WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results
January 20, 2023
Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan
Commentary: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with highlights from last week’s main event between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.
We cut to the show and two black SUV’s enter the parking and out come the Bloodline. Zayn does his handshakes with the Usos and tries to fist pump Roman Reigns but Roman looks at him and walks away.
Michael Cole says they send their condolences to Jay Briscoe’s family.
SmackDown Tag Team Tournament – Sheamus and Drew McIntyre vs. The Viking Raiders
The Viking Raiders attack Drew and Sheamus as the bell rings. Kevin and Sheamus in the ring as Drew and Ivar are fighting on the outside. A double clothesline by Sheamus and Erik as they fall to the outside. Drew is thrown into the ring post by Ivar as Sheamus throws Erik into the barricade. Sheamus with right hands onto Ivar. Sheamus grabs Erik and throws him into the ring. Sheamus gets into the ring as Ivar gets on the ring apron. Sheamus with the 10 Beats of the Bodhron but Erik stops him after seen. Sheamus throws Erik over the top rope and onto the apron. Sheamus with the 10 Beats of the Bodhran. Ivar with a right hand onto Sheamus as he is tagged in and Sheamus is thrown over the top rope to the outside.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Erik with an arm bar on Sheamus in the middle of the ring. Sheamus gets to his feet and a right hand followed by an uppercut. Sheamus with a right hand but Erik with a right hand and Ivar is tagged in. Ivar with a double axe on Sheamus in the middle of the ring. Erik tagged back into the match. Sheamus with a right hand and a big boot followed by an Irish Curse backbreaker. Drew is tagged in and as is Ivar. Drew with a clothesline.
Drew with a shoulder tackle onto Ivar. An over head throw onto Erik. Drew with a neck breaker onto Ivar and a neck breaker on Erik. Drew with a Michinoku driver onto Ivar. He goes for the cover but Ivar kicks out. Drew lifts Ivar on his shoulders but Ivar lands on his feet. ADrew runs towards Ivar but Ivar knocks Drew down. Erik is tagged in and they double team Drew. Erik goes for the cover but Drew kicks out. Ivar climbs the top rope but Drew gets to his feet but Erik with a right hand onto Drew and Drew is in a tree of woe. Sheamus with the White Noise on Erik. Drew lifts up and throws Ivar onto the mat.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Ivar with right hands on McIntyre. He throws Drew to the turnbuckle but Drew bounces back and hits him with a clothesline. Drew with a futureshock DDT. Drew goes for the Claymore but Ivar with a spinning kick. Sheamus is tagged in and as is Erik. Sheamus with right hands and Erik with right hands. Sheamus slams Erik onto the mat. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick but Valhalla distracts him. Erik throws Sheamus across the ring and Ivar is tagged in. Ivar with a splash off the top rope. He goes for the cover but Sheamus kicks out. Erik gets into the ring but Sheamus hits Ivar with a knee to the face. Drew with the Claymore on Erik. Sheamus with the Brogue Kick onto Ivar. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Sheamus and Drew McIntyre
We cut backstage as Heyman is reading through the contract. In comes Zayn who asks Roman if he has a second to talk. Roman tells him to sit. Zayn says he knows tonight is a big night for the Bloodline but he felt the greeting in the parking lot to be a little frosty. He asks if everything is cool. Roman tells him that he saw how he looked last week and he knows he is trying to cover up tonight and to tell him the truth. Zayn tells him everything is fine but Roman tells him to tell him the truth. Zayn says to be honest, he was a little disappointed last week. He felt privileged to be put in that position, he felt a lot of pride, to carry his weight in the family but he didn’t know the Usos were going to be out there. He didn’t know the plan. Owens kept saying that he is being used and for a quick second… he doesn’t know. But it is fine. Roman tells him to get out. Roman says he won’t do this every week and to get out. It blows his mind. The tribal chief has to run his game plan by the honorary Uce. When does he have to ask him for his approval and to go find Kevin and his Bloodline. Roman tells Heyman to leave. Heyman tells him to leave.
