INTRO: We see a replay of Kevin Owens being handcuffed during last week’s main event, then Owens and Sami Zayn being pummelled by Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura. Meanwhile, Shane McMahon revealed his plot to banish KO and Sami at Clash of Champions.
OPENING SEGMENT: Owens and Zayn played activists, passing out anti-Shane flyers backstage and imploring onlookers to “Join our revolution.” Zayn announced that they represented the “Yep!” Movement. Their cause involved taking Daniel Bryan’s maroon “Yes!” shirts and gluing a letter “P” over the “S”. DIY. They are occupying SmackDown Live.
In the live arena, AJ Styles made his entrance. Loud, prolonged chant for AJ. He told the crowd he is consumed with keeping his title at Clash of Champions. Styles called out Jinder Mahal for relying on the Singh Brothers and the Great Khali to keep the belt, and said that Mahal would do anything to reclaim the championship.
The Singh Brothers interrupted. They said they were not here to introduce Mahal. They offered a video replay of Mahal beating them up two weeks ago by way of explanation. Styles told them he felt sorry for them after watching that clip, then invited them into the ring to hug it out with “Ol’ Uncle Al”. They approached apprehensively. Styles nuzzled Samir and Sunil to polite applause. Sunil thanked Styles for his support, but what the Singhs really wanted is to stand in AJ’s corner at Clash of Champions.
Styles feigned surprise at this statement. He then asked why the Singhs stood by Jinder’s side this past week in India. The Titantron displayed photographs of them doing just that. Styles asked the Singhs definitively if they were done with Mahal. They swore that they were “finito”. Styles accepted their explanation and offered his hand in peace.
As Sunil shook his hand, Mahal walked toward the ring. Styles told him to halt. He informed the two “dingleberries” in the ring that their lies hadn’t convinced him, and that they sucked. But he did like what they said about Styles and Mahal fighting with no interference. Styles told the Singhs that he would indeed compete in a one-on-one match at Clash of Champions. Then he beat them up and threw them out of the ring.
Styles set the belt down like a line in the sand, and implored Mahal to come get some. An angry Mahal barked at Styles from the ring apron, then backed down. Mahal tended to his charges outside the ring as Styles held up the WWE championship belt.
Ruby Riott walked backstage while flanked by Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. Riott faces Charlotte Flair next.
Neither woman got her full entrance. And with both competitors standing in the ring, we watched a video package that replayed the Riott Squad’s two sneak attacks on the night they debuted and their subsequent six-woman tag-team victory. The Riott Squad will take advantage of this momentum by serving as lumberjacks during someone else’s title match this Sunday.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott (non-title)
Natalya provided guest commentary for this match, which started with Charlotte taking down Riott three times with amateur wrestling moves. Logan and Morgan distracted Charlotte, allowing Riott to schoolboy her for a one-count. Flair quickly rebounded with a kick to the gut and a fall-away slam. Riott rolled outside the ring as we go to break.
Riott climbed the turnbuckle upon our return, and propelled herself backwards off the middle rope with a senton. Charlotte got her knees up to block the move, then blocked a Riott strike, using leverage to drive Ruby face-first into the top turnbuckle. Flair measured and hit Riott with a running boot. Logan got up on the apron to interfere; Charlotte bashed her with a forearm. She then dumped a charging Riott to the outside.
Flair followed Riott outside the ring, clocking Morgan with a forearm on the way. She slammed Riott’s spine into the ring apron. Natalya got up from the announce table and talked smack to Flair from behind. Charlotte whirled around and decked Natalya. Logan received a clothesline and Morgan got booted. As Flair tried to find her actual opponent, Natalya clotheslined her, prompting a disqualification.
Result: Charlotte Flair beat Ruby Riott by disqualification when Natalya clotheslined Flair on the arena floor.
