WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Sept. 22, 2023) with a live show emanating from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
John Cena Kicks Off This Week’s Show
From there, we hear the familiar sounds of John Cena’s theme and out comes the WWE legend to kick off this week’s show. As he settles in the ring, we see footage of how his appearance on “The Grayson Waller Effect” went last week.
His music dies down and the crowd is insanely loud cheering for Cena. A loud “Cena! Cena!” chant breaks out. He then welcomes us to another sold out episode of Friday Night SmackDown.
He talks about being a host, special referee, talk show guest and backstage correspondent since returning. The fans give him the “What?” treatment. He plays into it. He says tonight is different. He didn’t come to host or referee tonight. Tonight is the night he would like to have a match.
Cena asks the fans permission for a match tonight. He gets it. He says in addition to be excited tonight, he’s also pissed off. He talks about finding himself a “Phenomenal” partner for his tag match tonight. AJ Styles’ theme hits and out he comes with fireworks and a big pop from the crowd.
Styles settles in the ring with Cena and asks if he’s got this right. The WWE Universe wants Cena and Styles to team up tonight. He finds out they do from their response. He tells The Bloodline to bring it on.
The theme for Jimmy Uso hits and out he comes with Solo Sikoa. The two settle on the ring apron, but then Jimmy jumps down and smiles as he and Solo retreat to the back. Apparently the bout will take place later tonight.
Rey Mysterio & Santos Escobar vs. The Street Profits
Now the theme for Rey Mysterio hits and out comes the WWE United States Champion and leader of the LWO. He makes his way to the ring accompanied by Santos Escobar for scheduled tag-team action against The Street Profits in tonight’s opener.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a pre-match commercial break. When we return from the break, we see Cena and Styles talking to Adam Pearce about wanting the match with The Bloodline tonight. Pearce likes the idea but says when you deal with The Bloodline, things get complicated. He says he has to talk to Paul Heyman and he’ll get back to them.
Back inside the arena, we see Santos Escobar, Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega all standing in the ring. Rey’s music dies down and then the familiar sounds of The Street Profits’ entrance tune hits. Out comes the repackaged duo of Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins accompanied by “The All Mighty” Bobby Lashley.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. We see Dawkins and Escobar kick things off for their respective teams. After some back-and-forth action, the LWO duo settles in the offensive lead, as Rey tags in, as does Montez, and it is Mysterio who is controlling things thus far.
We see Mysterio miss a big high spot from the ring to the floor. After that, The Street Profits follow up by manhandling Rey on the floor. As they clap hands with Bobby Lashley after the big spot at ringside, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return from the break, we see The Street Profits in the offensive lead. When the LWO duo start to shift the momentum in their favor, we see Lashley chokeslam Mysterio on the ring apron behind the referee’s back. Dawkins goes for a power bomb in the ring afterwards, but Rey flips through and rolls him up for the surprise pin fall victory. Lashley looks disappointed in The Street Profits after the match.
Winners: Rey Mysterio & Santos Escobar
Austin Theory Still Upset About The Rock & Pat McAfee
After the match, we shoot to the commentary table, where Michael Cole, Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves introduce us to a video package looking back at The Rock and Pat McAfee’s surprise appearance on last week’s show.
When that wraps up, we return live and we see Austin Theory appear at the commentary area out of nowhere. He gets in the faces of the commentators and talks trash off-mic until security comes out to pull him away. On that note, we shift gears and head into another commercial break.
When we return from the break, we see Austin Theory and Grayson Waller backstage with Adam Pearce. The Brawling Brutes duo of Ridge Holland and Butch approach them and after the two sides jaw back-and-forth, Pearce makes a match between the two teams for later tonight.
Bobby Lashley Threatens The Street Profits
From there, we shoot into the locker room of The Street Profits and Bobby Lashley. A very upset Lashley lashes out at Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins after losing, even with his help, to Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar earlier tonight.
“The All Mighty” continues, telling them that if they don’t make things right after losing tonight, he wants the suits back, he wants the clothes back, he’s going to change his mind and focus on somebody else.
WWE Women’s Championship
IYO SKY (C) vs. Asuka
We see a lengthy video package building up tonight’s scheduled WWE Women’s Championship showdown, a first-ever meeting between reigning, defending champion “The Genius of the Sky” IYO SKY, and “The Empress of Tomorrow” Asuka.
After the package wraps up, we return inside the arena and we hear the familiar sounds of the entrance theme of Asuka. The challenger makes her way down to the ring for her title opportunity, which is up next.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a pre-match commercial break. When we return from the break, we see a shot of Paul Heyman talking into his phone when he is approached by Adam Pearce. We don’t hear anything they say.
Back inside the arena, Asuka is wrapping up her ring entrance. Her music dies down and then the familiar sounds of IYO SKY’s theme hits. Out comes the Damage CTRL member and the reigning and defending WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY.
