WWE SmackDown Results
October 17, 2017
Seattle, Washington
Commentary: Michael Cole, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
WWE Smackdown GM Daniel Bryan comes home
The Smackdown video plays, and WWE Smackdown General Manager Daniel Bryan makes his way to the ring to a huge reception. Michael Cole is filling in for Tom Phillips for the next few weeks. Phillips is “on assignment.” A loud “Daniel Bryan” chant picks up. Bryan smiles and takes it all in while laughing. Bryan says it’s great to be home. Another chant picks up, so Bryan reminds them the show is only two-hours long. Bryan says tonight will be a special edition of Smackdown Live. We’ll have a 6-women tag team match featuring Natalya, Tamina, and Lana taking on Naomi, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair. We also will have a special announcement from WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. We’ll also have a rematch from Hell in a Cell with Dolph Ziggler taking on Bobby Roode.
Speaking of Hell in a Cell, he wants to speak with someone who disappointed him at that event. He’s talking about Sami Zayn. Bryan begins to speak about him, but Zayn’s music cuts him off. Zayn comes out dancing and jumping around to boos from the crowd. Bryan cannot believe Zayn came out smiling and dancing around after what he did. Is this the same Sami Zayn he’s known for 13 years? Zayn says he’s a great guy and nothing has changed. The only difference is he’s taken back the ownership of his career, a career he took 15 years to build. Zayn gets that some of these people think that makes him a bad guy, but he figured Bryan of all people would understand. Bryan says he understands his frustration and has been in Zayn’s shoes. Zayn says they’re not the same. Yes, they’re both gifted in-ring performers… well Zayn still is at least. That gets boos. Management also never believed in them, but the difference is Bryan had the crowd. A “YES” chant picks up. The crowd is the reason Bryan was in the main event of WrestleMania. When it comes to Zayn, the people didn’t uphold their end of the agreement. Zayn was to come out and work hard. In return, they were supposed to cheer so hard for him so he becomes undeniable to management. They did it for Bryan, but they never did it for him. The amazing thing is he doesn’t care anymore. Zayn says it feels amazing. If Bryan felt as good as he did, he’d be smiling if he did what he did. Bryan should take ownership of his own career and lose the martyr complex. If Bryan worked smarter than harder, he wouldn’t have had to retire in this very building. Bryan looks furious. A “Sami sucks” chant picks up. Zayn says it broke his heart more than it broke the crowd’s. Zayn considers Bryan a “once in a lifetime” performer. Zayn tried to catch up to him his entire career, but every time he got to his level, Bryan was two-steps ahead. Now Bryan is the last person he would ever want to be like. Bryan broke his body for glory and adulation just to end up a housewife.
Kevin Owens’ music hits, and he comes out smiling. Owens gets in the ring and says he’s so happy for Zayn. Owens is glad Zayn saw the light and started listening to him. While Zayn is right about everything he’s said about Bryan, he has to clarify some things. Bryan was a pathetic martyr and a housewife. At one point, he was practically “Mr. Bella.” Now Bryan has become something much worse, something he fought against for so long. Bryan is a hypocrite. Bryan says Owens doesn’t care about Zayn or anyone else except himself. Owens resents him because he cares about what’s doing best for the fans. Owens says that isn’t what he means. What Bryan means is he cares about what’s doing best for business. Owens says Bryan is now The Authority. Zayn pretends to act flabbergasted before saying Owens is right. Bryan has become the very thing he spent his entire career fighting against. There’s only one word for a person like that: sellout. The crowd boos, and Bryan looks upset. A “NO” chant picks up. Zayn thanks Owens for helping him open his eyes because Bryan’s life could have happened to him. Owens saved him from that.
They hug, and Bryan leaves the ring. Owens asks where he’s going before saying walking out at this arena is the best thing he’s got these days. Bryan says, “Where, oh where, am I going? Where am I going? I’m going to find a couple of dudes to punch you guys in the face!” Bryan’s music plays, and he walks off.
Jinder Mahal will make a Survivor Series announcement tonight. Later tonight, we’ll see Bobby Roode take on Dolph Ziggler. Coming up next is a 6-Women Tag Team Match. Still photos are shown of Natalya getting disqualified intentionally at Hell in a Cell. Last week on Smackdown, Natalya taunted Charlotte about he father, leading to a huge brawl.
Charlotte Flair makes her way to the ring.
-Commercial Break-
Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Naomi vs. Tamina, Lana, and Natalya
Carmella and James Ellsworth are at ringside for this match. Naomi will start the match against Natalya. Natalya powers her to the corner, but Naomi boots her back. Natalya quickly slams her down and hits the ropes, but Naomi dropkicks her down for a two count. Naomi hits a sliding slap, and Natalya exits the ring to recover. Naomi then takes out Natalya and Tamina with a plancha. Naomi gets Natalya in the ring. Natalya shoves her and kicks her. Natalya hits a snapmare and applies a chin lock. Naomi fights up and gets out before tagging in Becky Lynch. Lynch wrenches the arm. Lynch slingshots over her, kicks her, and takes her down before dropping a leg for a two count. Natalya quickly gets out of the ring to recover.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Lana applying a chin lock to Naomi. During the break, Naomi hit Lana with the Rear View, but Tamina blind tagged in and kicked her. Lana slams Naomi down as she tried to fight up. Lana knocks Flair off the apron. Flair tries to run in, so Lana and her team uses the distraction for a triple-team. Lana stops Naomi from making a tag, but she eventually does.
