WWE SmackDown Live REVIEW: Full Results, Grades and Highlights for 11/29/17

Ko vs RKO

INTRO: We reviewed the beef between Shane McMahon and the Sami Zayn/Kevin Owens best friends coalition.

OPENING SEGMENT: Shane started the show again. He took the cheap pop by mentioning the show’s setting of Lexington, Kentucky. McMahon said he was going to fire Zayn and Owens last week, noting that they have “no respeck” for the fans. He wanted to hear Daniel Bryan’s explanation for keeping them employed.

Bryan sported his casual Friday ensemble as he entered the ring to loud cheers. He said he understood why Shane wanted to fire his enemies, but, as he has been fired himself several times, he believed in second chances. Shane reminded Bryan that Owens beat Vince McMahon mercilessly on live television, Zayn cost Shane his revenge at Hell in a Cell, and both men betrayed the entire roster. That’s a great explanation. Bryan countered that Owens and Zayn committed those deeds to try and grab the brass ring. He saw real talent in both men, and, if they’re fired, they’ll just end up on Monday Night Raw.

Bryan said that he wanted McMahon to trust him when he is left in charge of SmackDown. Which seems to be every other week, or when Shane gets bored and goes home after the first hour. Shane praised Bryan’s booking of Owens vs. Randy Orton later tonight; he made the fight a no-disqualification match and banned Zayn from ringside.

New Day chowed down on a tray of pancakes backstage; Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin disdainfully discarded a box of Booty-Os on their way to the ring. The two teams tangle next.

Zayn and Owens approached Bryan backstage. Zayn complained about being banned from ringside tonight while Owens whined about having to fight Orton with no rules. Bryan stood his ground, slightly revising his response to the Canadians’ entreaties from “No” to “Hell no”.

The New Day vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable

Providing guest commentary, the Usos received pancakes, syrup, and napkins out of Big E’s singlet. Gable took down Xavier Woods to start, then whipped him into the turnbuckle. Woods evaded numerous Gable strikes before flooring him with a discus forearm. He tagged Kofi Kingston; the two men unleashed a running kick, running clothesline, a big splash, and an elbow off the middle turnbuckle. Kingston balanced himself on the top rope, using the strand to propel himself on Gable for a two-count. Woods reentered only to get caught with a boot by Gable, who made the tag. Benjamin hit an unsuspecting Woods with a kick to the face from the apron. That shot left Woods dazed and easy prey for a hard clothesline from Gable as we go to break.

Upon return, Woods stunned Benjamin with a jawbreaker and two headbutts to the gut. Benjamin countered with knee strikes to the head, stifling Woods’ momentum. Benjamin and Gable hit a tandem back-suplex/knee strike for a two-count. Gable maintained the edge with stomps and a right hand in the corner. He perched Woods on the top turnbuckle as the Usos reprised their bedroom-R&B pronunciation of Benjamin’s name. Woods twice fought off Gable’s attempt at a top-rope belly-to-belly suplex, then snapped off an impressive missile dropkick.

Both men made tags. New Day’s tag was more effective, as Kingston hit a springboard ax-handle on Benjamin. He lambasted Benjamin with two-handed chops and a high dropkick. Kofi missed a leaping clothesline and was whipped into the turnbuckle. When Benjamin charged, Kingston dipped between the ropes and threw his boots into his opponent’s face. He climbed the top rope and landed a cross-body-block, which Benjamin reversed for a two-count. Benjamin went for a monkeyflip; Kingston landed on his feet and struck with a leaping clothesline. Kingston connected with the Boom Drop. Benjamin caught him during a subsequent Trouble in Paradise attempt, and both men tumbled over the top rope. Kingston kept his balance on the apron, then pulled down the rope as Gable ran at him, sending the former Olympian crashing to the floor. Woods tagged back in and somersaulted over the top onto both of his foes.

Woods threw Benjamin back inside the ring. Benjamin lunged at Woods when he tried to follow, but fell prey to a Kofi superkick. New Day executed their Up Up Down Down double-team maneuver for the win.

