WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
September 25, 2020
Orlando, Florida (Amway Center)
Commentary: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
A tribute image for the late great Joe Laurinaitis, better known as Road Warrior Animal plays on the screen.
Out comes AJ Styles to the ring as ladders surround and are in the ring. Sami Zayn comes out with his Intercontinental Championship belt. And after Sami comes Jeff Hardy with his Intercontinental Championship.
Corey Graves is in the ring as he talks about how all three men claim to be the real Intercontinental Champion. He mentions this Sunday’s ladder match. Graves says how both of Jeff and Sami’s WWE Intercontinental Championships will be up in the air as he calls this the Intercontinental Ascension ceremony.
AJ asks Jeff if that title is heavy because that is the last time he will ever hold it. He tells Sami that he doesn’t even know why Sami is even here after he took the summer off. AJ says he has broken his back to try and make that Intercontinental Championship mean something.
Sami says the match shouldn’t be happening and this is all happening because AJ decided to take part in a tournament to decide the fraudulent Champion. And when Jeff won that fraudulent Championship, he should have called Sami on the phone and denounce as Champion but he didn’t. And now he has to defend his Intercontinental title in a ladder match. He asks if they know how dangerous a ladder match is.
Jeff says he actually sides with AJ. Jeff says Sami should be grateful because unlike him, he and AJ defended the Intercontinental title week after week with honor. This ladder match is Sami’s chance to make that Championship legit. Both Sami and Jeff hold their Championships as both men hang their Championships. Corey wishes them all good luck.
Sami gets onto the ring apron as Jeff and AJ go face to face. Sami pushes the ladder onto AJ and Jeff knocking them both down.
Adam Pearce comes out and says after the stunt that Sami just pulled, he is adding AJ Styles to their match tonight.
Jeff hits AJ Styles with the Twist of Fate.
-Commercial Break-
Triple Threat Match – AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Sami Zayn
The bell rings and we are under way. AJ goes after Sami knocking him down. Jef with right hands onto AJ and an atomic drop followed by a snap mare. In comes Sami who’s thrown into the corner. Jeff with right hands on Sami and an atomic drop. AJ with a kick onto Jeff as he throws him in the corner.
AJ stomping on Jeff and a back breaker takes Jeff down. AJ with a baseball slide takes Sami out on the outside. Right hands by Jeff but AJ throws him to the outside. AJ slams Jeff’s head onto the announce table but Sami attacks AJ from behind. Sanu throws AJ into the ring. A right hand by Sami. He sends AJ to the ropes and a clothesline by Sami takes AJ down. He goes for the cover but AJ kicks out. Jeff on the ring apron as Sami knocks him down. AJ pushes Sami into the corner.
A snap mare by AJ followed by a head lock. Jeff back on the ring apron as AJ throws Sami into Jeff knocking Hardy down. A snap mare headlock by AJ onto Sami in the middle of the ring. AJ throws Sami out of the ring and in comes Jeff who hits a clothesline onto AJ. In comes Sami but Jeff knocks him down. Hardy knocks AJ down but Sami attacks Jeff. He sends Jeff to the ropes and a double dropkick by Jeff takes Sami and AJ down.
Jeff with a back body drop takes Sami down. Jeff runs and the poetry in motion as Hardy jumps over Sami onto AJ. Jeff climbs the top rope but Sami pushes Hardy down onto the outside. Sami with right hands on Jeff on the outside. AJ jumps over the top rope and lands onto Sami.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Sami has AJ up on the top rope but AJ slides under Sami and slams Sami face first into the turnbuckle. Jeff knocks AJ down and in comes Sami as he’s knocked down. Jeff climbs the top rope and lands whisper in the wind. All three men on their feet and all three men exchange right hands. A Helluva Kick by Sami onto Jeff as AJ lands the overhead kick onto Sami and all three men are down.
AJ on the ring apron and he hands Jeff on the top rope. AJ goes for the Phenomenal Forearm as Sami ducks and he lands it onto Jeff. Sami throws AJ to the outside and gets the pin on Jeff Hardy.
Winner: Sami Zayn
AJ grabs a ladder after the match and knocks both Sami and Jeff down. AJ places a ladder in the middle of the ring and grabs both Intercontinental Championships.
-Commercial Break-
We see a clip of last week’s Dirt Sheet involving The Miz and John Morrison. Out came Otis who beat them both up and was later served with a lawsuit.
Kayla Braxton is backstage with Otis and Tucker. Otis is holding his Money in the Bank briefcase. He’s asked bout his decision. Otis said his mom always said never to trust carnival clowns, 1% milk and lawyers. In comes Miz and Morrison as Miz tells him his lawyers are trying to give the WWE Universe a Mr. Money in the Bank they deserve.
Tucker tells him Otis won it fair and square. Miz says his lawyer team bill $2000 an hour and when they are done with him, Otis will have nothing left. Otis gets in his face as he asks him if he doesn’t believe he can get it done to ask his girlfriend Mandy Rose. Morrison is recording the whole thing as Otis tells him where he is from, they settle it in the ring. Tucker asks Miz why it’s only his name on the papers. Morrison asks what he’s talking about as Otis attacks Morrison. In come WWE officials to break it up.
We see a clip of Bayley attacking Sasha Banks from a few weeks ago. Out comes the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. She sits on the ramp and says she can watch that inspiring footage all day long. But she won’t because a Champion’s time is precious and she doesn’t have an ounce of time in her body left to use on Sasha Banks. And unlike Sasha, she has work to do and she has a Championship match to prepare for.
Bayley says she admire’s Nikki’s heart but last week she overheard her say that this match will be different. And the reason for that is because she doesn’t have Sasha in her corner. She asks Nikki to think about that statement long and hard. If she watched what she did to her best friend, she better be worried about what she will do to her on Sunday. She will slap the smile off her face and then Bayley says as she lifts the chair. You can only imagine what will happen next. Bayley drops the microphone and head to the back.
-Commercial Break-
Shinsuke Nakamura with Cesaro vs. Gran Metalik with Lucha House Party
The bell rings and we are under way. Nakamura with kicks on Metalik as Metalik lands an acrobatic arm drag taking Nakamura to the outside. Metalik to the outside and Nakamura with a spinning kick. He throws Metalik into the barricade and throws him back into the ring. He goes for the cover but Metalik kicks out. An arm bar on Nakamura as Metalik lands right hands but Nakamura with a kick to the midsection.
Nakamura stomping on Metalik in the corner. Nakamura with a face lock as he goes for a suplex but Metalik gets out of it. Metalik with a hurricanrana sends Nakamura on the ring apron. Nakamura goes for a kick but Metalik blocks it and he knocks Nakamura to the outside. Metalik flies over the top rope taking Nakamura out. Nakamura is sent back into the ring. Metalik on the ring apron as he jumps off the top rope and lands on Nakamura. He goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out.
Metalik climbs the top rope, he goes for a moonsault, Nakamura moves as Metalik lands on his feet. Nakamura with a kick to the head and he lands the Kinshasa. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Cesaro attacks Dorado after the match with Kalisto watching on. Cesaro and Nakamura leave the ring as The Lucha House Party are in the ring and are not getting along.
Jey Uso is backstage as he knocks on Roman’s locker room telling him to open the door.
-Commercial Break-
A short tribute airs for the late great Road Warrior Animal.
We see a promo hyping up the WWE Universal Championship match involving Jey Uso and Roman Reigns at Clash of Champions.
Out comes Jey Uso to the ring. He says it will be family vs. family, Uso vs. Reigns for the Universal Championship. Both Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman are backstage watching. Uso tells Corey to take the night off and not interview because he has questions for Roman. But here’s what happened last week as we see Roman and Uso getting the win against Sheamus and Corbin. During the clip, we see Roman’s face turn into a frown.
Uso says all week they have been asking him about the look. He asks Roman what’s up with the look? We cut to Roman and Heyman backstage sitting down. Uso says what is it? I thought we were better than that, smile in front of my face and frown behind my back, what is it? Up stands Heyman as he says he believes the entire WWE Universe deserves to hear what Roman Reigns has to say to his cousin Jey Uso face to face in the ring.
Heyman says they have it wrong. It’s not going to happen when Jey Uso wants it to happen. It will happen at the accommodation of the schedule of the Universal Champion, your tribal chief Roman Reigns. And he absolutely positively guarantees that face to face discussion will happen in the ring tonight.
Uso says he knew something was up. Roman changes his cell phone number but it’s all love because either way it go as he says welcome to the Uso penitentiary.
We see a clip of Matt Riddle getting the win against Baron Corbin at Payback.