Flair comes in and takes Lana down before knocking her partners off the apron. Flair chops the chest and takes her down. Flair struts before dropping a knee. Flair hits a t-bone suplex and kips up. Lana boots her back and runs into a big boot. Flair goes for the Figure Four, but Natalya sends her face-first into the turnbuckle. Lynch hits Natalya with a Bexploder. Tamina superkicks her, so Naomi hits her with a springboard cross-body. Lana catches Flair with an O’Connor Roll and holds the tights, but Flair kicks out. Flair then applies the Figure Eight for the win.
Winners by Submission: Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Naomi
Natalya pulls Flair out of the ring and drives her into the commentary table. Natalya grabs a chair, but Flair big boots her down on the floor. Flair grabs the chair, but Natalya escapes through the crowd.
Daniel Bryan is walking backstage when he bumps into Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens says Bryan can’t find anyone to help. Bryan says in the last ten minutes, so many superstars have said they want to punch them in the face. Bryan is going to give them an opportunity against 13-time WWE Champion Randy Orton and his partner, Shinsuke Nakamura. Bryan impersonates Nakamura’s taunt, and Owens and Zayn walk off.
Pulp Fashion is next.
-Commercial Break-
Breezango presents “Pulp Fashion”
Fandango comes up to The Ascension, who are seated at a table. Fandango tells them to be cool like The Fonz, and they joke about him “jumping the shark.” Tyler Breeze comes in and sees a cheeseburger. Breeze eats it and passes out. The Ascension says they’ll help, but Breezango has to be their friends. They give him a large needle to wake him up. Breeze finally comes to before he puts the needle in. They notice a briefcase is missing, but refuse to let The Ascension join their group.
WWE United States Champion Baron Corbin makes his way to the ring. He’ll be in action next.
-Commercial Break-
Baron Corbin vs. Sin Cara
Corbin asks if the crowd wants to see him give Sin Cara an opportunity and make this a United States Championship match. Corbin declines and says the US Open Challenge is closed for good.
The bell rings, and Corbin powers him to the corner. Cara punches him back, ducks a clothesline, and dropkicks him out of the ring. Corbin gets on the apron, so Cara kicks him to the floor and hits a suicide dive. Cara snaps Corbin off the top rope, goes to the top rope, and hits a plancha to the floor! Corbin gets counted out!
Winner by Count-Out: Sin Cara
Renee Young is backstage with The Usos. She talks about Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin getting an opportunity to face them. Jimmy Uso says they’re the hottest thing on Smackdown and feel really good. Jey Uso feels like a kid on Christmas morning. They have the tag team division on lock. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin walk up. Gable says he feels good, actually better good. Gable says they’ll be the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions.
Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura will face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in tonight’s main event. Coming up next, Jinder Mahal will have a Survivor Series announcement.
-Commercial Break-
The Bludgeon Brothers are coming.
Jinder Mahal makes a Survivor Series announcement
Video highlights are shown of Jinder Mahal’s return to India last week on a media tour.
The Singh Brothers introduce WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Mahal makes his way to the ring while the crowd boos. Mahal says there are many things you get to experience as the Modern Day Maharaja, the first modern day Indian WWE Champion. This past week, he took his WWE Championship to his homeland and was given a true hero’s welcome. Mahal got the royal treatment. On the last day, after dining with Bollywood’s biggest celebrities, a young boy asked him what’s next. Mahal wasn’t sure what he meant. The boy said Mahal beat Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura multiple times, the most worthy on Smackdown Live, yet in America he doesn’t have the same level of respect he does in India. This boy was wise beyond his years. Mahal must make a challenge. A loud “You can’t wrestle” chant picks up. Mahal reminds them that he’s the WWE Champion. Mahal must be a man they think is unbeatable. Mahal must beat the most dominant force in the WWE. At Survivor Series, he is challenging “The Beast.” At Survivor Series, he is challenging Brock Lesnar! The crowd pops big for that. Mahal wants the people to kiss his feet when he proves The Beast can be slayed. Mahal wants them to bow down to the Modern Day Maharaja. They will realize the greatness that stands before them. Mahal says he is the greatest WWE Champion of all time.
AJ Styles interrupts this, and he gets a huge reaction. Styles gets in the ring. Mahal says Styles heard it correctly: he is challenging Brock Lesnar. Styles doesn’t care about that. It’s what Mahal said before. Mahal mentioned he beat everyone worthy of beating on Smackdown Live… except AJ Styles. Mahal says Styles is a loser while he is the WWE Champion. Styles says if he’s a loser, then he won’t have a problem putting the WWE Championship on the line. Mahal says in his country, they don’t think Styles is worthy to stand in the ring with him. Styles says we’re not in his country. Mahal says he’s at the back of the line. The fact that Styles is challenging him is a joke. Styles catches Mahal with a strike combination and takes out The Singh Brothers. Styles then ducks a clothesline and hits him with a Pelé Kick. Mahal retreats while Styles’ music plays.
