WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - September 18th, 2020

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Roman Reigns & Jey Uso to face Sheamus & King Corbin in Samoan Street Fight

Roman Reigns & Jey Uso team up again for a Samoan Street Fight, Sasha Banks will address Bayley's heinous attack and much more on Friday Night SmackDown.


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- Tonight's WWE SmackDown on FOX opens live from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Michael Cole welcomes us to WWE ThunderDome. He's joined by Corey Graves.

- We go right to the ring for the return of The Dirt Sheet. The Miz and John Morrison welcome us to the segment and do their introductions.

They plan to give us the dirt tonight, and not Otis' underwear. Miz teases dirt on topics about SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley, Jey Uso and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, and more, but first Miz brings up Mandy Rose. We see footage from Talking Smack last weekend, where Miz got Rose traded to RAW from SmackDown by calling in a favor. Miz says he is not playing mind games with Otis or using his influence to play games, he's just trying to help Otis because he knows what it's like having the Money In the Bank contract - you have to be on high alert, looking for every chance possible, and Otis couldn't do that with his girlfriend around. Miz says he sent Mandy away, now Otis can focus on cashing in his contract. Miz says Otis should be thanking him because he sent away the one true thing that was keeping him from the top of WWE.

Miz says Mandy has already moved on over at RAW. Morrison says Dolph Ziggler is at RAW and they want to do more than smell that rose over there. The music hits and out comes Otis. Otis hits the ring and unloads on both heels. He clears the ring and tosses their chairs out behind them. Tucker comes over and tosses Miz back in, where Otis launches him back to the mat. Tucker rolls Morrison in next and Otis dumps him over the top rope back to the floor. Otis punishes Miz some more and hits him with the Caterpillar. Otis then climbs the corner and hits the Vader Bomb on Miz. The Heavy Machinery music hits next as Otis stands tall over Miz before leaving. Tucker hypes him up, Money In the Bank briefcase in hand.

- Cole and Graves hype tonight's show, including Sasha Banks' return. Otis goes back into the ring and beats up The Miz some more. Miz has his clothes ripped off and we see he's wearing "tighty whities" now, after joking earlier about Otis wearing them. Otis and Tucker as Miz runs away to the back, trying to cover himself up with John Morrison helping. We go to commercial.

- Back from the break and John Morrison is backstage with The Miz, talking about how mad Otis is now. Miz says this is all part of the plan. Kayla Braxton walks up for comments but Miz answers his phone. He asks someone on the other end, "Did you see her? Is it enough?" Miz smiles and gives Morrison a thumbs up, then ends the call. Morrison laughs about this being a part of the plan. Miz awkwardly hurries off, still in his underwear.

Gran Metalik vs. Cesaro

We go back to the ring and out comes The Lucha House Party - Gran Metalik with Kalisto and Lince Dorado. The tension between Kalisto and Dorado continues at ringside, and in a picture-in-picture video we see from earlier today. Out next comes SmackDown Tag Team Champions Cesaro with his partner Shinsuke Nakamura. They also air a backstage video from earlier today with the champs taunting their opponents. It's announced that Cesaro and Nakamura will defend against Lucha House Party on September 27 at Clash of Champions.

The bell rings and Metalik looks for an easy pin. Metalik sends Cesaro flying now. Metalik goes to the corner but is distracted by arguing in the group. Cesaro takes advantage and takes control, mounting offense now. Cesaro keeps control and lands a big uppercut in the corner. Metalik comes back and sends Cesaro flying out of the corner. Metalik with more offense until Cesaro levels him with a clothesline for a 2 count.

Kalisto and Lince continue to try and offer the better advice from ringside, yelling over each other. Cesaro grounds Metalik in the middle of the ring, focusing on his arm. Metalik ends up rocking Cesaro with a big kick from the apron. Lince and Kalisto jump on the apron to give more advice, but the referee ejects them to the back. Cesaro knocks a distracted Metalik off the apron to the floor. Cesaro and Nakamura yell at Kalisto and Dorado as they head to the back, still arguing. Metalik takes advantage of the distraction and flies out of the ring, taking Cesaro down on the floor. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Cesaro drops Metalik for a 2 count. Cesaro grounds Metalik in the middle of the ring as Nakamura looks on. Metalik fights up but Cesaro sends him to the corner. Cesaro works him over and climbs up but they tangle. Cesaro stands on the middle rope and Metalik nails a big hurricanrana to the mat, covering Cesaro for a close 2 count.

