WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - December 23rd, 2022
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Strowman and Ricochet to bring holiday joy in Miracle on 34th Street Fight with Imperium
The holiday season is in full swing, and that can only mean thing: the return of the Miracle on 34th Street Fight! This spirited match always brings out the cheer and brutality, with past encounters including The New Day, Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton. This time, Braun Strowman will team up with Ricochet against common enemies Imperium, whom they wish to give a season’s beating. Who will join the nice list with a victory?
:smackdown:
Smackdown Live Coverage 23rd Dec, 2022
Announcers: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett.
Roman Reigns makes his way to the ring with Sami Zayn, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Paul Heyman.
Paul introduces himself and he is here to hype you on two back to back historical weeks for the greatest faction, the Bloodline.
First, tonight, the longest reigning tag team champions in history, The Usos, will successfully defend their tag team championship against Hit Row. That’s not a prediction, that’s a spoiler. Then, next week, live from the beautiful, warm city of Tampa, Florida, the enforcer, Solo Sikoa will take out Sheamus. End of discussion. Then the biggest televised match of 2022, Kevin Owens and John Cena get smashed by Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns.
Roman asks for his mic and he is given it.
Roman says you know what he is going to do next week. He is going to smash somebody. He made multiple millions of dollars by whooping John Cena and Kevin Owens because that is what I do. I am curious about what the Honorary Uce is going to do. This isn’t the Sami he knows. He looks flustered and irritated. Roman wants Sami to get it off his chest.
Sami says he should be on top of the world. It is the holidays and he wants what everybody wants. A little respect and a place to belong. I found that with the hottest group in the history of WWE, the Bloodline. I found family and respect. They love him. This city loves him. Sami says people love him wherever he goes. People chant for him.
You would think that would put him on top of the world, but it doesn’t. There is a black cloud hanging over his head and it is called Kevin Owens. Last week, what could have been and should have been was ruined by Kevin Owens. Just by his existence. His name being tied to Sami his entire career, and he can’t get rid of him. Kevin wants to say that he is done with him, but not the Bloodline.
You have a problem with him. Then you want to bring back John Cena to try to upstage him and them to try to steal the show. WE ARE THE SHOW.
Listen closely Kevin and John. We are going to destroy you and rip you apart. We are going to leave you mangled. You tried to step to the Bloodline and when you do that, you get smashed. Prepare next week to do what every other WWE Superstar has done and what this city is about to do, acknowledge the Tribal Chief.
We go to commercial.
WWE Men’s Tag Team Championship
Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs Top Dolla and Ashante Thee Adonis (w/ B Fab)
Jey and Adonis start things off and they lock up. Jey with a side head lock and Adonis does some dancing after Jey drops down. Adonis with an arm drag into an arm bar. Dolla tags in and Adonis with a punch and Adonis with a shoulder in the corner. Dolla with a boot. Dolla goes for a slam but Jey lands on his feet and he clips Dolla. Jimmy tags in and he kicks Dolla. Jimmy chokes Dolla in the ropes and Jey punches Dolla. Jey tags in and hits a thrust kick. Dolla with punches and elbows to escape the corner. Dolla brings Jimmy into the ring but Jey with a shoulder to the knee.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jimmy and Jey with a double head butt to Dolla. Jey with a punch but Dolla with a spinebuster. Jimmy tags in and so does Adonis. Adonis with a flapjack and drop kick. Adonis with a kick to Jey and a leg sweep to Jimmy. Adonis with a float over DDT. Adonis goes up top and hits a cross body for a near fall. Adonis waits for Jimmy to get up and Jimmy blocks a thrust kick. Adonis lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex attempt. Adonis hits Jey on the apron but Jimmy with a Samoan drop for a near fall.
Dolla pulls Jimmy out of the ring and sends him into the ring steps. Adonis with a rollup on Jey for a near fall. Adonis with a thrust kick and Dolla tags in. They hit a drop kick and back drop driver combination for a near fall. Jimmy super kicks Adonis off the apron. Dolla gets Jimmy up and then he picks up Jey but his leg gives out. Jey with a super kick and Jimmy tags in. They hit a double super kick and then hit 1D for the three count.
Winners: Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso (retain championship)
We take a look at Gunther.
Backstage:
Kayla Braxton is with Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. She asks them about their street fight tonight. Kaiser says it is an abomination. It makes a mockery of what they do. Vinci says Braun and Ricochet are sideshows. Put them in the circus with the other freaks, not in the ring with athletes like them. Kaiser says they will not be spreading holiday cheer, but they will maintain the honor of the ring.