Grade: C
After the bell sounded, the Riott Squad grabbed Charlotte and tossed her inside the ring. Flair fought back against all three women, who eventually took over and threw her back outside. The Riott Squad ran Charlotte into the steel stairs and the ringside barricade. When they maneuvered Flair into place for their slingshot into the steel stairs, Naomi made the save. She sprinted down the ramp to launch a double dropkick that floored Morgan and Logan, then cracked Riott with a flurry of forearms. Naomi hit Riott with the Rear View as the crowd popped loudly for her energetic offense.
The Riott Squad retreated up the ramp. They weren’t safe there, either, as Tamina, Carmella, and Lana assaulted them from behind. The Riott Squad eventually made it to safe ground; Natalya merely spectated throughout this entire brawl.
Daniel Bryan talked tersely to Shane on his cell phone. Zayn and Owens approached him during the call to flyer a nearby table.
Bobby Roode sat at ringside to provide color commentary. Ziggler made his ring entrance, which sounded funny because the production team started his theme song with the sound turned to about half-volume.
U.S. Champion Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler (non-title)
Corbin powered Ziggler into the corner to start. They exchanged shoves, then Corbin smacked Dolph with a big right hand. He told Roode that he’d get a taste of that during their triple-threat U.S. title match at Clash of Champions. Corbin grabbed Ziggler, who threw a dropkick that connected weakly. Ziggler hit a Stinger Splash in the corner, but Corbin pushed him away from a follow-up neckbreaker attempt. Corbin charged Ziggler and missed a running shoulder-block, smashing into the ringpost.
Both men recovered on the mat. Roode disrobed, entered the ring, and shouted his “Glorious” exultation. He planted Ziggler and Corbin with a pair of Glorious DDTs. Roode declared that he’d become U.S. champion at Clash of Champions, and yelled “Glorious” again. Great booking to have two straight matches end with the guest commentator attacking a singles champion in a non-title bout.
Result: No decision after Bobby Roode got glorious.
Grade: D
Byron Saxton said the Fashion Files will move to wwe.com. So that’s that. Saxton fawned over the show, which probably makes it lamer to most viewers. He introduced a clip of the Ascension – who are somehow still alive after being gassed in a shower – encouraging Breezango to pursue their case. Fandango said they’d do it. He didn’t mean keep investigating, though; he meant they’d fight the Bludgeon Brothers. Tyler Breeze got perturbed and asked if that’s really what he meant. Fandango confirmed it, channeling Gob Bluth as he realized he’d made a huge mistake. That’s a weak payoff after airing months of these skits.
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Colin Delaney and Joe Monroe
Erick Rowan hit a returning Delaney with a running dropkick to start. Harper tagged in to slap his partner, who whipped him into Monroe, knocking him off the apron. Rowan squashed Delaney in the corner, then fed him to Harper for a discus clothesline. Rowan gorilla-pressed Monroe over the top rope into the ring. Harper stared calmly at his writhing opponent. The Bludgeon Brothers apprehended Monroe and delivered a spike sit-out powerbomb. Monroe let loose a girlish scream on his way down. Rowan and Harper dropped Delaney with their nameless double-team cross drop for the win. Graves laughed at the replays.
Result: The Bludgeon Brothers beat Colin Delaney and Joe Monroe when Erick Rowan pinned Delaney following the move that cannot be named.
Grade: D+
Owens and Zayn walked to the ring for their “occupy” effort. This stuff was played out when Bryan did it three years ago. Owens declared that the Yep Movement has arrived. Zayn said that they (and perhaps some fans) stood united in the name of change, because management finally took everything a step too far last week. KO greeted every one of Zayn’s pronouncements with a “Yep”.
Owens called upon his fellow WWE proles to enter the ring and occupy SmackDown. Crickets. Then Bryan walked out. Owens introduced him, calling Bryan the inspiration for the Yep movement. Zayn said they expected hundreds, if not thousands, of people to walk to the ring, but Bryan is truly the only man who mattered.
