WWE SmackDown Live Full Results, Grades and Highlights for October 10, 2017

INTRO: We got a recap of Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens fighting inside Hell in a Cell. This package showed stills of some truly frightening moves on top of the cell. Serial killer music to accompany Sami Zayn saving Owens from a McMahon elbow off the top of the cell. We’re left to wonder why Zayn would help his mortal enemy escape certain doom.

OPENING SEGMENT: The Usos walked out to the ring, battered and holding the SmackDown tag team championship belts. We saw plenty of stills from their remarkably brutal (for this era of WWE) Hell in a Cell match.

Uce asked for the New Day to join them, as they had something to say face-to-face. Funny to watch Xavier Woods and Big E (the cell combatants) clutch their ribs in discomfort as Kofi Kingston skipped circles around them. The Usos told New Day they made history Sunday night. And, compared to the two squads in the ring, the other tag teams in the back “suck”. The Usos recounted the weapons used in that match (chairs, handcuffs, a cowbell). But every time the two teams stepped in the ring together, the twins said, it was like Ali and Frazier.

What the cheering fans didn’t see, Uce said, is an Uso holding an ice pack over his eyes because he couldn’t see, or the other Uso driving to the next town with one good arm. They don’t see the hotel receptionist asking if they’re alright, and they don’t see their families asking them if they’re going to be ok. There is no one else on Earth who understood what they’re going through – except New Day. Woods and Kingston asked if they were calling for an Uce Truce. The Usos simultaneously said they were trying to say, “Respect.” The two teams were about to shake hands when the Hype Bros’ music interrupted this impressive and authentic promo.

Mojo Rawley said the problem on SmackDown is the same two teams taking all the credit and leaving everyone else out in the cold. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin walked out to tout their victory over the Hype Bros at Hell in a Cell. Their presence brought out Breezango, who couldn’t get a word out before the Ascension entered the conversation. Tyler Breeze exasperatedly asked if they could stop following Breezango around.

SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan took control of the situation. He thanked New Day and the Usos for their incredible match, then threw them out of the ring. Bryan ruled that the interloping teams would compete in a fatal four-way match right now for a title opportunity.

Breezango vs. Gable and Benjamin vs. the Hype Bros vs. the Ascension

Rawley and Konnor start us off as the Usos watched from ringside. A blind tag by the Hype Bros allowed Zack Ryder to nail Konnor with a dropkick off the middle turnbuckle. Viktor tagged in and ate a flapjack. He fired back with a corkscrew uppercut, then laced into Ryder with chops. Zack tagged in Chad Gable, who went for an immediate schoolboy pinning combination. Gable applied an arm bar to Viktor, then held that arm for a kick from Shelton Benjamin. The Gold Standard bodyslammed and elbow-dropped Viktor for a two-count. Another tag to Gable, who stayed focused on his opponent’s arm.

Phillips compared the New Day and Usos to the Warriors and Cavaliers dominating the NBA. Viktor freed himself with a handful of hair, then targeted Gable’s left arm. Gable countered with some sweet, complex movements, then barred Viktor’s arm again. Viktor finally powered Gable into his corner. The Ascension double-teamed Gable for a clothesline and knee smash, getting a two-count. Every man outside the ring tried to make the save as we go to break.

We returned to find Rawley cleaning house inside the ring. He clotheslined Breeze, then knocked Fandango off the apron before hitting Breeze with two corner avalanches. A big tilt-a-whirl slam gained Rawley a two-count; again, the other teams involved crashed the ring to save Breeze. A donnybrook broke out, leaving the Hype Bros alone to go for their Hype Rider finisher. Viktor reappeared to shove Ryder off the middle rope, saving Breeze. Konnor pushed the Hype Bros into each other as they argued over why their finisher didn’t get executed. Konnor clotheslined Rawley, sending both men over the top rope. The announce team speculated that the Ascension were actively helping Breezango in an attempt to win their friendship.