Women's Number One Contender Gauntlet Match
One: Emma vs Xia Li
They lock up and Xia pushes Emma on the break. Emma avoids a clothesline and hits a clothesline of her own. Emma with a clotheslien and kick. Emma with a butterfly suplex. Emma with a forearm in the corner and a cross body into the corner for a near fall. Emma goes for a slam but Xia escapes and pushes Emma away. Xia sends Emma throat first into the ropes and follows with a back heel kick and round kick. Xia with a step up forearm to the head followed by a cyclone kick for the three count.
Two: Xia Li vs Tegan Nox
Tegan with forearms and uppercuts to Li. Tegan with a sit out gourdbuster. Tegan with a kick to Xia and she goes up top and hits a cross body for a near fall. They fight to the apron and Xia pushes Tegan into the ring post and Xia kicks Tegan into the post again and follows with a knee. Xia with a Cyclone Kick for the three count.
Three: Raquel Rodriguez vs Xia Li
Raquel has Xia on her back but Xia rolls Raquel to the floor. Xia with a kick to the injured arm. Xia with a running knee to the side of the head. Xia with a kick to Raquel. Raquel sends Xia into the turnbuckles. Raquel with an uppercut and a boot to Xia. Raquel with a fallaway slam. Raquel with a double jump Vader Bomb elbow drop for a near fall. Xia with a back heel kick and a round kick to the chest. Xia with the step up forearm to the head but misses the Cyclone kick and Raquel with the Tejana Bomb for the three count.
Four: Liv Morgan vs Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel runs Liv into the corner and connects with shoulders. Liv goes for a codebreaker but Raquel blocks it. Liv with a drop kick to send Raquel into the corner. Liv with an uppercut and a knee in the corner. Raquel blocks a head scissors take down but Liv gets on Raquel’s shoulders for a victory roll and a near fall. Liv with another rollup for a near fall. Liv with a La Magistral for a near fall. Liv with a jackknife cover for a near fall. Raquel with a rollup for a near fall.
Liv with a rear naked choke and a body scissors. Liv gets Raquel to a knee. Raquel gets back to her feet and she falls back to the mat.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Raquel with a superplex. Raquel with a back elbow and clothesline followed by a spinning side slam. Raquel with a splash into the corner and Liv with a double knee arm breaker. Liv with boots to the arm in the corner. Liv goes to the turnbuckles and hits a missile drop kick for a near fall. Liv with Rings of Saturn. Raquel gets Liv on her back and gets to her feet. Raquel with a side slam but Liv gets her knees up and gets a near fall. Raquel blocks an Irish whip and catches Liv on a cross body and hits a fallaway slam. Raquel with a double jump twisting elbow drop for a near fall.
Raquel with punches to Liv and Liv punches back. Liv with kicks to Raquel and Raquel with a boot to the head. Raquel gets Liv up and Liv with a crucifix bomb for a near fall. Raquel blocks ObLIVion and Raquel goes for the Tejana bomb but Liv gets to her feet and she hits an enzuigiri. Raquel counters ObLIVion with a Tejana Bomb for the three count.
Five: Sonya Deville vs Raquel Rodriguez
Sonya with a forearm and kicks to the arm. Sonya with punches to Raquel but Raque with a head butt and shoulder tackle. Raquel goes for a slam but her arm gives out. Sonya with an arm wringer and a running knee to the chest for a near fall. Raquel goes shoulder first into the ring post and Sonya slams the arm into the ring post. Raquel with shoulders and she slams Sonya. Raquel with a flapjack for a near fall. Sonya with a back elbow and Sonya with a kimura from the turnbuckles and the referee warns him. Sonya with another kimura and the referee warns her. Raquel with a Tejana Bomb for the three count.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez
After the match:
Ronda Rousey comes out. She tells Raquel you can wipe that smile off your face. You haven’t won anything yet. You have one more opponent.
Shayna Baszler vs Raquel Rodriguez
Shayna goes after the arm and pulls off the arm brace. Raquel with a rollup for the three count.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez
We have a video package for the LA Knight and Bray Wyatt situation.
We go to commercial.
The lights are off and Bray Wyatt makes his way to the ring.
Bray says one fo the hardest things for him to do is to come out and talk to all of you. It is a wild feeling. It is a surreal feeling. He says he does not understand the excitement for everyone to see him. Bray says he doesn’t see himself like that. He wants to present you with the realest him. Bray says he does not know if there is a real him. He knows that LA Knight owes him an apology. Nobody listened to him. He didn’t believe Bray and you didn’t believe Bray either. You thought it was him.
Bray says he is not Uncle Howdy. He never was Uncle Howdy. When he thinks about what . . . When he thinks about . . . Bray apologizes for losing his train of thought.
Bray squats down in the ring and drops the mic.
