WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
January 17, 2020
Greensboro, North Carolina
Commentary: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE Smackdown kicks off with fire blazing and it’s Kane! He comes down wearing the mask and all. It’s mentioned that Kane has a record 17 appearances in the Rumble match with a record 43 eliminations.
Kane gets in the ring and says we are nine days away from his favorite event of the year, the Royal Rumble. Where 30 lost souls will put their mind, body and spirit on the line for the opportunity of a life time. A chance to compete at Wrestlemania. A match where you go through but the reward is a chance at immortality. Holding the records for msot career Royal Rumble eliminations, he knows exactly how important the match is.
Kane says during every elimination, he would look at the eyes of his opponents as hope faded away when his feet hit the ground. A Wrestlemania dream would turn into a nightmare all because of him. Kane says he has to admit, it was a lot of fun.
FireFly Fun House plays on the titan tron. We see Wyatt in the Fun House saying Kane! Look at you, you haven’t changed a bit! Wyatt says it’s never nice to brag and find joy in someone’s mysery. Shame on him you big red bully. Take the time to tell everyone you are sorry.
Wyatt says he is glad he is there. Wyatt says Ramblin’ Rabbit is alive, well and recovering nicely. We see Ramblin’ Rabbit on an IV. Wyatt says he wants to play devil’s advocate. Winning the Rumble isn’t the best idea as the winner has to challenge for the Universal title. We see a picture of Kane hung up in Wyatt’s Fun House. Wyatt says if Kane’s picture is there, it means him and the Fiend got it on.
Wyatt mentions that he’ll never forget him. We see flashbacks of Wyatt’s feud with Kane. Wyatt says and neither will he. The lights go out and turn red. We see Kane standing outside of the ring as The Fiend comes through the ring and slowly gets to the ropes. Kane turns around and tells him “What took you so long?”
The Fiend turns around and Daniel Bryan hits The Fiend with the running knee. They start to fight as The Fiend goes through the ring and smoke coming out. Bryan is seen holding The Fiend’s dreadlocks. Bryan raises his arms in the air as the fans chant “Yes” and the lights come back up.
Kane gets in the ring and raises his arms in the air along with Bryan.
-Commercial Break-
We see Kane and Daniel Bryan backstage and in comes Kayla. Bryan says a lot of people think The Fiend is great at mind games but what he’s best at is running away, disappearing. And how do you beat somebody who disappears every time he is in trouble? Bryan says he has an idea. It’s not a good idea or a smart idea but he challenges The Fiend to a strap match at the Royal Rumble.
What that means is he will have one end of the strap wrapped around his hand and the other to Bryan’s hand until someone wins. But he is done with the mind games, he is done with Wyatt disappearing through the ring every time he is in trouble. The Fiend changed him and at the Royal Rumble, he will change the Fiend and win the Universal championship.
Big E with Kofi Kingston vs. John Morrison with The Miz
The bell rings and we are under way. A right forearm by Morrison. A shoulder block by Big E takes Morrison down. Morrison back up and he delivers kicks to Big E taking him down. Morrison with right hands but Big E throws him to the outside. Morrison grabs Big E and drags him onto the ring apron. Morrison with a neckbreaker off the ring apron onto the floor.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Morrison has Big E in a sleeper hold. Big E fights out of it but a side jump kick takes Big E down. He goes for the cover but Big E kicks out. Morrison gets to the ring apron and kicks Big E on the side of the head. Morrison jumps off the top rope, Big E moves and a belly to belly throw by Big E. And a second one. He goes for a third but a poke to the eye by Morrison. He runs to the ropes but a back drop by Big E takes Morrison down.
Big E with the big splash. Big E goes to grab Morrison but Morrison ducks and hits him from behind. Morrison with a spinning neck breaker. He goes for the cover but Big E kicks out. The Miz gets on the ring apron as Kofi trips him up and pushes him into the ring steps. Morrison climbs the top rope and a spinning jump by Morrison onto the outside taking Kofi out.
Morrison on the ring apron, Big E runs but Miz moves him out of the way. Big E is distracted by Miz and Morrison with a kick to the face. He gets back in the ring and a running knee. Morrison climbs the second rope, onto the third and hits the Starship Pain. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: John Morrison
We see clips of Robert Roode’s feud with Roman Reigns. We cut backstage where we see The Usos with Reigns. The Usos joke about a potential stipulation for Roman’s Rumble match and Roman says when he wins, he will announce what his stipulation will be. He asks The Usos if they are ready? The Usos laugh and say it’s on lock down.
-Commercial Break-
The Usos vs. The Revival
The bell rings and Dawson is in the ring with Jimmy. Dawson with a head lock as Jimmy sends him to the ropes. A shoulder block by Dawson. Both men back up and a chop to the chest by Jimmy takes Dawson down. Jey is tagged into the match.
They double team Dawson in the corner. A snapmare by Jey as he goes for the cover but Dawson kicks out. An arm bar by Jey as Dawson grabs him by the hair and Wilder is tagged in. They double team Jey as Wilder goes for the cover but Jey kicks out.
