WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
January 13, 2023
Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Commentary: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE Intercontinental Title Match – Gunther (c) with Imperium vs. Braun Strowman
The bell rings and we are under way. An arm bar by Gunther but Strowman throws him over the top rope and to the outside. Strowman to the outside and right hands as he slams Gunther into the ring steps. Strowman with another right hand. Strowman gets back into the ring and back out. Strowman with the Strowman Express as Gunther slams into the side of the announce table.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Gunther attacks Strowman’s left arm with an arm bar. A chop to the chest by Gunther followed by a kick. A knee to the back by Gunther and Gunther kicks Strowman’s arm. Gunther goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out. Gunther with another modified arm bar but Strowman tries to lift Gunther up but he falls to the mat. Gunther twists Strowman’s arm and a shoulder tackle by Gunther in the middle of the ring. Gunther with a chop to the chest.
Gunther places his left knee onto Strowman’s left arm. Gunther with an arm bar but Strowman with a forearm to the face. Gunther with a chop, Strowman with a forearm. Strowman hits Gunther with a clothesline. Strowman slams Gunther into the turnbuckle and Strowman with a back body drop. Gunther distracts the referee as Imperium are on the ring apron but Strowman with right hands. Strowman with a bodyslam onto Gunther. He goes for the cover but Gunther kicks out.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Strowman lifts Gunther up and slams him onto the mat. A chop to the chest by Strowman, one by Gunther, one by Strowman as both men exchange chops. Gunther with a big boot. Gunther runs to the ropes but Strowman with a spinebuster. He goes for the cover but Gunther kicks out. Strowman goes for the Monster Bomb but Gunther gets out of it and hits him with a right hand. Gunther runs to the ropes but Strowman with a clothesline. Strowman runs towards Gunther in the corner but Gunther moves out of the way. Gunther with a dropkick followed by a clothesline. He goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out. Gunther climbs the top rope and a splash onto Strowman. He goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out. Gunther climbs the top rope but Strowman gets up. Strowman with a right hand onto Gunther. Strowman on the second rope as he goes for a suplex but Gunther attacks Strowman’s bad arm. Gunther on the rin apron as he slams Strowman’s arm onto the ring post. Gunther gets in the ring and he powerbombs Strowman. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Still WWE Intercontinental champion, Gunther
We cut backstage and Zayn knocks on the Bloodline’s door. Heyman opens it and Zayn tells him he is here to talk strategy with the guys. Heyman says no one is there except for himself. Heyman says he told Roman last week that we can do Zayn vs. Owens on SmackDown and have the Usos and Solo help him. Roman tells him that it won’t happen. Zayn will have to do it alone, out of love. Zayn asks Heyman to text Roman and tell him that he made the right decision. Zayn tells him that isn’t a prediction, it’s a spoiler.
-Commercial Break-
Rey Mysterio’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. He says the holidays are very exciting and special. Especially when you have been on the road for so many years, you cherish the time you spend with your family. Especially at Christmas. But as everyone knows, he didn’t have a very merry Christmas. His son Dominik tried to ruin things again and now he is walking around like he is a thug, a criminal. Mysterio says as a father, it breaks his heart.
Mysterio says as a man, he is fed up with his bullshit. He came to SmackDown for a fresh start and he won’t let Dominik provoke him. He knows what he needs to do to get right back on track and that is by entering and winning the Royal Rumble match. Karrion’s music hits and out comes Karrion Kross with Scarlett. Kross gets in the ring and grabs a microphone. Kross tells Rey he was listening to him talking about goals. And someone like Rey needs goals. The Royal Rumble is coming up and 17 years ago, Rey won the Rumble. He is sure that was a special moment for him but it was also a special moment for his son Dominik.
Kross says his father is a real life super hero. He goes out and wins the big one. But Rey was never around for Dominik when he was a kid to know if it was special for him. He and Scarlett were talking and they need to know. At the end of the day. Who does he hate more, his son Dominik for growing up and not being like him or for growing up and being just like him. Rey with right hands but Kross grabs him. Rey trips Kross up onto the ropes. Rey runs to the ropes as Scarlett trips him up and Kross gets the Krossjacket on Mysterio.
We cut backstage as Emma and Maxxine Dupri are backstage with Liv. Emma tells Liv entering the Rumble as number one is not the best way of wanting to go to WrestleMania. Maxinne say she doesn’t stand a chance. In comes Raquel who says the best strategy would be to enter the match last. Someone of Liv’s size would have a better chance to succeed that way. Raquel says she was built to win it. Liv says she got her palm read as Raquel looks at Liv’s hand and Liv slaps her in the face and she challenges her to a match. Raquel tells Liv she is on.
-Commercial Break-
Tegan Nox vs. Xia Li
The bell rings and we are under way. Nox with a right hands followed by an uppercut. Nox with a cannonball in the corner. She climbs the top rope but Xia Li trips her up. Xia Li throws her off the top rope. She goes for the cover but Nox kicks out. A head lock by Xia Li as she lets go and kicks Nox into the corner. Xia Li with a right hand as she throws Nox across the ring. Xia Li goes for a spinning kick but Nox moves out of the way. Nox with the Shinning Wizard. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Tegan Nox
We see a clip of The Viking Raiders attacking Drew McIntyre and Sheamus after their match last week on SmackDown.
A promo by the Viking Raiders airs talking about McIntyre and Sheamus.
We cut backstage as McIntyre and Sheamus are with Adam Pearce. McIntyre tells Pearce they want a tag team match tonight. Sheamus says but he wants the Usos tonight. Drew and Sheamus chop each other on the chest as they disagree. Pearce says next week he is starting a tag team tournament where the winners will become number one contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team titles. Pearce says they will have a match against the Viking Raiders next week. Sheamus says in this tag team tournament, he foresees banger after banger.