Breeze school-boyed Ryder for a two-count. Ryder rebounded by hitting Breeze with double knees in the corner, then went for the Broski Boot. Fandango pulled his partner out of harm’s way, sending Ryder crashing into the ropes. Shelton Benjamin tagged Ryder and quickly brought an interfering Viktor down with a spinebuster. Gable and Benjamin took turns executing spinebusters and overhead suplex throws on their opponents. Benjamin lifted Breeze for his team’s bulldog/powerbomb combination. Fandango pushed Gable to the arena floor as Breeze kicked Benjamin to the mat. Looking for the win, Fandango missed badly on the Last Dance. Gable went up to the top rope and scored with a moonsault on Fandango.

Still the legal man, Breeze engaged Gable, who alley-ooped him onto Benjamin’s shoulders. Breeze went for a hurricanrana to no avail; Benjamin blocked the move, then lifted Tyler back onto his shoulders to allow Gable to land his top-rope bulldog. Benjamin held his powerbomb pinning combination for the victory.

Result: Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin won the fatal four-way when Benjamin pinned Breeze following a powerbomb/top-rope bulldog combination.

Grade: B

Dasha Fuentes stood outside a dressing room labeled “Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn”. She said the star-crossed wrestling partners were making her wait. Phillips promised that we’d hear from them both before the night ended.

The announce team recapped Charlotte Flair’s disqualification victory over SmackDown Women’s Champion Natalya at Hell in a Cell. Backstage, Natalya cradled her title belt like a glittery cat. Lana said the title looked good on her, but it would look better on Tamina. Carmella threateningly patted her Money in the Bank briefcase. Natalya said all four of them could agree they deserve to be champion far more than Charlotte, who turned up right then. Natalya asked if she was sad to break her “pathetic father’s heart again.” The Queen forearmed Natalya and had to be pulled off the champion.

Renee Young welcomed a smug Corbin. He told her it felt good to shove the championship in the faces of Styles, Tye Dillinger, and the keyboard warriors. Tonight, the house that AJ Styles built would become the opportunity that Styles squandered.

Becky Lynch vs. Carmella

Our first shot back from commercial showed Ellsworth leashed and tied to the turnbuckle. Lynch snagged Carmella with a double-leg takedown and stayed on her, pulling her off the ropes and belting her with right hands. Carmella responded by slapping Lynch and trying to escape the ring. An angry Lynch grabbed her opponent by the hair and launched her with a Becksploder. Carmella successfully bailed to ringside and called for timeout. Lynch pursued her opponent, who scooted behind Ellsworth to throw a kick at Becky’s left knee. Finally on offense, Carmella slammed Lynch into the ring apron three times and rolled her back inside for a one-count.

Carmella slowed down the action with some elbows to Lynch’s trapezius and a modified cobra clutch. Lynch fought to her feet and executed a school-boy pinning combination. Carmella kicked out and went for a big boot. Becky avoided the strike and hit her own spin kick to the gut. She pelted Carmella with forearms, but was booted when she went for a running firearm in the corner. Carmella moved in for the kill, but Lynch snatched her and applied the Dis-Arm-Her for the tapout.

Result: Becky Lynch beat Carmella with the Dis-Arm-Her.

Grade: B-

The ring announcer asked the crowd to “welcome the victorious Kevin Owens.” Owen stumbled out with a limp; his left hand and left arm were bandaged. Byron Saxton said that Shane McMahon did not suffer any broken bones during their match Sunday; Phillips said he is recuperating at home. Owens said he did exactly what he said he would do: send McMahon to Hell. McMahon is now gone and never coming back. And the WWE Universe, he said, should be thankful for not losing Owens.

KO said he was blinded by a white light at Hell in a Cell, and he felt his soul start to separate from his body. He ascended until he was standing in a long line at the Pearly Gates. Owens was waved to the front by Saint Peter, who told him that Earth needed Kevin Owens. Then, the good apostle gifted him a guardian angel named Sami Zayn.

