WWE SmackDown live results: World Cup finals
The SmackDown World Cup concludes on tonight’s episode of the show from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Ricochet takes on Santos Escobar in the World Cup finals. Escobar advanced with wins over Shinsuke Nakamura and Butch, while Ricochet beat Mustafa Ali and Braun Strowman. The winner of tonight’s match receives a future title shot against Intercontinental Champion Gunther.
At Survivor Series, The Bloodline defeated Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, and The Brawling Brutes in the men’s WarGames match. Sami Zayn, who stayed loyal to The Bloodline at WarGames, will kick off tonight’s show by facing Sheamus in a singles match.
After returning on last week’s SmackDown, Becky Lynch teamed with Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, and Mia Yim to defeat Damage CTRL, Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley in the women’s War Games match. WWE has announced that Damage CTRL will appear on SmackDown tonight following their WarGames loss.
Tonight’s show is airing on FS1 due to college football being on Fox. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Bloodline Segment
Sami Zayn, The Usos, and Sola Sikoa entered the ring to a big reaction. A video package recapped Survivor Series: War Games.
Zayn spoke about The Bloodline leveling up at Survivor Series. He started praising The Usos, but Jimmy interrupted. Jimmy noted tonight is about Zayn. He added that Zayn was the MVP and started a “Sami Uso” chant.
Jey Uso admitted that Zayn proved last Saturday that he’s with them. He added the Zayn’s the reason they won War Games. Zayn was grateful and didn’t know what to say. Jimmy asked him how he was feeling, and Zayn responded that he was feeling pretty Ucey. The fans broke into a loud “Ucey” chant. Zayn and The Usos did their special handshake to a huge reaction.
The Brawling Brutes interrupted and made their way to the ring. Sheamus is tired of all the talking and wants to fight.
Sami Zayn (w/Solo Sikoa & The Usos) defeated Sheamus (w/Ridge Holland & Butch) (18:26)
Zayn and Sheamus had a fun opening match with a hot crowd. It helped that they got a lot of time to tell a good story, but there was a ton of interference leading to the finish.
Sheamus took over with a hard clothesline sending Zayn to ringside. He went after Zayn and whipped him hard into the barricade.
The Usos caused a distraction allowing Zayn to hit a DDT after the break. Sheamus tried fighting back. Zayn fired up with a dropkick and slowed the pace with a chin lock. Sheamus tried to break free, but Zayn hit a Tornado DDT. The fans chanted “Sami Uso.”
Zayn went for the ten beats of Bodhran. Sheamus broke free, hitting a tilt-a-whirl slam. Sheamus went for the beats of Bodhran, but Zayn escaped. Zayn recovered and went for a flying crossbody. Sheamus was waiting for him and caught him in mid-air. He followed with an Irish curse backbreaker and cloverleaf submission.
Zayn made it to the rope to break the hold and regain control. He sent Sheamus to ringside and hit a dive as they headed to a break.
Back from the break, The Usos and the fans were cheering on Zayn. Sheamus took over and set up for white noise off the top rope. Zayn countered into a sunset flip bomb for a near fall. Zayn attempted the Helluva kick, but Sheamus hit white noise for a close two-count. The fans booed Sheamus and broke into a loud “Sami” chant.
Sheamus set up the brogue kick, but Jimmy caused a distraction. Sheamus recovered and hit the ten beats of Bodhran to a mixed reaction. The Usos interfered and caught Sheamus with a superkick, allowing Zayn to hit the blue thunder bomb for a two-count.
Holland and Butch jumped The Usos kicking off a wild brawl at ringside. In the ring, Sheamus avoided the helluva kick with a knee to the face. Jimmy caused another distraction as Sheamus went for an Alabama slam. Jey jumped in and hit a superkick allowing Zayn to pin Sheamus with a sunset flip.
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Santos Escobar promised to win the World Cup finals tonight in a Legado Del Fantasma vignette.
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Megan Morant spoke with Kofi Kingston. He announced that he’s entering the Royal Rumble this year. Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser approached. Kingston stood up for himself but noted Xavier Woods wasn’t there tonight. He challenged one of them to a single match when Gunther showed up and accepted instead.
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Bray Wyatt spoke backstage. He talked about us once being wild animals. Animals eat each other, but nobody calls it violence. He promised that he didn’t hurt LA Knight as they showed clips of Knight injured. Wyatt repeated that he didn’t hurt Knight. He noted that if he attacked Knight, then we would know it because there’d be none of him left.
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A video package recapped the Ronda Rousey and Shotzi feud.
Shayna Baszler defeated Emma (4:12)
Even for a short four-minute match, the crowd seemed dead.
Madcap Moss gave Emma a pep talk backstage. He praised her as a trailblazer and told her that she belonged in the WWE. Emma called him Riddick and kissed him on the cheek.
Emma scored a series of early near falls. Baszler recovered quickly and targeted Emma’s arm. After escaping, Emma rocked Baszler with forearm shots. She followed with a hanging neck breaker off the middle rope. Baszler missed a knee in the corner, and Emma locked on the tarantula. The finish came when Baszler knocked Emma off the top rope and locked on the kirifuda clutch for the win.
Baszler continued to attack after the match. Shotzi ran out for the save, but Baszler took over. She went after Shotzi’s arm, but Raquel Rodriguez ran out for the save with her arm in a brace.
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They showed a new Lacey Evans vignette. They’re repackaging her character, focusing on her background in the Marines. She’s getting back to basics and on a mission. The vignette featured Lacey Evans training with the Marines.
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They showed a Ricochet video package.