Wilder gets Jey in the corner and a chop to the chest as Dawson is tagged in. The double team continues as they beat up Jey in the corner. An elbow to the face by Jey followed by a leg drop and an elbow. He goes for the cover but again Jey kicks out. Dawson with a head lock. Jey gets out of it and a spinning kick by Jey takes Dawson out. Both men down.
The tags are made and in comes Jimmy and Wilder. Jimmy cleans house and a Samoan drop. Wilder in the corner as Jimmy runs but Wilder throws him on the ring apron. A right hand by Jimmy. He climbs the top rope, a cross body as he goes for the cover but Wilder kicks out. Jey is tagged in and a double team on Wilder. In comes Dawson and a double super kick on him. A tag is made as Jimmy is in. Jimmy with a big splash off the top rope, Jey with a suicide dive onto the outside. Jimmy goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: The Usos
-Commercial Break-
The Revival are backstage with Kayla. They mention how if the company won’t make a change, they will make a change. And that the company cares about them as much as the company cares about the tag team division. As they are talking, we hear fighting as we see Lacey Evans fighting with Bayley as Sasha Banks is sitting down holding her ankle. WWE officials break it up.
We see a clip from last week involving Mandy Rose and Otis where she gave Otis a cake. And also how Otis distracted Alexa Bliss in her loss to Mandy Rose.
Sonya Deville is backstage and in comes Mandy. She says this will be their year as Sonya says that’s the spirit. Sonya asks Mandy if Otis would want to be at ring side for her match. Mandy says she will be at ringside, why? Sonya says she was confused about the Otis thing and finally got it why she was nice to Otis. Mandy says he’s a sweet guy as Sonya asks Mandy if she can ask Otis to be at ring side tonight. Mandy says she will ask.
Sasha has ice on her ankle as her and Bayley are angry. Sasha says Lacey doesn’t deserve a match with her. She can use the rest. Bayley says it doesn’t matter if she’s a mom or marine, she will break her ankle and bone in her body. In comes WWE official Adam Pearce, she says Sasha hasn’t been able to get in the ring for the past two weeks and the match is being promoted. Tonight, it will be Bayley vs. Lacey Evans. It will not be for the title and the match is next.
-Commercial Break-
The bell rings as Lacey chases Bayley around the ring. Bayley gets in the ring and starts stomping on Lacey. She sends Lacey to the ropes but a side headscissors by Lacey takes Bayley to the outside. A baseball slide by Lacey. She throws Bayley back into the ring. Lacey on the ring apron flips over Bayley and goes for the cover but Bayley kicks out. A small package but Bayley again kicks out. Lacey runs towards Bayley but Bayley trips her into the ropes. A double axe by Bayley to Lacey’s back.
Bayley with a right hand, followed by another. Bayley throws Lacey face first into the corner. Bayley pulls Lacey by the hair and goes for the cover but Lacey kicks out. An arm bar by Bayley onto Lacey as Lacey fights out of it. Lacey runs to the ropes but an elbow to the face by Bayley. She goes for the cover but once more Lacey kicks out.
Bayley with kneeds to the face. She throws Lacey onto the ring apron but Lacey pushes her away. A right hand by Lacey as she slams Bayley’s face into the turnbuckle. Lacey back in the ring and a clothesline. Another clothesline by Lacey Evans. She throws Bayley across the ring and a kick to the face. Bayley down in the corner. Lacey jumps up and a bronco buster by Evans.
Lacey Evans climbs the second rope, off the top rope and jumps but Bayley gets her knees up. Lacey is hurt and falls to the outside. Bayley holding her left knee goes to the outside and drives Lacey into the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Bayley has Lacey in the corner. She runs towards Lacey but Lacey trips her up face first into the turnbuckle. Bayley rolls to the outside and grabs Lacey’s ankle but Lacey kicks her down. She goes to the outside and throws Bayley back in the ring. Lacey goes back into the ring but Bayley trips her up. Bayley goes for the cover but Lacey kicks out. Bayley with right hands. Bayley throws Lacey in the corner and a back elbow.
Bayley climbs the second rope and a spinning elbow. She goes for the cover but Lacey Evans kicks out. Bayley climbs the top rope but misses the cross body. Evans runs towards Bayley but Bayley throws him face first into the corner. Bayley runs to the ropes but Lacey hits her with the Women’s Rights. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Lacey Evans
Alyse Ashton is backstage as she introduces Shorty G. She says that two weeks ago Sheamus returned and attacked him. Shorty G says Sheamus came back after months and first thing he did was project his own insecurities onto him. But Sheamus won’t get to him. Gable says he has learned that when you accept who you are and embrace it, you already won the battle. In comes Sheamus. He asks if anyone has seen Shorty G. He looks down and sees him. He says he heard Gable squeaking from across the room but he couldn’t see him. He pats Gable on the head as Gable attacks him. WWE officials break it up.
-Commercial Break-
Kayla is backstage with Braun Strowman. He says he is excited about the Rumble. He is declaring himself in the Rumble match. But right now, it’s the Intercontinental championship that Nakamura has. Zayn is keeping him from a title shot but he beat Nakamura twice. Tonight, next week or the Rumble, he wants his opportunity. Any time, any place.