Result: The New Day beat Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable when Xavier Woods pinned Shelton Benjamin following the Up Up Down Down.

Grade: B

We revisited the Ruby Riot/Sarah Logan/Liv Morgan attacks from last week. The announce team stated that Becky Lynch would be out “for some time.” Naomi and Charlotte discussed their payback plans in the locker room. Natalya butted into the picture, telling Charlotte to be thankful that their match was interrupted last week. This week, the big fish in a small pond would discover their place in the food chain.

The Hype Bros vs. The Bludgeon Brothers

Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder inhabit the ring as we return, which bodes poorly for their chances of winning this rematch. The Bludgeon Brothers feel incongruous as a force of pure evil in the era of cool heels. Luke Harper quickly forced Ryder into the corner. Ryder got his knees up to fend off Harper, then booted him when Harper pushed him off the ropes. Harper cracked Ryder with a big right hand to stem his momentum, and tagged Erick Rowan. Harper slapped Rowan across the face. Both men knocked Rawley off the apron, then Harper whipped his partner into Ryder, smashing him against the turnbuckles. Rowan returned the favor by feeding Ryder into Harper’s spinning spike slam. The Bludgeon Brothers picked up Ryder for their unnamed double-team slam, which looked more impactful than it did in their televised debut.

Result: The Bludgeon Brothers beat the Hype Bros when Erick Rowan pinned Zack Ryder following their double-team cross drop maneuver.

Grade: C-

After the match, Dasha Fuentes entered the ring to ask the Hype Bros why they keep losing matches. Ryder said they’ve hit rock bottom, and must change with the times. Rawley apparently agreed with that sentiment, bashing Ryder from behind. He booted Ryder, then hit him with a running punt to the gut. He mounted Ryder and threw punches as he yelled, “The Hype Bros are dead!” Farewell to their terrible entrance music.

Rawley paced backstage, and was asked why he attacked Ryder. He responded, “Like Zack said: the landscape has changed.”

We look back again at last week’s lumberjack match, focusing on the fistfight between Baron Corbin and Bobby Roode. In real time, Roode was interviewed backstage. He said he didn’t know if Corbin striking him during that match was accidental, but he knew that Corbin calling him “absentminded” was intentional. Corbin actually called him weak-minded, so that miscue was pretty funny. Roode prepared to exclaim that he presented an absolutely glorious threat to the Lone Wolf’s U.S. championship. Corbin preempted that proclamation to insult Roode, who challenged Corbin to put his title on the line tonight. Corbin said “No” and left.

Samir and Sunil Singh stood on the entrance ramp and introduced the “soon-to-be two-time WWE champion”, Jinder Mahal. Styles made his entrance. Mahal attacked Styles before the match started. The Singhs joined the fray as Mahal hurled Styles across the ring and into the post, where he landed with a mild thud before falling to the concrete.

AJ Styles vs. the Singh Brothers (Handicap match)

Styles assured the referee he could compete, prompting the official to start the match. When the bell rang, AJ seized Samir and drove him into the turnbuckles. Sunil jumped on Styles’ back, and the brothers threw strikes at AJ. Sunil Singh choked Styles against the middle rope, then let his brother do the same. Styles tried to regain the advantage, booting Sunil and throwing punches at Samir. The Singhs overpowered the world champion, however, and executed a double-team suplex for two one-counts.

Sunil positioned AJ to allow Samir to lay in some kicks. Corey Graves dubiously exclaimed that Styles was getting the beating of a lifetime after AJ kicked out at one on consecutive pin attempts. The Singhs picked up Styles and punished him in the corner with shoulder-blocks. Samir socked Styles with punches, but met a boot when he tried to bound off the ropes for a bigger shot. AJ took turns teeing off on both Singhs. When he turned his attention to Sunil, however, Samir took out his left knee with a chop block. Mahal laughed evilly at ringside.

The Singhs regrouped to stomp AJ and lift him onto the top rope. Both Singhs went to the middle-rope for a double-superplex attempt, which AJ fought off. Styles knocked both Singhs to the mat, then kicked a charging Mahal off the apron. When Samir came back at him, Styles blocked his foe’s hurricanrana attempt. He then gave Samir an impressive middle-rope Styles Clash onto his prone brother.

