WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
December 16, 2022
Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.
Commentary: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with a black SUV arriving to the arena. Out steps Jey Uso and Sami Zayn with Zayn having trimmed his beard and wearing a blazer. Jimmy welcomes them to the arena as the SmackDown intro plays. Pyro hits the arena and the show starts.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) (c’s) vs. Liv Morgan & Tegan Nox
The bell rings and we are under way. Liv and Dakota start the match. Liv with a dropkick as she gets Dakota in the corner. Nox is tagged in and they double team Dakota. She sends Dakota to the ropes and an elbow by Nox. She runs to the ropes but Dakota with a kick to the face. Iyo is tagged in and a double axe onto Nox. She goes for an arm bar but Nox reverses it into an arm bar herself. She slams Sky into the mat. Liv is tagged in and they hit Iyo with a double suplex. Liv goes for the cover but Iyo kicks out. Liv with a snap mare. She runs to the ropes but Dakota huts her in the back. Dakota to the outside of the ring as she goes under the ropes and Liv follows her. Liv grabs a kendo stick and chases Dakota into the ring bit Nox stops Liv from hitting her. In comes Iyo but Liv and Dakota double team them. They throw Damage CTRL to the outside of the ring. Liv goes for a baseball slide but Dakota moves out of the way. She distracts them on the outside and Nox with a splash off the top rope onto Damage CTRL on the outside of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Damage CTRL double team Nox in the ring. Iyo gets Nox in a waist lock but Dakota gets out of it and hits her with a headbutt. Liv and Dakota are tagged in. Liv with a dropkick off the second rope. Liv knocks Sky off the ring apron and Dakota hits Liv with a kick to the face. Iyo is tagged in as they place Liv on the top rope and lift her up and slam her onto the mat. Iyo goes for the cover but Nox breaks it up. Dakota knocks Nox down and Liv throws Dakota to the outside of the ring. Liv with a code breaker onto Iyo as Nox is tagged in. Nox with the Shiniest Wizard. She goes for the cover but Dakota breaks it up. Liv throws Dakota on the ring apron. Liv with a sunset flip powerbomb as she slams Dakota on the outside. Iyo hits Liv with a drop kick on the outside. Iyo gets back in the ring and Nox with a kick to the face. Nox runs to the ropes but Iyo hits her with a right hand and Nox falls to the outside. Iyo goes to jump on the second rope but Nox knocks her down. The referee is distracted by Iyo as Bayley grabs Nox but Nox throws Bayley over the barricade. Someone in a black hoodie attacks Nox on the outside as security takes that person away. Iyo gets Nox in the ring and hits her with a moon sault. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Still WWE Women’s Tag Team champions, Damage CTRL
A video package airs showing Gunther as WWE Intercontinental champion.
-Commercial Break-
Ricochet cuts a promo talking about how he will win the WWE Intercontinental title against Gunther.
Zayn and the Usos are backstage. Zayn asks them how he looks and they tell him he looks good. Zayn asks where Solo is with Jimmy telling him he is with Roman and they are on their way. Zayn says he needs to get some water and leaves the room. Jey tells Jimmy it’s a big night as Roman will take away Zayn’s honorary Uce and make him a full Uce. Jimmy tells him he doesn’t think Roman will do it and if he spoke with Roman. Jey says he didn’t but Roman will do it. Jimmy says he thinks they are setting Zayn up for a big disappointment. Jey tells him tonight will be a big night.
We see a clip of last week’s SmackDown where LA Knight called out Bray Wyatt. LA Knight ended up in a locker room with the lights going off and Wyatt in front of him.
Michael Cole says they received a QR code which is a video of what happened last week. We see LA Knight tied up wearing a mask with Bray’s voice playing. Bray laughs as he removes the mask off LA Knight but Knight has his mouth taped shut.
We cut to the arena and LA Knight is walking backstage looking around.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, LA Knight is in the ring. He says for the past few weeks, he has been blindsided, abducted and tied up. But he is still knocking on Bray Wyatt’s door. He tells Wyatt he is a former WWE champion, one of the biggest WWE superstars of all time. And his recent return is one of the most talked about returns ever. But all he has done is dress like a circus freak, cried, set a lot of things and he has taken advantage of blindsiding and attacking him. And then he says it wasn’t himself, it was Howdy.
LA Knight says he knows it was him, he heard him. He tells Wyatt to put on any mask he needs to, any costume he needs to, call himself what he needs to, come out and get stomped out. The lights go out in the arena.
