WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights, And Grades For January 15, 2019

Samoa Joe Promo

Kayla Braxton caught up with Samoa Joe backstage, asking him what “provoked” this attack on Mustafa Ali. Joe, however, saw it as a declaration of what he’d bring to the other 29 superstars in the Royal Rumble. He calls every champion in WWE a “target” for him, warning that he’ll put them all to sleep. And man, he really has no respect for Ali if he just views him as a stepping stone to sending a message about the Rumble. Ali will surely have something to “say” about that.

But his was another damn good promo from Joe, whose intensity continues to be off the charts.

Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Rey Mysterio

It looks like this won’t be the main event of WWE SmackDown tonight, but Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Rey Mysterio should still blow the roof off the place, especially since it was the main match advertised coming into the show.

And, uh, yeah this match already started out as amazing as we expected…Corey Graves wasn’t lying. Like, Rey literally got “You still got it!” chants after just the first move of the match.

Almas and Rey started grappling to a stalemate, and Almas started showing zero respect to Rey, who was simply fueled by the younger competitor’s aggression. He sees how badly Almas wants to win, and he respects that. But Almas isn’t going to fall for any of Rey’s tricks either…he’s experienced in his own right.

Rey was surprisingly controlling Almas early despite the size difference, but that goes to show you that experience can beat out size. Of course, Almas started grounding Rey, too, locking in on Mysterio’s arm as Rey did his best to fight out of it. But the brutal Almas made sure that he didn’t rip free from his grasp unscathed.

And as Almas controlled Mysterio, the WWE Universe only chanted more forcefully for Rey to win, chanting for a 6-1-9. Mysterio hit a hurricanrana to dump Almas to the outside and set up a 6-1-9 after Almas countered a different move.But Almas got out of that situation, going for a Hammerlock DDT. Mysterio countered, but it was Almas who ended up nearly pinning him. And as Graves noted, these two were moving so fast that it was incredibly difficult to even speak/write/process what they were doing.

It wasn’t hard, however, to process Almas’s sickening powerbomb to Mysterio on the outside, as he slammed Rey hard to the floor to gain an advantage before the break.

After the break, the pace didn’t slow, and Rey nearly picked up a win with a Tornado DDT that was preceded by a seated senton and a hurricanrana. How are these two this good!

Rey hit Almas with a NUTS top-rope-rana that sent El Idolo flying to the outside, and the crowd chanted “This is awesome!” at the move. And he hit a huge seated senton to Almas on the outside to make another statement! By this point, Zelina Vega was absolutely panicking on the outside.

The exchanges hit another level of greatness, and Almas ended up countering the Canadian Destroyer this time before landing the double moonsault for a great nearfall on Rey. And more “This is awesome!” chants!

Rey, though, did hit the Canadian Destroyer after all, but Almas kicked out. Almas countered the 6-1-9, but Rey countered Almas’s counter (the story of this match!) into a crucifix powerbomb that nearly led to a win!

Vega tried to swipe Rey off the apron before he could hit the 6-1-9, but the deed was done. Zelina interfered before Rey could put Almas away from the top rope, and Almas lived to fight another day. And with Rey draped across the top rope, Almas hit the Hammerlock DDT for the 1-2-3, defeating the legend he looked up to.

Grade: A+++, One of the best matches I’ve ever seen on SmackDown Live. Please watch it. And I hope this win is a sign that this is Almas’s year.