Smackdown Flashback • Daniel Bryan and The Miz teamed up against Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin in the Main event with the long time rivals defeating Corbin and Ziggler. Post-match, the Fiend’s entrance would play creating mind games for a future appearance. • Braun Strowman targeted Shinsuke Nakamura and the Intercontinental Championship cleaning house of Nakamura, Cesaro and Sami Zayn after their defeat to Smackdown Tag Team Champions The New Day. • Lacey Evans vs Sasha Banks went to a no contest after the ‘Legit Boss’ started antagonising Evans daughter. This would lead to a brawl outside of the ring which the ‘Sassy Southern Belle’ stood tall in.
Announced for Smackdown tonight is the return of ‘A Moment of Bliss’ with guest Lacey Evans and a triple threat number one contender’s match for the Universal Championship between King Corbin, The Miz and Daniel Bryan. Smackdown takes place from Detroit, Michigan.
Elias segment
The final episode of Smackdown before 2020 kicks off with an Elias performance. Elias started by trying to get crowd involvement with the song asking the crowd to respond “Yes we do” to the statement of “We need Elias”.Elias would then run down Bayley’s haircut, Shane McMahon and the wedding between Lana and Lashley on RAW next week as things to leave behind in 2019 before announcing what will be on Smackdown.
Number one contender’s match
Daniel Bryan vs The Miz vs King Corbin
Smackdown officially kicks off with the only match announced for the show in a number one contenders match for the Universal Championship. During the entrances King Corbin would grab a microphone to claim that he “shouldn’t have to compete tonight” due to earning his opportunity after defeating Roman Reigns twice. The match never officially started as when Corbin got off his throne into the ring he would be attacked by a returning Roman Reigns not seen since TLC who Superman punched King Corbin into the crowd. Daniel Bryan vs The Miz is announced for later tonight.
New Day and Braun Strowman vs Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro and Sami Zayn
Cesaro and Big E started the match with the Smackdown Tag Team Champions in early control delivering a shoulder tackle to the ‘Swiss Cyborg’. Momentum swung away from the New Day and Strowman with Zayn pulling at the leg of Kingston allowing Nakamura time to a jumping side Russian leg sweep. This momentum stayed for an extended period of time with Cesaro uppercutting Kofi over the announce table and Nakamura delivering a low sliding kick after the former WWE Champion looked to have found reprieve following a top rope dropkick. The beatdown on Kingston continued with Cesaro delivering another running uppercut before Nakamura took control. Kingston was able to make it to the corner but see Strowman be taken out by Cesaro before a tag could be made leading to a running uppercut and sliding German suplex combo from Cesaro and Nakamura. Once Strowman came in the match turned on its head with the ‘Monster Among Men’ cleaning house with minimal resistance from Nakamura. The finish saw Zayn give Nakamura a tray to hit Braun with but would miss being hit by it himself before being powerslammed for the win.
Post-match, Strowman danced with the New Day after Kofi told the crowd that it’s time to see what Kofi’s hips can do.
Backstage, Mandy Rose bumps into Otis who gives ‘God’s greatest creation’ a homemade fruitcake in thanks for the ham Mandy gave him last week.
Mandy Rose vs Carmella
This is a follow-up from last week where Carmella was able to defeat Sonya Deville without Mandy in her corner and now Mandy doesn’t have Sonya. Rose tool control early on delivering a dropkick to a dazed Carmella followed by a knee strike. Mandy followed this up by slapping Carmella and telling the former Smackdown Women’s Champion that “You will never look like me”. This changed the momentum as Carmella sprung into action with a Lou Thesz press and rope assisted head scissors for a two count. The finish saw both competitors attempt rollup victories before Carmella connected with a superkick for the win.
Sheamus promo focused on “Opportunities” and that noone on the current Smackdown roster has the guts to take themwith none of them being worthy of being called Champion.
The Miz vs Daniel Bryan
After the earlier interference from Roman Reigns taking out King Corbin this match would now be the number one contenders match for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. The two long time rivals started with a test of strength before Bryan took control with manipulation of the wrist and a big kick to the chest on a running Miz. The match wasn’t able to reach another gear as after both Bryan and Miz attempted a running crossbody, King Corbin’s security appeared attacking both Miz and Bryan leading to a no contest.