“The Genius of the Sky” makes her way down to the ring accompanied by fellow Damage CTRL members Bayley and Dakota Kai. The fans boo as she heads to the ring for this highly-anticipated “Dream Match” showdown against Asuka.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this title tilt. We see some basic back-and-forth action coming out of the gate, as the two are slow to get things started. After a couple of minutes, we see IYO SKY start to fire up and settle into the offensive driver’s seat.
IYO SKY goes for a big high spot on the floor, but Asuka avoids it. IYO SKY crashes and burns and on that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this championship contest continues.
When we return, we see SKY is back in control of the offense, however Asuka catches her with a big kick coming off the ropes that slows her down. SKY fights back into the lead after some cheap shots from Bayley and Dakota Kai at ringside. After this happens one-too many times, we see Charlotte Flair beat down the two at ringside.
Unfortunately for Asuka, she was distracted by this, and IYO SKY capitalized by taking her out. She then heads to the top-rope and hits her moonsault finisher for the pin fall victory. With the win, IYO SKY retains the WWE Women’s Championship.
Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Champion: IYO SKY
Jimmy Uso Speaks Out Of Line, Solo Sikoa Has Plans For Tonight
We shoot backstage where we see Solo Sikoa, Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman in The Bloodline locker room. Adam Pearce comes in and hesitantly presents Heyman with some papers. Heyman says everything is cool as long as the match isn’t tonight. Pearce says it is not, and that it will be at WWE Fastlane 2023.
Heyman asked who agreed to that. Jimmy Uso then speaks up on behalf of The Bloodline and says they accept and that they’ll be out to sign the contracts in the ring. Pearce walks off.
After Pearce leaves, Heyman asks Jimmy Uso who gave the okay for him to accept that. He says this is normally something that would be cleared first by “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. Jimmy just smiles and says let me know what he says. He walks off.
Solo Sikoa tells Heyman not to worry because there won’t be anyone to fight at Fastlane after tonight. Heyman nervously says “call Roman Reigns” to end the segment.
The Brawling Brutes vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller
It’s main event time!
Our final match of the evening is up next, as The Brawling Brutes’ theme hits and, as always, Michael Cole loudly proclaims that it is, in fact, “FIGHT NIGHT!” As Ridge Holland and Butch settle into the ring, we shift gears and head to a pre-match commercial break.
When we return from the break, we see a lengthy vignette updating fans on Pretty Deadly’s injury recovery and forthcoming WWE return. From there, we see Ridge Holland and Butch in the ring awaiting the arrival of their opposition for the final match of the evening here on this week’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown.
Their entrance music wraps up. Now we hear the familiar sounds of Grayson Waller’s catchy-ass theme music. Out comes the host of “The Grayson Waller Effect.” He makes his way out and stops. “A-Town Down” plays and former U.S. Champion Austin Theory emerges.
Waller and Theory head to the ring together and settle inside the squared circle. The bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Immediately we see The Brawling Brutes jump into the early offensive lead. Ridge shows an impressive power spot that pops the crowd, and the commentators.
After another big double team spot from Ridge and Butch sees Theory and Waller retreating at ringside, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as our SmackDown main event for this week continues in Glendale, AZ.
As we settle back in from the commercial break, we see a couple more minutes of back-and-forth action and then Theory finishes this one off with his A-Town Down finisher for the pin fall victory.
Winners: Austin Theory & Grayson Waller
WWE Fastlane 2023 Main Event Contract Signing
After our final match of the evening wraps up, we head into another commercial break. When we return, Michael Cole announces some matches and a big segment for next week’s WWE on FOX blue brand show.
Scheduled for next week’s installment of WWE Friday Night SmackDown is Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar for the U.S. title, Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley and “The Grayson Waller Effect” with special guest Bobby Lashley for next week’s SmackDown.
Now we shoot live inside the arena where the ring is set up for a contract signing, with the table, chairs, etc. Adam Pearce is in the ring and he first introduces “The Greatest Of All Time” John Cena. Cena heads to the ring and wastes no time, picking up the pen and signing the contract without saying a word.
From there, AJ Styles is set to be introduced when we cut to live action going on backstage. We see Jimmy Uso in the middle of a savage attack of Styles, while Solo Sikoa stands several feet up in the air on the ledge of something. After Uso finishes beating down Styles, Solo leaps and makes the long way down, splashing onto what’s left of Styles.
John Cena sprints from the ring and heads to the back, but by the time he gets to the scene of the crime, Solo and Uso are gone and officials are tending to Styles. We head to a commercial break on that note.
When we return from the break, we see live footage of AJ Styles being loaded up on a stretcher backstage. Kevin Patrick, Michael Cole and the commentary team talk us through immediate replays of what happened with Styles, Uso and Sikoa right before the break.
As we settle back in the arena, we see Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman make their way to the ring. They settle inside and Jimmy Uso talks about how they’re gonna put John Cena in a stretcher before all is said-and-done as well. Cena makes his way out to a huge pop.
Cena hits the ring, but is immediately beat down by The Bloodline duo of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa. The two beat him down badly and leave him laying. They sign the contract for WWE Fastlane 2023. That’s how this week’s show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
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