Out comes Wyatt laughing. He tells Chicago he has missed them. But LA Knight, he is sick of him. He is sick of this entire game they keep playing. He tells LA Knight that he knows he doesn’t believe him and he understands why. But LA Knight is barking up the wrong tree. He hasn’t touched him and deep down, they both know how this story ends. Wyatt gets on the ring apron. He says since they both know how it ends, he will give him one last chance to deliver his message and make it worth his while. As Bray is getting in the ring, LA Knight hits him with right hands and stomps on him in the corner. A video package plays with Uncle Howdy asking him what he has done. He asks LA Knight if he wants to see something really scary. LA Knight continues to stomp on Wyatt as music plays. Smoke fills the entrance and out comes Uncle Howdy. LA Knight backs away as we hear Uncle Howdy’s laugh fill the arena. LA Knight leaves the ring with Wyatt and Uncle Howdy laughing.
-Commercial Break-
Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa walk into the arena. Roman asks Heyman where to as Heyman points and all three men walk in the hallway.
WWE Intercontinental Championship match – Gunther (c) vs. Ricochet
Adam Pearce kicks Kaiser and Vinci away from the ring.
The bell rings and we are under way. Ricochet with kicks onto Gunther’s left leg. An arm bar followed by a hip toss by Gunther. He grabs Ricochet but Ricochet acrobatically gets away. Gunther grabs Ricochet by the legs and throws him around the ring. Gunther goes for a chop but Ricochet moves out of the way. A head lock take down by Ricochet followed by a kick to the side of the head. Ricochet with a drop kick in the corner. Righth ands by Ricochet but Gunther throws him onto the ring apron. Gunther with ab ig boot and Ricochet falls to the outside. Gunther on the outside as he lifts Ricochet up and throws him on the ring apron. A chop to the chest by Gunther.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Gunther with chops to the chest in the ring. Gunther slams Ricochet into the corner as Ricochet falls to the mat. A kick to the back by Gunther in the middle of the ring. Gunther with a body slam. Gunther with a Boston crab in the middle of the ring. Ricochet with kicks onto Gunther and he gets out of it. Ricochet with kicks onto Gunther but Gunther lifts Ricochet up and hits him with a back breaker. Gunther goes for the cover but Ricochet kicks out. Gunther with the Boston crab as he turns it into a crossface but Ricochet makes it to the ropes. Gunther grabs Ricochet but Ricochet with right hands. He grabs Gunther but Gunther with a big chop. Gunther with a sleeper hold in the middle of the ring but Ricochet rolls out of it. Gunther with right hands and a sleeper onto Ricochet in the middle of the ring. Ricochet with kicks onto Gunther as he tries to lift Gunther up but Gunther lands on his feet and hits him with a chop. Gunther goes for the cover but Ricochet kicks out.
Gunther with chops onto Ricochet in the corner. He goes for another chop but Ricochet moves out of the way and he hits Gunther with a kick. Ricochet with a kick to the side of the head. Gunther in the corner and Ricochet hits him with a drop kick. Right hands by Ricochet. He grabs Gunther and goes for a suplex but Gunther reverses it as he throws Ricochet onto the mat. Ricochet stands up and goes for the power bomb but Ricochet throws him out of the ring. Ricochet to the outside and he hits Gunther with a drop kick and Gunther slams into the barricade. Ricochet grabs Gunther but Gunther with a chop to the chest. He lifts Ricochet up but Ricochet lands on the ring apron. Ricochet jumps off the top rope and he hits Gunther with a moon sault.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Ricochet with a shooting star. He goes for the cover but Gunther kicks out. Ricochet with right hands on Gunther and chops. Kicks by Ricochet and a chop to the chest. Ricochet with a super kick but Gunther on his feet. Ricochet runs towards Gunther but Gunther with a chop. He lifts Ricochet up and powerbombs him. He goes for the cover but Ricochet kicks out. Gunther lifts Ricochet up and hits him with the Last Symphony. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: And still WWE Intercontinental champion, Gunther
Out come Kaiser and Vinci to the ring as they celebrate together. Kaiser and Vinci grab Ricochet after the match but out comes Braun Strowman as Imperium leave the ring.
Roman is sitting in his office with Heyman and Solo. In comes Jimmy who asks him what he is going to do tonight but Roman doesn’t answer. Jimmy asks him if he is going to make Zayn an Uce. Jimmy says he loves their family, the Bloodline, them. But if he doesn’t want to induct Zayn because of his history with Kevin Owens… Roman looks at him but doesn’t answer. Jimmy says he will see him out there tonight and he leaves the room. Roman tells Heyman he wants to talk to Pearce.