-Commercial Break-
The lights go out in the arena and out comes Bray Wyatt. He gets into the ring with one chair in the middle as he sits on it. The lights are completely dark with the spotlight on Bray. He tells Green Bay that they are here. He laughs and says it’s wild how sometimes we forget who we are. We forget what it is that made us in the first place.
Wyatt laughs and says all it takes is a little push to send you in the right direction. And then you understand. And just like that, it came back to him. He remembered all of the things he lost. He is the color red in a world of black and white. He is the eater of worlds. He is Uncle Howdy. He is him. He is Bray Wyatt. He knows who he is but he asks who are you. At the Rumble, it will be his true rebirth. A baptism in the dark. And as for LA Knight, to know that when the lights go out, he should run.
The lights go out and we cut to Kayla backstage with Kevin Owens. In comes Zayn. He asks Owens if he is happy about all of this. What he is making him do tonight. He couldn’t leave it alone, leave him on SmackDown with the Bloodline. Owens says he was on Raw, the Bloodline came to Raw every week to run their mouth. He decided to take the Bloodline out piece by piece and if Zayn is part of that piece, that’s on him. Roman put Zayn in those situations, that way he doesn’t have to come to work.
Zayn tells him he is not being used. He sees Roman hugging him, he sees him getting along with the Bloodline. And he is proud to take care of that business tonight. Owens tells him good luck.
-Commercial Break-
Imperium are backstage with Kayla. Gunther says today is a glorious day because he has overcome his biggest challenge so far. He got the win against Braun Strowman. But now he has to go to the Royal Rumble and throw body after body and to main event WrestleMania.
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Liv Morgan
Raquel shoves Liv down and hits her with a big boot. She throws Liv over the top rope and to the outside o the ring. Raquel holds the second rope down to allow Liv to get back into the ring. Liv gets back in the ring and she throws Raquel into the corner. A splash by Liv as she runs once more towards Raquel but Raquel hits her with a splash. She goes for the cover but Liv kicks out. Raquel lifts Liv up but Liv headbutts her. Raquel goes for a big boot but Liv moves out of the way and Liv tries to throw Raquel over the top rope but Raquel with a back elbow. Raquel slams Liv into the corner. Raquel runs towards Liv but Liv moves out of the way and Raquel slams face first. Liv clothesline Raquel over the top rope and to the outside of the ring. Liv holds the second rope for Raquel but Raquel drags her to the outside. Raquel lifts Liv up but Liv slams her into the ring post. Liv throws Raquel into the ring steps. Liv grabs a table from under the ring. She places it on the outside of the ring next to the announce table. Liv places Raquel on the table and Liv climbs the top rope. Raquel moves out of the way and back into the ring. Liv with a cross body off the top rope but Raquel moves out of the way. Raquel lifts Liv up and hits her with the Tejada Bomb. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez
We cut backstage and Sonya is telling Adam Pearce that she wants a rematch against Flair. He tells her he cannot give her a rematch, it’s not how it works. Sonya tells him is that how it works or is that how it works for Flair. Pearce says Flair called her shot against Ronda and Sonya called her shot against Flair. But Flair won her match. Sonya tells him he probably wants her to enter the Royal Rumble match and win it. Pearce tells her yeah as Sonya says she is going to find a way to make that rematch official.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial and Charlotte Flair is fighting with Sonya backstage. WWE officials try to break it up as Flair says she didn’t start it. Sonya hits her from behind as Flair throws Sonya over WWE equipment. Flair says she stopped and Sonya jumps onto her from behind. WWE officials break it up.
A Cody Rodes promo airs, detailing his injury.
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
The bell rings and we are under way. Owens extends his arm out for a handshake. Zayn kicks it away and pushes Owens. A head lock by Owens as Zayn sends him to the ropes and Owens with a shoulder tackle. Zayn with a slap to the face and Owens with right hands and Zayn to the outside of the ring. Owens to the outside and he hits Zayn with a clothesline. Owens with a forearm followed by a chop to the chest. He throws Zayn back into the ring and Zayn stomps on Owens as he is getting back into the ring. Owens back to the outside and Zayn with a flying senton over the top rope onto Owens on the outside. Zayn grabs Owens but Owens throws him into the barricade. Right hands by Owens. Owens throws Zayn back into the ring and Zayn rolls back out. Owens on the ring apron and Zayn with a right hand. Zayn on the ring apron and he suplex Owens on the ring apron.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Zayn with an elbow off the second rope. He goes for the cover but Owens kicks out. Zayn gets Owens in the corner and he places him on the top rope. Zayn with right hands as he climbs the second rope. Zayn goes for a suplex but Owens headbutts him down. Owens with a frog splash. He goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Owens with a right hand but Zayn turns it into a Blue Thunder Bomb. He goes for the cover but Owens kicks out. Zayn with a suplex and Owens gets back up and hits him with a clothesline.
-Commercial Break-
Back commercial, Owens with a senton off the top rope but Zayn gets his knees up. Zayn goes for the cover but Owens kicks out. Zayn places Owens on the top rope and he goes for a suplex but Owens reverses it into a brainbuster off the top rope. Owens goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Both men with right hands Zayn with two exploder suplexes. In come the Usos and Solo who stomp on Owens in the corner and Zayn looks in disbelief. The Usos hit Owens with the 1D.
Winner: By disqualification, Kevin Owens
The Usos throw Owens to the outside and tell Zayn to join them. Solo hits Owens with the Samoan Spike and a kick to the face. Zayn tells them that the Tribal Chief sent him to take care of business. The Usos tell him that he did well. Owens is on the announce table as Solo jumps off the barricade and hits Owens with a big splash through the table. Zayn stands between the Usos and they all celebrate.