The return of the Tribal Chief has been highly anticipated throughout the week as he handles Bloodline business tonight. I’m not dumbfounded that it has something to do with The Viper, Randy Orton, who has his sights set on this controversial faction.
For some reason, Roman says it’s promotion season given it’s the Holidays. This man really believes that he’s a great boss when in reality, he’s a goddamn joke.
Jimmy foolishly thought that Reigns was talking about him when he praised one of them as the next Tribal Chief. Roman wants to congratulate Solo, not Jimmy Jim. Ha! I don’t know why he thought that… He was shocked. He’s being undermined again.
But thank God for Randy Orton’s interruption because whatever was going on was beginning to look lopsided. Orton makes his intentions clear when he tells Roman that he’s coming for him. The road to reaching Reigns starts tonight with Jimmy Uso, then Solo and finally, Randy challenges Roman at the Royal Rumble.
While Randy has been thinking about this moment for the past 18 months, Roman laughs it off as he hasn’t thought of Orton at all. The champ looks down on Randy since he reckons that the Viper hasn’t done anything to earn this opportunity. Reigns fancies himself above everyone else.
The Champ warns Orton that if he steps in the ring with him, Randy won’t be absent for 18 months, it will be permanent. Although, it was a rude way of saying it, Randy agrees with the notion. But… despite Roman being a legend, Orton is known for being a legend killer.
Randy wasn’t able to fully initiate the RKO on Roman, but he did scare him enough into backing up. The voices in Orton’s head are saying that Reigns crapped his pants. Ha!
Onto other stories, Carmelo Hayes has been handpicked by Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels to participate in the US Championship Tournament to determine who will face Logan Paul. This is Hayes’ SmackDown debut.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller – US Championship Tournament Round One
In case some of you may have forgotten, last week, Bobby Lashley won over Karrion Kross in order to advance, and so did Santos Escobar versus Dragon Lee. Who else will be joining them?
Because Waller and Michaels never really got along at NXT, Grayson believes that Shawn set Hayes against him for that reason. That the Heartbreak Kid has a vendetta against him.
Hayes manages to swiftly dodge Waller before hitting him with a beautiful drop kick in the middle of the ring. Grayson counters with a massive right hand.
Carmelo was able to reverse an incoming attack into an inside cradle, but he was only able to get a one count. Waller retaliates with a heavy side kick to Hayes’ head. He continues with precise knee strikes to Carmelo’s face.
Melo ploughs through Waller with that leg drop from the second rope. The momentum keeps going with a rapid crossbody by Hayes plus a clothesline that sends Grayson crashing on the main floor in front of the commentary desk.
During the commercial break, Waller did something good. His reversal into a stomp to the back of Carmelo’s neck was indeed well-placed. Hayes does tweak his left leg for a moment as he came off the second rope. Waller tries to take advantage with that Rolling Flatliner, yet he came up empty.
Melo almost puts Waller away with that quick face buster. The look of frustration is beginning to show on his face, which is something he should try to avoid. He needs remain in the game.
Grayson has impressed me tonight. I don’t know what that move was that caused Hayes to stand up on his head like that, but it was effectively well done. Luckily, Waller isn’t advancing yet. Ha! We don’t know what to call it though.
Waller is looking for that Rolling Flatliner again, Melo counters with a Code Red then finishes the job with Nothing but Net. Yay!!!
I didn’t expect to say this, but Grayson deserves his flowers, too. This is the best I’ve seen him wrestle, so bravo to you. Aye, that rhymed.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
Backstage, Randy bumps into LA Knight. Orton reminds the Megastar that he doesn’t need his help, even though Knight understands that, he knows that Randy knows how the numbers game works. Despite the win they picked up last Friday.
Also, given Orton’s declaration earlier about taking everything form Roman, LA Knight says that he’ll be the first to do so.
Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory – US Championship Tournament Round One
KO has been cleared to fight regardless of his broken right hand since he thinks with his heart rather then his head. And that’s why we love him. Fight, Owens. Fight isn’t for nothing.
Owens has Theory in a momentary headlock then proceeds with a shoulder tackle. Austin manages to turn things around by cornering Kevin.
Theory tries to get the upper hand on Owens, but he can’t seem to after that Cannonball off the apron the Prize Fighter delivered. Austin gets back in the neck of things with a rolling drop kick followed by a suplex on the apron.
KO may have performed a spot-on frog splash, but he landed on his broken hand too harshly, so he couldn’t cover Theory right then and there. It took a few seconds, so it was unsuccessful for Owens.
Austin strategies his attacks by placing his knees up just when Kevin was delivering a Swanton. That cover almost put Owens away.
The Prize Fighter never stops as he delivers a DDT to Theory. However, Austin is also getting a round of applause from me with that amazing creativity using the seated springboard Spanish Fly.
KO did an incredible job reversing the attempt at superplexing him from the top of the ring. Theory not only shoves Owens into the post, but he slams his opponent’s crotch on the barricade followed by a loud right hand.
Austin was looking for a count out victory, the little dick. He doesn’t give up though as Theory remains in this match after receiving both a Cannonball and a Swanton. Austin finally started to target Owens’ broken hand.
He almost achieved his goal, luckily, Kevin somehow banged his cast so hard against Theory’s face that he knocked him out long enough to cover him and advance. Wow. The grits this man has is incomparable.
Hayes will be facing Owens, while Escobar fights Lashley next week in the semi-finals.
