulls Jimmy out of the ring and reveals themselves to be Jey Uso & Jey & Jimmy continue to brawl on the outside and Jey lands a superkick before security holds him back as Sikoa watches from inside the ring. He then sets up for a Samoan Spike on Cena but Cena avoids it and lands an Attitude Adjustment.
An Isla Dawn & Alba Fyre video aired where they explained the curse on the Women’s Tag Titles will only get worse and they belonged to them.
After the break we see Nick Aldis & Jey arguing Adam Pearce walks in as Aldis hands Jey a $10,000 fine and Pearce says it’s only fair if the same is doled out to Jimmy. Aldis calls for security to have Jey escorted out and Pearce pushes back. Aldis calls for Pearce to be removed as well but before he is Pearce tells Aldis to let the games begin.
Logan Paul brags about his win over Dillon Danis during their recent boxing match then says he’s not here tonight for Rey Mysterio. He says he already defeated him once during his 1st WWE match, and says when that happened Dominik Mysterio was still his son, Roman Reigns actually showed up to wrestle and LA Knight didn’t have a job. He says lots has changed since then including being engaged and owning his own drink company. He says he’s figured everything out and he knows who he is a WWE Superstar. He reiterates that he isn’t here for Mysterio but because he has something that he needs the United States Title. He then challenges him to a match for the United States Title at Crown Jewel.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Mysterio says Paul reminds him of Dominik in that he has an amazing, natural ability, is dripping with passion an incredible career ahead of him and a big mouth. He says he thinks Paul needs some humbling and the last time he had to kick some sense into Dominik he was reluctant to do so. He says he won’t feel the same about beating down Paul and he says that if he wants the United States Title then he’ll give him the opportunity at Crown Jewel. He says down his United States Title in the middle of the ring and Paul offers his hand to Rey as he picks his United States Title back up. Mysterio reluctantly shakes it and steps aside as Paul heads to the back.
Kevin Patrick introduced a video package for the Women’s Title match later on tonight.
Tag Team Match
A Down Town Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) vs. Cameron Grimes & Dragon Lee
Austin Theory & Dragon Lee lock up to get this match started then Theory lands a shoulder tackle but Lee kips up and sends Theory crashing into the mat.
He then connects with a dropkick and tags in Grayson Waller & Cameron Grimes tags in before he & Lee double team on Waller.
The action spills to the outside and Grimes sends Theory crashing into the ring post face first then he & Lee then do the same to Theory as we go to a break.
After the break Theory & Grimes in and Grimes delivers a crossbody off the top rope to take down A Town Down Under then he levels Theory with a kick and a modified powerslam, but Theory looks to roll him up.
Grimes reverses the fall but Waller breaks it and sends Grimes crashing into the mat before Theory follows it up with A Town Down for the win.
Winners: A Down Town Under
We got a video recap of the introduction of Nick Aldis & Kevin Owens return to Smackdown.
Cathy Kelley asks Owens how he feels being separated from Sami Zayn when he moved to Smackdown and Owens says it didn’t feel great. He says they’ve experienced everything together the last 20 years and it hurts after losing the Undisputed Tag Team Titles without getting a rematch so it’s bittersweet for him. Kelley then addresses all his old and new co workers and Owens says he obviously has history with The Bloodline. He lists off several talents he hasn’t been in the ring with, and says his goal is to make sure people know that it’s The Kevin Owens Show.
Women’s Title Match
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Match starts off with a lock up before Iyo Sky rolls out of the ring as we go to a break.
After the break Sky lands a jawbreaker but Flair fires back with a chop but Sky lands a dropkick that sends her crashing out of the ring and goes flying through the middle rope to level her.
They get back inside the ring and Sky delivers a missile dropkick off the ropes then wears Flair down with a submission hold but Flair responds with a back suplex.
Sky dumps her out of the ring and looks for a hurricanrana off the apron but Flair catches her and sends her crashing into the apron face first as we go to a 2nd break.
After the 2nd break Sky delivers a sunset flip to Flair from the top rope then follows it up with the running double knees in the corner and plants Flair then locks in a crossface but Flair escapes and executes a German suplex before delivering a series of chops and a pair of fallaway slams.
Flair gets Sky up on her shoulders and ascends to the middle rope then delivers a fallaway slam then goes for a pin but Sky kicks out and looks for a dropkick but Flair counters into a Boston Crab but Sky escapes by rolling Flair up but Flair kicks out and lands a forearm.
Sky delivers a dropkick to her spine and ascends to the top rope then looks for Over The Moonsault but Flair gets her knees up and delivers a spear then goes for a pin but Bayley puts Sky’s foot on the bottom rope to break the hold before Flair levels her with a forearm and begins brawling with her on the outside.
Dakota Kai hands Sky the Women’s Title back inside the ring when Flair gets back in she looks for a spear but runs into Sky’s Women’s Title as Kai distracts the referee to get the win.
Winner & Still Women’s Champion: Iyo Sky (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!!)
After the match Damage CTRL looks to continue to beat down Flair but Bianca BelAir’s music hits and she runs down to the ring to provide Flair with a hand in her return to WWE & She hits a KOD on Bayley then helps Flair up and they stand tall to close out this week’s Smackdown.
Next Week’s Smackdown
Tag Team Match
Latino World Order (United States Champion Rey Mysterio & Santos Escobar) vs. Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Crown Jewel Card So Far (Nov 4th)
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Women’s World Title Fatal 5 Way Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Zoey Stark vs. Nia Jax
Undisputed WWE Universal Title Match
Roman Reigns (c) vs. LA Knight
United States Title Match
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Logan Paul