Bryan simply asked, “What are you guys doing?” Owens said he and Zayn have been scrutinized and degraded, made to feel like they didn’t belong, just like Bryan was during his career. The GM cut them off, telling Zayn and Owens they are nothing like him. He said the Yes Movement was never about him, it was about what the fans wanted and deserved. Zayn humorously claimed that the Yep Movement was like that, except it was more about what he and KO wanted and deserved.
Owens turned his attention back to McMahon trying to screw them. Zayn called McMahon a ruthless tyrant who wanted to take food off their tables. Bryan clarified that he and Shane have each other’s backs. But he knows that Zayn and Owens are incredibly talented, and he would ensure their Clash of Champions match is fair. Therefore, Bryan would serve as the second guest referee during that bout. After initially displaying confusion, Zayn and Owens pranced around the ring doing the Yes! fingerpoints.
Corey Graves, asking the obvious question about a match with two refs: “What? How does that even work?”
Aiden English serenaded us with the good news of Rusev Day. On the eighth day of Rusev, his partner gave to him: eight Aiden songs, seven boards a’breaking, six Machka Kicks, five Plovdiv keys, four of the lads, three unhindered Jinders, two Rusev shirts, and a massive win over the New Day. Good lord, New Day is out for guest commentary. The Usos told English that it’s not Christmas, then pondered what English might receive from Santa Claus. They suggested potential gifts like singing lessons, a toupee, and maybe a new tag partner.
Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin walked out. Gable joked that days are for the week. Which is perfect, because their opponents are weak. It feels like this show just entered its third hour. We go to commercial break instead of watching the beginning of this match.
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Rusev and Aiden English (non-title)
Rusev bearhugged Jey Uso as New Day hurl pancakes at the announce table. The six “announcers” argue at length about hotcakes as Rusev kept bearhugging Uso. Rusev took a cheap shot at an apron-bound Jimmy Uso, giving Jey time to recover and land an enziguri. Both men tagged out. Jimmy hit English with two clotheslines, a reverse crescent-kick to the gut, and an uppercut. Uso ducked an English strike and retaliated with a Samoan Drop.
Jimmy charged English in the corner. Aiden got his boot up to fend off his opponent, then went to the middle turnbuckle and leapt into a superkick. Rusev saved the match for his team. He was tossed from the ring by Jey Uso, who got clubbed when he tried to follow up with a high-flying maneuver. Rusev caught a baseball slide from Jimmy, but the legal Uso countered that counter by leg-pressing him into the barricade. English raked Jimmy Uso’s face as he tried to get back to his feet on the ring apron. When the referee moved English back, Rusev lambasted Jimmy with a Machka Kick. English finished Uso with an inverted DDT.
Result: Rusev and Aiden English beat the Usos when English pinned Jimmy Uso with an inverted DDT.
Grade: C+
A replay showed Styles beating up the Singhs. AJ joined Renee Young backstage. Unlike Mahal, Styles said, he didn’t need anyone’s help to win a match. Mahal ambushed Styles with a right hand as the Singhs urged him forward. Mahal knelt next to AJ, pasted him with another strike, and told him he wouldn’t beat the odds at Clash of Champions.
Orton and Nakamura enter the ring separately to discuss their Clash of Champions match. The ring announcer introduced Randy Orton after the timekeeper hit the ringbell. Why would you ring the bell for an interview segment? Young asked if Orton thought Shane and Bryan would have conflicting motivations when they served as guest referees. Orton said he could only speak to his own “motives”. RKO found Orton and Zayn annoying, and his team would do everyone a favor when they terminate the Canadians’ employment on Sunday. Young asked Nakamura if he agreed with Orton’s sentiments. He cheekily answered, “Yep”. Thus concluded the interview.
Daniel Bryan took over the ever-revolving guest commentator chair. He was asked how a match would work with two guest referees. He said he didn’t know. Riveting. As Owens made his entrance, Bryan shifted the hard sell for this pay-per-view into turbo overdrive:
Byron Saxton: “How do you make yourself a second special guest referee in a match where you’re not even sure how it’s going to work?”
