Featuring a contract signing and a qualifying match for the upcoming pay-per-view, this November 20th episode of SmackDown is the last one before Survivor Series.
We start off the show with the Street Profits hanging out in the Champions Lounge. They hype up the Undertaker, and Big E creeps them out a little by pretending to be the Deadman. Big E and the Profits argue about who’s going to win between them and New Day. Big E tells us that the New Day is here tonight, and they make their entrance into the ring. Looks like we’ll have some classic pre-Survivor Series shenanigans tonight. The New Day promises to beat the Profits, and then they take some time to hype up 30 years of the Undertaker.
The Street Profits take out King Corbin and Sami Zayn. Photo: WWE
Sami Zayn interrupts them, saying that the Undertaker is taking the coward’s way out by retiring before Sami can get his revenge. Sami wants the New Day to hype him up like they hyped up Taker, but they just insult him. King Corbin comes out to get in New Day’s face, saying that they don’t belong on his show. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler make their entrance as well, saying that they should have the Raw Tag Team championships. The New Day says that they’ll gladly defend their titles, but that Corbin and Zayn would be better challengers. The New Day say that the two teams should face each other to determine a challenger for their titles, but Roode and Ziggler attack them instead. The Street Profits come out, and the champs clean out the ring.
Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Sami Zayn, and King Corbin VS The Street Profits and the New Day
We come back from commercial to see Ford taking on Ziggler, taking him out with a dropkick. He tags in his partner, and Dawkins tosses Ford onto Ziggler for 2. Ziggler dropkicks Dawkins and tags in Roode, but Dawkins answers with a dropkick of his own and tags in Kofi. Kofi and his team execute the Unicorn Stampede, with Woods being the legal man at the end. Roode takes out Woods with a back elbow and tags in Corbin, who reverses an Honor Roll attempt from Woods into a Deep Six for 2.
The King looks for a chokeslam, but Woods reverses it into a pin for 2 and then tags in Ford, who goes crazy on Corbin with a clothesline and a standing moonsault for 2. Things break down at this point, with Roode coming in to break up the pin and then everyone else coming in as well. In the confusion, Kofi hits Ford with a crossbody by accident as we go to commercial. When we come back, Ziggler has Ford in a deep chinlock. He tries to get to his corner, but Ziggler slams him down and tags in Corbin, who slams Ford for 2.
Montez Ford releases his anger on King Corbin. Photo: WWE
Zayn keeps barking orders, but he hasn’t been in the match yet. Ziggler is tagged in, but Ford drops Ziggler with some rights. Ziggler drives him into his corner and goes for a suplex, but Ford lands on his feet and delivers an enziguri. Ford tags in Kofi and Ziggler tags in Roode, and the former WWE Champion unloads on the Glorious One with some clotheslines and a dropkick.
He delivers the Boom Drop and looks for Trouble in Paradise, but Roode ducks it and sends Kofi to the outside. Woods tagged himself in before that and he delivers a tornado DDT for 2. Woods looks for the Honor Roll, but Dawkins tags himself in and Roode takes him out with a spinebuster. Roode finally tags in Zayn, who protests, allowing himself to be hit with a spinebuster/Frog Splash combo by the Profits for the win.
Winners via pinfall: The Street Profits and The New Day
Match Rating: 3/5
Backstage, Daniel Bryan, sporting a new haircut, is talking with Kayla Braxton. She compliments his new haircut, and then brings us back to when Jey Uso brutalized him at the will of Roman Reigns. Bryan says he’s not afraid to face Jey Uso, saying that Jey is the one who should be afraid.
Backstage, Adam Pearce tells Otis that he’s the final member on team SmackDown. Natalya asks for Pearce to put her on the Women’s team, but he says that the person that he’s chosen for the team is Bayley, and Natalya has to beat Tamina to be on the team.
Seth Rollins calls out Murphy, saying that Murphy was nothing before he took him under his wing, and that tonight in their match, Rollins will beat him and return him to what he was before he found him: no one.
Tamina VS Natalya (Qualifying Match for the Women’s SmackDown Survivor Series Team)
Here we are again. It’s hard to see how either Tamina or Natalya will be treated as anything less than afterthoughts on the team after requiring multiple attempts to make it on. Team Captain Bianca Belair joins the commentary for this match.
As Bianca starts expressing her excitement for Sunday, Bayley makes an entrance to join the commentary as well. Tamina starts off with a superkick, chasing Natalya to the floor and running her into the stairs.
Bayley claims to be team captain as Natalya ducks away from a running tackle by Tamina, who runs her shoulder into the post. Natalya follows with a discus clothesline and Sharpshooter for the win.
Winner via submission: Natalya
Match Rating: 2/5
Bianca watches with slight amusement as Bayley gathers the whole Team SmackDown in the ring, acting very much the captain.
We are treated to a review of McIntyre coming to Smackdown to get in Roman Reigns’ face, and also the championship match between Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton from last Monday Night Raw. You might even say that this is the one time a year when we see highlights from both Raw and SmackDown together.
