WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - December 17th, 2021
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Universal Champion Roman Reigns returns to SmackDown this Friday
After Brock Lesnar wreaked more havoc on the blue brand, Universal Champion Roman Reigns returns to SmackDown, tonight!
:smackdown:
– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a look back at what happened last week with Brock Lesnar, Sami Zayn and Paul Heyman.
– We’re live from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois now as we see Paul Heyman waiting in the back parking lot. Heyman is holding the WWE Universal Title belt, waiting for Roman Reigns to arrive.
– Michael Cole welcomes us to a packed Allstate Arena near Chicago. He is joined at ringside by Pat McAfee. We go right to the ring.
Sasha Banks and Toni Storm vs. Shotzi and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair
Sasha Banks makes her way out first to a pop. Toni Storm is already out as well. Out next comes Shotzi as Mike Rome does the introductions. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is out last for this tag team match. Flair poses on the entrance-way as the pyro goes off. We see what happened in her Championship Contender match against Storm last week.
Shotzi starts off with Storm and they lock up. They tangle and then break. They lock up again and Storm applies a headlock, then takes Shotzi down to the mat and grounds her. They trade holds on the mat now, then break as Storm escapes a hold. They face off and lock back up. Storm goes to work on the arm. Shotzi turns it around and works on Storm’s arm. Storm breaks free and kicks Shotzi off a kip-up. Storm drops Shotzi with a bigger kick. Banks tags in but Shotzi avoids a double team.
Flair tags in and faces off with Banks as fans cheer. They lock up and go to the corner. Flair backs off as Banks kicks her from the second turnbuckle. Banks sends Flair flying with a hurricanrana. Banks with a takedown for 2, and another. Banks keeps contorl and takes Flair into the corner to tag Storm in. They briefly double team Flair and Storm goes to work. Flair stuns Storm and then kicks Banks off the apron. Flair stands tall and poses for heat from the crowd.
Flair goes back for Storm but Storm slams her on her face for a 2 count as Shotzi makes the save. Shotzi sends Storm to the floor, next to Banks and they’re both laid out at ringside now. Shotzi stands tall in the ring with Flair, who is recovering. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Banks and Storm deliver a double suplex to Shotzi for a 2 count. Storm mounts Shotzi with right hands. Banks tags back in for another double team for a 2 count. Shotzi gets some offense in but Banks ends up making a comeback, decking Flair to knock her off the apron. Banks turns around to a big right hand from Shotzi. Flair tags back in and delivers a big chop to knock Banks out of the ring.
Flair keeps control for a few minutes now. Flair grounds Banks as fans try to rally for her. Banks fights up from the mat but Flair catches her in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a 2 count. Flair is frustrated with the count. Flair works Banks over in the corner and tags in Shotzi but Shotzi misses when charging with a flying knee as Banks moves. Storm tags in and unloads on Shotzi. Storm with a big forearm and a takedown. Storm kicks and stomps on Shotzi in the corner now. Shotzi counters a suplex and they trade holds now. Flair tags in and launches Storm over her head with a throw, sending Storm to the floor. Flair kips up and stands tall as we go back to commercial.
More back and forth after the match as Banks and Flair go at it. Shotzi gets dropped by Banks. Flair counters the Backstabber but Banks levels Flair with a crossbody out of nowhere, from a tilt-a-whirl counter, for a close 2 count. Banks with double knees in the corner, and again for a 2 count. Fans rally as Banks and Flair trade strikes in the middle of the ring now.
Banks unloads with strikes but Flair kicks her to cut her off. Banks counters a back suplex and rolls Flair for 2. Banks with a big bulldog off a counter. Storm tags in as Banks goes to the top but Banks rolls through as Flair moves and charges into the corner. Shotzi runs in but Banks hits he with a Backstabber. Flair tosses Banks to the floor. Flair still hasn’t seen Storm tag in. Storm is on the top now. She flies as Flair turns around but Flair kicks out just in time as the crowd goes wild. Flair and Storm go at it now and Flair sends Storm face-first into the middle turnbuckle.
