[WWE intro music plays]
[John Cena] Then…
-[Ric Flair] Woo! -[glass shatters]
[The Rock] If you smell…
-[bell tolls] -[Cena] Now…
[Roman Reigns] Acknowledge me.
-♪ The King of Kings ♪ -♪ You can't see me ♪
[Cena] Forever.
Together.
[music fades]
-[crowd cheering] -["Nobody Better Than Me" playing]
[Patrick] With WWE Crown Jewel one week from tomorrow,
we're sold out tonight in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
as we welcome you to Friday Night SmackDown on FS1,
sponsored by Progressive,
a triple threat of protection with home, auto, and more.
And, Corey Graves, some colossal breaking news today.
[Graves] I think colossal may be an understatement, KP.
But this coming from our good friends at People magazine, who broke the news
that one week from tomorrow, Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
The Greatest of All Time, John Cena, will return to one-on-one action
as he battles the enforcer of The Bloodline,
"The Street Champ" Solo Sikoa.
And remember our very special 1:00 p.m. Eastern start time.
Streaming live on Peacock.
-["Head of the Table" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[crowd cheers loudly]
[Taylor] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome,
accompanied by his Special Counsel, the Wiseman Paul Heyman,
he is the Undisputed
WWE Universal Champion,
Roman Reigns!
[crowd cheering]
-["Head of the Table" ends abruptly] -["Welcome To LA" playing]
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] Roman Reigns is not going to take too kindly to this.
You don't tug on Superman's cape,
and you sure as hell don't interrupt The Tribal Chief's grand entrance.
[Cole] LA Knight didn't even acknowledge Roman Reigns
as he marched down to the ring for the contract signing.
[crowd cheers]
[Taylor] Please welcome LA Knight.
[Graves] A defiant LA Knight wasting no time
trying to get under the skin of Roman Reigns.
[Cole] Well, tonight marks the 1153rd day
that Roman Reigns has been champion. Nearly three and a half years.
Yet he's been upstaged tonight by the man he meets at Crown Jewel, LA Knight.
[Graves] What an incredible display of disrespect
from Roman's challenger at Crown Jewel.
[Patrick] In the ring with Paul Heyman and LA Knight
SmackDown's new general manager, Nick Aldis.
[Cole] Well, Nick certainly has his hands full tonight,
keeping order for this contract signing, and listen to it in here.
[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight!
-[Cole] They thought it was-- -[Graves] Wait, wait, wait, guys.
Look who's sitting at the head of the table.
Wow!
[indistinct]
[Cole] This is gonna make things much worse.
Let's sign this deal right here. [indistinct]
I know you ain't trying to move that table, are you?
No, no.
You going to take all night or what? 'Cause I ain't got the time.
It's time to sign this deal and sign that title away. Yeah!
[crowd shouts] Yeah!
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to SmackDown,
live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
[crowd cheers]
Now, gentlemen, we all know why we're here.
To sign the contract
and make official for Crown Jewel
your match for the WWE Undisputed Universal Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd cheers]
Now you or your representatives have looked over--
We all know why we're here. We know what we're doing.
So let me talk to you.
[crowd shouts] Yeah!
What we're doing right now is we're looking at a contract,
and in this very contract, it reads that Roman Reigns
is going to hand over the WWE Championship to LA Knight.
-Yeah. -[crowd] Yeah!
So why don't I go ahead and sign that right now?
There you go, big boy.
Have at it, Chief.
[crowd boos]
[indistinct]
[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight! LA Knight! LA Knight! LA Knight!
Hey, idiot.
[crowd boos]
No, no, I'm not talking to you, Milwaukee.
[crowd boos loudly]
I'm talking to you.
-[laughs] -[man] You suck!
This is crazy. You must be stupid, huh?
You're just gonna sign away? Y--
[indistinct]
[crowd jeering, shouting]
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever had a contract signing?
[Heyman] Nah.
[laughing] I got one more question.
Have you ever had
a championship match before?
-[crowd boos] -[Heyman] Nah.
Not for that one. Not for that one.
I didn't think so.
So that means you got no clue what you're doing right now. [laughs]
But don't you worry.
Your Tribal Chief,
I'm gonna go easy on you.
We're gonna make it real nice for your first time. Don't worry.
We're gonna go real gentle with you. All right? All right, sweetheart? [laughs]
[indistinct]
[fans chanting] Roman! Roman! Roman!
[crowd shouting and jeering]
[indistinct]
[pen clatters]
It doesn't work!
This one works, my Tribal Chief. I'm sorry.
[crowd chanting] Roman's scared! Roman's scared!
Roman's scared! Roman's scared!
Thank you, gentlemen.
That concludes my responsibilities this evening.
