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

Following chaotic travel woes in Saudi Arabia, tonight’s WWE SmackDown has been entirely changed, with Bayley now defending her Women’s Championship against Nikki Cross.

After AC/DC’s “Are You Ready” serenades us into tonight’s episode, the show opens with tonight’s commentators – Aiden English, Renee Young and Tom Phillips – introduce us to the festivities right before WWE Champion Brock Lesnar’s music blares across the Buffalo, New York arena.

The champ and his advocate, Paul Heyman, hit the ring to say that despite successfully defending his title against Cain Velasquez the previous night, Brock Lesnar is “pissed off.”

Before telling us the reason, Heyman shows us footage from Brock vs. Cain. And by footage, I mean every single second of the entire fight from bell to bell.

Heyman points out that Brock got retribution for losing to Cain back in UFC, but Brock is pissed because Rey Mysterio attacked Brock with a chair after that match. They’re pissed because they requested a match vs. Rey Mysterio, but Mysterio is “contractually obligated” by USA Network to compete on Raw

Heyman promises that if Mysterio contractually can’t come looking for Brock, then Brock is going to come looking for Rey this Monday on Raw. And nobody is going to do a thing about it because if they try to sue Brock, then they’ll sue right back. Even better, to end any confusion, Heyman quit SmackDown on behalf of Brock Lesnar and will head to Raw this Monday.

Brock and Heyman storm out the arena as Triple H and Shawn Michaels ominously look on in the background.

Grade: C+

Showing about 5 minutes worth of Crown Jewel footage in the first 10-15 minutes of SmackDown is a good way to stall for time when half your roster’s gone. Not a bad move, but also clearly a means to stall. Still, we got a typically solid Heyman promo as well, but the real intrigue comes in Brock quitting on the spot. Interesting to see where that goes. Assuming it means Bray Wyatt stays on SmackDown and moves the Universal Title with him, while Brock moves to Raw with his title.

On the surface, not a special promo, but effective in advancing storylines and creating intrigue.

Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross – SmackDown Women’s Championship

In our first match of the night, Bayley is accompanied to the ring by Sasha Banks to face challenger Nikki Cross before defending her championship in a somewhat impromptu match.

Lock up at the start. Bayley aggressively pushes Nikki away. Another lockup into the corner. Bayley pushes Nikki away again, but Nikki pushes back. Nikki then attempts a series of quick roll ups (all for a two count) until Bayley whips Cross to the mat. Cross recovers and hurricanranas Bayley out the ring, followed by a tornado DDT on the floor. Cross rolls Bayley back in the ring for a two count to send us to a commercial break.

Back from the break, Bayley has Cross in a rest hold, but Cross triumphs out of it into a school girl pin. Bayley kicks out and immediately clothesline Bayley back to the mat for a two count. Bayley picks Cross up, but Cross fights back with forearms, running Bayley out the ring. She attempts a baseball dropkick, but Bayley catches her feet and drives Nikki into the steel steps.

Back into the ring, Bayley tries to capitalize with a pin attempt, but Cross kicks out before Bayley shoulder blocks her into the corner. She then runs at Nikki, but Nikki evades and Bayley goes shoulder first into the ring post. Cross mounts a comeback spot.

After a bulldog, Cross goes to the top rope and nails a crossbody, but Bayley kicks out. She sets up her Neckbreaker finisher, but Banks grabs Bayley’s feet. Cross knocks Banks off the apron, but Bayley knocks out Cross. She goes to the top and hits an elbow drop for a near fall. She then sets Cross atop the top rope. Cross attempts a DDT reversal, but Bayley fights her off. Cross slides to the outside.

Bayley slides outside, but Cross does her Finlay reversal. Fights off Sasha some more.

Cross hits the top rope while the ref checks on Bayley, but Banks knocks Cross off. Bayley capitalizes with Dean Ambrose’s old Dirty Deeds finisher, and wins.

After the match, Shayna Baszler blindsides Sasha Banks from the crowd and hits the ring, attacking Bayley and laying out the champion. The NXT Women’s Champion has made her debut and has made a statement.

Winner (And STILL): Bayley

Grade: B+

Good match, but of course, the big talking point that boost the grade up just a smidge is the surprise run-in from Shayna Baszler. As revealed yesterday, NXT is going to have its presence known at Survivor Series, so now with half the roster gone, we set up the building stages to introduce NXT to the mainstream audience. In a silver lining to the unfortunate circumstances, this could prove some exciting TV, and a great way to showcase the best of NXT.

Backstage, Sami Zayn is interviewed for takes of tonight’s events.

“Pretty weird night,” Zayn says. He adds that it’s clear NXT is trying to make their presence known, but NXT needs to keep their nose out of his business. Just then, Keith Lee and Matt Riddle from NXT stick their nose (and faces, and bodies)

Zayn says he’s a big fan of them and NXT in general. He tries to talk about how much he loves NXT (he forgot his NXT shirt while eating his salad earlier). He tries to hightail it out of there to get his NXT shirt out of his car, but they follow Zayn. They chase after him when he runs. “This is not gonna end well for Sami Zayn,” says Renee Young as the NXT stars chase Zayn to the ring.

