WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - December 1st, 2023

https://i.imgur.com/kbPvLXt.jpg


Randy Orton is heading to SmackDown following Nick Aldis' invitation

Just two days after making his electrifying return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames, Randy Orton journeyed to Monday Night Raw to address the WWE Universe for the first time in nearly 18 months and proclaimed that he is out to get payback on The Bloodline for injuring him with a sickening attack. The Bloodline will not be happy to see The Apex Predator, so will the faction look to launch a preventive strike? Will Orton finally get payback?


:smackdown:

– We are live inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. where Kevin Patrick welcomes us to the show as the camera pans the crowd while the "Who better than me?" theme plays.

Corey Graves joins him on the broadcast to run down some of the action in store for tonight's show, such as Randy Orton's return. We then hear the theme for Bianca Belair play and out comes "The EST of WWE" to kick off the show.

As she settles in the ring, the commentators mention how she has a lot to smile about. We then see highlights of her team picking up the big win in the Women's WarGames match at WWE Survivor Series 2023 this past Saturday night in Chicago, Ill.

The video package focuses a lot on Bayley trying to save her team over and over again, ultimately to no avail, due to Damage CTRL coming up short in the end. Back live, Belair's theme dies down. The fans chant "EST! EST!" before she can even say a word.

Belair then mentions how cool it is to be here in one of the greatest cities in the world, Brooklyn. She mentions how last week Damage CTRL tried to take her team out, but they came together as one and did what needed to be done. She gives a shout out to Becky Lynch for showing up and showing out.

She shouts out Shotzi for her guts and passion. She shouts out Charlotte Flair for being the bigger person and making the call to Lynch. Having said all that, she says her war with Damage CTRL isn't over because she's still coming after IYO SKY to get her WWE Women's Championship back.

With that said, the theme for IYO SKY hits and out comes "The Genius of the Sky" accompanied by the rest of Damage CTRL -- Asuka, Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai. Noticably absent, however, is their leader, Bayley. Kai tells Belair it's impressive how she can get these people to cheer for her.

Kai informs Belair that SKY has beaten Belair twice already, so if she wants another title shot, she's got to beat all of Damage CTRL. Belair asks which one wants it, and says any of them can get it. Before anything happens, Charlotte Flair's theme hits and out she comes accompanied by Shotzi. They brawl and the Damage CTRL crew backs off.

Butch vs. Bobby Lashley

The Brawling Brutes theme hits and out comes Butch for one-on-one action in our opening contest. He settles in the ring for a singles showdown against "The All Mighty" Bobby Lashley as we head into a pre-match commercial break.

When we return, we see Bayley confronting Damage CTRL about her not coming out with them, saying things might have gone better for them had she known they were going out there. They tell her she could be needed for Kairi Sane's match tonight against Bianca Belair, and to be there for her.

Back inside the arena, Bobby Lashley's theme hits and out comes "The All Mighty." He gets in the ring and gets on the mic and warns Butch of what he can do to him. Butch begins brawling with him and the match gets off and running on that note. Lashley jumps into the early offensive lead.

After "The All Mighty" manhandles The Brawling Brutes member for the first minute or so, Butch starts to turn up the speed and pace and he begins shifting the offensive momentum into his favor for the first time in the contest. As he begins settling into the offensive lead, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break.

As we settle in from the break, we see Lashley send Butch into the steel ring steps on the floor with authority. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins of The Street Profits are shown on-camera behind Lashley taunting Butch after that. Back in the ring, Butch starts to come to life once again, catching Lashley with a step-up enzugiri over-and-over again. Lashley hits a Spear soon after for the win.

Winner: Bobby Lashley

– We see a lengthy look back at the Men's WarGames match at the end of the WWE Survivor Series 2023 premium live event from over the weekend and then we shoot to Paul Heyman backstage with Nick Aldis.

Heyman asks Aldis bluntly if he invited Randy Orton to SmackDown tonight. Aldis said not only did he do that, but he intends to sign Orton to an exclusive SmackDown contract tonight. Heyman asks if "The Tribal Chief" knows about this.

Aldis jokes about how all communication to Roman Reigns must go through Paul Heyman, so he says consider this communication to Reigns. He tells Heyman again he's gonna sign up Randy Orton, and if he's gotta offer up the entire Bloodline to do it, he's going to. He asks Heyman what he's gonna do about it. Heyman says anything it takes and walks off.

– We return to Butch backstage holding his neck as he walks the hallways. Up walks Kayla Braxton and she asks about Ridge Holland walking out on him last week. Butch says he doesn't know and he doesn't care. Right now it's not about The Brawling Brutes. Pretty Deadly confronts him and end up beating him down and yelling at him that he's alone now.

– We see video footage showing Santos Escobar's heel turn and attack on Rey Mysterio and his former Legado Del Fantasma brothers. Back live, he makes his way to the ring for our next match of the evening. As he does, we head to a pre-match commercial break.

Santos Escobar vs. Joaquin Wilde

When we return, we see Escobar in the ring when the theme for his opponent hits and out comes his former friend turned enemy, Joaquin Wilde. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Wilde jumps into the early offensive lead, hitting a big diving splash onto Escobar on the floor.

Back in the ring, Wilde goes to work on the knee of Escobar and then hits a rolling DDT for a close near fall attempt. Unfortunately for Wilde, seconds later Escobar takes over. He tells him, "This is what happens when you cross Santos Escobar" and then hits his finisher and pins him.