Coming up next, Bobby Roode takes on Dolph Ziggler.
-Commercial Break-
Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers come into Daniel Bryan’s office and demand something be done about AJ Styles. Mahal says Sunil Singh will challenge AJ Styles in the Maharaja’s honor. Bryan says that sounds like a “PHENOMENAL” idea.
Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler
The bell rings, and Ziggler immediately takes Roode down with some right hands. Roode quickly pops up and clotheslines him down. Ziggler tries to leave the ring, but Roode grabs the ankle. Ziggler kicks him away and gets out of the ring, but Roode follows. Ziggler powers him into the LED apron and dropkicks him on the floor.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Roode fight back, but Ziggler applies a sleeper hold. Roode tries to counter out, but Ziggler flips through. Roode counters a dropkick into a slingshot into the corner. Roode punches him back and hits a flying forearm and a pair of clotheslines. Roode sends him into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Ziggler hits the ropes, but Roode slams him down for a near fall. Roode clotheslines him in the corner, goes to the second rope, and jumps over Ziggler. Ziggler rolls him up with the tights for a near fall. Roode goes for a Glorious DDT, but Ziggler gets out. Ziggler eventually sidesteps him and rolls him up with the tights for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler seems pleased with himself, grabs a microphone, and says, “I told you so!”
Coming up next, Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura will take on Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
-Commercial Break-
Brock Lesnar will respond to the Jinder Mahal challenge next week on Monday Night RAW.
Aiden English is walking backstage singing to himself. Two guys are looking at something on a cell phone. English asks if they’d be on their phone during a performance of Don Giovanni. If he’s not up to their musical standards, who is? The New Day comes out, and the two guys go nuts. English looks disgusted. Big E says he looks like the Gershwin of Grumpy. Rusev comes up and says The New Day doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is Rusev Day. The New Day says it’s time to celebrate, and Xavier Woods plays Rusev’s theme song on the trombone. Rusev says his day is not a joke. English starts to sing about his day, but Rusev says it’s not the time.
Shinsuke Nakamura makes his way to the ring. The crowd loudly sings his song.
-Commercial Break-
Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee of all time, is the official for this match. Shinsuke Nakamura starts against Sami Zayn. They trade arm wrenches before Zayn slingshots over him and hits an arm drag. Nakamura quickly fights up and backs him to the ropes. Nakamura then tells him to come at him. Nakamura takes him down with a spinning wheel kick. Nakamura drives his boot into Zayn’s face and tags in Randy Orton. Zayn quickly goes to his corner and tags in Kevin Owens. Orton punches Owens to the corner and uppercuts him. Orton sends him to the corner, but Owens boots him back. Orton goes for an RKO, but Owens quickly leaves the ring. Zayn cuts Orton off, so Orton punches him down. Owens attacks Orton, sends him into the ring post, and hits a fall-away slam into the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Nakamura attack Owens in the corner before putting him on the top rope. Zayn quickly pulls Owens out of harm’s way. Owens hits a chop block on Nakamura and kicks away at the knee. Owens attacks the knee before tagging Zayn into the match. Owens and Zayn tag in and out to attack the knee of Nakamura. Owens mocks Orton and hits a running senton for a near fall. Owens then applies a chin lock. Nakamura eventually fights up, sidesteps him, lays him across the top turnbuckles, and kicks the midsection.
Orton and Zayn are tagged in. Orton hits a pair of clotheslines, but Zayn avoids a powerslam. Orton then hits Zayn with a t-bone suplex. Orton goes outside and attacks Owens before giving him a back suplex onto the barricade. Zayn hits Orton with a baseball slide into the commentary table. Zayn goes for a plancha, but Orton forearms him. Orton pulls him out for a hanging DDT on the floor, but Zayn gets out. Orton then gives him a back suplex onto the commentary table, and the table breaks! Orton smiles like that wasn’t supposed to happen. Orton gets Zayn in the ring, but Owens breaks up the pin. Zayn goes for a Helluva Kick, but Orton counters into a powerslam for a near fall. Orton goes for a hanging DDT, so Owens distracts him by sending Nakamura into the steel steps. Zayn gives Orton a low blow and follows up with a Helluva Kick for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Owens and Zayn confront Daniel Bryan at the Gorilla Position. They mock him and ask what’s next for them. Bryan says it’s not up to him what’s up for next week. It’s up to Shane McMahon.
Shane McMahon will be on Smackdown Live next week.
Owens and Zayn come out to the stage and mock Orton and Nakamura over their victory. They say they are Smackdown Live, and there is nothing anyone can do about it! Owens says Zayn is his best friend!
Quick Match Results
* Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Naomi def. Tamina, Lana, and Natalya via Submission
* Sin Cara def. WWE United States Champion Baron Corbin via CO (non-title)
* Dolph Ziggler def. Bobby Roode
* Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn def. Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton