WWE SmackDown live results: LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso

After costing LA Knight a chance to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel, Jimmy Uso goes one-on-one against Knight on tonight’s SmackDown from Evansville, Indiana. 

At the November 4 premium live event in Saudi Arabia, Knight appeared to have a victory against Roman Reigns in his grasp until Uso placed Reigns’ leg on the bottom rope to break up a pin attempt. As a result, Knight called out Uso last week before Knight defeated Grayson Waller. A match between Uso and Knight was made for tonight. 

Also slated for the program, Solo Sikoa makes his return to WWE TV. Sikoa was last seen at Crown Jewel, where he defeated John Cena in convincing fashion. Paul Heyman will be appearing alongside Sikoa tonight.

The build to Survivor Series continues with Damage CTRL appearing. We’ll see if the women’s WarGames match is made official.

Plus, there will be a number one contender’s match with Pretty Deadly vs. The Street Profits vs. The Brawling Brutes. The winning team will be next in line for a shot at Damian Priest & Finn Balor’s Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles.

**********

– A video package recpping last week’s Damage CTRL’s developments aired to begin the show. Kevin Patrick, who was joined by Michael Cole and Road Dogg on commentary, then welcomed everyone in and the group’s music hit. Out walked the five women. 

The Damage CTRL segment

This was a pretty good way to set the table for the “new and improved” version of Damage CTRL. I enjoyed how they played into the notion that Bayley might be the odd woman out, only to turn that around and officially induct Asuka into the group. I can’t be alone in thinking this will lead to Bayley’s ouster … but I also recall being convinced they were going to pull the trigger on an IYO SKY/Bayley separation all the way back at SummerSlam, so what do I know? Very little, is the answer. Anyway, the babyfaces showed good fire again, but they’re going to to continue to be outnumbered until they find their fourth for the proposed War Games match. My money still lands on Jade Cargill, even if that’s based solely on a gut feeling. That said, remember: What do I know?

The group soaked in a bunch of boos to begin things. Bayley said they were just there to have a good time and she welcomed everyone in to SmackDown. Bayley called the crowd dumb-dumbs. Bayley called last week’s developments one of the top five moments in WWE history. Bayley said they are playing chess while the other “idiots” are playing Candy Land. Bayley said nobody was ready for Asuka and laughed. The rest of the group didn’t really laugh.

Asuka then spoke in Japanese to Kairi Sane and IYO SKY and SKY and Sane laughed. Dakota Kai chimed in and said it wasn’t the new and improve Damage CTRL because there was someone in the ring who wasn’t in the new Damage CTRL. The audience reacted accordingly, thinking Kai meant Bayley, but Kai said it was actually Asuka who wasn’t in the group yet. Bayley got on one knee and asked Asuka to be in the group. Bayley presented Asuka with a Damage CTRL shirt and the faction celebrated. Kai mentioned how the women will be in War Games and Shotzi’s music hit. 

Shotzi appeared out of nowhere while her tank rolled out in the entrance way. Before long, Charlotte and Bianca Belair ran to the ring and provided Shotzi with backup. The heels, however, got the best of the babyfaces and threw Charlotte, Shotzi and Belair outside the ring. Damage CTRL stood tall and taunted the babyfaces to end the segment. 

**********

– Charlotte, Belair and Shotzi were shown talking backstage. Shotzi apologized for being compulsive, but said she really wanted to “kick their butts.” Belair turned to Charlotte and said she thinks she knows someone who could help them. Nick Aldis walked into the frame and said he’ll have to know who the fourth woman will be for the War Games match by the end of the night. 

The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) defeated Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince) & The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland & Butch) to become No. 1 contenders for the WWE Universal Tag Team Championship [10:58]

The tag team title match will take place on next week’s SmackDown instead of Survivor Series. This was one of the better matches on SmackDown in the last, say, six months or so, and it far exceeded my expectations. They had me on that near-fall that Prince went for after the blind tag near the end. These six guys worked well together and the result was somewhat of a surprise, considering how high WWE seems to be on Pretty Deadly. The after-match stuff is intriguing its own way, but definitely welcome, if nothing else. The Brutes have been spinning their wheels for quite a while now and are almost always inserted into matches to take a loss. Both guys deserve better than that and this could be the first step toward whatever that “better” is. The only question: If they split, what happens when Sheamus returns?

Butch, Dawkins and Prince started the match. Road Dogg mentioned Billy Gunn way more than I thought he would all within the first 20 seconds of the match. Dawkins stomped on Butch and threw Prince into a corner, only to work a series of punches. Ford tagged in and the Profits had control early. Ford hit a strong clothesline to take Butch down. Wilson tagged in the Pretty Deadly hit Butch and Ford at the same time. Butch tagged in Holland and hit a shoulder block on Ford before suplexing Wilson. Holland swung Wilson by his neck before hitting a DDT. 