Metalik goes back to the top for a moonsault but Cesaro gets his feet up. Cesaro with a big running uppercut in the corner now. Cesaro with the Neutralizer in the middle of the ring for the pin to win.

Winner: Cesaro

- After the match, Cesaro and Nakamura stand tall as the music hits. We go to replays.

- Still to come, Styles vs. Zayn and the Samoan Street Fight.

- Kayla is backstage with Jey Uso. She asks about last week's tag team match. Jey says Paul Heyman told him that Roman Reigns not being there for the match was a miscommunication, and he hopes the same won't happen tonight. Jey goes on and says Reigns has been throwing his weight around since they were little, but they're not little anymore. But that's a week later and tonight he's focused on the Samoan Street Fight. Jey gets hyped up and walks off.

- Still to come, Alexa Bliss talks to Nikki Cross. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and we get a quick video on Matt Riddle. Riddle is backstage now with a new "Know Your Bro" segment. Riddle says people always ask him why he says "bro" so much. He says it's like a universal language, one that can convey any emotion. He shows different faces, how "bro" can mean happy, sad, anger, introspective, afraid, and confident. See, it's that easy, bro.

- We go back to the stage for "A Moment of Bliss" with Alexa Bliss. She welcomes us and says normally tonight's special guest would be in the co-host seat with her. She goes on and introduces Nikki Cross. Out she comes dancing around and Bliss is all smiles. The announcers show us how Bliss used Bray Wyatt's Sister Abigail move on Cross last week during the Fatal 4 Way, which Cross won to become the new #1 contender to SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley for a match at Clash of Champions.

Bliss congratulates Cross and says she's so happy for her. Cross thanks her. Bliss says but we know what the show is about, and she has no filter, so she has to ask the questions the fans want to know. She asks what Cross' plan for the match is, noting that it has to be different because Cross lost to Bayley for most of the summer, and hasn't defeated her since last year. Cross goes on about how this match will be different. Bayley no longer has Sasha Banks watching her back, so now Cross can focus on giving her a beating. Cross talks about how Bayley was so proud to hit her with a steel chair last week. Cross addresses the camera and warns Bayley that she will take the title from her at Clash of Champions. Cross asks if that answers the question and it does. Cross asks Bliss what's gotten into her now. She asks about Bliss walking off after the Sister Abigail last week. Bliss doesn't know how to explain it because she doesn't fully understand it. She feels like some kind of change but she doesn't know how to handle it... the music interrupts and out comes Lacey Evans.

Evans taunts them both and says Cross only won last week because Bliss walking out put Evans off her game. She keeps mocking Cross and says she will never beat Bayley because she has something Cross never will have - a mean streak. She says Cross is too nice, too short, too weak, and damn sure has no backbone. Cross grabs Evans' handkerchief and blows her nose with it, saying she's not too nice. Evans goes to pick it back up but Cross kicks her and attacks her. They brawl on the stage and the ramp. Evans gets the upperhand and they head to the ring as we go to commercial.

Lacey Evans vs. Nikki Cross

Back from the break and Alexa Bliss is on commentary as Lacey Evans and Nikki Cross get ready in the ring. Evans goes to ringside to apply hand sanitizer to stall. Cross ends up attacking to get the action going. Evans turns it around as they get to their feet in the ring.

Cross gets on Evans' back and ends up dropping her near the corner for a 2 count. They tangle on the mat some and Cross covers for 2. Evans counters and drops a big knee on Cross' elbow while she's down. Evans with another big knee to the elbow. Evans works Cross over in the corner as the referee warns her now. Cross fights out but Evans beats her up in the corner some more, dropping her with a shot to the ribs. Evans wraps the hurt arm around the middle rope as the referee warns her again.