Flair goes to the top for the moonsault but she has to land on her feet as Storm moves. Flair goes for the follow-up moonsault but Storm gets her knees up. Storm bridges into a pin and gets the win for a big pop.
Winners: Toni Storm and Sasha Banks
– After the match, Storm and Banks celebrate as the crowd cheers big time for the upset. Flair sits on the apron and takes her title as Banks and Storm celebrate, taunting the losers.
– Ricochet, Mansoor, Drew Gulak, Rick Boogs and WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura are backstage chanting “Hail King Woods!” along with Sir Kofi Kingston. They are standing around King Xavier Woods, who is sitting on his throne with his new crown on. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos walk up and talk some trash but The New Day mocks them, and Woods says they will defeat The Usos tonight, and then again at WWE Day 1 to become the new champions. The Usos are confident they will win tonight and at Day 1. The Usos walk off as Woods jokes about how bad they smell.
The Viking Raiders vs. Jinder Mahal and Shanky
We go back to the ring and out come The Viking Raiders – Erik and Ivar. The Vikings hit the ring and continue their entrance as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and our Progressive-sponsored replay shows how Xia Li debuted last week to save Naomi from Natalya, Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville. Megan Morant is backstage with Natalya now. She dismisses Li and goes on about how she is the best of all time here on SmackDown. Natalya says if The Protector ever steps to her again, she will be the one who needs protected. The announcers show us how Bobby Lashley defeated Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and WWE Champion Big E on Monday’s RAW, to earn a spot in the WWE Title match at Day 1 to make it a Fatal 4 Way. We go back to the ring and out comes Jinder Mahal and Shanky as The Viking Raiders look on. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Ivar is in control of Jinder. Erik tags in for the double team. Erik yells at Jinder and then faces off with Shanky, who is taunting him from the apron. Erik turns around to an attack from Jinder. Jinder drops Erik with a knee. Shanky tags in and they put Erik down off a quick double team. Shanky scoops Erik for a big sidewalk slam now. Erik kicks out at 2.
Shanky takes Erik face-first into the turnbuckle now. Shanky with big strikes and an elbow in the corner, putting Erik back down as Ivar tries to rally for the tag from the apron. Shanky with a huge chop and a shoulder block to level Erik for another 2 count. Shanky with an elbow in the opposite corner as Jinder tags in and takes over, beating Erik back down. Erik fights back but Jinder drops him and unloads, stomping away to keep him down. Jinder with a short-arm clothesline from the corner. Jinder grounds Erik now as fans try to rally.
Erik fights out of the corner and in comes Ivar. Ivar rocks Jinder and drops him, then delivers a big sideslam of his own. Ivar with the crossbody while Jinder is down. Ivar decks Shanky while he’s on the apron but it does nothing and allows Jinder to deck him. Ivar with a cartwheel into a lariat to Jinder. Erik tags back in for the double team on Jinder. Erik scoops Ivar and slams him on top of Jinder for a close 2 count. Erik grabs Jinder but Jinder nails a jawbreaker and in comes Shanky. Erik side-steps Shanky in the corner.
Ivar tags in and clotheslines Shanky in the corner. Erik follows up with the double team. Erik scoops Ivar and slams him into Shanky while he’s down in the corner. Erik with a big throw to Jinder as he runs in. Ivar goes to the top and nails the flying splash to Shanky for the pin to win.
Winners: The Viking Raiders
– After the match, Erik and Ivar stand tall and celebrate as the music hits. We go to replays. The Viking Raiders pound their chests in the ring as Jinder and Shanky look on from ringside.
– We see how Drew McIntyre put his sword deep into Adam Pearce’s desk last week, and how Madcap Moss and Happy Baron Corbin were later seen pushing Pearce’s desk down a hall, with the sword still in it. Now we see Moss and Corbin backstage, still in possession of the desk and McIntyre’s sword, named Angela. Happy Talk is coming up. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Paul Heyman is in the parking lot when a SUV pulls up. Still holding the WWE Universal Title belt, Heyman is expecting Roman Reigns but Brock Lesnar hops out instead. Heyman says he was expecting someone else and Lesnar says that’s quite alright. Lesnar asks if Heyman was expecting Roman, and he was. Lesnar tells Heyman good luck with that, and pats him on the shoulder. Lesnar walks off and Heyman thanks him.
– We go back to the ring for another must see edition of Happy Talk with Madcap Moss and Happy Baron Corbin. They head to the ring after the pyro goes off.
Adam Pearce’s desk is in the middle of the ring, with Drew McIntyre’s sword Angela still stuck in it. Corbin welcomes everyone to Happy Talk and fans boo. Corbin is extremely happy this week because they have a new addition to the set of Happy Talk. Corbin says to Drew this is just a sword, but to Corbin this is a piece of highly functioning, expensive furniture. It’s a hat rack, or a cigar cutter. You can even clean your fingernails with it. Corbin couldn’t be happier than adding the sword to the Happy Talk set. Corbin asks Moss if he has any jokes, and he does. Moss calls McIntyre “The Glasgow Ditz” because he lost his sword. Moss continues cracking jokes on McIntyre as fans briefly chant for hometown star CM Punk, it sounds like.
Corbin says Moss is hilarious. Corbin was going to leave the sword in the desk forever but he wants Moss to have it because he’s so funny and so good at telling jokes. Moss tries to pull the sword from the desk but he can’t get it out. Corbin says that’s a good Pearce impression, but quit messing around and get the sword out. Moss says he’s not messing around, he really can’t get the sword out. Corbin tries but he also can’t get the sword out. The music interrupts and out comes McIntyre to a pop.
McIntyre speaks form the apron and asks if they’re having performance issues. Moss charges but Drew decks him with the microphone. McIntyre enters the ring and ends up dropping Corbin with a Glasgow Kiss headbutt. McIntyre finally pulls the sword out of the desk with no problems. McIntyre goes for Corbin again but Moss pulls him to safety. McIntyre stands tall with the sword as his music starts up as Moss and Corbin look on from ringside. McIntyre hits the corner to pose with Angela as fans cheer him on.
– Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville are backstage. Sami Zayn walks in and says he just wanted to wish them a Happy Holidays. Sami goes on about the spirit of giving and rants about how Brock Lesnar ruined his WWE Universal Title shot, wondering how long it will be before he gets another shot. Sami goes on and Pearce says maybe they can give him something else. They make a Gauntlet Match for next week’s SmackDown, with the winner receiving a WWE Intercontinental Title shot. Sami will be in the match. Deville and Pearce are all smiles as they wish Sami the best and he makes his exit.
Ridge Holland vs. Cesaro
We go back to the ring and out comes Ridge Holland with Sheamus. This is a rematch from Holland’s in-ring debut on November 26, which he lost. Out next comes Cesaro.
Sheamus talks some trash and distracts Cesaro, allowing Holland to deck him from behind with a baton shot to the ribs. The referee checks on Cesaro while Sheamus and Holland play to the crowd for boos. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Cesaro is still at ringside recovering, telling the referee he’s good to go, he just needs a second. A trainer taped up Cesaro’s ribs during the commercial, says Cole. Cesaro returns to the ring and here we go. Holland rams Cesaro into the corner and works him over as Sheamus barks from ringside. Holland a big backbreaker, putting the knee into the ribs. Cesaro stays in it but Holland grounds him and stretches him as Sheamus looks on from ringside.
Holland with an abdominal stretch in the middle of the ring now. Holland with a big right hand to the injured ribs. Cesaro finally gets an opening with a back suplex. Cesaro with a running uppercut in the corner, while holding his ribs. Cesaro with more strikes in the corner but Holland hits him in the ribs. Cesaro sends Holland over the top rope to the floor and the barrier.