Holland clotheslined Wilson other the top rope and Holland and Butch set up for 10 Beats, but the Profits broke that up. As a result, Holland and Butch hit 10 Beats on the Profits. Pretty Deadly followed that up by attacked the Brutes, running Holland into the ring steps. Pretty Deadly stood tall as the show went to a commercial break. Back from the break, Holland suplexed Ford and Prince at the same time on each arm. Butch and Dawkins tagged in and Butch cleaned house. Butch hit a moonsault onto Wilson on the outside before landing a Tornado DDT on Prince. 

Back in the ring, Butch stood tall over Dawkins and then hit a moonsault from the second rope onto every opponent on the outside. Back insdie the ring, Butch worked an arm-bar on Dawkins. Dawkins fired up and slammed Butch onto Prince, who only recently returned to the ring. At the nine-minute mark, Holland, Wilson and Ford all tagged in. Wilson had the upper hand and went to the top, but Holland cut him off and ultimately landed a super-plex, even though Prince made a blind tag. Prince tried to pin Holland after Ford hit a splash, but Butch broke it up. 

Bobby Lashley was shown watching the match backstage and B-Fab walked into the frame to talk to Lashley. Butch fired up and went after everybody until he was disposed of to the outside. Holland clotheslined both Profits and both members of Pretty Deadly. Butch went to kick Prince, but Prince moved and Butch kicked Holland. The Profits then hit The Revelation on Holland on got the pin to win the match. Lashley walked out and celebrated with the Profits. After the match, Holland was mad at Butch, pushed Butch away and left the ring alone. Butch looked confused. 

**********

– Bianca Belair was shown talking to Michin backstage before the show went to commercial. 

– Back from that commercial break, Damage CTRL was shown beating the hell out of Michin backstage, so there goes that. From there, Kevin Patrick threw to a video recapping the dysfunction in the LWO. 

– A video featuring Nick Aldis and Dragon Lee aired and Aldis told Lee that Lee would face Axiom from NXT on the show. A video chronicling and introducing Axiom aired after Lee made his entrance.

Dragon Lee defeated Axiom [9:30]

Holy hell. I tuned into SmackDown and a Dynamite broke out. What in the name of Penta El Zero Miedo was that?! More please? Like … please? Here I was talking about how that tag team match exceeded expectations – I didn’t even know this match was happening coming into the night. And, can you believe it: WWE gave them nine-and-a-half minutes to boot! Wow, this was great. Even better than the Lee/Alexander matches we’ve been seeing on SmackDown the last few weeks. Leave Axiom on the main roster. Why not? He’s not doing much in NXT. Let these two run it back again, add a few more wrestlers like this, and let them cook in the way all those cruiserweights made names for themselves in Nitro 25/30 years ago. It’s great when something is fantastic, but it’s even better when it’s unexpected and fantastic. I loved this.

The two shook hands before getting into it. The action was quick to start with a lot of reversals and failed pin attempts. Things settled down when Lee worked a side head-lock. Lee landed a wild dropkick, which took Axiom outside, where Lee followed it up with a splash. Back in the ring, Lee hit a missile dropkick as Axiom was on the mat in a corner. After that, the show went to a commercial break. 

The show returned and Axiom had the upper hand, dropkicking Lee to the outside. Axiom went to the top and hit a high moonsault on Lee before rolling Lee back into the ring. Axiom went to the top rope, but Lee moved and Lee kicked Axiom in the head. Lee went to the top, but Axiom cut him off. The two fought on the top tope. Lee then landed a double stomp onto Axiom, who was draped from the top. Lee chopped Axiom repeatedly. Axiom came back with chops of his own and then landed a fantastic dropkick. Axiom hit a fallaway suplex and a running knee, but Lee came back with a brain-buster. 

Lee tried to fire up the crowd and the crowd kind of responded. Lee lifted Axiom for a power-bomb, but Axiom somehow turned it into a Destroyer for a hell of a near-fall. At the eight-minute mark, Lee kicked Axiom in the head and went to the top, but Axiom cut Lee off with a kick. With the two on the top rope, Axiom landed a Spanish Fly from the top for another hell of a near-fall. “This is awesome!” chants broke out. Lee dropped Axiom on his head, but got only a near-fall out of it. Lee responded with a running knee and Operation Dragon for the win.

**********

The Santos Escoar segment

This was very good (and no, I can’t recall a time when I said, “This was very good” this much while reviewing SmackDown). Plus … that’s more like it with Escobar. He’s just a better heel than he is a babyface and he proved it here. Some of those lines were stiff – you really want Rey Mysterio’s leg to be amputated, dude?! – but it worked and the way he showed no remorse for a crying Zelina Vega and his old running mates from NXT was very well done. Plus, you must be doing something right if you’re going out for first time on the main roster as a heel and you can’t get a word in because you’re getting Dominik Mysterio-level boos. The Santos Escobar heel turn is off to a great start.

Escobar was out by himself in a white suit and said he had something to say, but the crowd booed him before chanting “You suck!” It was like Dom Mysterio was out there. Escobar told everyone to never meet their heroes. The crowd then gave Escobar the “What?” treatment. Escobar noted how Rey Mysterio was his hero as the rest of the LWO was watching from backstage. Escobar said Rey made him feel at home, but after last week, Escobar said he realized Dominik was right. Escobar said he deserved to be the United States Champion, but instead Rey did it. Escobar said he wanted to rebuild the LWO, but Rey took it over and brought in Carlito. Escobar then spoke in Spanish to Carlito. 

Escobar said they were supposed to be like family and said Rey sided with an outsider like Carlito instead of Escobar. Escobar said all the pain Rey is suffering is like the suffering Escobar felt when Rey betrayed him. Escobar said everyone thought he’d go out there to apologize, and Escobar said he would apologize – for not doing more damage to Rey. Escobar said he hoped the surgery didn’t go well for Rey and he hopes Rey gets an infection and he hopes they have to amputate Rey’s leg. As Escobar was talking, Zelina Vega walked out to no music and confronted Escobar. Vega slapped the hell out of Escobar and Escobar grinned. 

Vega then walked to the back crying as Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde walked out. Escobar said he made Wilde and Del Toro and the two walked to the ring. Escobar stuck his fist out, but the two yelled at Escobar, who then told Del Toro and Wilde to leave because they are dead weight. Escobar then attacked them from behind as they tried to leave the ring. Escobar said he made them and he can destroy them. As he was setting up a move, Carlito’s music hit and Carlito walked/ran to the ring to clear Escobar from it. Escobar left through the crowd. 

**********

Grayson Waller defeated Cameron Grimes [2:42]

Well, there goes the streak of good TV. But it was fun while it lasted. WWE really seems to know they want Cameron Grimes, but WWE really does not seem to know what they want to do with Cameron Grimes. It’s a shame because he’s talented, but the main roster hasn’t been kind to him. As for Waller and Theory … I’m not ready to fold up shop on them yet, but I’m not not close to doing that. The act can be entertaining, but that doesn’t mean it always is. If anything, I hope this leads to a program between the two with Theory turning babyface. But we’ll see.

Austin Theory sat in on commentary and Grimes had control early. Grimes landed a nice dropkick, but Waller hit a rolling flatliner before hitting a bunch of strikes. Waller worked a chin-lock after hitting some Blackpool Combat Club elbows. Grimes fired up, though, and landed a series of strikes, complete with a low dropkick. Grimes slammed Waller for a two-count. Waller rolled to the outside and Grimes went for a running kick, but Waller grabbed Theory and Theory got in the way of it. Back in the ring, Waller hit his finisher for the win.

**********

– Backstage, Bianca Belair was talking to Zelina Vega right before the show went to commercial break. 

– The show returned from commercial break, but wouldn’t you know it, the first scene was Damage CTRL standing tall over a beaten-up Zelina Vega. 

The Solo Sikoa segment

Man, Heyman laid it on so thick with his John Cena stuff that he actually had me believing Cena might actually show up one more time tonight. Great stuff, there. He’s right when he says Cena’s first match back would have to be against Sikoa … but who knows when and who knows if that will ever happen. In the meantime, using Cena’s credibility to get Sikoa over in a strong way after beating Cena at Crown Jewel is a great piece of business. Cena doesn’t have to be there to make sure that win means something and that’s exactly what Heyman did. Knight’s confrontation was a good rebuttal, and it does make me wonder: Even if Cody does finish the story at WrestleMania, perhaps Knight can be the one who takes down – or at least has a big role in taking down – the Bloodline. 

Paul Heyman was in the ring and said there was going to be an acknowledgment of Sikoa. Jimmy Uso was also in the ring. Heyman fired up and introduced John Cena … but finished it by saying Cena wasn’t there. Heyman said Cena will never appear in a WWE ring ever again and it’s all thanks to Sikoa. Heyman called out a kid in the front row crying – which has been a running thing all night from anyone who’s had a microphone. Heyman said Cena has admiration for all the fans, but he doesn’t have the heart to say goodbye to the WWE Universe. Because of that, Heyman said he gets to say goodbye to Cena. Heyman went on about how on behalf of the Bloodline, “John Cena, goodbye.” 