After the match, he continues beating him down until Dragon Lee runs down to make the save. Escobar runs off. He tries sneaking back in but Dragon Lee sees him coming and beats him down. He goes to check on Wilde and then runs over and hits a diving drop kick onto Escobar as he's slumped over in the corner. His theme hits to end the post-match scene.

Winner: Santos Escobar

– We see Logan Paul backstage and then we head to another commercial break. When we return, we see a worked up Adam Pearce in Nick Aldis' office. He tells him he'll be around for the Randy Orton segment tonight where Aldis vows to sign "The Viper" to an exclusive SmackDown contract.

In the arena, Logan Paul's theme hits and out comes the WWE United States Champion as highlights of his title victory over Rey Mysterio thanks to brass knuckles at Crown Jewel are shown. He settles in the ring and grabs a mic as his theme dies down.

Paul talks about his haters only fueling him to do and accomplish more and more. He also addresses the haters backstage. He asks who wants the U.S. title. He says "its' been on my junk, just like you all have since I got here!" He says since Rey Mysterio is injured, he can't give him a rematch.

He says he spoke with Nick Aldis and a tournament will take place to determine his next challenger. It will be an eight-person tourney that kicks off next week. In it will be Santos Escobar, Dragon Lee, Karrion Kross, Bobby Lashley, Grayson Waller, Austin Theory, Kevin Owens and a mystery NXT Superstar.

As he continues talking, the theme for Kevin Owens hits and out comes "The Prize Fighter" to a big pop from the Brooklyn crowd. The two trade words and insults until Grayson Waller and Austin Theory come out and Owens ends up punching them in the face once again. We then head into another commercial break.

– We return from the break and Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves and Michael Cole inform us that Logan Paul has joined them on special guest commentary for our next match of the evening. Already in the ring are Kevin Owens and Grayson Waller for their advertised match.

Kevin Owens vs. Grayson Waller

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Owens takes Waller out to the floor and beats him down in front of the WWE United States Champion. Back in the ring, "The Prize Fighter" continues to beat down Waller in the corner of the ring until he walks face-first into a big boot from the host of "The Grayson Waller Effect."

Waller takes over on offense at that point, blasting Owens with ground and pound on the mat. We head to a mid-match commercial break on that note. When we return, we see Waller dominating Owens as the commentators speculate "The Prize Fighter" may have broken his hand.

Logan Paul jokes on commentary about Owens looking like Otis on a diet. Owens hits a canonball on Waller in the corner and a senton off the top. Waller nearly pulls off the upset moments later but Owens turns it around for the win.

Winner: Kevin Owens

– A video package airs to show CM Punk's shocking return to WWE at their Survivor Series premium live event this past Saturday night in his hometown of Chicago. We also see highlights of his promo from Monday's Raw. After that, CM Punk is announced for next week's Tribute To The Troops episode of SmackDown.

Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane

Bianca Belair's theme hits inside the Barclays Center and out comes "The EST of WWE" for our final match of the evening. As she settles in the ring with Charlotte Flair and Shotzi in her corner at ringside, we head to a pre-match commercial break.

When we return, we see Damage CTRL backstage asking Bayley why she seems different. IYO SKY ends up ordering Bayley to stay in the back for the upcoming match. With that said, Kairi Sane's theme hits and out she comes accompanied by Damage CTRL members Dakota Kai, Asuka and IYO SKY.

Sane settles in the ring as Damage CTRL, minus Bayley, remains at ringside in her corner. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Belair jumps into the early offensive lead, taking it to Sane coming out of the gate.

We see Damage CTRL get involved at ringside, but when Charlotte does the same thing on Belair's behalf, the ref catches her. The ref ejects her and Shotzi from ringside as a result. He turns around and sees Asuka in the ring so he ejects Damage CTRL from ringside as well. On that note, we head into another mid-match commercial break.

When we return, we see Belair controlling things, as she hits a flip into the ropes into a standing back-flip splash onto Sane for a close near fall. She hoists Sane up for the K.O.D. but Sane escapes and counters with a spinning back-fist to take over.

The action spills out to the floor where Belair picks Sane up and crushes her down onto the guard rail. She rolls Sane back into the ring but as she goes to follow in after her, she is attacked from behind by Bayley. Bayley remains at ringside proud of herself as Sane takes over. She heads to the top-rope but Belair cuts her off and muscles her up for a match-ending K.O.D. for the win.

Winner: Bianca Belair

– We see SmackDown G.M. Nick Aldis and Raw G.M. Adam Pearce both walking backstage with contracts in-hand as they head to the ring for our final segment of the evening, where Randy Orton will be put on the spot to decide which brand he is going to sign with.

We shift gears and head into a pre-segment commercial break. When we return, we see Aldis and Pearce in the ring when Randy Orton's theme hits and out comes "The Viper." He settles in the ring and the two G.M.'s make their pitch for why he should sign with them.

Before he can make his decision, out comes Paul Heyman telling him The Bloodline is gonna make the decision for him. The theme for Solo Sikoa hits and out he comes with Jimmy Uso. Orton beats them both down and leaves them laying. He pops back up and asks for the Raw and SmackDown contracts. He tosses the Raw contract and signs the SmackDown one.

Orton gets on the mic and tells Heyman he can call Roman Reigns and he can tell him, "Daddy's back!" His theme hits again as Heyman looks enraged at ringside. The commentators hype Orton signing to join the SmackDown brand. Nick Aldis celebrates with him in the ring and then Orton RKOs him out of nowhere. That's how this week's show goes off the air.