Evans with a big boot in the corner, then a Bronco Buster for a 2 count. Evans goes on and blocks Cross' offense, then grounds her in the middle of the ring again. Cross fights up and out but Evans takes her right back down and continues to focus on the arm. Evans continues to dominate as Cross tries to fight back. Cross clutches her hurt arm but Cross keeps the attack coming. Evans with a standing moonsault for another 2 count.

Evans grabs her hand sanitizer and rubs it all over Cross' face and hair while holding her down. Cross gets upset and fights back, dropping Evans in the middle of the ring. Cross with a splash in the corner. Cross unloads with forearm shots. Cross catapults Evans across the ring. Evans grabs Cross but Cross stomps on her arm. Cross ends up hitting the big tornado DDT from the corner. Cross holds it and hits the neckbreaker off the top rope for the pin to win.

Winner: Nikki Cross

- After the match, Cross stands tall as the music hits. Bliss says Cross is her best friend. Cross celebrates in the ring and Bliss cheers her on. Cross heads to the back while Evans stumbles out of the ring, pulling herself up at the announce table. Evans yells at Graves and Cole now. Bliss stares off into space but slowly gets up and comes over to Evans. With the distant look in her eyes like last week, Bliss grabs Evans and drops her with Sister Abigail at ringside. Cole points to how Evans said "The Fiend" in her rant right before Bliss snapped. Bliss walks off with the thousand-yard stare.

- We see Sasha Banks getting fixed up for an interview. Back to commercial.

- The announcers lead us to a video package on The Anoa'i Family, Jey Uso and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, narrated by Paul Heyman.

- We go back to Cole and Graves, who are joined via satellite from Sasha Banks, who is at the WWE Performance Center. She's wearing a neck brace. Cole shows us the recent attack to Banks by SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley.

Banks gets emotional as Cole comes back to her. Banks says she's still here. Cole asks about last week's comments where Bayley said it was Banks who used her the whole time, and was waiting to strike. Banks says just like Bayley was using her and now she's just useless to Bayley. Banks heard every single word last week and she can't help but be filled with emotions as she sits at the Performance Center, a place they helped build and worked together at every day. She recalls time they spent together at the Performance Center. She also recalls the summer they had on SmackDown at the Performance Center. They showed the world how they were taking over. She keeps talking and gets emotional again. Banks says if these walls could talk they would tell you... she cries some more and cuts herself off. She addresses Bayley and says yes, Bayley is an idiot and is naive because she's nothing without Banks. Banks says since she's useless to Bayley now, one day she's going to take the one thing Bayley loves - the SmackDown Women's Title.

Bayley suddenly appears behind Banks and smacks her with a steel chair. Bayley is at the Performance Center. Bayley wraps the chair around Banks' injured neck as two trainees and a staffer come to help out. They call for Bayley to get out of here and for a medic to come tend to Banks. Back to commercial.

AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn

Back from the break and out first comes AJ Styles. Sami Zayn is out next and he's carrying his old Intercontinental Title belt. Sami goes to the timekeeper's area and yells at Greg Hamilton for not introducing him as the champion.

AJ suddenly attacks Sami at ringside, slamming his face into the announce table. AJ brings it int he ring and the bell hits. Styles keeps control and drops Sami over his knee for a close 2 count. Sami rolls to the floor for a breather and AJ follows. AJ brings it back in and drops Sami with another backbreaker for 2. Sami turns it around as they come back in. Sami drops AJ in the middle of the ring for a 2 count. Sami grounds AJ in the middle of the ring now, taunting him. AJ rams Sami back into the corner and fights free. AJ fights from the apron but Sami runs him into the top turnbuckle. Sami goes for the Helluva Kick but AJ moves and he hits the ring post.

AJ rocks Sami and launches himself out over the top rope, decking Sami on the floor. We go to commercial with AJ in control on the outside.