Heyman teased a cue for Cena to come out, but Cena never came out. Heyman reiterated that the fans will never experience the John Cena thing again because of Solo Sikoa. Heyman said if Cena ever comes back, Sikoa is going to have to be his opponent. Heyman went to Jimmy and said it would have been the greatest promo of Cena’s career, but Cena won’t be able to say goodbye because Sikoa spiked Cena in the throat. Heyman said no one can see Cena because Cena isn’t there, but Heyman was then cut off by LA Knight’s music. 

Knight said that the only reason Roman Reigns is still champion today is “because of the Bloodline, yeah!” Knight said everyone “knows that’s a problem, yeah!” Knight said if there’s a problem, Knight is a problem-solver, “yeah!” Knight said the Bloodline will cease to exist because Knight will make that happen. Knight said everyone will fall until it’s just Knight and Roman. Knight said the first stop on that path is Jimmy Uso. Knight called Heyman “MC Boss Hog,” and it was funny. Knight rapped a little and Jimmy laughed. Knight did his catchphrase and walked into the ring. 

**********

– Kevin Patrick announced that Carlito will face Santos Escobar at Survivor Series next week. 

– Shotzi, Belair and Charlotte were shown backstage talking. Charlotte walked away, saying she was going to make a call. 

LA Knight defeated Jimmy Uso [9:20]

LA Knight’s matches are almost as formulaic as Roman Reigns’s matches, but what works is what works. Jimmy seems to be the odd man out in the Bloodline equation, not just in storyline, but also in real life, because that guy never actually wins matches. The Cody appearance actually had me go “Oh,” out loud in a very unexcited, but unexpected way. The brand split is dumb anyway because nobody gives a heck about it, but Cody running out here can only suggest he’s officially on his way to another showdown with Roman Reigns. Time will tell. 

Heyman got a phone call as the match started and Heyman, along with Sikoa, walked away from ringside, leaving Jimmy alone to fight Knight, who took control early into the match. As Knight stomped on Uso, the crowd chanted “Yeah!” Jimmy rolled to the outside, but Knight followed him and rolled Jimmy back into the ring. Knight landed his slingshot shoulder-block in the ring for a two-count. Jimmy came back and hit a Samoan Drop to slow things down. Jimmy chopped Knight, but Knight back-body-dropped Jimmy over the top. Knight landed a sliding kick and hit Jimmy’s head off the announce table a few times. Knight threw Jimmy over the announce table and posed on top of the table to send the show to a commercial break. 

Back from that commercial break, Uso had control, hitting an enziguri for a two-count. Uso took his time and went for a hip attack, but Knight moved and landed a series of strikes to fire up. Knight then hit a DDT to even things out. Knight hit a clothesline before planting Jimmy a couple of times, the latter of which was a bit clunky. Jimmy went to the top, but Knight cut him off and ultimately set up for the running super-plex spot, but Jimmy push him away. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Knight hit the BFT for the win.

After the match, Solo Sikoa’s music hit and Sikoa came out. Jimmy hit Knight and Sikoa landed the Samoan Spike on Knight. Sikoa dismantled the commentary table and Jimmy dragged Knight to said table. As they were working over Knight, Cody’s music hit and Cody rushed the ring to beat everyone up. The crowd provided loud “Cody!” chants. Cody and Knight stood tall in the ring to end the segment. 

**********

– Backstage, Belair asked Charlotte what was going on and Charlotte said, “I called her, but I don’t know if she’ll make it on time.” From there, the final commercial break commenced. 

– After the show returned, backstage, Nick Aldis confronted Cody and told him to leave, so Cody did. Next week, the show will be on FS1 and will feature Kevin Owens on The Grayson Waller Effect as well as the aforementioned tag team title match. 

The women’s War Games match segment

Ok, so I tried to manifest Jade, but it just wasn’t happening. The reports all along said Becky was the woman who’d jump in, but … damn, when does Jade show up?! Either way, the crowd very much enjoyed Lynch’s appearance and this sets up WWE’s best established star power for the women’s War Games match. Still … where’s Jade?!

Bianca Belair made her entrance. Shotzi followed suit. Charlotte’s music hit and Charlotte made her entrance, too. Charlotte said they could talk about the damage Damage CTRL has done, but they were running out of time and they officially accepted their War Games challenge. Charlotte said if they’re going into war … well, Charlotte was interrupted by Damage CTRL’s music. Bayley walked out and said the faction took down everyone backstage. Bayley called Charlotte and idiot and a loser. As the teams faced off, Becky Lynch ran through the crowd and became the fourth member of the team. The teams then brawled to get the show off the air.