Speak of the banshee … McIntyre arrives again on SmackDown to meet Roman Reigns for a contract signing. Adam Pearce officiates with Paul Heyman lurking in the background. Reigns speaks proudly, but mockingly, of McIntyre’s accomplishments. The Scot delivers laser-focused comments that exude confidence and signs the contract.
The Universal and WWE Champions face off. Photo: WWE
Reigns tells Drew that he’s a secondary title-holder – a champion for when Reigns is too busy doing something else. He signs the contract as well, and leaves behind a devastatingly cordial contract signing.
After the break, we follow up the last chapter of Rollins versus Mysterio from last week with the first chapter of Rollins versus Murphy … and the Mysterio family. They all come to the ring with Murphy. It feels more like an epilogue, or a spin-off.
Seth Rollins VS. Murphy (with all the Mysterios)
Due to the wonders of medical science, the power of family love, or just as a result of inconsistent storytelling, Rey Mysterio has both of his eyes at 100% again. As Murphy leaps to the apron, Rollins punches him to the floor. The Mysterios help him back in, and Rollins traps Murphy in the corner. Murphy gets aggressive and looks for a knee, but Rollins rolls outside. He follows him out and gets slammed into the barricade and the ringpost. The Greater Good drops Murphy with a clothesline and then traps his arms in the ropes.
He goes outside and gets a kendo stick, saying he doesn’t care if he gets disqualified. Rey tries to take the stick from him, but gets tossed over the announce table. Dominik is sent over the table as well, and Murphy frees himself from the ropes and goes outside to slam Rollins into the barricade. He brings him back inside and goes to the top rope, and Rollins shoves him off and he falls hard into the barricade. Aalyah goes to check on Murphy, and Rollins gets in her face as we go to commercial.
Murphy hits a wrecking ball dropkick on Seth Rollins. Photo: WWE
When we come back, Murphy is attempting his superkick with Rollins tied up on the ropes, but Rollins counters with a kick and a slingblade for 2. Rollins looks to punch Murphy while on the second rope, but Murphy hits his superkick and then delivers a Swanton onto Rollins on the outside. Murphy goes to the top rope, but Rollins catches him and delivers the Superkick/Falcon Arrow combo for a close 2. He looks for a suplex on the apron, but Murphy fights back with a couple of massive forearms and a kick.
He hits a jumping knee that drops Rollins, but Rollins catches him with a Stomp when he comes back into the ring. Murphy is close enough to the ropes to get his foot on the bottom rope. Rollins slams his former disciple with a buckle bomb and looks for the Stomp, but Murphy misses it and hits a running knee. Rollins tries again for the stomp, and Murphy catches him again with the knee and then Murphy’s Law for the win.
Winner via pinfall: Murphy
Match Rating: 3/5
Sasha Banks confronts her Survivor Series opponent Asuka. The two go through the regular motions of saying that they’re going to beat each other, but with the added element of Asuka having beaten Banks at SummerSlam. There was absolutely no substance to this segment, and to make it worse, Carmella comes from behind to attack Sasha Banks.
Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Jey Uso, who says that attacking Bryan wasn’t Roman’s orders, it was all Jey’s decisions.
Jey Uso VS Daniel Bryan
Jey starts out with his now characteristic aggressiveness, beating down Bryan. Bryan fights back with his powerful kicks and a leg submission. He lets go to deliver some painful chops, but Jey fights back with an uppercut and a back elbow. He brings him outside and slams into the steel steps. He takes the cover off the table, but Bryan brings him back into the ring and delivers a missile dropkick. He beats Jey down in the corner and sends him to the outside. He dives to the outside and takes Jey out with a suicide dive, but Jey sends him through the table with a back body drop as we go to commercial.
When we come back, Jey is beating down Bryan, telling him it’s nothing personal. He lights up his chest with a chop in the corner and a backbreaker. Bryan fights back with some punches and looks to go to the top rope, but Jey meets him there and delivers a massive superplex for 2. Jey looks for a Samoan Drop, but Bryan rolls him up for 2. He looks to transition into the LeBell Lock, but Jey reverses it and simply elbows the side of Bryan.
Daniel Bryan uses the power of a cool haircut and his feet on Jey Uso. Photo: WWE
He looks for a top rope maneuver, but Bryan catches him up there and delivers a back superplex. He gets fired up, delivering the Yes Kicks for 2. He grabs the arms of Jey and stomps him in the head. Bryan looks for the Running Knee, but he gets caught with three consecutive superkicks. He looks for the Uso Splash, but Bryan gets his knees up, and then rolls Jey up for the win. The show ends with triumphant Daniel Bryan doing the Yes chant with prerecorded fans.
Winner via pinfall: Daniel Bryan
Match Rating: 3/5
SmackDown November 20
Pretty middle-of-the-road show, nothing really bad about it but nothing that I really disliked. The champs’ segments together were pretty pointless, but otherwise, good buildup to Survivor Series.