WWE SmackDown: Results, Highlights and Grades for Nov. 1

The Miz vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Lock up to start, but Miz gets the upper hand. Another lockup attempt, and Miz gets Ciampa in a headlock. Ciampa wrestles out of it and tosses Miz to the outside, but lands on the apron. Rolls in for a variation of a sunset flip for a two count before tossing Ciampa to the floor. Miz attempts a baseball slide, Ciampa evades it and instead tosses Miz into the barricades (both of them), apron, and steel steps right before patting himself on the back.

He throes Miz back in the ring to put him in an aggressive chin lock. Miz eventually gets out of it and hits a series of punches, then knees him in the stomach.

Ciampa halts the comeback spot with a discuss clothesline, then a knee strike in the bottom corner for a near fall.

Goes for a Fairytale Ending, Miz evades it. Attempts a Figure Four Leg Lock, CIampa evades it. Ciampa goes for a back suplex, Miz lands on his feet, and attacks Ciampa’s surgically repaired knee.

Ciampa goes for Project Ciampa, kind of loses his balance (presumably because of the injured knee) and Miz hits a Snap DDT, followed by Figure Four Leg Lock. Eventually, Ciampa gets to the bottom rope. Miz goes for it again, but Ciampa hits a roll up for a two count. Then another roll up attempt into a Single Leg Boston Crab. Miz turns it into a roll up for a two count.

Now both men are on their knees, clapping each other’s chests with a series of chops. Ciampa then gets Miz into the corner, runs at him, Miz evades, clothesline from Miz. Attempts a Double Axe Handle, but Ciampa nails a knee followed by a Fairytale Ending to win the match.

Winner: Ciampa

Grade: B+

Very, very good match. One of those matches that really highlights how underrated Miz is in the ring, but also how Ciampa rises to the occasion when he gets a big opportunity like this. Both men delivered and had surprisingly tremendous chemistry.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1190436275590795264

Bryan talks to Michaels and Triple H backstage. HHH says he felt like he and NXT was called out for a battle. Bryan says he is itching for a fight, and if HHH wants to fight, then he and Triple H should fight in the ring right now. We get a tense staredown until HHH says he didn’t bring his gear. But HHH knows who is itching for a fight. All while Michaels is taking off his jacket. Not because he wants to wrestle, but because he got hot.

Speaking of hot, enter the hottest thing on NXT: the NXT Champion himself, Adam Cole. Bay Bay.

Confirmed for later tonight: Daniel Bryan vs. Adam Cole for the NXT Championship. Holy cow.

Back in the ring, we set up what was supposed to be Carmella and Dana Brooke vs Fire and Desire, but Bianca Belair destroys Carmella and Brooke backstage all by herself. Statement made.

But Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville still need opponents. Enter NXT’s Rhea Ripley and Tegan Nox.

Immediately after the bell, NXT starts pounding on the SmackDown stars. This is their brutality.

Rose eventually finds an opening to slap Ripley. Ripley responds with a dropkick. Tegan Nox runs in the ring to hit her Shiniest Wizard, followed by Ripley locking in her standing Cloverleaf for the quick victory.

Winners: Nox/Ripley

Grade: B

I feel like I’m grading too high for a squash match, but it was an exciting one, so I think that justifies it, right? Hahaha. Plus, another great showcase of some great NXT Superstars, three of my favorites no less. No complaints from me, even if I may be overhyping it a bit.

Afterwards, HHH and HBK hit the commentary table, then Stephanie McMahon hits the ramp to give fans credit for “giving women a chance” and inciting the Women’s Revolution. This leads us to a Natalya vs. Lacey Evans recap from Saudi Arabia. This leads us to the main event.