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

Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown will feature follow up from last week’s NXT invasion, plus matches like Roman Reigns vs Baron Corbin & Nikki Cross vs. Sasha Banks.

Last week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown shook the WWE Universe to its core and tonight’s episode may do something similar as the show opens with a speech from King Corbin. He acknowledges Survivor Series and the battle of brand supremacy in two weeks time. But he’s tired of everyone talking about NXT taking over. In fact, he thinks it’s embarrassing, especially after Roman Reigns let the invasion happen despite being a supposed “locker room leader.”

He praises Roman as a role model for returning from leukemia in less than a year, but this “feeble” audience only cares about what Superstars have done for them lately, and to Corbin, Roman has done nothing lately. He criticizes Roman for spending too much time with his real family when the WWE roster should be his only family.

He says “The Big Dog’s testicles have shriveled up” and his bark sounds like a chihuahua. He then displays Roman’s dog logo on the titantron as it barks like a chihuahua. He says Roman is too much of a cowards to interrupt him now (even though Roman hadn’t arrived to the building yet), then says Roman is going to tuck his tail between his legs when Corbin beats him.

He pulls out a disposable trash bag, throws it at the crowd, and say they can pick up Roman’s excrement after he beats him tonight.

Grade: D

This was just bad. Holy cow, this promo was bad. Corbin’s usually not bad at promos, but this material did him no favors here. Could’ve done without using leukemia for cheap heat (it’s played out) or for testicle talk. I think we can all do without testicle talk in wrestling. Because why.

Kayla Braxton interviews Kofi Kingston and Big E backstage before The New Day challenge The Revival for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles. They mention they have a message for Xavier Woods. E tells Xavier not to drop the soap, but Kofi tells him he’s not in jail. E asks, “He didn’t do the embezzlement?”

They say they have to win their seventh Tag Team Championship tonight not just to “catch up with Charlotte Flair,” but they’ll do it for Xavier Woods, as they expose their “XW” arm bands before heading to the ring.

The Revival vs. New Day – WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship

Kofi Kingsotn and Scott Dawson start. Kofi goes for a series of failed pin attempts until a right hand from Dawson slows the momentum. Tag to Dash before driving Kofi’s head into Dash’s boot.

Kofi fights off Dash before tagging Big E and hitting an assisted leapfrog splash for a two count. Big E goes for a back suplex, but Dash lands on his feet. Dash heavily favors his leg as if he’s legit injured. Ref checks on him to lead us to a commercial break.

Return to learn that Wilder faked that whole injury angle and revealed he faked it to get the advantage during the break. Back from break with Kofi hitting both Revival members with a suicide dive. Then a crossbody to Dawson. He evades a Trouble in Paradise before heels get the heat on the babyface, Wilder gets the tag.

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Dawson pulls Kofi off the apron from behind. The heels work on Big E with a double apron DDT, then a German Suplex/Uppercut combo. Big E kicks out for a near fall. They attempt the Shatter Machine, but Kofi gets the blind tag. E avoids the Shatter Machine, neutralizes both men, and helps Kofi with an assisted Trouble in Paradise. Kofi gets the pin and we have new champions!

Winners (AND NEW!): The New Day

Grade: C

These teams have had better matches, but this wasn’t a bad one by any means. Some odd decisions were made (namely the whole injury angle that we didn’t even get to see the payoff for with Dash’s reveal that he faked it), but the right team won and that’s all that matters. Kofi especially needed this win after the month he’s had. Helps give him and New Day as a whole get the credibility boost they needed after a series of bad losses in October.

Backstage, Roman Reigns arrives to the arena, and is approached by Shorty G, who tells Roman about all of the disrespect Corbin was shouting earlier while Roman was away.

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Back from the commercial break, Daniel Bryan is approached by Sami Zayn about his invitation from two weeks ago is still on the table. He says that if he had accepted his and Nakamura’s offer weeks ago, they’d have helped him win the NXT Championship last week. Zayn points out how he’s helped Nakamura and Cesaro greatly as of late, and they can help Bryan as well. He invites Bryan to watch their tag match later and consider their offer again.

Heavy Machinery come out for a match, only to be attacked by WALTER and his Imperium goons from NXT UK!

Members from the locker room rush the ring to save Heavy Machinery and the NXT UK invaders high tail it to the Manchester crowd without a scratch on them. Well, this was an interesting surprised. Interested to see how this follows up, especially how it follows up on Raw this Monday if these NXT UK guys show up. No, I haven’t read the spoilers (wink wink, nudge nudge).

