WWE Friday Night Smackdown LIVE Coverage - October 18th, 2019

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Reigns battles Nakamura for the Intercontinental Title

With the dust settled from the WWE Draft, Superstars are jockeying to stand out on the SmackDown roster. Roman Reigns aims to snatch the Intercontinental Title away from Shinsuke Nakamura after Sami Zayn called out The Big Dog in Twitter, a Six-Pack Challenge Match will decide SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley next challenger on the same night that the new titleholder will be a guest on "Miz TV" and The New Day and Heavy Machinery will battle The Revival and Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode.



:smackdown:

- Tonight's WWE SmackDown opens up with the standard video package.

- We're live from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana as the pyro goes off in the arena. Michael Cole welcomes us. He's joined at ringside by Corey Graves.

:ictitle:

WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Roman Reigns vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

We go right to the ring and out comes the challenger Roman Reigns. The pyro explodes again and Reigns gets a pop. Cole and Graves hype Bayley on MizTV and the women's division Six-Pack Challenge to crown her next challenger. Out next comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura with Sami Zayn. The announcers hype the match as Nakamura poses in the corner.

The bell rings and they go at it. Zayn is on commentary as Reigns works Nakamura over. Nakamura turns it around and drives big knees into Reigns. Nakamura runs into a big boot in the corner. Reigns keeps control until Nakamura rocks him. More back and forth between the two. Reigns drives Nakamura into the mat for a close 2 count. They end up on the floor and Reigns goes for a Drive By at the apron but Sami jumps over and pulls Nakamura out of the way..

Back from the break and Reigns tries to fight back but Nakamura keeps control. More back and forth. Nakamura keeps Reigns grounded now. Nakamura fights up and out. Reigns rocks Nakamura and nails a clothesline for a pop. Reigns with another pop for dropping the champ. Reigns runs the ropes and hits the flying clothesline as Sami looks on. Reigns with clotheslines in the corner as fans count along. Reigns with a big boot to level Nakamura. Reigns with more power moves. Nakamura pulls Reigns down into an armbar out of nowhere. Reign resists and goes for the bottom rope but Nakamura keeps the Triangle locked in.

Fans chant for Reigns as he powers up with Nakamura, bringing him back down with a big powerbomb. Nakamura kicks out at 2 and Reigns can't believe it. The crowd gets riled up as Reigns takes it all in. Nakamura is down. Sami has had enough. He gets up from commentary and hits the apron for the distraction. This leads to a cheap shot from Nakamura. Nakamura follows up with the sliding snap German suplex at the apron. Nakamura returns to the ring and calls for a Kinshasa but Reigns meets him in mid-move with the big Superman Punch. Nakamura still kicks out.

Reigns looks to put Nakamura away with the Spear as he waits for Nakamura to get up. King Baron Corbin suddenly appears on the apron and rocks Reigns with his scepter. The referee calls the match.

Winner by DQ: Roman Reigns

- After the match, Reigns wins but Nakamura retains. Reigns gets beat down until Daniel Bryan hits the ring and unloads on everyone. Bryan dumps Corbin to the floor and then fights off Nakamura. Bryan with more offense and a big pop. Bryan goes to run the ropes again but Sami grabs his ankle from the floor. Bryan struggles with him. Bryan looks up as Nakamura charges and lays him out. Nakamura, Sami and Corbin leave together as Nakamura's music hits.

- We go backstage to The New Day. Tucker of Heavy Machinery appears and talks about doing battle in the World Cup Tag Team Turmoil Match at Crown Jewel, but they will be on the same page for tonight's eight-man tag team match. Otis comes in with a special pancake mix, with extra protein. Otis is reminded that they don't have time to cook because the match is soon. He drinks the pancake mix from the bowl and we go back to commercial.

- Back from the break and Kayla Braxton stops Baron Corbin backstage for comments on what just happened. He puts his crown on and just walks off.

Chad Gable vs. Curtis Axel

We go to the ring and out comes Chad Gable, now introduced as Shorty Gable. Cole shows us a quick promo for Gable. The B Team waits in the ring - Curtis Axel with Bo Dallas.

The bell rings and they go at it. Back and forth to start. Axel ends up taking Gable down in the corner and stomping away as Dallas cheers him on at ringside. Axel with more offense as he slams Gable out of the corner for another pin attempt. Axel keeps Gable grounded now. Gable fights up and out but Axel stops the momentum. Gable rolls Axel out of the corner for a 2 count.

Gable ends up on the apron. He dodges a shot from Dallas and kicks him in the face. Gable and Axel go at it in the ring now. Gable blocks a Perfect-plex and ends up taking Axel down from a counter. Gable applies the ankle lock and gets the win by submission.

