WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Ratings, Reaction and Highlights from October 28
0 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns returned to television Friday night on SmackDown just eight days before a monumental clash with social media megastar Logan Paul at the Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
What did The Tribal Chief have to say about his upcoming defense, and how did he address the recent feud within The Bloodline between Jey Uso and “Honorary Uce” Sami Zayn?
Find out with this recap of a show that also featured an open challenge from SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
Brawling Brutes vs. Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn
2 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
Sami Zayn emphasized the importance of Roman Reigns seeing The Bloodline’s arms raised in victory ahead of his arrival at the arena tonight. It started, he said, with him and Solo Sikoa defeating The Brawling Brute’s Butch and Ridge Holland.
With the undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos watching from ringside, things got off to a promising start, with Sikoa delivering a uranage to Butch on the ring apron and taking control before the commercial break.
The feud within The Bloodline proved costly, as has been the case for the past few weeks, with a ringside argument between Zayn and Jey Uso causing a distraction and allowing Butch and Holland to score a quality win.
After the match, the brawl continued, with Jimmy seeming particularly disturbed by everything around him. This took out Reigns, who made his way to the ring for another break.
The match itself was good, but it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has been paying the slightest attention. Butch and Holland have developed into a quality team, while Zayn and Sikoa have their own blossoming chemistry.
The match was story-heavy, with a lot of attention on extraneous factors, and that may have hurt the overall quality. That said, nothing here was meant to be a classic. Rather, it was the latest chapter in a much more significant and overarching plot that will hopefully make stars of everyone involved.
Results
Butch and Holland defeated Sikoa and Zayn
Quality
C+
Peak moment
- Zayn rallying the troops, only to be met with varying facial expressions from the genuine roosters around him, is never going to be funny.
- Jey Uso jumping up on the apron, ready to intervene while still not trusting that Zayn can actually represent The Bloodline effectively and win the match, was great character stuff that only reflects the little things he’s been extremely good at over the past two years.
- Jey pulled Zayn out of his way, only to spark another argument with Honorary Uce.
Roman Reigns took up the bloodline
3 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
A visibly frustrated Reigns joined The Bloodline in the ring, no doubt ready to tackle the petty battles that had defined the faction of late.
Reigns demanded a solution to the problems plaguing the group, to which Zayn extended his hand to Jey in a gesture of solidarity, only for the tag team champion to unload weeks of frustration on his colleague.
Reigns warned his cousin that if his antagonism against Zayn continues, he will rename the honorary Uce “Sami Uso”, to which the crowd appeared and Uso looked on in disbelief.
Paul Heyman, not one to be quiet, threw it to the commercial break.
This was a great affair that brought out the personalities of everyone who played and offered some genuine hilarity when more than one man cracked. The facial expressions, body language and promo work were fantastic and provided the latest chapter in a story that is easily the best in WWE – if not all of pro wrestling.
Quality
A+
Peak moment
- “I want this problem fixed, right now!” Reigns said about the issues between Zayn and Jey.
- “I don’t know what I did to offend you, but I’m sorry,” Zayn said before offering Jey his hand.
- “How do you think you’re part of the Bloodline if you’re not blood? There’s no one in this room like you. I just had the balls to say it out loud,” Jey said.
- “I don’t give a damn what the tribal chief said!” Jey said before Reign’s head went up and a look of disdain painted his face.
- “What Jey just said was really messed up, but he didn’t mean it,” Zayn said.
- Reigns cracked Jey in a hilarious moment that saw both men and Zayn visibly laughing.
- The clan chief warned that if Jey doesn’t find his “ucey” he will take the “honorary part” of Zayn’s title away from his nickname.
- “If you don’t figure this out… we’re just going to name him ‘Sami Uso,’ everyone! The reactions on Jey and Sami’s faces were extraordinary.
New day vs maximum number of male models
4 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
New Day battled Maximum Male Models in tag team action next.
The match, which was good for what it was, saw Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods win the battle for the directionless tandem.
Neither team is doing much of anything interesting right now, which might be the biggest indictment of Triple H’s creative process yet. Somehow New Day feels stuck, and their creative (or lack thereof) is uninspired.
It’s a little confusing considering the huge personalities at play.
Backstage, Sonya Deville cut a promo on Liv Morgan, only for a brawl between them to break out before referees and officials separated them.
A quality feud that keeps Morgan on the edge and gives Deville something to do, all of which has worked well so far.
Results
New Day defeated Maximum Male Models
Quality
C-
Peak moment
- The backstage brawl between Morgan and Deville was entertaining, if nothing else.
SmackDown Women’s Championship Open Challenge: Ronda Rousey vs.
5 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
Ronda Rousey, clearly a heel, issued an open challenge to everyone in the women’s locker room. Former NXT star Emma (Tenille Dashwood to Impact and indie fans) returned to WWE, ready to claim a title that eluded her during her first run with the company.
Hubris almost proved the champion’s downfall as she clearly underestimated the challenger and spent too much time taunting the crowd, nearly scoring Emma on more than one occasion.
