WWE SmackDown: Results, Highlights and Grades for Nov. 8

Tyson Fury arrives to SmackDown

He hits the ring and recaps his whole journey this year, going from boxing Tyson Wilder to wrestling Braun Strowman, but he’s happy to be back in Saudi Arabia.

Braun Strowman immediately hits the ring, but Fury shakes Braun’s hand and thanks him for giving him a good fight. Now, Fury hopes to wrestle with Braun in a tag team, rather than against. Braun would love to, but “nobody’s stupid enough to fight us!” Enter The B Team.

Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel point out that “the B in B Team stands for fearless.” Braun immediately runs through both men. Fury knocks out Bo Dallas after Braun hits a Powerslam.

Grade: D-

Look, I just didn’t care. I don’t care to see Tyson Fury wrestle again, with or without Braun. I don’t care about The B Team. Okay, that last part was a lie. This segment actually made me miss their comedy bits, but man, this segment was just not entertaining or interesting in the slightest.

Fire and Desire vs. Dana Brooke and Carmella – Winning Team Joins Team SmackDown at Survivor Series

Waist takedown by Sonya Deville, followed by a Rainmaker for a two count. Carmella struggles to mount a comeback before Sonya tags in an out with Mandy to isolate Carmella away from Brooke.

Mandy face sweeps Carmella in the middle of the ring, but Carmella fights back. Well, tries to before Mandy hits a fallaway slam. Carmella finally gets back into this and hot tags Dana Brooke. Big smozz, tag team breakdown. Not too much to mention other than Brooke hitting a cool cartwheel thingy on the outside off the apron before dropkicking Sonya into the steel steps, then a Swanton Dive on Mandy for the win.

Winners: Brooke/Carmella

Grade: C

This got surprisingly fun near the end. Not bad, but nothing too memorable either (which is a running them for most of the night, if you couldn’t tell by now).

Main event time!

Roman Reigns vs. Baron Corbin

Roman immediately goes to fight off Corbin. Uppercuts and slamming his head against the announcers table, and driving him into the barricade before the bell even rings.

Match officially starts with both men officially in the ring. 10 Count Punch in the corner, before Corbin pushes Roman off and attempts the same thing. But Roman reverses and sweeps the legs before hitting a melee of clotheslines. Followed by a running big boot and teasing a Superman Punch before Corbin rolls out the ring.

Roman goes outside to throw him back in the ring. Sets up the Punch again, but Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode tries to make the save, only to get laid out themselves outside. Corbin capitalizes by throwing Roman in the ring. Roman tries to run at Corbin in the ring, but runs right into a Deep Six for a near fall and a final commercial break spot.

Corbin keeps the heat on Roman back from the break. Hits his big moves, like the run to the outside then run back in the ring for a clothesline thing he does. That got him a two count, all while his new cronies stand at ringside. Series of elbows into Roman’s chest for a rest hold. Roman attempts to mount a comeback, but gets a chokeslam for his troubles. Near fall.

Corbin trash talks Roman while he’s down, but it does more to inspire Roman to build some momentum. Big clothesline from the Big Dog for a big two count. Sets up a Superman Punch, but Dolph and Roode provide a distraction. Both men receive Superman Punches and a Spear, allowing Corbin to sneak in an End of Days for Corbin to pick up a big win. He celebrates up the ramp to send us off the air.

Winner: Baron Corbin

Grade: B+

Very good match. Surprisingly better than expected. These guys have some nice chemistry and presented a great good guy vs. bad guy / hero against the odds dynamic. Both men play their roles well. Interference also helped the match rather than hindered it.

Overall Grade: D

I might be being generous with my grade here, but the main event helped things a lot.

This felt like a bonafide house show. Which isn’t necessary the worst thing in the world. After all, you don’t need to book a bunch of crazy angles for a pre-taped show in the UK that most people won’t watch because it is a pre-taped. But at least make it a good, entertaining house show. This was just … bad.