Cesaro with a running uppercut at ringside. Sheamus and Cesaro have words as the referee counts. Cesaro rolls Holland back in but Sheamus talks more trash. The distraction allows Holland to deck Cesaro as he tries to come back in. Holland goes on and hits his side sitout powerslam finisher for the pin to win.
Winner: Ridge Holland
– After the match, Holland stands tall as Sheamus’ music hits. Cesaro goes to ringside clutching his hurt ribs. Sheamus joins Holland in the ring to celebrate.
– We see Drew McIntyre backstage looking for Happy Corbin.
Naomi vs. Sonya Deville
We go back to the ring and out comes Naomi. Cole says Naomi has demanded her match against Sonya Deville once again. Naomi dances around and heads to the ring as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Naomi is in the ring with her Christmas list for this year. She has only one thing on the list – to face Deville one-on-one. Naomi thinks Santa Claus is coming a little early for her because she knows Deville is in the back listening. She says Deville has done about everything to her at this point, except face her one-on-one. Naomi calls Deville to the ring to come fight. Deville comes out and says this is so unprofessional. She has explained it before but will do it again now – when she has this suit on, Naomi cannot touch her. Deville says she has another opponent for Naomi. She goes on and reveals the opponent is Shayna Baszler.
Naomi says she will face Baszler, but she wants Deville to get in the ring and fight her. Deville says that’s no problem. She enters the ring but stalls, allowing Baszler to attack Naomi from behind.
Baszler beats Naomi while she’s down, focusing on her knee. Deville tells the referee to ring the bell now to begin. Baszler with a leg submission in the middle of the ring. Naomi crawls for the rope but Baszler pulls her back. Naomi counters and rolls Baszler up for the quick pin to win out of nowhere.
Winner: Naomi
– After the match, a surprised and angry Deville watches from ringside as Naomi’s music hits. Naomi exits the ring and taunts Deville at ringside. They have words as Naomi backs up the ramp.
– Megan Morant interviews Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss in the back but they’re hiding out in a dark area. She asks to turn on some light and they’re worried. Megan asks about Drew McIntyre but they go on about being happy and not worried. Corbin is happy because they will be laughing all the way to New Year’s, because Drew is going to lose to Moss at WWE Day 1. Moss seems a bit nervous at this news. Corbin laughs and encourages Moss to end the segment.
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day
We go back to the ring and out comes The New Day – Kofi Kingston and King Xavier Woods. They head to the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and out come SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos for this non-title match – Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. The New Day waits in the ring. This will be a preview for the title match at WWE Day 1. Jey starts off with Kofi and strikes first. They run the ropes and Kofi nails an early SOS for a close 2 count. Kofi kicks Jey and chops him. Kofi fights off an arm submission but Jimmy kicks him in the head from the apron.
Jimmy tags in and Jey decks Kofi on his way out. Jimmy unloads and beats Kofi down in the corner now. Fans try to rally for The New Day as Jimmy slaps Kofi back down in the corner. Jey tags back in for a kick to the gut while Jimmy holds Kofi up. Jimmy tags right back in, grounding Kofi with a headlock.
Kofi finally drops Jimmy with a superkick to get an opening. Jey and Woods reach for tags. Woods tags in but the referee didn’t see the tag. The distraction allows The Usos to double team Kofi as fans boo. The Usos stand tall together on the apron, raising their fingers in the air, as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Kofi finally gets an opening. Woods tags in and unloads on Jimmy. Jey runs in but Woods boots him from the corner, then nails the Honor Roll. Woods takes Jimmy out with a side-Russian leg sweep as fans go wild. Woods clotheslines Jimmy to the floor, then nails a dropkick through the middle rope. Woods brings Jimmy back into the ring. Woods goes to the top for a flying leg drop but Jimmy kicks out just in time.