Winner: Chad Gable

- After the match, Gable celebrates as his music hits. We go to replays. Kayla Braxton interviews Gable at ringside after the win. She asks how the recent height jokes from other Superstars have affected him. Gable says he thought he was being held back by his height until now and the truth is his eight makes him who he is. Gable says it's OK to be exactly who you are. Fans pop. Gable says you will come along people who want to get in your head and screw with you, but tonight, to those people, he says thank you. Thank you for making him look deep inside of himself and like who he is, embrace who he is. Gable says we all have insecurities but he stands here tonight to say one thing - you can overcome. Do not run or hide from them, accept who you are. Gable accepts who he is. Fans pop again. "I'm Shorty Gable. Actually, let's shorten that up. I'm Shorty G." Gable's music hits and he celebrates as fans pop. This name change goes with what he reported a while back, that WWE filed to trademark the "Shorty G" name.

- The announcers talk Team Flair vs. Team Hogan at WWE Crown Jewel and show us some Twitter talk between WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. They talk about WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins being off Team Hogan due to his Falls Count Anywhere match with "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt that same night. Cole and Graves are joined live via Skype by Hogan now. Fans pop big in the arena as The Hulkster asks what's up. Graves says Team Hogan has a few holes in it, and ask what Hogan plans to do about his team. Hogan says he's been chasing Flair around since Graves was in diapers, and he has Flair's number, so don't worry about it. Hogan says the entire locker room wants to be on his team. Cole asks who is going to be on his team. Hogan says Shorty G and Ali have stood out the most, indicating that Ali was scheduled to wrestle already tonight. Hogan says there will be a big announcement before the end of the show. They talk some more and Hogan issues a big Hogan-style threat to The Nature Boy. They thank Hogan and he signs off. Graves and Cole say this is a big opportunity for Ali and Shorty, to be on Team Hogan. The Team Captain will be revealed later.

Heavy Machinery and The New Day vs. The Revival, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode

We go to the ring and out first comes Heavy Machinery - Otis and Tucker. The New Day's Big E and Xavier Woods hit the ring next, with a platter full of pancakes. Kofi Kingston is with them. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and out first comes Robert Roode for this eight-man tag team match. Dolph Ziggler's entrance is next. Roode and Ziggler head to the ring together. Out next are the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Revival - Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder. Cole and Graves plug the big nine-team World Cup Turmoil match at WWE Crown Jewel. Tucker and Ziggler start the match.

Ziggler takes control early on and hits a dropkick. Ziggler shows off some and Tucker comes right back with a dropkick of his own to take control for a pop. Roode runs in to make the save but it back-fires. Otis also comes in and they hit the double team suplex on Roode and Ziggler. Big E comes in and dances with Otis before Wish-boning Ziggler. The two take out The Revival next as they run in, then get tossed to the floor. Woods runs the ropes and takes out Dawson and Dash on the floor. Woods charges on the floor but Roode and Ziggler intercept, and drive him into the floor with the big double team. Woods screams out in pain as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Dash has Woods down. Dawson ends up coming in but Woods unloads. More back and forth. Ziggler and Roode prevent a tag. Wilde tags in and The Revival hits a big double team on Woods for a close 2 count. Ziggler comes back in and takes Woods to the top for a superplex. Woods resists and fights back. Woods headbutts Ziggler to the mat.

Woods flies with a big missile dropkick as Ziggler gets up. Fans chant for Otis and pop loud as he tags in. Otis unloads on Roode as he comes in. Otis also slams Ziggler, then knocks The Revival off the apron. Otis and Roode are in the middle of the ring now. Otis droops Roode and sends Ziggler into him. Otis keeps control and takes out Roode and Ziggler once again. Dawson runs in but Otis clotheslines him. Otis splashes Roode on the ropes again.

Otis stands tall in the middle of the ring for a pop before hitting the Caterpillar on Roode. Dawson flies off the top but Otis catches him. Tucker comes in for a double team but Ziggler pulls his leg from the outside. The Revival double teams Otis but only for a 2 count as the referee botched his call. Bodies fall on the outside of the ring as Dawson is left alone with Otis. Otis blocks a suplex and lifts Dawson with one of his own. Big E comes in and Otis hands Dawson to him on his shoulders. Woods tags in for the Midnight Hour double team on Dawson for the pin to win.

Winners: The New Day and Heavy Machinery

- After the match, the winners stand tall to celebrate as The New Day's music hits. Kofi joins them.

- Still to come, a Six-Pack Challenge for the women's division. Plus, Bayley on MizTV. The announcers reveal tonight's main event - Reigns and Bryan vs. Nakamura and Zayn.

- Kayla Braxton is backstage with Daniel Bryan now. She asks about helping Roman Reigns earlier, and tonight's main event. Bryan has been beat up thousands of times but it's never affected his mind-set, and this is no different. This is his first fight on SmackDown and that's all he is focused on right now. Bryan goes on and is ready to put these two "kings" in their places.

