WWE SmackDown Live Review: Results, Analysis, and Grades for October 18

WWE.com

SmackDown Live opens with a recap of James Ellsworth’s “victory” over AJ Styles last week. After the win, EllsworthMania has been running wild.

Backstage Ambrose is talking to James Ellsworth and gives him an official James Ellsworth t-shirt, which is available on WWE Shop. Some words of encouragement from the former champ to the future champ.

Randy Orton Promo

Orton, who continues to have issues with Bray Wyatt and his rotating stable of followers, is out to address Wyatt. Last week Wyatt made Orton’s tag team partner Kane disappear.

He says that Wyatt’s evil mind games have set him free, causing him to now come for Wyatt stronger than before.

The spooky Wyatt cutaway happens and backstage is a bunch of guys in black sheep masks surrounding Wyatt in a coffin. He tells Randall not to worry about coming for him, because Wyatt will be coming for him.Wyatt asks Orton if he’s having fun, and reminds him that he’s here. Which brings out Luke Harper for our first match.

Does this mean a casket or buried alive match soon? That’d be neat!

Luke Harper vs Randy Orton

Result: Orton def. Harper by DQ

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Harper is back in the WWE after a long absence, and sadly seems to just be filling the “Wyatt’s lackey” role that Rowan filled before he was hurt. Harper has a ton of potential (as evidenced by his time as a singles competitor and Intercontinental Championship run) that hopefully is not wasted taking bullets for Wyatt.

After a superplex from Orton, the Wyatt cutaway happens and the music for Wyatt hits. He makes his entrance in the same coffin from before. Wyatt gets carried out by his “sheeple” to ringside to watch the rest of the match.

Back from a commercial break, and Wyatt is crouched at ringside with the casket sitting ominously at ringside. Orton almost tosses Harper into the casket, but he gets away. As Orton sets up for the draping DDT, Wyatt interferes to cause the DQ and the beat down. They go to toss Orton into the closed casket…

and Kane appears! He has magic tricks too!

Orton hits a draping DDT on Wyatt, and Kane takes out Harper with a clothesline. Both men are setting up their finishers when the Wyatts escape through their magical controlling of arena lights.

That was fun, which really is what wrestling and these angles should be about.