Jimmy with an enziguri to Woods. Kofi tags in as Jey launches Woods into the barrier at ringside. Kofi leaps off the top but jimmy moves. Jimmy blocks the SOS, then blocks Trouble In Paradise. Jimmy levels Kofi with a big superkick but Kofi kicks out just in time. Jey tags in and goes to the top but the referee didn’t see him tag. Kofi takes advantage of the distraction and knocks Jey off the top to the floor. Jimmy argues with the referee but this allows Kofi to nail Trouble In Paradise for the pin to win.
Winners: The New Day
– After the match, The New Day celebrates at ringside as the music hits and The Usos look on.
– Paul Heyman is waiting backstage when a car pulls up and out comes WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Heyman greets the champ but Reigns wants to go to his locker room suite and talk. Reigns marches away while Heyman follows, still holding the Universal Title belt. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and announced for next week’s Christmas Eve episode is Toni Storm vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair for the title, plus a 12 Days of Christmas Gauntlet Match with 12 Superstars competing for a shot at WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura.
– We go back to the ring and out comes The Bloodline – WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns with SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and Paul Heyman. Reigns stops on the entrance and the title is raised in the air as the pyro goes off. Cole hypes Brock Lesnar vs. Reigns at WWE Day 1. Reigns stops on the apron next, and raises his finger in the air, then enters the ring to more pyro.
The Bloodline looks on as Reigns takes the mic. He finally tells Chicago to acknowledge him, and they respond with a very mixed reaction. Reigns said it before and he thought he was clear – he doesn’t like it when his cousins lose. Reigns tells Jey Uso they are family and they can get through anything because they’re blood. He turns to Heyman next, who is all smiles. Reigns says Heyman is not his blood. Heyman stops smiling. Reigns says Heyman should know better than anyone that he can’t have anyone disrespecting him, because that means they’re disrespecting his entire family. Reigns asks Wise Man if he can trust him. Reigns says he took a week off and he didn’t see anything but he knows everything that happens around here and last week Heyman seemed a bit shady to him.
Reigns asks Heyman if he knew Lesnar was returning at SummerSlam, if he knew Lesnar would be at Madison Square Garden, if he knew Lesnar’s suspension would be lifted. Heyman shakes his head and looks on. Fans chant “you f----d up!” and Reigns says you’re damn right Heyman screwed up. Reigns says this is an important question – is Heyman a special counsel or is he an advocate? Heyman turns and takes the mic. He seems stressed and bothered. Heyman goes to speak but first Reigns wants Heyman to acknowledge him with the truth. Reigns asks Heyman if he’s protecting Lesnar from him.
Heyman addresses his Tribal Chief and says he’s not protecting Lesnar from Reigns… he’s protecting Reigns from Lesnar. Heyman says this in Reigns’ face. The Usos seem shocked and some fans pop. The Usos are behind Reigns, hyping him up. Reigns hugs Heyman and says he loves his Wise Man. Heyman loves Reigns. Reigns thanks Heyman for his honesty, and for 40 years of service to his family. Heyman thanks him as well. Reigns then says Heyman is fired. Reigns backs up and then flattens Heyman with a Superman Punch as fans pop.
Reigns asks for a steel chair and Uso brings it in. Reigns places the chair under Heyman’s face, and calls for another. He goes to smash the chairs into Heyman with a Con-Chair-To but the music interrupts and out comes Lesnar, wearing overalls again this week. The Bloodline waits in the ring as Lesnar slowly walks out. The Usos meet Lesnar at ringside but he destroys them. Lesnar with a big F5 to Jey but Jimmy superkicks him. Lesnar laughs it off and drops Jimmy with a F5 on the floor. Reigns looks on from the ring. Lesnar paces around the ringside area, staring Reigns down.
Fans chant “Suplex City!” now. Lesnar rushes the ring but Reigns unloads with steel chair shots. Lesnar powers through the chair shots and drops Reigns with a F5. Lesnar scoops Reigns for another F5 as fans go wild. Lesnar stands tall while Reigns and Heyman are laid out in the ring. SmackDown on FOX goes off the air.
