WWE SmackDown is airing live Friday, October 23, from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, on USA Network and on Netflix internationally. It is two weeks before Crown Jewel on Saturday, November 7, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Chelsea Green defends the WWE Women’s Championship against Roxanne Perez, and Giulia faces Blake Monroe in a Street Fight.
This page is being updated live, with everything listed in the order it happened.
Video recap: Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn
SmackDown opened with a recap of Monday’s Raw, where World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn went face to face ahead of their champion vs. champion match at Crown Jewel.
Reigns asked Zayn whether he was there “out of greed” or “out of love.” Zayn said his time in The Bloodline was some of the best of his life, but that he is now “the head of my own table.”
“It took me 20 years to win this,” Zayn said. “There are 8 billion people on this planet right now. Only one is the WWE champion, and you’re looking at him.”
Reigns told Zayn he might not even have the title by the time they get to Crown Jewel.
In the ring: Sami Zayn, Rey Fenix and Trick Williams
Sami Zayn came to the ring with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. Zayn talked about going toe to toe with Reigns on Raw and said the alpha male is not the biggest man but the smartest one, who always finds a way to survive. He listed Kevin Owens, CM Punk, Finn Bálor and Gunther as others coming after his title.
Rey Fenix came out next. He said he does not know what Penta will do with his Money in the Bank contract, that he and Zayn are still friends, and that Penta is his brother, so a problem with Penta is a problem with him. Gargano got heated, but Zayn calmed things down, said he respects Fenix and told him to have his brother focus on Reigns.
Trick Williams came out third, accused Zayn of lying about him last week and demanded an Undisputed WWE Championship match. Williams said he has been in WWE for 10 months and is only getting better, and told Zayn he is not the king of the jungle, calling Zayn Timon and himself Simba.
Zayn told Williams he could cut him apart with the microphone but would not.
“My tongue is made of steel, and it’s razor sharp,” Zayn said. “You’re having one of the best rookie years anyone’s ever had in WWE. Good for you.”
“You’re a lot closer to sink or swim than you think, buddy,” Zayn added. “I might not be the biggest shark in the ocean, but I promise you, Trick, nothing has sharper teeth than me. So no, you are nowhere close to ever getting a WWE Championship match.”
“Tell me this, Sami. Where were those sharp teeth when I beat your ass for the title in the first place?” Williams answered. “I ain’t asking for a title match. I’m demanding a title match.”
Williams grabbed Gargano by the throat, and Zayn chop blocked Williams.
Nick Aldis then came out. “Sami, you might be the WWE champion, but you’re not the boss,” Aldis said. “I’m the boss, and to remind you of that fact, I’m putting you in a match.”
Aldis made Sami Zayn and Johnny Gargano vs. Trick Williams and Rey Fenix for later tonight.
Match: Chelsea Green vs. Roxanne Perez (WWE Women’s Championship)
Before the match, commentary said the winner defends the title against Nikki Bella next Friday on SmackDown, and the winner of that match faces Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan at Crown Jewel.
Roxanne Perez came out with Judgment Day, and Morgan and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Raquel Rodriguez stayed at ringside. Perez earned the title match by pinning Green on Raw on October 12 after Judgment Day got involved. Commentary noted it is Perez’s first title opportunity on the main roster and that Green has never beaten her.
Green hit a spinebuster for a near fall and later a suicide dive onto Perez on the floor. Perez came back with a dropkick to Green’s thigh, drove Green shoulder first into the ring post, removed a turnbuckle pad and worked over Green’s arm through the break.
Green fought back with a superplex, a running double knee strike and a sliding flatliner. She went for the Unprettier, but Perez countered into an inside cradle for a near fall. Perez then ran into Green’s knees in the corner. When Green went to the top rope, Rodriguez pushed her off behind the referee’s back, and Perez followed with a shining wizard for a near fall.
Iyo Sky ran out and took out Rodriguez, and Perez hit a suicide dive onto Sky. Back in the ring, Green missed a superkick, and Perez hit a back heel kick and went for Pop Rocks, but Green moved and hit the Unprettier to retain the title.
After the match, Morgan and Rodriguez attacked Green, and Sky hit Morgan with a German suplex. Women’s Money in the Bank winner Tiffany Stratton then came out with her briefcase and cleared the ring with Sky. Stratton handed the briefcase to the referee to cash in, then took it back to hit Morgan with it first. While she talked with the referee, Rodriguez and Perez dragged Morgan out of the ring before Stratton could make it official.
Video recap: Cody Rhodes and Baron Corbin
SmackDown replayed last week’s impromptu match between Cody Rhodes and Baron Corbin, which began while Rhodes was waiting for Randy Orton. Corbin attacked Rhodes, and Rhodes hit a flying Cody Cutter, then punt kicked Corbin in the head.