Zayn begs for mercy, but both NXT stars hit their respective finishers on Zayn. Simply put, this whole segment was just gold from start to finish. More fun NXT invasions, please.

Miz TV

Miz comes out for a segment of Miz TV. He was supposed to interview Bray Wyatt, but of course, he’s stuck in Saudi Arabia right now. Still, he touches on Bray defeating Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship last night. That leads us to a recap video package of Bray beating Rollins, because of course we need to stall some more.

He then goes on to talk about “the elephant in the room: NXT.” Just as he mentions Shayna Baszler, Matt Riddle and Keith Lee’s run-ins, Tommaso Ciampa makes his way to the ring. Ciampa introduces himself to Miz as “The Greatest Sports Entertainer of All Time.” He says he wants Miz to know where he sits in the food chain. He adds Miz is “everything that is wrong with Raw and SmackDown” while he, himself, is breaking his neck to be the best. Meanwhile, Miz is “playing actor … talk show host.”

“While you play the part … Tommaso Ciampa is the part.”

Miz says he is well aware of who Ciampa is. He demands that if Ciampa wants to make a statement, then make a statement. He then challenges Ciampa for a fight right now.

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.

Daniel Bryan vs. Adam Cole (w/ Roderick Strong) – NXT Championship

The two amateur wrestle for a bit. More or less evenly matched. Cole gets Bryan in a headlock. Bryan gets out of it with a headscissor. We reach a stalemate. More chain wrestling till Bryan locks Cole into the corner and shoves him. He slaps him as well. They trade punches until he uppercuts Cole to the ground, then chops him in the corner. Two corners, actually.

Cole kicks Bryan in the gut and chops Bryan in the chest. Another headlock until Bryan kicks him away. Bryan leapfrogs over Cole and takes him down. He jawjacks to Triple H at ringside before stomping on Cole’s wrist, then locking Cole in a Bow and Arrow. Then a knee to the face. Followed by a few uppercuts. Bryan runs the ropes, but runs right into a pump kick for a two count.

Bryan goes for a nasty suplex against the ropes and both men go flying to the floor. Both men down, leading us to a commercial break.

Back from the break, Bryan is fighting out of a crucifix pin attempt, but Cole settles on a neckbreaker. Pin attempt for a two count. Then a series of knees for another pin attempt. Bryan kicks out again before Cole locks a Figure Four Headlock.

Cole continues to get the heat on Bryan in the corner until Bryan comes back with a series of uppercuts. He mounts his classic comeback spot.

He then tosses Cole to the outside, followed by a high knee to Cole off the apron. Bryan to the top rope for a missile dropkick. He puts Cole on the top rope and goes for a hurricanrana, but Cole turns it into a sunset flip for a two count. Bryan hits a series of uppercuts, then runs right into a superkick for a near fall. Coles goes for a suplex, but Bryan turns it into a German suplex.

Cole to the outside, suicide dive attempt, and Bryan nails it. He goes for another one, but trying his luck fails as he dives right into an enzuigiri, sending us to one final commercial break.

Back from the break, Bryan nails a German Suplex from the top turnbuckle, followed by a Diving Headbutt attempt. Cole gets out the way and nails his Patella Knee Brainbuster for a near fall.

Cole sets up The Last Shot, but grabs the leg and turns it into a Single Leg Boston Crab, then turns it into his patented Achilles Lock. Triple H is fuming outside at the thought of a non-NXT star winning the top prize of his brand, but to his relief, Cole gets to the rope.

“You wanna be a champion? GET UP!” Bryan screams as he fires Cole’s leg with kicks, lifts him for a fireman’s carry, but Cole reverses for a two count, which Bryan turns into a Yes Lock. Cole won’t tap, but he yanks back Cole’s arm and stomps on his head before locking the Yes Lock back in. Cole goes to the ropes, but Bryan yanks Cole’s arm. But Cole gets his foot to the bottom rope. Frustrated, Bryan continues kicking, Cole tries to reverse, series of pin attempts from both men until Bryan kicks Cole’s head in.

He goes for Knee Plus until Cole hits a Superkick, followed by Panama Sunrise, then The Last Shot for the win. What a match!

Triple H celebrates with his NXT kids in the ring and announces Raw/SmackDown vs NXT for Survivor Series. He promises to build an army for a fight.

“This is our army! This is our fight! This is our ring!”

Winner: Adam Cole
Grade: A

Two of the very best wrestlers on any WWE brand. Nuff said. Naturally, an instant classic. Check this out as soon as you can, if you haven’t already.

Overall Grade: A-

SmackDown had a heavy load to work with, changing the show last minute due to unfortunate circumstances, but they delivered a really fun show in return that actually gets me a little more excited for Survivor Series in the process. NXT shined on a show showcased by good matches, surprising moments, and an awesome main event. Best SmackDown on FOX yet.