Winner: Kevin Owens
For Part Two of SmackDown: An Un-phenomenal Homecoming? click on the link below:
In The Bloodline locker room, Roman still hasn’t gotten over the fact that Randy interrupted him earlier this evening. He encourages Jimmy to silence him, although, Jim scarlessly thinks the assignment should go to “the Tribal heir”.
Reigns adds on that if Jimmy is able to take on Orton alone, that means a promotion for him as well. Ha! As if I’d believe such a lie. Uso sees this as a setup made for him.
Elsewhere, Karrion Kross and Scarlett announce the day of reckoning is near. That things are crumbling just as Kross saw fit. “We’re at the threshold of a new beginning,” he says. Is no one else getting Undertaker energy from him? In my storytelling world, Karrion was a disciple of the Undertaker, but he was cast aside and slightly forgotten to let Kane in.
Hmm? Hmm?
Anyway, due to a knee injury during last Friday’s match versus Asuka that will cost nine months of recovery for Charlotte Flair, we hope she’ll get better much sooner than anticipated.
Damage Control relishes in their handywork so much so that Bayley reveals her plan for ultimate success. After Iyo Sky became the WWE Women’s Champion, Bayley saw fit to have the Kabuki Warriors become Women’s Tag Team Champions, taking the titles from whoever has it last, then Bayley will go on to win the Royal Rumble and take Rhea Ripley’s title.
The Kabuki Warriors vs. Michin & Zelina Vega – Tag Team match
Just as the Kabuki Warriors, consisting of Kairi Sane and Asuka, were making their entrance, their opponents Michin and Zelina jumped them early. Ah, boo. I wanted to watch their walk to the ring. Alas…
Well, as the match officially starts, you can see that Vega and Michin are now on the receiving end of some vicious attacks from the Kabuki Warriors. They genuinely look like they’re having fun beating Michin and Zelina senseless.
These Japanese ladies work so well as a unit. I’ve never seen them wrestle together, so this is a treat. Kairi’s Sliding D to Michin was impactful.
Asuka is now legal as she takes on Michin as she has her reeling for a tag to Zelina, who’s impatient to get in this fight. Michin is able to bring her partner in.
Vega slows the pace down in her favor by shoving Kairi followed by a harsh knee to the jaw. Zelina delivers a, dare I say, weak looking 619, but Sane fires back with a backhand attack that knocks Vega to the mat.
The Empress of Tomorrow almost got Zelina with the Asuka Lock, luckily, Vega was able to escape and tag Michin, who is angry. The winds of change were for Vega and Michin until Kairi slammed Zelina on the commentary table.
Michin was doing a fair job without Zelina, but Dakota distracted the official, Bayley came running and pushed Michin off the top turnbuckle, sending her crashing against the mat, Asuka kicks her in the head and Kairi concludes the battle with the Insane Elbow.
Winners: The Kabuki Warriors
Meanwhile, Santos Escobar looks to make a statement by beating Bobby Lashley in the semi-finals in order to get the US Championship he implies he gave to He Who Will Not Be Named at Crown Jewel. Escobar firmly advices everyone that he won’t go down easily.
Lashley, however, is on a different kind of level Santos hasn’t even reached yet. The Street Profits recognize that aplenty.
Next Friday, aside from the US Championship Tournament semi-finals, Butch of The Brawling Brutes is going against the new NXT North American Champion Dragon Lee. We’re also having a Holiday Havoc 8-Women Tag match including Damage Control versus Bianca Belair, Shotzi, Michin and Zelina Vega.
Randy Orton vs. Jimmy Uso
Ha! Ha! Ha! The moment the bell rings, Jimmy runs over to Randy hoping to get the upper hand only to collide with a kick to the gut. How temperamental. Uso does get out of the Viper’s clutches before he could deliver a vintage Orton DDT.
Jimmy Jim is the definition of a human punching bag, it’s silly he hasn’t noticed. I thought that was the whole reason behind the Usos’ revolt. At least one them understood the toxicity within the seemingly comfortable individuals labelled “family”.
Jimmy is seen on his knees begging Randy to stop after getting dropped on the commentary table twice. I won’t lie. I laughed my ass off seeing Jimmy get his ass dragged across the ring by the foot. Ha! Ha! Ha! No else laughed?
Jimmy momentarily rocks Randy with a step-up enzuguri and continues with a hip toss as well. Orton was going for his vintage DDT, but Jimmy managed to get away again and send the Viper over the ropes, which caused him to land badly on his left knee.
Orton hilariously missed the first attempt at a power slam, but he thrived with the second one. Ha! Just like he was finally able to deliver the vintage DDT. Randy had Jimmy in his sights, yet it comes to no surprise that Solo Sikoa showed up… and so did LA Knight.
While Knight took care of Sikoa, Randy put Jimmy to sleep with an RKO. It ended well, or at least for the moment, Roman assaults LA Knight from behind right on the ramp.
What everybody wanted was for Orton and Reigns to slug it out, but the numbers game quickly played a factor once Roman had Randy in the Guillotine while Jimmy kicked him in the back repeatedly. LA Knight soon fell victim to that again.
Fortunately, we have someone on our team, AJ Styles is back to even the odds. The Bloodline has wronged these three men, so revenge is bound to taste good. Although, I am very much confused when Styles attacks Knight.
Winner: Randy Orton
TOP PHOTO: AJ Styles standing next to Randy Orton. Courtesy of WWE