Result: AJ Styles pinned Samir Singh after a middle-rope Styles Clash onto Sunil Singh.

Grade: C+

Mahal crashed the ring to ambush Styles, who rolled to safety and held up the title in victory. A furious Maharaja picked up Sunil and planted him with the Khallas. The crowd chanted “You still suck.” He seemed to prove their point by executing a screwy-looking Khallas on Samir, dropping Singh on his left arm.

Fuentes interviewed Riot, Logan, and Morgan backstage. Riot reintroduced her Riot Squad. Riot said they’re here to turn the entire SmackDown women’s division upside down, not to audition for Total Divas. Morgan said she’s about to pop off like it’s the 4th of July, sounding like a bubbly sorority girl playing a wrestler. Logan said she came from a family of hunters, and they’re bagging three big-game trophies tonight.

Charlotte Flair, Naomi, and Natalya vs. The Riott Squad

Ruby’s last name is apparently spelled with two “t’s”, which is ridiculous. Natalya and Riott started, with the latter hammering forearms into Natalya’s back. Riott bounced off the ropes before throwing a desultory kick into Natalya’s head; Natalya looked like she didn’t know whether to sell that move. Logan tagged in and pushed Natalya into her corner. Natalya avoided her first strike, but not a follow-up clothesline. Flair tagged in as Natalya backpedaled up the ramp, declaring that she didn’t want anything to do with anyone in this match. So we’ve now got a three-on-two fight.

Morgan entered to elbow Flair. Charlotte reversed an Irish whip into the corner, and slashed Morgan with chops. Flair took her opponent to the mat as we go to break.

We resume action to find Charlotte standing over Riott, then running Morgan and Logan off the apron. Flair turned around to deke out Riott with a matador-style move, tossing her to the outside. Charlotte pursued her opponent, ramming Riott’s back into the barricade before rolling her back inside the ring. Morgan and Logan distracted Charlotte as the Queen attempted to reenter the ring, allowing Riott to crack her with a forearm. Morgan tagged herself into the match and slammed Charlotte’s head into the apron. She rolled Flair into the ring for a two-count. Morgan suplexed Flair, then floated over into a cover that even the referee wasn’t sure was a pin attempt.

Riott tagged in and applied a reverse chinlock. Flair fought to her feet and created separation with a jawbreaker. Ruby narrowly prevented the tag. Logan and Morgan circled the ring on the outside, attempting to surround Naomi. While she caught Morgan with a kick to the face, Naomi fell victim to Logan, who took out her knee and hurled her to the floor. Morgan and Logan double-teamed Naomi, throwing her into the corner of the barricade. They picked up the bottom-half of the steel stairs, balanced them on edge, then grabbed Naomi and ran her into those stairs. Logan leaned the stairs against the barricade. With Naomi lying on the ground underneath them, Logan slingshotted her face-first into the stairs.

Back in the ring, Riott pulled Flair to her corner. Logan placed a headbutt into Charlotte’s heart and grounded her. Riott tagged back in as the pair Irish-whipped Flair into the ropes. The champion responded by booting Riott and clotheslining Logan. Flair grabbed Riott to execute a one-armed backbreaker, then slung her face-first into the turnbuckle. An interfering Morgan got speared to the mat. Flair ducked a Riott strike, but was pushed into Logan, who struck her with a good-looking knee. Riott took advantage of that move by hitting her short-arm kick for the win. With this victory and the vicious targeting of Naomi, the Riott Squad looked like a threat tonight.

Result: The Riott Squad beat Charlotte Flair, Naomi, and Natalya when Ruby Riott pinned Charlotte Flair after the short-arm kick.

Grade: B-

Tom Phillips announced that Naomi was taken from the live arena on a backboard. Graves rebutted that maybe it’s time for a change. We drop that conversation to go backstage once more. Orton walked out of his locker room, ignored an interviewer, and walked toward the ring.

The Fashion Files began with Tyler Breeze and Fandango chained by their ankles inside a shower. The Ascension found themselves similarly bound. A nearby tablet screen featured a Jigsaw-esque character. Onscreen, their captor intoned that they’d made a mockery of the tag team division, and needed to learn a lesson. They were given one minute to destroy the thing they loved the most; otherwise, a poisonous gas would fill the room. This scenario just conjured some 20th century atrocities that probably shouldn’t come to mind during a pro wrestling broadcast.

The tablet counted down from 60 seconds. The Ascension noted that Tully the hobbyhorse (his head, at least) was sitting in the middle of the floor. Konnor determined that the key to unlock them all was located inside the horse’s head. He found the key, and handed it to Fandango. Breezango unlocked themselves as the Ascension said they’d willingly sacrifice themselves for their best friends. Breeze yelled that they’re not friends as his team took the key and fled. The gas filled the shower room as … ugh.

Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens (No Disqualification)

Orton blocked an Owens punch and fired right hands into his face. Owens nearly ate an RKO in the first minute, but rolled to ringside. Orton chased him down with a clothesline. He rammed Owens into the steel stairs and ring apron, then heaved him over the announce table. Orton pounded Owens with right hands and threw him back over the table. Orton clouted Owens with the stairs. He threw European uppercuts into Owens, then drove his face into the table. Orton discovered a kendo stick underneath the ring and smacked Owens, whose verbal reaction was censored. Orton smiled as he delivered another swing, then gave Owens two more shots. Randy found another kendo stick and whaled away on his opponent.

Orton lifted Owens in a back suplex, then brought him down on top of the barricade. Orton got cocky and slowly strode after Owens, allowing KO to grab a kendo stick and wallop Orton in the thigh. Owens grabbed the opening by running Orton into the ring post and executing a fall-away slam into the barricade. Both men gritted through their pain on the arena floor as we go to our final break.

Owens swatted Orton’s left leg with the kendo stick as we return. His next swing landed dangerously high on Orton’s back. Owens brought the kendo stick down onto Orton’s back once more, then booted his opponent for a two-count. He gouged his opponent’s face, persuading Orton to use the same technique back on him. Owens kicked Orton’s left knee twice to stymie any follow-up offense. KO executed a senton splash for a two-count. We finally slow down as Owens took the crowd to Chinlock City. Orton reached out for the kendo stick, which Owens grabbed and drove into his midsection. Owens hit him with stick once more and covered Orton for another unsuccessful pin attempt.

Owens retrieved the kendo stick, but missed Orton with a wild swing. Randy attempted to capitalize with more uppercuts, but Owens cut him off and scored with a DDT for another two-count. A frustrated Owens grabbed the kendo stick, then chucked it and decided to go for a cannonball attempt. Orton moved and Owens landed upside down against the turnbuckles. Orton positioned Owens on the top turnbuckle. They exchanged strikes before Orton ascended the top rope and landed a tight superplex for a two-count.

With both men back up, Owens hit Orton with a defensive elbow in the corner. Orton responded with his powerslam for a two-count. As Owens struggled to stand on the apron, Orton went for his DDT. Owens jumped through the ropes and backdropped Orton to the apron, where he landed on his feet. Orton dropped Owens’ throat across the top rope, then dragged him to ringside to drop him onto the barricade once more. The Viper then performed the same move on the announce table. Bringing Owens back inside the ring, Orton pounded the mat in anticipation of an RKO. Instead, Owens left the ring and tried to leave the arena, climbing over the barricade.

Orton stalked his opponent and slammed him into a garbage can. The fight spilled onto the entrance ramp, where Zayn interjected by thrice slugging Orton with a steel chair. Graves rationalized the interference by noting that Zayn never approached ringside. Owens slowly rose and shoved Orton inside the ring. When he climbed onto the apron, Orton grabbed him and nailed his rope-drape DDT. Orton went for the RKO. Owens countered by clubbing Orton in his wounded left knee, then connected on a superkick. KO got every bit of a top-rope frog-splash for the win.

Result: Kevin Owens pinned Randy Orton after a top-rope frog-splash.

Grade: B+

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