-Commercial Break-
Raquel Rodriguez cuts a promo about the Women’s Royal Rumble match.LA Knight
As LA Knight is walking down to the ring, the titan tron cuts Bray Wyatt’s logo. LA Knight gets in the ring and asks if someone can help Bray Wyatt figure out what is going on. One week he is not Uncle Howdy and the next week he is. And the lunatic asks LA Knight who he is. He says he is LA Knight, yeah. And what that means is he is the guy at the Royal Rumble who will make you think that maybe I should not have come back and I should have stayed away. While Wyatt is living on former glory, whether it is pitch black or in broad day light, LA Knight will get the win.
LA Knight vs. Jones
The lights begin to flicker on and off. Jones with a right hand on LA Knight but LA Knight with a clothesline. LA Knight with the Blunt Force Trama, BFT. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: LA Knight
The FireFly Fun House returns. We see Mercy the Buzzard pop out of a box as well as all of Wyatt’s little puppets. They say they are back as Wyatt turns around and says he can see him. He welcomes everyone back to the Firefly Fun House. Wyatt says he has missed them so much and he cannot wait to have a lot of fun with his friends. Wyatt talks about the Pitchblack match at the Royal Rumble.
Wyatt says what kind of damaged person names their son Los Angeles Knight, he never had a chance. Wyatt tells the rabbit it is normal to be afraid of the dark. In the dark is when things will hide under your bed and come out while you are sleeping. Now that he thinks about it, you should be scared of the dark. The screen cuts to Uncle Howdy laughing and saying I told you so. He says all you needed was a little push.
It cuts to Wyatt who says in a dark tone that he hopes he is satisfied, he hopes LA Knight understands that he opened the door and that is Knight’s problem. He laughs and says bye.
-Commercial Break-
SmackDown Tag Team Tournament – Hit Row vs. Los Lotharios
The bell rings and we are under way. Humberto and Ashante are in the ring and an arm bar by Humberto as Garza is tagged in. Los Lotharios with a double team on Ashante. Garza goes for the cover but Ashante kicks out. He grabs Ashante but Ashante pushes him away and hits him with a drop kick. Top Dolla is tagged in. He throws Garza across the ring and Garza rolls to the outside of the ring. A chop to the chest by Top Dolla onto Garza and he throws Garza back into the ring. Top Dolla with a waist lock but Garza with an elbow to the face. Humberto is tagged in and as is Ashante. A spinning kick by Humberto onto Ashante. Top Dolla gets in the ring and Los Lotharios double team him and Top Dolla to the outside of the ring. Los Lotharios with double suicide dives onto Hit Row on the outside of the ring. Carrillo throws Ashante into the ring and Ashante distracts the referee. B-Fab trips Carrillo as he is getting into the ring. Ashante rolls Carrillo into the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Hit Row
A video hyping up Cody Rhodes airs.
-Commercial Break-
Out comes WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair. She says it seems that Sonya Deville has a real problem with her. She doesn’t know why, maybe it’s because she beat her two weeks ago. She tells Sonya if she has a problem with her, she doesn’t need to go whine to Adam Pearce or attack her from behind. To come say it to her face, woman to woman. Out comes Sonya Deville. She says she doesn’t care what this dirty city wants. She cares what she wants, what she deserves and that is a title opportunity.
Deville says Charlotte probably doesn’t think she is worthy of one. But every time she walks through that curtain, she is a star. And every time she opens her mouth to speak, they should shut theirs and listen. And it took six people to rip her off of her last week and is Charlotte really that arrogant that she doesn’t see it? The fans chant “you suck” as Charlotte says Detroit has mad e p their minds about her.
Flair says Deville is a star and she has always said that. But is she saying that the other women in the back aren’t stars? What makes her think that she has something that the others don’t? Flair says she called her shot and lost and even tapped out. The fans chant “you tapped out” as Flair says she should focus on the Rumble and not jump the line since that is for the title. But if she wants a fight,s he will fight her right here, right now. Deville tells her no, why would she do that if there is nothing in it for her. Deville tells her unless she is willing to put her her title on the line.
Out comes Adam Pearce. He says he made himself clear as Deville attacks Flair from behind and leaves the ring.
We cut to the back and Roman is sitting with Heyman. He tells Heyman if he can believe Zayn. Heyman tells him he has never liked Zayn since day one but he supports Roman’s vision for the island of relevancy. He tries to look at things from the perspective of the special counsel and as his wise man, if he can take it into his ruthless consideration if it’s better, as they are about to sign a contract to defend the title against Kevin Owens, that when it comes to Zayn, maybe it is better to have him in the castle pissing out rather than pissing in.
