WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights and Grades for Oct. 25

Mandy Rose (w/ Sonya Deville) vs. Nikki Cross (odd that we’ve got no Alexa Bliss at ringside, I assume that partnership is over?)

Bayley and Sasha Banks are at the commentary table watching the match. The match itself immediately starts with Mandy decking Cross in the face, kicking her in the corner, and tossing her around the ring like a ragdoll pulling Cross by her hair. She throws Cross at the ropes, but Cross bounces back with a hurricanrana. Before Cross can capitalize, Rose knocks Cross down with a slap, followed by a rest hold (headlock then a knee to the neck).

Cross stomps the ground to get the crowd to cheer her on. Doesn’t sleep like they’re biting, and Cross suffers a Fallaway Slam for her troubles. But only for a two count. Rose tosses Cross to the outside and jaw jacks to the ref, allowing Sonya Deville to deck Cross in the face behind the ref’s back. Rose gets her back in the ring for a near fall.

Rose then runs at Cross in the corner, but Cross mounts a comeback spot. In the process, Cross attempts a victory roll, gets pushed off and dropkicks Sonya off her feet. Now that the odds are even, she lays out Rose with her finisher (swinging fisherman suplex) for the win.

Winner: Nikki Cross

Grade: B-

Really enjoyed this one. I think this match was laid out well. Lack of crowd interest/engagement might’ve hurt it a bit, but Rose and Cross displayed surprisingly good chemistry tonight. Plus, it’s good Cross is able to look strong on her own after being with Bliss for most of the year. She’s establishing a presence as a true singles star and I think it’s working; slowly catching on.

Rey and Cain hit the ring to recap Brock attacking his son, Dominic. He respects his son for taking a beating from a former UFC Champion and he’s glad Dominic is slowly recovering, but he says watching that go down was the worst night of his life. He promises his “familia,” Cain, will drop Lesnar and scar him next Thursday at Crown Jewel.

They call out Heyman and Lesnar to come out face to face, but they show up on the titantron, refusing to risk giving Cain the chance to injure The Beast before their match. Heyman asks Mysterio to guess what Brock’s been doing tonight. Rey won’t play the games, but rather than tell the answer, Brock shows Rey that he’s destroyed his prone, beaten son, Dominic. Rey and Cain run to the back.

Backstage, Rey and Cain check on his son, only for both to get blindsided by Lesnar. Lesnar slams Cain with a trash can, F5s Rey onto a table, then F5s Cain onto Dominic.

Grade: B+

Didn’t sell me any more on the match or the PPV, but I have to give credit where credit is due because, this whole segment was kind of great. The promo work was solid. Mysterio was surprisingly on key, and Heyman was Heyman on the mic.

And Cain didn’t embarrass himself. He just did his thing as the silent assassin, which he plays well, then cut a great angry promo afterwards in Spanish. Glad WWE understand his strengths so far and understand talking isn’t one of them yet, but cutting an angry promo in his native tongue is going to produce great effects.

The build to Dominic’s beaten body was expertly done. The backstage beatdown was great, too, as it made Lesnar look like an absolute monster.

Everything about this was far better than it had any right to be.

Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, King Corbin and  vs. Shorty G, Ali and Roman Reigns

Main event time, and things immediately break into chaos when the heels blindside the faces. Corbin punches Reigns in the corner, but The Big Dog wiggles out, returns the favor, then hits a big boot followed by a Samoan Drop.

Naka tags in, and Reigns has the power advantage before tagging in Shorty G. His basketball shorts might be dumb, but is a skilled amateur wrestler, which he showcases here before tagging Ali. Naka gets back into this by kicking Ali in the face, then tagging Cesaro. Heels get the heat before the commercial break.

Back from the break, Corbin tags Naka back in as they all continuing pounding on Ali. Rest hold city from Nakamura, as Roman and Gable get the crowd to cheer Ali on. By time Naka tags in Cesaro again, Ali mounts a babyface comeback. He tries to tag in Roman, but Corbin pulls Roman off the apron.

Ali does, however, tag in Shorty G, who mounts his own comeback spot.

After some more chaos, it’s down to Roman and Cesaro. Big Dog hits all his big moves. But in mid-Superman Punch, Cesaro catches Roman into a spinebuster, followed by a Swing and a Sharpshooter, but Superkicks Ali. Corbin takes out Ali, who gets taken out by Shorty, who gets taken out by Naka, who gets taken out by Roman.

Cesaro nearly pulls an upset by catching Roman mid-Spear with an Uppercut, but Roman reverses a Neutralizer attempt, hits his Spear, and tags in Ali to give The Light some time to shine. The Big Dog is a good dude, in case you didn’t know.

Winners: Team 

Grade: C+ 

Nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain about here either. It’s a standard, average Six Man Tag. Take it or leave it, you know? I choose to take it, and gives extra points for a fun last couple minutes.

Overall Show Grade: C

Had some bumps here and there and was generally a slow build, but overall, solid show for what it was. Had its ups and downs.