-Commercial Break-
In comes Pearce and Roman tells him to sit. Roman says Wiseman as Heyman starts to talk. He tells Pearce Roman will bless him. To imagine this, Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens and any partner of his choice. Heyman tells Pearce if he likes, Pearce could even be the partner. Pearce says they can do it tonight. Roman and Heyman start to laugh. Pearce says he gets it but asks if it would be at the Royal Rumble. Heyman tells Roman but if he were to do it live on network television, on Fox, December 30, Tampa, Florida… Roman says that sounds a lot better than Chicago. Heyman congratulates Pearce on the biggest tag team of 2022, live on Fox. Solo gets in Pearce’s face as he stands up and says he will let Kevin know.
-Commercial Break-
Hit Row vs. Viking Raiders vs. Legado del Fantasma
The bell rings and we are under way. Wilde, Ivar and Ashante are in the ring. Ivar with a kick onto Wilde and Wilde to the outside of the ring. Ashante with a dropkick onto Ivar and Ivar to the outside of the ring. Erik throws Ashante to the outside of the ring. Top Dolla gets in the ring and he clotheslines Erik to the outside. Legado Del Fantasma with a double dropkick off the top rope.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Top Dolla with a shoulder tackle onto Erik andTel Toro. Ivar is tagged in as the Viking Raiders double team Top Dolla. In come Legado Del Fantasma but The Viking Raiders knock them both down. Ivar jumps off the second rope and hits Top Dolla with a clothesline. Erik goes for the cover but Wilde breaks it up. Del Toro is tagged in and a drop kick onto Top Dolla. He climbs the top rope and Del Toro with a splash. He goes for the cover but Top Dolla kicks out. Ashante gets in the ring and he hits Wilde with a DDT. Erik with a German suplex onto Ashanta. Ivar with the sit down onto Del Toro. Top Dolla with a clothesline. Top Dolla jumps over the top rope but doesn’t make the entire jump as he hits the top rope and lands on his feet on the outside of the ring. Vega hits Ashante with a hurricanrana. B-Fab hits Zelina with a right hand. Vahalla with a right hand onto B-Fab and both women fight on the outside. Zelina with a moon sault onto both women. Wilde runs towards Top Dolla but Top Dolla catches him and Ashante hits him with the Heavy Hitter. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Hit Row
Kayla is backstage with Raquel who has ice on her elbow. Kayla asks her if she will be in the gauntlet match next week where the winner will become the number one contender for the WWE SmackDown Women’s championship. Raquel says the doctor recommends caution but for her, this is personal. When she goes to straighten her arm, she remembers what Shayna and Ronda did to her. And last week, they hurt her friend Shotzi. She says she will be in the gauntlet match next week. In comes Shayna who hits her with a right hand. Ronda grabs Raquel by the arm as Shayna kicks it.
-Commercial Break-
Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, the Usos, Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn make their way down to the ring. Roman tells Chicago to acknowledge him. Roman says he hasn’t seen the Bloodline since WarGames and they dominated WarGames. Roman shakes all of their hands. He says tonight is the night. Every night is a good night for the Tribal Chief but tonight was going to be a good night for Zayn. But they have a problem. They have a KO problem. Roman tells Zayn Owens is a problem, he won’t leave him alone. And if he is a problem for Zayn, he is a problem for Roman and he is a problem for the Bloodline. But he has a solution. He tells Zayn they are going to team up and have a tag team match against Owens. They are going to get rid of Owens and never see him again.
Zayn tells Roman he is absolutely right. After all of this time, Owens keeps trying to bring him down. He tells everyone that he is Kevin’s only friend. He tell them that he mispoke, he was his friend. And it would be a privilege to be his partner.
John Cena shows up on the titan tron. Cena tells them surprise. He was surprised when he got a text message from Owens. Cena takes out his cell phone and reads the message. Cena says Owens texted him saying he has had a match every year in the WWE for the last 20 years except this one. He asks Cena if he wants to be his tag team partner on SmackDown on December 30 in Tampa, Florida. Cena says he has not had a match in 2022 and they are running out of chances. But on the last SmackDown of the year, he will team up with Kevin Owens against Roman Reigns and Zayn and he will be Kevin’s partner. Roman laughs in the ring as Cena’s music hits.