Elias is in the ring. He says he has realized that he can’t do it on his own. The truth is he needs the fans. For Elias to reach where he has to go, there needs to be a truth which is heard. And that is that WWE stands for Walk With Elias. He says he wrote a song called Walking in Greensboro.
“I was walking in Greensboro, you’ll never guess what I saw.” Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hits and out he comes with Cesaro and Sami Zayn.
Sami apologizes for interrupting but Sami is here and what he has to say is far more important than what Elias is doing. Every one will need to shut their mouths. He says they are dealing with Strowman walking around backstage about how he wants Nakamura. Sami says Nakamura does not back down from a fight. Strowman won’t have to wait long. The answer is absolutely not.
Zayn says they are in no position to demand anything, he calls the shot. They call the shot. They dictate the terms and when and nothing is happening, not with the Rumble match being 9 days away. Sami says Nakamura has actually won the Royal Rumble match. Sami says everyone is put on notice. He made his point and he tells Elias to go back to doing what he does.
Elias tells Sami before he leaves that he was multitasking as he wrote a song. Elias says the song is called Sami Zayn needs to shut his damn mouth and the chorus is Shinsuke sucks.
Sami tells them all to stop as he calls Cesaro to get in the ring. Cesaro gets in as he and Elias start to fight. In comes Nakamura who attacks him along with Zayn. Out comes Braun Strowman. Zayn leaves the ring as he beats up on Cesaro and Nakamura. He throws Cesaro and Nakamura over the top rope.
A video tribute is shown honoring Rocky Johnson who passed away this week.
-Commercial Break-
Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross vs. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose
Before the bell rings, out come Heavy Machinery. The bell rings and we are under way. Mandy is on the ring apron as Alexa is distracted. Sonya hits her with a kick to the face. A running knee by Sonya. She goes for the cover but Alexa kicks out. A head lock by Sonya but Alexa breaks out of it. A drop toe hold by Bliss who knocks Sonya down out with. She gets Sonya in the corner and stomps on her.
Alexa goes for a DDT but Mandy on the ring apron as Nikki knocks her off the apron. She lands on Otis who catches her. Sonya looks to the outside as Alexa rolls her up and gets the pin.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Mandy gets in the ring and apologizes to Sonya.
Robert Roode is backstage preparing for his match. In comes King Corbin who says Roode came through last week. Ziggler says what Roman did last week, tonight, they will get him back. Roode says he has waited 6 long weeks and tonight, he is putting Roman throguh the table. And after that, Corbin will be able to pick the stipulation for his Rumble match vs. Roman Reigns.
Corbin says he will pick a match where they can make Roman bow down to his king. But he has to put him through the table.
-Commercial Break-
Table Match – Roman Reigns vs. Robert Roode, winner picks Royal Rumble stipulation
Roode attacks Roman Reigns from behind as Roman is walking down to the ring. Roode throws Roman into the ring. Roode goes for the right hand but Roman blocks it and hits him with a right hand of his own. Roode throws Roman to the outside. A right hand by Roman as Roode falls to the outside.
Roman Reigns grabs a table from the outside. As he’s setting up the table, Roode hits him from behind and throws him into the ring steps. Roman grabs Roode and throws him face first into the ring steps. Roman clears the Smackdown announce table. Roode with the rake to the eyes as he throws Roman into the ring steps.
Roode looks under the ring and grabs a table. He throws the table into the ring as Roman hits him with a drive by. Roman runs around the ring, he goes to spear Roode but Roode moves out of the way and Roman Reigns goes through the barricade.
Baron Corbin’s music hits as he makes his way down to the ring.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, a table is set up in the ring. Roman is sitting on the top rope as Rooder goes for a suplex. He goes for it but Roman keeps blocking it. Roman slides under it, he goes for the power bomb but Roode lands on his feet. Roode goes for the DDT, Roman reverses it into a Samoan drop but Roode gets out of it. Roode throws the table away. Roman throws Roode shoulder first into the ring post.
Roman sets a table up in the corner. He goes to the outside and hits Roode with a Superman punch. He throws Roode back into the ring. Roman sets up for the spear but Corbin runs down. Roman is distracted and Ziggler hits Roman with a super kick. Corbin gets in the ring as they throw Roman shoulder first into the ring post. Roman falls to the outside.
Ziggler and Corbin place Roman on the announce table as Roode climbs the top rope. Out come The Usos. Roode jumps but The Usos hit him with a Super kick. Corbin and Ziggler on the ring apron but a double super kick. The Usos with a suicide dive onto the outside. They help Roman Reigns up and they place Ziggler on the announce table. The Usos walk on the barricade and a double splash as Ziggler falls through the table.
Back in the ring, Roman spears Roode through the table.
Winner: Roman Reigns
After the match, Roman grabs a microphone. He says the Rumble is at a baseball stadium and it’s a huge stadium which means he will beat up Corbin all around the stadium. And the stipulation is a falls count anywhere match. Corbin is angry as Smackdown goes off the air.