- We see Bayley backstage walking. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and The Miz is in the ring for another must-see edition of MizTV. Miz welcomes us and talks about his guest, then introduces her. SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley makes her way out with her new theme song, and Sasha Banks right by her side.

Banks and Bayley hit the ring. Miz didn't realize Banks would be here. Banks and Bayley put the champ over. Miz talks about Bayley winning the title from Charlotte Flair, and then leads us to a video package. The video shows us how Bayley destroyed her inflatable Bayley Buddies and revealed a new look & attitude last week, then won the title. Miz has one simple question - why? Bayley takes her time and fans boo. Bayley doesn't owe anyone an explanation. Miz says she doesn't owe him anything but what about the fans and her supporters. Bayley is quiet so Miz asks who she is, a silent champion? Is she WWE Champion Brock Lesnar or Paul Heyman? Fans pop at the Lesnar mention. Miz goes on wondering why Bayley changed and asks if it's how she will always play second-fiddle to Banks, no matter what her accomplishments are.

Banks knocks Miz for getting drafted late in the 2019 WWE Draft. He says it doesn't matter, people listen when he talks. He goes on and says she slashed the Bayley Buddies to be relevant last week. Bayley says that's not why. She slashed them because they have defined her for her entire WWE run. She goes on about giving everything each week - headbands, high fives and hugs, but all fans did was take. She goes on and says she promised to elevate the division the first night she won the title, and she did that. Fans give her the "What!?" treatment now. Bayley says she was in pain, crying and heart broken when she lost the title at Hell In a Cell but no one was there for her. She goes on and says she picked herself up and won her title back, but when she walked backstage to the locker room, no one was waiting there to hug her or congratulate her. She used to think the division lacked opportunity but it's just lazy, lacks desire and power. Bayley used to try to be what "they" wanted her to be, but the truth is - she's outgrown them now. Fans boo. "So, you guys want some inspiration? Life sucks, and then you die."

The music interrupts and out comes Nikki Cross to the stage. Cross says that's enough, Bayley. She thinks she speaks for everyone here when she says the time for talking is done, and the time for action is now. Fans pop. Cross tells Bayley to go make herself comfortable, and then after tonight's win, she will make sure she gives Bayley a great big hug. The music interrupts and out comes Dana Brooke with a mic. Not so fast, Nikki. She mentions being under-utilized and under-looked, but that is the past and tonight marks a new beginning for her and she can feel it. Brooke says she will give the WWE Universe something to cheer for because The Flex Appeal is here on SmackDown. She tells fans to flex but the music interrupts and out comes Lacey Evans. Evans heads to the ring and we go to commercial.

Six-Pack Challenge: Lacey Evans vs. Carmella vs. Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville vs. Nikki Cross vs. Dana Brooke

Back from the break and Carmella is wrapping up her entrance. The ring is full - Lacey Evans, Carmella, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Nikki Cross, Dana Brooke. The winner will be the #1 contender to SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley for a future title shot.

The bell rings and here we go as everyone starts brawling. Deville and Rose double team Carmella while Cross watches from the corner. The others are on the outside. They clear and double team Cross now. Cross eventually fights back as Sasha Banks and Bayley look on. Cross fights off the double team again until Rose clotheslines her. Rose and Deville are alone in the ring now, standing tall. They double team Carmella on the floor now, talking trash against the barrier and launching her. Brooke makes the save and takes them down. Evans levels Brooke out of nowhere on the outside. Brooke rolls Cross in and stops to wipe sweat from her forehead, wasting time and turning her back. Cross takes advantage and kicks Evans from the ring, dropping her back on the floor. Carmella ends up taking down Evans, Deville and Rose at the same time with a shot off the top of the barrier. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Rose and Deville have control of Carmella now. Carmella fights them off as we see Banks and Bayley watching again. Cross makes the save on a pin Cross launches Carmela out of the ring, taking Rose and Deville down on the floor. Dana fights Rose and Deville on the floor. Cross leaps from the top, taking down all three of them on the floor. Evans launches Cross into the steel steps.

Evans brings Dana back into the ring and drives boots to her face for a 2 count. Dana ends up catching Evans with a sitdown powerbomb. Dana goes to the top and nails a big senton but Carmella and Rose break the pin up. Rose and Carmella go at it after slapping each other in the middle of the ring now. Carmella ends up getting the Code of Silence submission on Rose but Deville makes the save. Dana and Deville go at it. Evans drops Deville with the Woman's Right. More back and forth with everyone hitting their trademark moves. Cross nails a spinning neckbreaker on Rose out of nowhere for the pin.

Winner and New #1 Contender: Nikki Cross

- After the match, Cross celebrates as her music hits. Bayley stands up at ringside. Cross poses on the ropes and stares down at her, talking trash.

- Still to come, Reigns and Bryan vs. Corbin and Nakamura.