Bray attacks the camera man and sends him to the mat. Bray with a mandible claw and he slams his head to the mat.
Adam Pearce and officials come out to stop Bray.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at what we just saw with Bray Wyatt.
We go to footage from last week of Rey talking about Karrion Kross. Then we see Angel and Humberto talking about how Kross was saying that Rey is past his prime and they are the future.
Angel Garza (w/ Humberto Carrillo) vs Rey Mysterio
We see Kross and Scarlett watching in the crowd.
Angel gets to his knees to make sure that he can see Rey eye to eye. Angel offers his hand and Rey shakes it and then slaps Angel with the other. Angel with a sunset flip but Rey rolls through and hits a drop kick because you don’t sunset flip Rey Mysterio. Rey with punches in the corner. Rey goes for a springboard cross body but Angel moves. Angel with a drop kick and the pants come off. Angel throws the pants at Rey and hits a butterfly back breaker for a near fall.
Angel with a reverse chin lock. Angel with Irish whips that send Rey sternum first into the turnbuckles and Angel with forearms to the back. Rey sends Angel into the turnbuckles and then Rey goes up top and hits a seated splash and a head scissors that send Angel into the ropes, eventually. Humberto pulls Angel to the floor and Rey with a pescado onto Humberto. Angel with a super kick for a near fall. Angel puts Rey in the ropes and Humberto with a punch. Angel sets for a 619 and he does the Eddie shimmy. Rey with a head scissors and 619 followed by a springboard DDT for the three count.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
After the match:
Rey sees Kross and Scarlett in the crowd and they gesture to each other.
Ricochet talks about Vinci and Kaiser and their comments from earlier tonight. Braun says maybe they do belong in the circus so let’s show them who runs the big top.
We go to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and Karrion Kross and Scarlett are in the back and Emma stops them and wants to know who they are to disrespect a legend like Rey. Emma asks Scarlett about what she said about Riddick Moss and Scarlett says she called him a fool. Emma slaps Scarlett and Kross tells Emma she does not know what she has started.
We have a video package for John Cena.
We go to commercial.
Miracle on 34th Street Fight
Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci vs Ricochet and Braun Strowman
Kaiser sends Ricochet to the floor. Braun goes after Vinci and Kaiser. He sends Kaiser to the floor and punches Vinci. Strowman tosses Ricochet into Vinci for a drop kick and he gets a near fall. Kaiser sends Ricochet into the ring stepes and then Vinci and Kaiser with forearms to Strowman. Braun throws them to the mat and he hits a splash on Kaiser but Vinci with a boot. Braun catches Vinci but Kaiser with a chop block. Vinci with a chop block and forearms to Braun. Braun sends Vinci over the top rope to the floor and then Braun with a back drop to send Kaiser into Vinci. Ricochet runs the ringside barrier and hits a head scissors on Kaiser.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Vinci sends Braun into the ring post and then into a Christmas tree and presents. Ricochet with a suicide dive but Kaiser catches Ricochet and he applies a Fujiwara arm bar. Vinci hits Ricochet with a kendo stick. Kaiser gets a chair and hits Braun with it. Vinci holds Ricochet and Kaiser hits Ricochet in the midsection with the chair. Braun punches a chair into Kaiser and he breaks a kendo stick. They fight to the entrance and Braun sends Vinci and Kaiser into the trees.
Braun gets Kaiser and Vinci on his shoulders but they get to their feet and rake Braun’s eyes. Kaiser and Vinci with a double suplex on the stage. Ricochet with a punch to Kaiser and then he exchange punches with a bloody Vinci.
Kaiser grabs Ricochet’s leg and then Ricochet with a shoulder to Vinci. Kaiser hits Ricochet in the back with a chair when Ricochet goes for a springboard move. Vinci and Kaiser push Strowman into some trees and then Vinci drops a tree on Braun. Kaiser and Vinci open one of the larger presents and a ballerina emerges and dances away. They go to the other large present and open it and two soldier boys emerge and they are Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.
Woods kicks Kaiser in the ding ding and then Kofi does the same to Vinci. Braun with a running shoulder tackle to Vinci and then to Kaiser and then Vinci again and Kaiser again. Braun sees Ricochet down on the ground and he gets some mistletoe and he holds it over Ricochet for Samantha Irvin to kiss him and Ricochet powers up and kicks Vinci and hits a springboard clothesline. Ricochet with a quebrada to Vinci and Braun power bombs Kaiser through a table. Ricochet with Recoil to Vinci and Braun with a running power slam. Ricochet goes up top and he gets on Braun’s shoulders for a splash for the three count.
Winners: Ricochet and Braun Strowman
We go to credits.