Owens claimed his life goal is now to turn this place into paradise. Therefore, everyone in the arena is now gathered into Kevin’s Heaven. Or, as he liked to call it, the Kevin Owens Show. He introduced his best friend and guardian angel, Sami Zayn. Sami rocked out with his “Let’s Go” punch on the entrance ramp, then played to the crowd on the ring steps. Zayn smiled at the fans, then at Owens. Sami started talking, but KO cut him off right away, telling him to explain that Owens had no idea Zayn would save him from certain destruction. Before that happened, though, Owens needed to thank Zayn from the bottom of his heart.

Zayn said it was funny that Owens thanked him, because his eyes were opened when KO powerbombed him on the ring apron several weeks ago. Sami said he’s spent his whole life and career trying to please people. He tried to be the good guy, putting everyone else’s beliefs and morals on his shoulder. Thereafter, Zayn embarked on a long and arduous journey to mediocrity. On the other hand, Owens won title after title. Zayn said his reward was sleeping with a clear conscience, and believing that his time would come in 4-5 years. And he believed that his chance had indeed arrived when Shane McMahon brought him to the Land of Opportunity, SmackDown Live.

Zayn said McMahon told him everything he wanted to hear about Raw mistreating and misusing him. Shane promised Zayn that SmackDown would provide him with the opportunities he deserved. That was the last meeting the two men ever had. Zayn said he knew McMahon was busy with birthdays and “the whole helicopter thing.” Last week, however, Shane blew off Zayn when Sami tried to warn him what Owens was capable of doing. That’s when Zayn realized that McMahon never cared about him or wanted him to get an opportunity. On Sunday, Zayn watched the Hell in a Cell main event and rooted for Shane to win. He told Owens that he was beaten when Shane shoved him off the cell and through a table. But then, Shane climbed back to the cell’s roof.

Zayn said that Owens was a lot of things to him over the years, but he’ll always be his brother. When Zayn saw McMahon stand on top of the cell, he knew Shane didn’t care about anything but ending Owens’ career. So Zayn saved his brother because it was the right thing to do, and because McMahon had become an absolute psychopath. Zayn said he used to despise Owens, but now realized he just despised the fact that Owens was right. He said there was nothing left to say except, “Thank you.” The two men shared a warm embrace. The two friends took turns raising each other’s hands in victory and shouting the other man’s name.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton vs. Rusev and Aiden English

Rusev beat on Orton to start. Randy came back with a kick and an early RKO attempt. Rusev shoved Orton away, then charged wildly at him, diving through the ropes. Orton seized Rusev as he tried to reenter the ring, and went for the rope-drape DDT. English pulled his partner to safety outside the ring. As Orton pursued English, Rusev bashed him and tried to throw him into the announce table. Orton blocked the move and dropped Rusev spine-first onto the table. The Lion of Bulgaria yelled out in pain as Orton tossed him back into the ring. English tied up Orton as he tried to get back inside, allowing Rusev to connect on a roundhouse kick. English executed a swinging neck-breaker on the concrete floor, leaving Orton convalescing on the concrete as we go to commercial.

Orton is no better off when we return, as Rusev grounded him and squeezed the breath out of the Viper. English held Orton to let Rusev kick him, then covered Orton for the two-count. English pressed the advantage with a kick to the sternum, then wrapped up Orton in a reverse chin-lock. Orton fought to his feet and elbowed English in the gut. English stopped his momentum with strikes, bellowed out his love for Rusev Day, and ran directly into a powerslam. Orton tagged Nakamura, who dropped English with two boots. Nakamura tore into English with left kicks. English caught the last of them, prompting Nakamura to kick him with the other foot. Shinsuke pounded English with running knees in the corner. He signaled for the Kinshasa, but Rusev grabbed him to stymie the move. Nakamura freed himself with a wheel kick, dazing Rusev long enough for Orton to snap off an RKO. Shinsuke hit the Kinshasa on English for the win.