I want to wish you both the very best of luck at Crown Jewel.
[man] Kick his ass! Kick his ass!
[crowd cheering]
[indistinct]
[Knight] Hey, Roman.
Uh, as far as where I'm looking,
I'm The Head of the Table, so acknowledge me.
[crowd cheering]
You want to talk about my first contract signing?
You want to talk about my first WWE Championship match?
And you're right. Isn't that crazy?
And you also say you're gonna go gentle on me.
My God, that's sweet of you. And I hope you do.
Because if right now you think
that you're gonna underestimate this man because it's my first time around,
my friend, you are already beat.
[crowd cheering]
But I'm gonna put it to you like this.
Is this my first time? Hell yeah, it is.
So I'm sitting here, and I'm just thinking to myself,
after only a single year,
I'm sitting at the head of this table about to take your title.
[crowd cheering]
And I climbed so fast you don't even know what hit you.
And by the time we get to Crown Jewel, you're going to be thinking to yourself,
"What the hell just happened?"
"He just walked out with my WWE Championship."
[crowd cheering]
But see, you don't understand.
Yeah, this is my first time. But I only need one time.
Because while you failed over and over again,
while you were busy doing sufferin' succotash…
[crowd jeering]
I've been out here run one, telling everybody whose game this is.
Not yet.
[crowd clamoring]
Because there can be only one WWE Champion.
-Yeah. -[crowd] Yeah!
-There can only be one me. Yeah! -[crowd] Yeah!
And guess what? It's coming up real soon, and there's nothing you can do about it.
And that's not an insult. That is just a fact of life.
[crowd] Yeah!
[indistinct]
He can't talk to you--
I can't stop this gravy train. I can't stop the Undeniable Kavorka.
And I can't stop being the man they call The Megastar.
With everybody saying
-LA Knight! -[crowd] LA Knight! Yeah!
[Graves] Roman's heard enough.
The Tribal Chief bringing the fight to LA Knight.
[Cole] Well, LA Knight pushed Roman Reigns too far.
And now Roman Reigns is going to make him pay.
[Patrick] He's unhinged, Roman Reigns.
[Graves] You don't get to disrespect The Tribal Chief
and survive to tell the tale.
-[Cole] Oh my! -[Graves] Reigns is livid.
[indistinct shouting]
[Cole] I think reality might be starting to kick in for LA Knight.
[crowd chanting] You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck!
[Cole] I don't believe his first championship opportunity
is going to be a pleasant experience for him.
Roman Reigns is gonna try to make sure
that LA Knight doesn't make it to Crown Jewel.
[Patrick] The sold-out crowd here in Milwaukee
telling Roman Reigns he sucks.
Unfortunately for LA Knight, this sold-out crowd can't do anything
about what Roman's doing right now
or what The Tribal Chief has in mind for The Megastar.
[Graves] He'll make an example of LA Knight.
[Patrick] Oh, LA Knight is fighting back!
[Graves] Lefts and rights dropping The Tribal Chief in the corner.
[crowd chanting] Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
[Patrick] This man is all heart.
And as long as the heart's beating, LA Knight's got a chance.
-[crowd cheering] -Here we go!
[Cole] Roman Reigns getting an idea of what's going to come his way
a week from tomorrow.
[Graves] Wait a minute. Jimmy Uso.
[crowd booing]
[Graves] Jimmy Uso coming to the aid of "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns.
[Cole] And it allows the champion to retreat.
Uce! You good, Uce?
-Get him. -Get him. Jimmy, get him. Get him.
[Graves] Roman issued the order. The Wiseman seconded.
Through the table!
[crowd cheers]
[shouting indistinctly]
[Cole] You see the look on Roman Reigns' face?
Roman knows he is in for a fight a week from Saturday, at Crown Jewel.
[Patrick] A match that has been made official
-after signing the contracts. -[indistinct]
[Patrick] The biggest night of LA Knight's life.
[Cole] LA Knight was able to avoid disaster at the hands of Jimmy Uso,
-who took a ride through a table. -[indistinct]
[Cole] But it all comes to a head one week from tomorrow.
Special 1:00 p.m. start time,
as Roman Reigns defends his Undisputed WWE Universal Title
against LA Knight.
[Patrick] What a start here on SmackDown and what a night we have in store!
As broken earlier today by People magazine,
we know John Cena will take on Solo Sikoa at Crown Jewel.
But The Greatest of All Time is here to address that match
in Milwaukee tonight.
[Graves] Well, last week we witnessed the return of The EST to WWE
after nearly two months on the shelf courtesy of Damage CTRL.
Bianca Belair is back tonight.
[Cole] And Rey Mysterio was supposed to be in this match,
but Carlito wants revenge, so Rey steps aside.