Corbin is backstage and he says last week while he is preparing to elevate the main event of SmackDown when he sees Matt Riddle’s little bro montage. He looks forward to beating up Matt Riddle tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin
Riddle attacks Corbin before the start of the bell as the referee breaks them up. The bell rings and Riddle knocks Corbin to the outside. Riddle with a forearm on the outside as Corbin gets back in the ring. Riddle on the ring apron as Corbin kicks him and throws him back in the ring. Riddle goes for a takedown but Corbin lifts Riddle up and slams him down. A right hand by Corbin followed by a big elbow. He goes for the cover but Riddle kicks out. Corbin slides to the outside, gets back in and goes for the clothesline but Riddle kicks him to the outside of the ring. Riddle throws him over the announce table.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Riddle goes for the triangle as Corbin lifts Riddle up and slams him onto the mat. He goes for the cover but Riddle kicks out. Corbin with a right hand takes Riddle down. Corbin goes to pick Riddle up but Riddle hits him with a knee to the face. Riddle with a forearm punch followed by an overhead throws.
Riddle with a knee to the face. He goes for the cover but Corbin kicks out. Riddle with a modified abdominal stretch but he gets up behind Corbin as Corbin gets to his feet. Riddle goes for another knee to the face but Corbin hits him with the Deep Six. He goes for the cover but Riddle kicks out. Corbin goes for End of Days but Riddle gets out of it. Riddle jumps off the second rope but Corbin hits him with a right hand. Corbin goes for End of Days, Riddle lands on his feet and hits him with a knee to the face.
Matt Riddle climbs the top rope and jumps but Corbin gets his knees up. Corbin with the End of Days as he goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: King Corbin
Kayla gets in the ring and tells Riddle he must be disappointed. Riddle says losing sucks but he came here to push himself and he will continue to grind until SmackDown is the Bro Show.
-Commercial Break-
The bell rings and we are under way. A kick by Evans onto Bliss but Bliss goes for the cover as Evans kicks out. A take down by Evans followed by a right hand. Evans throws Alexa into the corner. Evans slamming Alexa’s head into the turnbuckle. Evans goes for the cover but Alexa kicks out. A head lock by Evans onto Bliss in the middle of the ring. Evans slams Alexa’s head into the mat. She goes for the cover but Alexa kicks out. She gets Alexa in the corner but Alexa with an arm bar and she slams Evans into the mat.
We hear Bray Wyatt’s evil laugh as Alexa looks confused.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Evans with a moonsault. She goes for the cover but Bliss kicks out. Evans on the ring apron as she slams Alexa’s head on the turnbuckle. A knee to the face followed by a leg sweet. Evans jumps over the top rope back into the ring kicking Alexa to the outside. Evans gets Alexa back into the ring. She goes for the cover but Alexa kicks out. She runs towards Alexa as Alexa moves out of the way. Alexa with a clothesline followed by a right hand. A drop kick by Alexa.
Alexa grabs Evans and looks a bit off as Evans drops her to the mat. Evans climbs the second rope, she jumps to the top rope, goes for the moonsault but Alexa moves out of the way. The Fiend’s music hits as the red lights come on. The lights turn back to normal as Alexa goes ballistic on Evans. Alexa stands on top of Evans and slams her head into the mat as the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Lacey Evans
Alexa throws Evans to the outside of the ring. Alexa hits Evans with the Sister Abigail. The lights turn red as we hear Let Me In with The Fiend appearing on the giant screen and Alexa starts to laugh.
Roman’s music hits and out he comes with Paul Heyman. As they are walking down to the ring, they pass Alexa Bliss. Roman poses with the belt as Alexa stands behind them both with sadistic eyes.
-Commercial Break-
Roman Reigns is in the ring with Paul Heyman as Heyman grabs a mic. Heyman says now is the time as Jey Uso’s music hits. Uso points to Roman smiling. Uso gets in the ring and both men are face to face. Roman tells him he wants his side of the story. To be honest, I would give you this title if I could but the truth is you wouldn’t even know what to do with it. Roman says Uso doesn’t understand the accountability, the responsibility of being on top.
Reigns says he doesn’t understand the weight and the pressure from being the face of the WWE. And it’s not his fault. He’s a twin. His entire life he has deepening on his brother. And he’s not saying he is half the man that he is. He is one half of the greatest tag team of his generation and because of that, their family is proud of him. But their family depends and relies on Roman being the tribal chief. That’s who he is. It’s not Uso. It won’t ever be him because it will always, always be Roman. He drops the microphone and starts to walk away.
Uso tells Roman what if he is wrong. Why can’t I be the one to provide for the family? Why can’t I provide for my wife and kids, your nephews? Roman has always been on top. There goes the big dog. You know what they say when they see me? Which one are you? After Sunday, when they ask me who am I, they’ll say I know you. You’re the one who beat Roman Reigns at Clash of Champions for the Universal Championship.
Roman walks away as Uso starts walking to the back. As he’s on top of the ramp, Roman hits him with the Superman punch. Roman says Uso will take the pay day but he will never take the title. he will never take his place at the head of the table.