Result: Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton beat Rusev and Aiden English when Nakamura pinned English following a Kinshasa.

Grade: B-

Backstage, Young asked AJ Styles how confident he is of regaining the U.S. championship. AJ pointed out that Corbin did not pin him at Hell in a Cell. Styles said he’d be damned if some lone wolf would steal his championship and walk out with his head held high.

As we return to SmackDown, we see two hooded figures wearing post-apocalyptic gear and facing away from the camera. They turned around to reveal themselves as Erick Rowan (breathing ominously through his horror-show mask) and Luke Harper (clutching a war-hammer). The pair said the virtuous would fall and the wicked would rise. They pronounced themselves Bludgeon Brothers.

Bobby Roode peacocked his way to the ring. He challenged Dolph Ziggler to fight him. Ziggler walked out and told Roode that he exposed him for a fraud at Hell in a Cell. He claimed to have dominated Roode on Sunday, leaving Roode no alternative but to cheat. Dolph demanded his rematch; Roode agreed to fight right now. Ziggler declined and left.

Baron Corbin (c) vs. AJ Styles – United States Championship match

Corbin humorously held up the title belt in numerous backstage workers’ faces as he walked toward the ring. AJ ducked under Corbin’s attack to start. Styles clocked Corbin with an enziguri, then knocked him from the ring with a dropkick. Corbin recovered outside the ring, then got back in to eat right hands from Styles. The Lone Wolf pushed him away, then dashed at Styles, who dipped out of the way to send Corbin tumbling over the top rope. Corbin got back inside and was hit by numerous shoulder-blocks in the corner. Corbin rolled to ringside and berated front-row fans as the final break started.

Corbin clubbed Styles with a running clothesline as we return to live action. Corbin taunted Styles as he laid in kicks to AJ’s mid-section. The Lone Wolf methodically threw kicks and right hands as Styles motioned for him to bring it on. Styles side-stepped one of those kicks and bombarded Corbin with more right hands. AJ stung Corbin with a leaping clothesline in the corner and a flurry of strikes. He kicked Corbin’s leg out, then hit a running forearm as Corbin attempted to rise. AJ geared up for a Phenomenal Forearm. When Corbin attempted to trip him up on the ring apron, AJ jumped back into the ring and ran off the ropes with a hard baseball slide that drove Corbin over the announce table.

Styles threw Corbin inside the ring and looked for the springboard-450 splash. When Corbin rolled out of the way, AJ stepped back down onto the ring apron and then jumped over the top rope to crack Corbin with a big forearm. He slowly lifted Corbin and executed the ushigoroshi. Styles couldn’t follow up as he favored his left knee. By the time he made it to his feet, Corbin was also back up, and delivered Deep Six to his challenger. Corbin badmouthed AJ in the corner, then perched him on the top turnbuckle. The Lone Wolf went for a superplex. Styles slipped out and tried to counter, but Corbin caught him by the throat. AJ attempted to maneuver Corbin into the Calf Crusher. When Corbin refused to budge, AJ drove him shoulder-first into the ring post, then school-boyed him for a near-fall.

Styles applied the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Corbin desperately slammed the back of AJ’s head into the mat to break the hold. He hobbled over to Styles to clout him with forearms. Corbin went for the End of Days; AJ flipped out of it and connected on a Pele kick. The champion spilled out of the ring. AJ went for his sliding knee strike on the apron, but Corbin grabbed him and flung Styles onto the floor with a huge bodyslam. Corbin brought Styles into the ring and beat him clean with End of Days for the win.

Result: Baron Corbin beat AJ Styles with End of Days.

Grade: B+

After the match, Corbin ordered the fans to look at the championship and eat it. They could cry and cry, but Corbin would buy a boat and float down a river of their tears.
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