It'll be Carlito and Santos Escobar against the Street Profits,
and it's next here on Friday Night SmackDown.
-["Our World" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[bell ringing]
[Taylor] The following contest is a tag team match
scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, representing the LWO,
Carlito and Santos Escobar.
[Patrick] Wow. Carlito stepping in alongside Santos Escobar.
And the LWO were left battered and humiliated
by the Street Profits in recent weeks. Can they get revenge?
Tag team action is next on Friday Night SmackDown.
[Patrick] Friday Night SmackDown is sponsored by Progressive Insurance.
Save when you bundle auto, home, or motorcycle insurance.
Welcome back, folks. Carlito, Santos Escobar of the LWO
set for tag team action here
against the aggressive Street Profits.
[Cole] You see Rey Mysterio looking on.
Rey has got his hands full at Crown Jewel with the challenge of Logan Paul.
Carlito was all too proud to step up tonight.
[Patrick] Crown Jewel one week from tomorrow,
at the special start time, 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific.
Mysterio, Logan Paul for the United States Championship.
So Rey graciously stepping aside, allowing Carlito in,
desperate for revenge against the men that battered him, left him bruised
just a couple of weeks ago.
[theme music playing]
[explosion]
-[crowd cheering] -["We Want Smoke" playing]
♪ Yeah! We want smoke… ♪
[Taylor] And their opponents,
accompanied by "The All Mighty" Bobby Lashley,
Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford, The Street Profits.
[Patrick] Corey, what exactly has Bobby Lashley ignited
in the Street Profits?
[Graves] Well, it remains to be seen if there is a limit to what Montez Ford
and Angelo Dawkins can achieve here in WWE.
But The All Mighty has definitely provided an upgrade of sorts to the Street Profits.
More focused, more aggressive, more dangerous than ever.
[Cole] There was an interesting interview on WWE social media channels
with the Street Profits when they were asked about a lot of Superstars
in the locker room not caring for the recent attitude change
of the Street Profits. Ford and Dawkins said,
"We don't care what people think. We're here to please one person,
and that is the man who's changed our career around, Bobby Lashley."
[Graves] At the end of the day, the other Superstars on the roster
and the guys and girls in the locker room don't pay your bills.
They're not gonna pay your mortgage.
They're not gonna put your kid through college.
You've gotta look out for number one.
And the All Mighty has done a lot to teach Ford and Dawkins
-the ways of a champion. -[bell ringing]
[Patrick] How exactly do they overcome here, LWO?
When you think about the power, the aggression, the speed,
but also the ruthlessness of the Street Profits today, Corey,
-what's the LWO strategy? -[Graves] I think right now
Ford and Dawkins need to be extremely cautious of the vitriol within Carlito.
It was several weeks ago that Ford and Dawkins
left Carlito laying via a steel chair in the backstage area,
and that's still fresh on the mind of Carlito.
[Cole] And let's not forget Carlito reappeared in WWE
back at Fastlane earlier this month to come to the aid of the LWO.
That did not sit well with the Profits that night.
[Patrick] Cole, I know you said he's looking better than ever, Carlito.
[Cole] Oh, indeed he is.
-[Graves] Whoa! -[Cole] There goes Escobar.
[Graves] So is ol' Angelo Dawkins. My goodness.
[Cole] Escobar putting on a clinic as well.
Get to Carlito in just a moment.
Escobar up over the top, and there's a nice dropkick.
[Patrick] Quickly in now. Santos Escobar may end this early,
and Dawkins out.
[Graves] That's a smart strategy if you're the LWO.
If you're Santos or Carlito, trying to pick up a quick victory tonight
could really benefit their strategy.
[Cole] You know, Carlito,
a former Intercontinental Champion, a former United States Champion,
a former Tag Team Champion as well.
But he looks better than ever in his return here in WWE.
[Patrick] What does he add to the LWO, Cole?
[Cole] Well, he just has experience. You know, just another experienced veteran
to go along with Rey Mysterio. He's in tremendous shape.
He's got tremendous power, as you see there,
tremendous agility as well.
[indistinct]
[Cole] Oh! From behind, and of course the distraction by Lashley.
[Graves] Carlito knows better than that. He's been around this game long enough
to know you can't take your eyes off of your opponent.
[Patrick] There's that newfound aggression.
Unbelievable from Dawkins--
[Cole] Hey, Carlito can get aggressive with anyone.
He, of course, the son of the Hall of Famer Carlos Colón.
[Patrick] There's Carlito's athleticism.
[Cole] Here comes Montez. There goes Montez.
[Patrick] Santos Escobar now with ideas from a height.
[Graves] No, no, no. Carlito, let Santos do this. This… [laughs]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Oh no, Lito, what are you thinking?