Daniel Bryan: “Well, we do a lot of things where we don’t know how they’re going to work here in WWE, and we always figure them out.”
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens
With their partners at ringside, Owens put the boots to Nakamura. He hammered Nakamura with elbows, and grinded on a headlock. Saxton asked Bryan what would happen if he and Shane disagreed on how to call the match. Bryan said they’d have to work out such details this week. NXT should’ve scrapped War Games and just put two refs into its last Takeover main event.
Owens worked the headlock, apparently believing that the show had gone to commercial. Nakamura countered into a top-wristlock for a split second. Owens struck him repeatedly to regain the advantage, then Irish-whipped him into the ropes. Nakamura hit the breaks, then kicked Owens. When he whipped Owens into the ropes, KO returned the favor by holding on, then bailing to ringside. Nakamura went after him, but Owens caught him and slammed his back into the ring apron thrice. KO followed up inside the ring with a senton for a two-count.
We arrive at Chinlock City, as Zayn won’t stop waving at Bryan. Nakamura fought his way up, only to get pulled back down by his hair. Owens kept whaling on Shinsuke, hitting him with a chop and European uppercut in the corner. When he tried to whip Nakamura into the opposite turnbuckle, Nakamura reversed the move and hit a running knee. Nakamura fired up on Owens with forearms and perched him horizontally across the top rope. Nakamura went for his running knee to the midsection, but Owens moved and Nakamura jammed his knee into the turnbuckle. Owens dropped him throat-first across the top rope, then hurled him into the barricade outside the ring.
We return from our final commercial to discover we’re back in Chinlock City. Nakamura punched his way out, then snapmared Owens over and scored with a jumping knee drop. Owens blunted Nakamura’s attack with a boot to the face, then leveled him with a short-arm clothesline for another two-count. Owens mounted Nakamura and threw punches. Bryan said that Owens did the same thing to him once, trying to gouge out his eye in front of 300 people. He put over his respect for Owens and Zayn, whose experiences match his own in many ways.
Owen went for a senton; Nakamura got his knees up to block the move. The two competitors made it to their feet and traded blows. Owens whipped Nakamura into the ropes, only to miss a wild right and eat a flying kick. Nakamura knocked down Owens with a big forearm, and slammed him with a facebuster. Shinsuke pounded Owens with kicks. KO caught the last strike and held onto Nakamura’s leg, so Nakamura merely jumped up and kicked him with his other leg.
Nakamura connected with a running knee in the corner. He threw four knees into Owens’ stomach, then stepped into Good Vibrations. Nakamura placed Owens on the top rope, this time hitting his running knee to the gut for a near-fall. He sat Owens on the top rope and went for a superplex. Owens threw short jabs to Nakamura’s ribs, then headbutted him off the ropes. KO went for a top-rope senton, but Nakamura got his knees up. Which is the third time that counter’s been used tonight.
Nakamura went for the exploder, which Owens stopped with strikes. He threw a forearm at Nakamura, who ducked, causing Owens to deck the referee. Bryan seized the moment to rip off the ref’s shirt and don it himself. In the ring, Nakamura vaulted over a pop-up powerbomb attempt and hit Owens with a wheel kick. He scrambled into a cover. Bryan made the two-count, much to Zayn’s chagrin. Sami entered the ring to protest the call, then was rocked by an Orton clothesline. Orton ejected Zayn from the ring; Sami defending himself with a thumb to the eye, then lightly pushed Orton into the ringpost.
Nakamura lined up a Kinshasa. Zayn tried to reenter the ring, forcing Nakamura to drill him back onto the arena floor. Owens used the distraction to heave Nakamura into the ropes and execute the Pop-up Powerbomb for the victory.
Result: Kevin Owens pinned Shinsuke Nakamura after a Pop-up Powerbomb.
Grade: B
Young interviewed Owens and Zayn on the ramp following the match. Breathing heavily, Owens said that no one would take their careers away. He planted a kiss on Zayn’s cheek, then continually yelped “Yep!” in a frenzied manner.
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