Intercontinental Champion Gunther (w/Giovanni Vinci & Ludwig Kaiser) defeated Kofi Kingston (11:28)
Kingston and Gunther had an excellent hard-hitting eleven-minute match.
Kingston was on the attack early, but Gunther shut that down quickly. He rocked Kingston with an uppercut. Kingston tried fighting back, but Gunther caught him with a shot to the kidneys.
Kingston fired up with rights and lefts in the corner. Gunther absorbed the shots and responded with a vicious chop. Kingston recovered and sent Gunther to ringside. He went for a dive, but Imperium tripped him up. Gunther took advantage and destroyed Kingston with a boot to the face. He set up for a powerbomb when Braun Strowman’s music hit.
Strowman marched to ringside and beat down Vinci and Kaiser as they fought to the back. Gunther tried to refocus, but Kingston escaped the powerbomb and hit the SOS for a close near fall.
Gunther had Kingston in a sleeper back from the break. Kingston broke free with a near fall. He fired up and hit the boom drop. Gunther avoided the trouble in paradise with a German suplex. Kingston landed on his feet and hit a top rope frog splash for a close two-count
Kingston went for a crossbody, but Gunther rocked him with a chop. Gunther locked on the Boston crab and switched to the STF. Kingston made it to the ropes to break the hold.
Gunther caught Kingston with the shotgun dropkick and a powerbomb for a near fall. Kingston tried fighting back, but Gunther hit the last symphony for the win.
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In the back, The Bloodline was getting ready to leave the arena. Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa went to bring the car around, leaving the Usos alone.
Jimmy admitted he’s surprised that Jey’s fine with Zayn being in the Bloodline. Jey noted Roman Reigns spoke with Zayn. Jimmy asked Jey about Zayn lying to his face last week.
Suddenly, Sheamus attacked The Usos. Sheamus and Drew McIntyre are waiting for The Usos after their title defense on Monday.
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Damage CTRL Segment
The big news was Tegan Nox returned to the WWE to attack Damage CTRL.
Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY entered the ring. Bayley bragged about dominating in War Games and noted they lasted longer than anyone else. The fans chanted for “Becky.” Bayley mocked Becky, claiming she wasn’t in the match for long. Bayley mocked the SmackDown women’s roster.
Liv Morgan heard enough and ran down to ringside. She fought all three, but they overpowered her. Suddenly, Tegan Nox made her WWE return and ran down for the save. Morgan and Nox cleared the ring. Nox hit the shiniest wizard on Kai to end the segment.
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Karrion Kross cut a promo while Scarlet played with tarot cards. He talked about destroying Drew McIntyre and Madcap Moss. Scarlet revealed Kross’ next target with a Rey Mysterio tarot card.
A creepy Uncle Howdy video interrupted. He said to trust him and revel in what you are.
World Cup Finals: Ricochet defeated Santos Escobar (w/Zelina Vega, Joaquin Wilde & Cruz del Toro) (21:53) to win the SmackDown World Cup
Ricochet and Escobar had a great fast-paced match with tons of creative spots. At one point, the fans got distracted by something in the crowd and took their eyes off the match. By the end, they were popping for every spot.
They did a great job promoting the World Cup finals throughout the show and made it feel important.
Zelina Vega joined Michael Cole and Wade Barret on commentary.
Ricochet overcame Legado Del Fantasma’s interference and hit a suicide dive for the early advantage. He went for a springboard, but Wilde pushed him off. The referee caught Wilde and Del Toro interfering and sent them to the back. Vega was furious and jumped on the apron leading to the referee throwing her out too. The fans broke into “USA” chants throughout the match.
Back from the break, Ricochet ran wild with a head-scissors and a running dropkick in the corner. Escobar sent Ricochet to ringside and hit a suicide dive sending him onto the announce table.
Escobar slowed the pace down with a Boston crab. The fans started reacting to something happening in the crowd. They cheered while looking away from the ring.
Ricochet got the better of Escobar while fighting on the apron. Standing on the apron, Ricochet rocked Escobar with a superkick. He followed with a shooting star press off the apron to an upright Escobar. After the commercial, Ricochet, and Escobar fought on the top rope. Ricochet recovered and hit a superplex. After trading shots, they both hit the ropes and collided in mid-air.
Ricochet ran at Escobar at ringside. He jumped off the steps, but Escobar moved. Ricochet landed on his feet on the barricade. Escobar jumped up and caught Ricochet with a hurricanrana off the barricade. The spot got a huge reaction.
Escobar and Ricochet fought on the top rope. Escobar went for another hurricanrana, but Ricochet landed on his feet to a huge reaction. After hitting Escobar with a jumping knee, Ricochet hit a Northern lights suplex into a brainbuster. He followed with a springboard moonsault off the middle rope for a near fall.
Ricochet went for the 450 splash, but Escobar got his knees up and scored a close near fall. Escobar went for the phantom driver but Ricochet reversed into a pin for a near fall.
The finish was spectacular as Ricochet hit a poison rana off the top rope. He followed up with a jumping knee, superkick, and a kick to the head. He then hit the 630 splash for the win to a giant reaction.
After the match, Ricochet posed with the trophy as the pyro went off. Gunther’s music hit, and the Intercontinental Champion walked out. They had a stare-down to end SmackDown.
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Next Week: Kurt Angle returns to celebrate his birthday in Pittsburgh. Plus, Shotzi takes on Shayna Baszler with Ronda Rousey and Raquel Rodrigez at ringside.
Also, either The Usos or Matt Riddle & Elias defend the tag team titles against Sheamus & Drew McIntyre.
In Two Weeks: Intercontinental Champion Gunther defends against Ricochet.