- The announcers lead us to a video package on Braun Strowman. They hype Strowman vs. Tyson Fury at Crown Jewel.

- Back from the break and we get a video package for "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs. WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins.

Braun Strowman vs. Drew Gulak

We go to the ring and out comes Braun Strowman. We get more hype for the feud with Tyson Fury and the match at Crown Jewel. Drew Gulak waits in the ring as Strowman stares him down.

The bell rings as Gulak makes his blue brand debut. Gulak goes to the ropes and requests a mic. Gulak introduces himself and says he's a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion, and he happens to be the preeminent combat sports historian in the world. Gulak goes on and Strowman makes a move towards him. Gulak says if Strowman goes into Crown Jewel being the same old Monster Among Men, Fury will knock him out. Strowman disagrees. Gulak says he's cut from the same cloth and apparently wants to help Braun. He reveals a 345-slide Power Point presentation on the big screen, something he hasn't done in a while on WWE 205 Live. Gulak says if Strowman follows the advice in the slides, he just might win at Crown Jewel.

Strowman launches Gulak across the ring a few times. Strowman follows up with a big boot to the face. Gulak kicks at Strowman's leg and fights back but Strowman drops him with a headbutt as fans pop. Gulak gets knocked to the floor. Strowman runs around the ring and levels Gulak with a big shoulder, but falls on top of him this time.

Strowman brings it back into the ring and nails a big splash in the corner as fans do the "get these hands!" chant. Strowman clubs Gulak back to the mat and scoops him for the big powerslam. Strowman covers for the pin to win.

Winner: Braun Strowman

- After the match, Strowman stands tall as his music hits.

- The announcers plug WWE 2K20 and send us to a promo for the new video game, which will be out on Tuesday.

Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns vs. King Baron Corbin and Shinsuke Nakamura

We go to the ring and out first comes Daniel Bryan for the main event. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Bryan looks on from his corner as King Baron Corbin and WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura are already out, along with Sami Zayn. Greg Hamilton does the introduces and then introduces the new Team Captain of Team Hulk Hogan at Crown Jewel - Roman Reigns. Reigns hits the ring to a big pop.

Cole also confirms Ali and Shorty G for Team Hogan, with Reigns as the Captain. The bell rings and Reigns goes at it with Corbin. Reigns unloads and takes control for a few minutes. Bryan tags in and delivers several dropkicks in the corner. Bryan takes Corbin down and delivers the "Yes!" kicks while Corbin is on his knees. Fans count along. Corbin manages to tag Nakamura in. Nakamura kicks on Bryan but Bryan uppercuts him. They trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Bryan drops Nakamura with a big knee to the gut. Bryan goes to the top but Nakamura kicks him to the floor after a distraction on the apron by Sami. We go to commercial with Bryan down on the floor.

Back from the break and Corbin unloads on Bryan to keep him down. Fans boo. Nakamura tags back in and they double team Bryan but he lands on his feet. Bran fights off Nakamura and sends Corbin shoulder-first into the ring post for a pop. Nakamura with strikes to Bryan in the corner. Bryan runs the ropes and clotheslines Nakamura. Fans start rallying for Bryan now as Reigns returns to the apron to reach for the tag.

Reigns reaches to tag but Corbin yanks him off the apron and launches him into the steel steps. Sami laughs. Nakamura counters Bryan and drops him with a kick. Nakamura with a running knee to Bryan for a close 2 count. Corbin places Reigns face-down on the steel steps now. He grabs the other half and goes to slam them on the back of Reigns' head but the referee warns him. Bryan runs the ropes, ducks Nakamura and kicks Corbin through the ropes to drop him. Bryan and Nakamura tangle off a pin attempt and Bryan counters with the LeBell Lock. Sami sends Corbin back in and Corbin breaks the submission. Corbin unloads on Bryan now and launches him into the corner. Corbin ends up running out to run back in with an attack, but Reigns leaps off the steps to hit a Superman Punch on him on the outside. Reigns gets fired up and puts Corbin through the timekeeper's area with a big Spear through the barrier. Sami is shocked.

Bryan unloads with big "Yes!" kicks to Nakamura back in the ring now, while fans count along, fired up with him. Nakamura gets dropped with the roundhouse kick. Bryan charges at Nakamura but Nakamura nails a flying knee of his own. Bryan ducks a Kinshasa attempt and immeditely hits the running knee of his own. Bryan quickly covers for the pin to win.

Winners: Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns

- After the match, Bryan stands tall as his music hits. Reigns starts to recover from the debris with Corbin on the outside. We go to replays. Reigns is in the ring with Bryan now as Bryan plays to the crowd for more pops. Cole reminds us that SmackDown will air on FS1 next week only, and WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan will be there, along with Cain Velasquez and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. SmackDown goes off the air with Reigns and Bryan standing tall in the ring.