Michael Cole then gave an update from WWE’s medical team: “Baron Corbin suffered a cervical muscle strain, an orbital bone contusion, blurred vision, and is out indefinitely after the punt from Rhodes.”
“It’s tricky to say that Baron Corbin got lucky, but that’s truly the case,” Cole added.
Commentary said Rhodes is at the arena waiting for Orton to arrive.
Commentary also noted that Street Fighter, starring Rhodes as Guile and Reigns as Akuma, was the No. 1 movie at the box office worldwide in its opening weekend.
Backstage: Chelsea Green, Iyo Sky and Tiffany Stratton
Backstage, Chelsea Green thanked Iyo Sky for coming to SmackDown to help her and called it “the start of a really beautiful friendship.” Green told Tiffany Stratton she did not know she was coming tonight.
“I can’t wait to see the look on Liv’s face when I cash in and become the women’s world champion,” Stratton said.
Match: Giulia vs. Blake Monroe (Street Fight)
Commentary said it was the first Street Fight on SmackDown in more than six months and the first Street Fight of Giulia’s career. Monroe had one earlier this year in NXT. The two have feuded for months, dating back to their time in Japan.
Giulia attacked Monroe in the aisle before the bell. Monroe grabbed a kendo stick from under the ring and dropkicked Giulia into the barricade, but Giulia dropkicked Monroe into the timekeeper’s area and later sent her into a row of chairs. Giulia built a pile of chairs on the floor during the break.
In the ring, Giulia hit Monroe with a kendo stick several times, put a trash can over her and hit it with the stick. The fight went up the ramp, where Monroe sent Giulia into the screen, and then backstage. Monroe sprayed hairspray in Giulia’s eyes, and Giulia answered by driving Monroe face first through a mirror.
Back in the arena, Giulia hit an Arrivederci in the aisle, then a missile dropkick off the top rope and a curb stomp, but Monroe kicked out. Monroe sprayed a fire extinguisher in Giulia’s eyes, suplexed her off the ring steps onto the pile of chairs on the floor, and finished her with the Neutralizer in the ring for the win.
In the ring: Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes
Randy Orton came to the ring and addressed Cody Rhodes punt kicking Baron Corbin last week.
“Cody, whoever, whatever you are today in this moment, I need you to know from the bottom of my heart, I’m proud of you, kid,” Orton said. “I’m proud of you because never in a million years did I think your balls would drop low enough to be able to punt kick somebody in the head. It’s almost like a badge of honor for me, because I am the only one that ever was able to make Cody Rhodes crack.”
“You can pull the trigger on everybody in the WWE. You can kick everyone in the head in that locker room,” Orton added. “But I know, and you know, none of that matters unless you do it to me, the guy who for 25 years stared down legends, mentors, brothers, friends alike, and kicked their head clean off their shoulders with zero remorse.”
Orton said that if Rhodes gets the opportunity, “he will yet again hesitate.”
Rhodes then came out. Nick Aldis and producers tried to keep him out of the ring, but Rhodes got in anyway. “When did Randy Orton become such a coward?” Rhodes asked. He told Orton that the people backstage “used to call you the apex predator” and accused him of “rewriting this relationship and our history.”
“You’re the legend killer,” Rhodes said. “You kill things, and not always to your benefit. I’ve seen you punt and put down your own mentor, Triple H. And then I’ve seen you kill any chance you would have at becoming the face of this company. I’ve seen you punt and put down a legend like Shawn Michaels. But then I’ve seen you kill any opportunity you might have to be considered a professional. I’ve seen you punt and put down my own father.”
“Look at your whole class from OVW, Randy. You’re the last man standing,” Rhodes added.
Rhodes said Orton punted him too, but that the next night he walked out in front of the fans with his head held high while Orton was nursing his wounds in St. Louis. “Ask me why I’m unafraid,” Rhodes said. “It’s because I know, Randy, I’m not the one hesitating. I’m the legend killer killer.”
Rhodes said the three most dangerous letters for Orton are “I.O.U.,” then asked, “What are we waiting for?” Rhodes took off his jacket, and producers got between them as Aldis said it had gone too far. Orton told Aldis that just because Rhodes wants it does not mean it is going to happen.
Aldis offered the match for Crown Jewel instead. Rhodes told Aldis he wasn’t listening, said he would wrestle Orton, “but not just any match,” and asked for a Last Man Standing match.
“Fine. You and me, Crown Jewel, Last Man Standing,” Orton said. “But Cody, remember, you asked for this.”
Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match is now set for Crown Jewel on Saturday, November 7, in Riyadh.
Match: Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley vs. B-Fab and Michin (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
New WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley are defending the titles against B-Fab and Michin. Commentary noted it is the first time the two teams have faced off in a tag team match.
This match is in progress.
Sami Zayn and Johnny Gargano vs. Trick Williams and Rey Fenix is still to come. Refresh for updates.
