WWE SmackDown live results: Reigns and Bryan clear the air
SmackDown takes place from the Chase Center in San Francisco, California tonight. It’s the final episode before SmackDown moves to Friday nights on FOX on October 4 and celebrates its 20th anniversary.
WWE Champion Kofi Kingston will defend his title against Brock Lesnar on SmackDown’s FOX debut. Lesnar challenged Kingston last week and gave him the F-5 after Kingston accepted. Kingston addresses Lesnar and their upcoming match tonight.
Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan will also meet face-to-face to clear the air. Initially, Reigns accused Bryan of masterminding the attacks against him, but it ended up being Erick Rowan. Rowan and Luke Harper attacked Bryan last week and Reigns attempted to make the save.
SmackDown Woman’s Champion Bayley & Sasha Banks take on Charlotte Flair & Carmella. Bayley and Banks beat down Flair in a two-on-one attack after a match last week until Carmella made the save.
Shane McMahon has invited Kevin Owens to SmackDown tonight to settle the wrongful termination lawsuit. Owens filed the lawsuit after McMahon fired him the previous week.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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They recapped Erick Rowan and Luke Harper attacking Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns last week.
Rowan made his way down to the ring. He pointed out that the attack on Bryan and Reigns was art. The fans disrespected him and saw him as less than human. He changed that with destruction. He proved that he’s right.
Daniel Bryan interrupted and charged to the ring. He noted that Rowan wants respect, so he wants a fight.
Erick Rowan defeated Daniel Bryan
Rowan dominated the early moments of the match. He rocked Bryan with a clothesline and sent him to the floor. Rowan charged at Bryan and took him out with a crossbody. The fans broke into a loud “Daniel Bryan” chant.
Rowan slowed the pace down and worked the neck. Bryan fought back with uppercuts and kicks, but Rowan fired back with a spinning heel kick. Back from the break, Rowan continued to dominate Bryan and gave him a powerbomb against the ring post on the floor.
Rowan hit a running splash in the corner. He attempted a second one, but Bryan hit a dropkick to the knee. Bryan followed up with a chop block and attacked the knee. Bryan sent Rowan’s leg into the ring post several times. He jumped on the apron and hit a running dropkick to the knee against the post.
Bryan hit the running dropkicks in the corner, but Rowan caught Bryan with a massive slam for a near fall. Rowan slowed the pace down again and locked in a bear hug. Bryan broke the hold, but Rowan hit a powerbomb for another near fall.
Bryan hit a missile dropkick and the Yes Kicks for a one count. The fans loudly chanted, “Yes.” Bryan went to the top, but Rowan caught him. Bryan applied the guillotine submission and transited into the Labell lock.
Luke Harper interfered, but Bryan hit a suicide dive. Harper jumped back to his feet. Bryan backed up, and Rowan pulled Bryan on the apron. Rowan gave Bryan the Iron Claw from the apron into the ring, but Bryan’s leg inadvertently got caught up in the ropes. Rowan and the referee tried to untangled Bryan. It took a few minutes before the referee broke him free. Rowan then hit the Iron Claw again for the win.
Rowan and Harper continued to beat down Bryan. Roman Reigns ran out for the save, but Rowan and Harper took over. Bryan got back to his feet and made the save for Reigns. Rowan attempted the Iron Claw on Bryan, but Reigns hit a spear.
Reigns attempted to help up Bryan, but he pushed him away. Bryan then challenged Rowan & Harper to face Bryan & Reigns. He asked the fans for a one-word answer, and they broke into a “Yes” chant.
They aired a video package on Brock Lesnar and his dominance. Michael Cole interviewed Kofi Kingston in a sit-down interview. Cole asked why Kingston accepted Lesnar’s challenge. Kingston noted he’s a fighting champion and it’s impossible to prepare for Lesnar.
Kingston ran down a list of all the superstars he overcame. Cole asked if Kingston’s feeling the pressure of defending the title on the FOX debut. Kingston talked about FOX and noted he’s not ready to give up that title. He promised to walk out of the FOX premiere still the WWE Champion. Byron Saxton pointed out this is Lesnar’s first match on SmackDown in 15 years and his first time on FOX.
Chad Gable made his way down to the ring. They recapped Baron Corbin beating down Gable last night. Gable pointed out that Corbin likes to make short jokes. Gable noted he had a great run in the King of the Ring and nearly beat Corbin last night.
Mike Kanellis interrupted and made his way to the ring. Kanellis made short jokes and promised to prove to his pregnant wife that size does matter.
Chad Gable defeated Mike Kanellis
Gable completely dominated the match. He hit a belly-to-belly suplex and followed up with a German suplex. Gable then applied the ankle lock for the win.