Back from the break and Sami has AJ up in the corner. Sami climbs up for the superplex but AJ slides under him. AJ pulls Sami down face-first into the turnbuckle. AJ rocks Sami and springboards in from the apron but rolls through as Sami moves. Sami catches AJ and drops him into the top rope. Sami goes for a suplex but it's blocked twice. AJ with a suplex of his own, but Sami blocks it and AJ turns that into a neckbreaker. Sami kicks out at 2.

Sami catches AJ with a jawbreaker. Sami fights back in the middle of the ring. They trade strikes now. Sami with a big boot to the face. AJ comes right back with a pele kick and they both go down. More back and forth now. AJ blocks a German suplex attempt. AJ with back elbows. Sami hangs on and hits the Blue Thunderbomb in the middle of the ring but AJ still kicks out. AJ blocks a move and goes for the Calf Crusher. Sami rolls through but right into a kick.

Sami catches AJ now, launching him into the turnbuckles with an Exploder suplex. Sami waits for AJ to get up now, staring him down from across the ring. Sami runs for the Helluva Kick but AJ grabs him. Sami rolls AJ for a 2 count. Sami gets in the face of the referee and yells at her. AJ ends up coming from behind and rolling Sami up for the pin to win.

Winner: AJ Styles

- After the match, Sami is shocked. He immediately attacks AJ as AJ's music hits. Sami has words with the referee at ringside. Sami orders Hamilton to announce him as the winner and the champion. Sami grabs his belt but the music interrupts and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy. Hardy is limping but he goes right for Sami at ringside, unloading on him. Hardy rolls Sami in the ring and then goes under the ring for a table. Hardy brings a ladder out now. Hardy rams the ladder into AJ at ringside as he stands up. He goes to bring it in but Sami runs out. Hardy uses the ladder on both competitors. Hardy slides the ladder in and then rolls Sami in. Hardy drops Sami with a Twist of Fate. Hardy climbs the ladder but Sami rolls to the floor to safety as the crowd boos. Jeff comes back down from the ladder and asks for a mic. He's sick and tired of this Intercontinental Title situation, sick of being called a cheat, tired of being called a fraud. Hardy wants to end this all - he will fight both at Clash of Champions, but not in a normal match, they have to escape normal. Hardy proposes a Triple Threat Ladder Match. He drops the mic and his music hits as AJ and Zayn look on, recovering at ringside.

- Otis and Tucker are backstage talking. A man walks in and serves Otis with papers. Tucker opens them up and reveals that Otis has been served with a lawsuit. Otis is confused. We go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Heavy Machinery is looking at the lawsuit papers. Tucker says Miz and Morrison are suing Otis for emotional distress, destruction of personal property, creating an unsafe working environment, Money In the Bank negligence, and they say that The Dirt Sheet is a news program, and Otis is violating their First Amendment right. Tucker says Otis needs a lawyer because Miz and Morrison want him to forfeit the MITB briefcase or he's going to court. Otis has one week to make a decision. Otis gets worried and says they're in trouble. Tucker says Otis, you're in trouble.

- Sheamus and King Baron Corbin are backstage. A security guard walks by and Sheamus says this is the one that he was telling Corbin about. He thanks the guard for luring Big E out to the parking lot two weeks ago, and says he owes him big time for making the attack happen. The guard thanks Sheamus and says he was just sent to inform Sheamus that his car is being towed. Sheamus walks over and Big E is standing there. He attacks and Sheamus runs away. Big E turns back to the guard and says word on the street is that he was the one who set Big E up. Big E attacks the guard and destroys him in the backstage area. Big E takes the man on top of a car and slaps him around, talking trash.

Referees run over to try and talk Big E down. He finally slams the man through the windshield of the car with a belly-to-belly suplex. Big E says he's not done. He smacks the man around and puts him into the trunk of a car. WWE Producer Adam Pearce and others are trying to calm Big E down now. Pearce says he needs Big E to leave the arena. Big E continues yelling about Sheamus but he backs off. Pearce calls for someone to get the security guard out of the trunk.

- Still to come, the Samoan Street Fight main event. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and we get a new vignette for the mystery woman who has been seen walking around in high heels and with long blonde hair in her first two promos. This time we see the woman turn around with a mirror over her face but her identity is still kept a secret. It still looks like Carmella.

- WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy, Lacey Evans and Heavy Machinery are announced for tomorrow's Talking Smack episode with hosts Kayla Braxton and Xavier Woods.

Samoan Street Fight: Roman Reigns and Jey Uso vs. Sheamus and King Baron Corbin

We go back to the ring for tonight's main event and out first comes WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns with manager Paul Heyman. They stand together on the stage as the pyro goes off. Reigns takes the mic and says he came out first because he wants no confusion this week. You can call this place whatever you want but this is his yard, his place, his island, his WWE, and if you want it, come and take it from him. Reigns drops the mic. The music starts up as Jey Uso makes his way out next. Reigns watches his cousin wrap his entrance as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and King Baron Corbin is being carried to the ring by his caravan. Sheamus waits on the apron. Reigns and Jey start off rocking their opponents. They clear the ring to start with Reigns throwing big right hands. Jey runs around the ring and takes Corbin down on the floor as Reigns watches. Sheamus pulls Reigns to the floor and they trade shots. Jey leaps off the top of the barrier to drop Corbin on the floor. Sheamus ends up knocked over the barrier after shots from both competitors. Corbin ends up dropping Jey on the floor with Deep Six after throwing a chair at Reigns' face to drop him.

Corbin brings Reigns in the ring and follows with a steel chair but Reigns kicks him as he goes to pick the chair up. Reigns unloads on Corbin with chair shots while he's down now. Reigns goes under the ring for a table but Sheamus runs over out of nowhere and delivers a big knee to the jaw. Sheamus mounts Reigns on the floor with right hands. Corbin mounts Reigns now, working him over as the referee warns them from the ring. Sheamus and Corbin double team Reigns at ringside now. They toss Reigns over the announce table and he lands hard on the floor. Jey is still down in the ring. Corbin and Sheamus bring a table in the ring now. Corbin mounts Jey with big right hands. Sheamus stomps away on Jey in the corner now. Corbin and Sheamus stand the table up but here comes Jey with an enziguri to Sheamus. Jey fights Corbin now. Jey goes to the top but Sheamus cuts him off. Corbin and Sheamus both grab Jey from the top, carry him over to the table and powerbomb him through it.

Sheamus covers for the pin on top of the table debris but somehow Jey kicks out. Corbin can't believe it. Corbin goes back to ringside but Reigns throws a chair at him and he goes down. Sheamus rocks Reigns in the face. Sheamus clears the announce table now. Sheamus slams Reigns face-first into the announce table. Sheamus brings Reigns on the table and goes for White Noise but Reigns fights out and hits a low blow. Reigns then puts Sheamus through the announce table with a Samoan Drop.

Corbin immediately rocks Reigns. Reigns sends him into the ring post face-first. Everyone is down but Reigns now. Reigns charges as Sheamus gets up and hits a big Spear to send him crashing through the barrier at ringside. Corbin nails Reigns from behind. Corbin sends Reigns into the steel steps, then into the ring. Jey gets up in the ring and leaps out, hitting Corbin but Corbin tosses him into the timekeeper's area. Corbin is alone with Reigns in the ring now.

Uso grabs Reigns' title belt and nails Corbin with it from the floor, dazing him. Reigns quickly follows up with a Spear to Corbin. Jey immediately goes to the top and hits the big Uso Splash, covering Corbin for the pin to win.

Winners: Roman Reigns and Jey Uso

- After the match, Jey's music hits as he stands tall and begins to celebrate. Reigns stands up and looks confused. Heyman watches from ringside. Jey is getting hyped up but Reigns doesn't share his excitement. Jey grabs the Universal Title belt and stares at it before tossing it to his cousin. Jey goes back to celebrating the win as Reigns looks at him and starts smiling. They embrace in the middle of the ring, keeping it held for a minute or two. Jey exits the ring, still celebrating and calling on Reigns to join him. Reigns looks on from the ring, staring Jey down. Heyman looks at Reigns from the side, nodding his head as Reigns glances over at him. SmackDown on FOX goes off the air with Reigns staring down his Clash of Champions challenger.