Kayla Braxton interviews King Corbin backstage about what took place with the former constable of RAW claiming that he’s willing to compete now that Roman Reigns has been kicked out of the building, giving us the main event for tonight. Bryan and Miz ran backstage to brawl with King Corbin.
‘A Moment of Bliss’ with special guest Lacey Evans
This is the first ‘Moment of Bliss’ since August with Alexa making sure the coffee is handed out to herself and Nikki before Cross introduced Lacey Evans. ‘The Goddess of WWE’ would bring up to Lacey what happened on last week’s show involving Evans’ daughter and Banks claiming it to “not be a surprise”. Lacey claimed that Sasha crossed a line last week and that she wants revenge on both Sasha Banks and Bayley for getting in the way of a mother and her child. Evans followed this up by cutting short the interview for her tag match next telling Bliss and Cross that she knows “What happens on these type of shows”.
Lacey Evans and Dana Brooke vs Sasha Banks and Bayley
Dana Brooke in 3 weeks has gone from barely being on TV to facing the Smackdown Women’s Champion like it’s John Cena vs Randy Orton in 2009. The two teams brawled before the bell rang with multiple referees brought out to break it up. After a commercial break Brooke and Evans took control with Dana delivering a handspring back elbow followed by a cartwheel splash for a one count. Sasha Banks would tag in giving the inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions a short amount of momentum which was stopped by a Brooke suplex. Banks and Bayley would target the emotions of Lacey Evans allowing them to double team Dana Brooke and take control. This is shown in Banks slapping Lacey with Evans not being allowed to get into the ring. Once Evans was tagged in the ‘Sassy Southern Belle’ took control taking down Bayley with a clothesline and swinging neckbreaker and a rope assisted elbow drop for a two. Lacey followed this up with a moonsault but Banks broke up the pin for a two count beforethe match turned into a brawl again. Evans delivered a ‘Women’s Right’ to Bayley but be thrown out the ring by Banks, Dana who had tagged herself back in attempted a rollup for the win but be countered into the Bank Statement for a Sasha and Bayley win.
Dolph Ziggler bumped into Mandy Rose backstage asking if she’s got any New Years plans. Rose replied no before Dolph asked if the fruitcake was for him, Rose replied that it was a gift from Otis before Ziggler started eating the cake and then stomping on it.
Mustafa Ali promo is shown with the focus being on Ali’s shortcomings this year for both the WWE Championship and the Intercontinental Championship and that his goal next year is to become a Champion.
Otis finds the destroyed fruitcake backstage with his heart looking like it’s been stomped as much as the fruitcake.
Daniel Bryan vs The Miz vs King Corbin
It’s time for the Main Event and at the third time of asking it’s the number one contenders match for the Universal Championship. Bryan and Miz start the match working together to try and take out Corbin with both delivering YES kicks to the 2019 King of the Ring winner. This alliance would be short lived as Miz attempted a rollup for a two count leading to the two coming to blows which put Bryan in control after a knee off the apron onto Miz into the barricade. Corbin took control of the match targeting Miz’s shoulder with the barricade and ringpost whilst keeping Bryan isolated on the outside, this was followed up by a chokeslam backbreaker to the Miz on the outside. Bryan and Miz started to work together again with running dropkicks and clotheslines in the corner to Corbin before a Deep Six to Miz followed by a missile dropkick to Corbin from Bryan laid everyone out. Miz came close to winning with a figure four leg lock only for Bryan to pin Corbin in the hold for a two count, Corbin would be next to come close to winning connecting with the End of Days on Miz for the pin attempt to be stopped by Bryan. Bryan connected with the running knee on Corbin only for Ziggler to appear and superkick the former WWE Champion and put Corbin on top, the pun attempt would be broke up by Roman Reigns taking out Ziggler with a Superman punch and brawling with Corbin through the crowd making the match a one on one. Miz and Bryan went back and forth with Bryan connecting with a superplex and Miz with a top rope inverted suplex targeting the left knee of Bryan. The finish saw Miz attempt the figure four leg lock for it to be countered into the rings of Saturn forcing Miz to tap and making Daniel Bryan the new number one contender.
Post-match, Bray Wyatt appeared on the titantron asking if Daniel Bryan wanted to come out and play to which Bryan replied “YES” to close the show.
Overall, WWE SmackDown was a fun show with the main event being a good match alongside the Women’s tag and 6 man to open the show. The build to the Royal Rumble is slowly moving along but moving along with four shows left enough to make the latter weeks count.