After the match, Elias interrupted on the big screen. He sang a song about Gable and mocked his height.
In the back, Charlotte Flair approached R-Truth and is looking for 24/7 Champion Carmella. Truth pretended he didn’t know where she is. Carmella approached and discussed Bayley. Carmella thought Bayley was her friend.
The commentators discussed the FOX debut next week and the Raw season premiere. Tom Philips thanked the USA Network and called it an end of an era.
SmackDown Woman’s Champion Bayley & Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte Flair & 24/7 Champion Carmella (w/R-Truth)
The 24/7 rules are suspended during the match.
Banks sent Carmella to the floor and tagged in Bayley. She teased helping Carmella but viciously attacked her. The heels isolated Carmella on their side of the ring. Flair got the hot tag and ran wild. She knocked Banks off the apron with a big boot and rocked Bayley with chops.
Flair caught Bayley with a boot and applied the figure four, but Banks hit the Meteora on Flair.
Carmella made the blind tag and hit a superkick on Banks, but Bayley broke up the pin. Carmella took out Bayley with a superkick, but Banks applied the Bank Statement for the win.
Truth grabbed Carmella and ran into the crowd. A bunch of women came out and chased Truth and Carmella.
After the match, Banks and Bayley attacked Flair, but Becky Lynch ran out for the save. The fans broke into a “Becky” chant.
In the back, Shane McMahon spoke with his legal team about the Kevin Owens lawsuit.
Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura (w/Sami Zayn) defeated Ali
Ali had the early advantage and sent Nakamura to the floor. Hit a suicide dive and followed up with a crossbody in the ring for a near fall. Zayn distracted Ali and Nakamura sent him into the ring post.
Back from the break, Nakamura missed a charge in the corner and Ali hit the rolling X factor. He attempted a hurricanrana, but Nakamura pushed him off. Ali landed on his feet and caught Nakamura with a dropkick in mid-air.
Nakamura regained control and hit a sliding German suplex. He attempted the Kinshasa, but Ali hit a superkick for a close near fall. Ali hit a tornado DDT and went for the 450 splash, but Zayn pulled Nakamura out of the ring. Ali hit a dive over the referee onto Nakamura.
Ali chased Zayn into the ring and Nakamura hit the Kinshasa for the win.
They recapped the Shane McMahon/Kevin Owens $25 million wrongful termination lawsuit angle.
The New Day defeated The B-Team
During the match, the commentators discussed the draft and that both teams could be split up.
The B-Team gained control by isolating Xavier Woods on their side of the ring. Curtis Axel used a chin lock to slow the pace down. Bo Dallas and Axel did the B Train around the ring, and Big E followed. Big E sent Axel into the barricade and The New Day hit the midnight hour on Dallas for the win.
In the back, Mandy Rose handed out copies of Maxim Australia magazine with Rose on the cover. Sonya Deville noted they have a match. Otis approached and wanted a selfie.
The Kabuki Warriors defeated Fire & Desire
The Kabuki Warriors had the early advantage, but the heels took over. Deville tossed Kairi Sane to the floor. Rose grabbed her Maxim magazine, but Sane kicked the magazine out of her hands. She missed the first time but hit the second.
Sane gained control, but Deville interfered, and the heels took back over. Asuka got the hot tag and ran wild. She hit a hip attack in the corner and running kick. The finish came when Asuka hit the codebreaker, and Sane hit the Insane Elbow on Rose for the win.
Shane McMahon and his legal team made their way to the ring. McMahon wasted no time and called out Kevin Owens. Owens walked out through the crowd. McMahon threatened to keep Owens tied up in court for years. The other option, Owens drops the lawsuit and McMahon reinstates him and drops the fine.
Owens teased accepting but called McMahon an idiot instead. He admitted that the lawyers and courtroom make him sick. The only thing that makes him sicker is McMahon in the locker room.
Owens noted this lawsuit isn’t about money. It’s about getting under his skin and wants to see McMahon fired. Owens challenged McMahon to one final match. If McMahon wins, Owens drops the lawsuit and stays fired. If Owens wins, McMahon gets fired. McMahon wanted to know the catch. Owens challenged McMahon to a ladder match with the legal documents hanging above the ring.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed Becky Lynch when Sasha Banks attacked her from behind. Banks viciously beat down Lynch until officials pulled her away.
Next Week: Friday Night SmackDown debuts on FOX on October 4th. It’s the 20th-anniversary celebration and features WWE Champion Kofi Kingston defending against Brock Lesnar. Plus, Raw Woman’s Champion Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair takes on SmackDown Woman’s Champion Bayley & Sasha Banks.