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Bayley and Sasha Banks about being attacked by NXT’s Shayna Baszler. Bayley says Baszler is trying too hard to be relevant, but she shouldn’t forget that both her and Sasha made the NXT women’s division relevant. Sasha adds any new NXT women need to know their place in Boss n Hug’s shadow, just like Cross will tonight. Bayley adds that as the only triple crown champion in the Survivor Series triple threat, Baszler and Becky Lynch better keep an eye on her, because she’s got eyes on them.

Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura (w/ Sami Zayn) vs. Ali and Shorty G

At the start of the match, Daniel Bryan watches from atop the ramp. Immediately at the start of the bell, Cesaro uppercuts Gable, then both he and Naka double team Gable before Naka gets the tag. Frequent tags until Gable tosses Cesaro out the ring. Gable nearly makes a hot tag before Cesaro catches him in mid-air. Cesaro keeps the heat on Gable, until Gable can fight his way to a tag.  Ali makes a huge comeback spot, including a dive to the outside, while Gable belly to bellys Nakamura out the ring, right before Cesaro does the same to Gable.

Ali goes for a cross body, but Cesaro catches him in mid-air with a backbreaker for a two count. He tags Nakamura. Shorty G makes the save for an Ankle Lock on Cesaro. Cesaro fights out and kicks G out the ring. Ali shoves Cesaro out the ring, but Naka sneaks from behind to lay Ali out. Goes for Kinshasa, but Ali hits a Super kick.

Zayn tries to distract Ali, Gable jaw jacks with him, then Cesaro tosses Ali off the top rope and Gable off the apron. Naka takes the opportunity to hit a Kinshasa for the win. Bryan continues to look on from the ramp, but then just leaves.

Winners: Cesaro/Nakamura

Grade: C+

May not go down as one of the most memorable tag team matches ever, but it was entertaining for the moment. The important part is that this progressed the Daniel Bryan storyline. Not by much, but it adds fuel to the fire.

Sasha Banks vs. Nikki Cross

Worth noting that Bayley is at ringside on commentary while Sasha Banks comes out with new music rapped by Snoop Dogg.

The two lock up to start, but Banks settles on just clobbering Cross to the ground before slamming her head into the turnbuckle. Then a suplex in the middle of the ring before a one count. Cross shoves her away, but Banks slaps her down. She then chokes Cross across the middle rope right in front of Bayley, to the champion’s delight.Then a meteora on a sat down Cross for a two count.

Cross ducks a clothesline, then recovers with an admittedly sloppy hurricanrana. Series of arm drags and a running crossbody to set up a comeback spot. Tosses Sasha outside before hitting a baseball dropkick. Crossbody off the apron onto the floor before charging at Bayley and laying out the champion.

Back in the ring, she attempts a springboard, but Bayley grabs Nikki’s foot without the ref seeing, and Banks capitalizes with a dropkick. Both women in the ring, Cross tries to get back in with a small package for a two count.

Crossbody by Cross for a two count. Banks goes to the outside to talk to Bayley and rethink a strategy as we go to a break.

Back from the break, Banks has the heat on Cross. Kicks her into the corner, but Cross suddenly recovers with a tornado DDT for a two count. Cross kicks off a comeback spot, feeding off the energy of the England crowd. Banks reverses with a Bank Statement attempt, but Cross turns it into a pin attempt for a two count.

Banks then gets a Jackknife pin attempt for a two count. Cross goes for a swinging neckbreaker, but Banks reverses with a Bank Statement. In the middle of the ring, Banks has no choice but to tap out.

Banks leaves the ring and heads to the back, but Bayley blindsides Nikki after the match. But out of nowhere, Baszler runs in to attack Bayley, once again laying out the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Banks runs in to make the save, but Baszler hightails it without a scratch.

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Winner: Sasha Banks

Grade: C-

Wish I could grade this higher. I was super invested in this match and I think that counts for something, but something just wasn’t clicking with these two tonight. Led to some clunky, sloppy moments as well. Super disappointing.

Backstage, Sami Zayn tries to advise Daniel Bryan backstage once again. He doesn’t think Bryan needs more time to think about his decision, so he should just say he’d rather join Team Zayn, move forward and put the Yes Chants behind him. Before Bryan can say anything, the lights go out and suddenly, once back on, The Fiend shows up behind Bryan!

Zayn bolts out the room, but Fiend passes Bryan out with a Mandible Claw. If this is The Fiend’s title match for Survivor Series, revisiting Bray Wyatt’s history with Bryan because “The Fiend never forgets,” I am all in!

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.