A well-timed rake to the eyes of her opponent, proving she’s not nearly as dominant as she’d like some to think, allowed Rousey to pick up the win and retain her title in a tougher matchup than she expected.
It’s nice to see Emma back, especially after how poorly her main routes were handled. That being said, Triple H is close to running into a problem that competitors have over on Wednesday nights because there is so much talent running around the women’s division right now, and limited opportunities, that it feels like he’s another competitor in the mix. create a difficult task for yourself.
If anyone can figure out the pieces and make it work it’s him, but right now it’s perfectly acceptable to question where the Aussie fits.
Results
Rousey defeated Emma to retain the title
Quality
C+
Peak moment
- Rousey bought into the taunts and continued to establish her new heel persona.
- “You’re way too mediocre to even know what you’re looking at,” Rousey told the WWE faithful.
- Cole noted that Emma will return four years, 364 days after her release from WWE.
- Rousey rocked Emma with a kick to the midsection and then sent her into the steel steps.
Hit Row and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Legado del Fantasma
6 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
The rivalry between Legado del Fantasma and Hit Row continued on Friday when Zelina Vega followed Santos Escobar, Cruz del Toro and Joaquin Wilde to the squared circle for a match with Ashante Thee Adonis, Top Dolla and a mystery partner, who was accompanied by B-Fab.
That partner? Shinsuke Nakamura, who drew a huge ovation for his reveal.
The heels controlled most of the match, isolating Ashante from her partners. However, a hot finish saw the babyfaces take the win and get a measure of revenge against the NXT export.
A solid, inoffensive match saw Hit Row take advantage of Nakamura’s surprise and ensure that the heels’ dominance was halted, if only for a week.
Results
Hit Row and Nakamura defeated Legado del Fantasma
Quality
C+
Peak moment
- Backstage, Shayna Baszler congratulated Ronda Rousey on her win, then brushed off Natalya, who claimed she would have beaten Rowdy if she accepted the challenge.
- Michael Cole pointed out that B-Fab wasn’t wearing heels because she expected to tangle with Vega. It was an observant call from Cole pointing out the little things that add up to these segments.
Madcap Moss vs. Karrion Kross
7 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
Just eight days before a date with Drew McIntyre inside a steel cage, Karrion Kross took on Madcap Moss on Friday night, ready to send a message to The Scottish Warrior and prove that he doesn’t need Scarlett to secure a win.
Other than that, he absolutely did.
Moss made a late-game comeback, a fireball poised to run over his opponent en route to an upset win. The mere presence of Scarlett provided a distraction, allowing Kross to deliver a big boot, Down the Rabbit Hole and pick up the win.
After the match, Kross promised that history would repeat itself for McIntyre when they clashed in Riyadh. Kross refused to let go of the Kross jacket, knocking Moss unconscious.
The match was good, solid wrestling from two competitors who embody those adjectives. Moss continues to impress in his limited television appearances at this point, while Kross won over a superstar familiar to his rival ahead of what could prove to be his biggest test yet.
Kross definitely needs a breakout performance to win over a main roster that isn’t quite sure what to make of the former NXT star just yet. he shall get it in Riyadh, but if he doesn’t, the questions about his ability to be the cerebral, dangerous main event heel that Triple H envisions will grow louder.
Results
Kross defeated Moss
Quality
C+
Peak moment
- Cole and Wade Barrett did a good job of conveying the effect Scarlett has had on Kross’ feud with Drew McIntyre thus far.
- “The only question has been ‘what’s his direction after the split from Corbin,'” Barrett asked, shedding a big light on something fans have been asking for months.
Bray Wyatt addressed his demons
8 out of 8
Credit: WWE.com
Bray Wyatt returned for another in-ring promotion to close the show.
Continuing with his candor, he said that he likes to be open and honest with fans and even admitted that he likes that he’s willing to do horrible things.
His campaign is interrupted by the masked individual we were casually introduced to last week, who is apparently known as Uncle Howdy. He called Wyatt a liar and claimed he wears a mask despite his claims to the contrary.
The best thing about the Wyatt thing so far is the intrigue it has created among the fans. This did more of that, creating more questions than answers and creating excitement for the next development.
Another quality close to the performance.
Quality
A
Peak moment
- “When you start doing that, it makes me feel like I’m invulnerable,” Wyatt said of the fans’ adulation.
- “There’s no mask that I’m hiding behind. There’s no smoke and mirrors. It’s just me and you. That’s what I want you to get used to. This is just me, Bray Wyatt, the real man. “
- “I’m going to do some spectacular things while I’m here.”
- “My emotions don’t work like most people’s. I’m not always in control. Sometimes they can send me to a very dark place. Other times I feel nothing at all.”
- “There’s a part of me that really likes that I’m willing to do some really horrible things.”
- “You’re a liar. You say you don’t wear a mask but we both know that’s not true. You’ll never be able to hide from me. Your Uncle Howdy,” a mysterious masked figure revealed himself, calling out the Wyatts blatant lies.
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