-Commercial Break-
SmackDown Tag Team Tournament – The Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium
The bell rings and we are under way. Vinci and Holland start the match. A chop to the chest by Vinci but Holland with a hip toss. Butch is tagged into the match and they double team Vinci. He gets to the ropes and Kaiser is tagged in as he slams Butch down onto the mat. He grabs Butch but Butch twists Kaiser’s fingers and arm. Vinci is tagged in and Vinci with a cross body onto Butch.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Holland with a clothesline on Kaiser. Holland lifts Kaiser up and throws him into the top turnbuckle. Ridge with a clothesline followed by a running powerslam. Holland grabs Kaiser but in comes Vinci. Holland lifts them both up and drops them onto the mat. Butch is tagged in as Vinci falls to the outside. Butch with a moon sault on Vinci. Holland on the outside as Vinci throws him into the ring steps. Butch grabs Kaiser’s ankle and gets him in the ankle lock but Kaiser gets to his feet and gets out of it. Vinci is tagged in and a moon sault off the top rope onto Butch. He goes for the cover but Butch kicks out. Kaiser on the top rope but Holland pushes him to the outside.
Holland is tagged in as Butch is on the top rope. Vinci grabs him but Butch kicks him down to the outside of the ring. Butch on the ring apron as Vinci grabs him and hits him with a brain buster onto the outside of the ring. Vinci is tagged in and they hit Holland with the Imperium Bomb.
Winners: Imperium
We cut backstage and Heyman walks up to Zayn. Heyman tells him that his tribal chief would like to see him now.
-Commercial Break-
SmackDown Tag Team Tournament – Legado Del Fantasma vs. Maximum Male Models
Mån.sôör and Wilde are in the ring. Wilde grabs Mån.sôör but Mån.sôör throws him to the outside of the ring. In comes Del Toro and Mån.sôör throws him over the top rope. Maximum Male Models model inside the ring. Legado Del Fantasma back inside the ring and they throw Maximum Male Models to the outside of the ring. Legado Del Fantasma fly over the top rope onto Maximum Male Models. Mån.sôör back in the ring with Cruz Del Toro. Legado Del Fantasma double team Mansoor. Del Toro goes for the cover but Ma.çé breaks it up. Ma.çé is tagged in and he hits Del Toro with a kick. Mån.sôör is tagged in and he is on the top rope but is tripped over. Wilde with a DDT onto Mån.sôör. Del Toro with a dropkick off the top rope onto Ma.çé. Legado Del Fantasma double team Mån.sôör. Del Toro go for the cover and get the pin.
Winners: Legado Del Fantasma
We cut backstage and Roman tells Zayn to sit down. Roman tells him it’s no secret that he has a temper. But that is why he has the wise man to counsel that anger. Roman says he wasn’t hear Zayn, he just wants clear communication. To be part of the game plan, the team. Zayn is a perfectionist, like himself. You don’t become the GOAT if you don’t think of all the details and that is why they get along. Zayn thanks him for understand. He said he walked in expecting the worst but it means the world to hear him say that. Roman says sometimes he expects the same amount of love, respect and loyalty that he gives us. Zayn tells him they all love him, he is the tribal chief. He is the head of the table, the one steering the whole ship as Heyman wipes away his tears.
Zayn says they will always put what is best for the Bloodline and the family first. He tells Roman he will do what he asks of him. Roman tells him he needs him to find the Usos, that the SUV’s are in place, the call the pilots and to make sure that the jets are ready to go. He, Heyman and Solo will go to the ring. Zayn extends his fist and they fist pump as Zayn leaves the room.
-Commercial Break-
Contract signing – Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens
Adam Pearce is in the ring and out come Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa. They get into the ring as Roman sits on a chair and puts his feet on the table. Kevin Owens enters from behind and throws Solo Sikoa to the outside of the ring. Owens stuns Roman Reigns. Solo gets on the ring apron and Owens hits him with a super kick. The Usos run down and grab Owens to the outside but Owens hits them with super kicks. Owens throws Jey into the barricade and Jimmy into the ring steps. Owens gets back into the ring. He grabs Roman and power bombs him through the table.
Owens grabs the contract from Heyman and signs it. Out runs Zayn as he stands on the ring apron. Owens throws the contract and leaves the ring. He goes in between the crowd as Zayn gets in the ring.