[Patrick] Here we go.
-[Graves] Wow! -[Cole laughing] Wow.
The LWO is in control.
[crowd cheers]
[Patrick] We are sold out tonight in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Tag team action.
Santos Escobar and Carlito against the Street Profits.
[Cole] Profits been dominating this matchup
throughout the commercial break.
Bobby Lashley was offering instructions
to both Dawkins and Montez Ford, and they've taken advantage.
[Patrick] Corey, I'm noticing Lashley's not saying much.
I think it's the sheer presence of Lashley that's encouraging Montez and Dawkins.
[Graves] Well, Lashley casts a rather massive shadow,
but Montez Ford rolls through and connects with a boot.
It's what Lashley does in the downtime-- Cover!
[Patrick] Hooking the leg to get the win. Carlito's there.
[Cole] Lashley has truly upgraded the mentality
of both Ford and Dawkins as we see Rey Mysterio,
The United States Champion, looking on at his LWO brethren,
as Rey prepares to defend his United States Championship
next Saturday against Logan Paul.
But Bobby Lashley has upgraded the mentality
of Montez Ford, how he trains physically, how he thinks mentally.
Really looking to get the best out of Montez Ford
and his partner, Angelo Dawkins.
[Patrick] Even the way they're dressing these days.
[Cole] Much more physical Montez Ford here as well.
Very well focused. That was one of the problems with the Street Profits,
if you talk to people, Corey, was their focus earlier on,
and Bobby sort of brought the focus back to them.
[Graves] Bobby's telling us… Bobby's telling us he thinks he's got…
the Profits got this in the bag.
And this has been Bobby's mentality.
Show Montez and Angelo the fruits of greatness,
what it means to be All Mighty, a champion in WWE.
[Cole] Oh! Whoa!
[Graves] And I know the Profits have held titles before as a tag team,
but Lashley wants more. Lashley wants better for these guys.
[Patrick] Unforgiving nature of Montez Ford.
Just pummeling Santos Escobar.
-[Cole] No more Mr. Nice guys. -One, two, three…
[Graves] Lashley grinning from ear to ear on the outside.
Tailor-made from head to toe.
Just a matter of time before we start calling these guys
Gucci Tez and Sauvignon Dawks.
-[indistinct] -[Graves] The finer things in life.
[Cole] How long have you thought about that?
[Graves] About a week.
Dawkins and I talked about it. He liked it.
[Patrick] Well, this Montez Ford taking his time here,
trying to inflict more punishment on Santos Escobar,
who's fighting back now.
[Cole] That elbow caught Montez Ford flush.
Oh, wow! What a clothesline.
Tez answers with raw power.
I'm the real deal.
[Patrick] The shredded body of Montez Ford.
The tag made for Dawkins.
[Cole] After this he, bang, is the real deal, guys.
[Graves] No doubt. Face-first goes Escobar.
[Patrick] Carlito can only watch on.
[Graves] And look at the swagger you're seeing from Angelo Dawkins.
Dawkins much more deliberate nowadays than he used to be in the past.
Angelo is in complete control at all times.
[Cole] Confidence. And that's one of the things people talked a lot about
Dawkins early on in his career, was he had all the tools,
but he lacked confidence in the ring, and I think he has the confidence now,
which makes him so dangerous.
[Graves] Oh, what a knee!
-Maybe overconfident there. -[Cole] Are you kidding me?
[Graves] What a knee strike.
And now Carlito jonesin' for the tag.
[Patrick] Check this out. Bang!
[Graves] Rocking the jaw of Angelo Dawkins.
[Patrick] This is what it means to the LWO.
And Carlito, who's back, involved.
[Graves] Heavy left hands.
[Patrick] Carlito's rolling now.
The kick to the midsection of Dawkins.
Carlito wants both of the Street Profits.
Shoulders are down.
-Carlito to get the vic-- Ah! -[crowd] One, two…
[Patrick] Kickout just in time by Montez Ford.
There's a fire, a rage burning deep within Carlito.
[Cole] Looking for the backstabber. Uh-oh.
One, two…
[Patrick] Montez turning it around. Carlito out.
There's that experience.
[Cole] Oh, that could do it. What a neckbreaker.
[Patrick] Quickly in for the cover, and Dawkins breaking it up.
[Cole] Things starting to break down now in this match.
Escobar disposes of Dawkins for the moment.
-Let's take it home. -Tag.
[Cole] Tag made. Escobar now legal.
Here we go.
-[Patrick] Rey Mysterio watching-- -Boom!
-[Cole] Oh! -[Logan] Surprise, papi.
You see that, Rey Mysterio?
That's all it takes, my guy. One punch, Rey.
[Cole] Logan Paul ambushing Rey Mysterio.
And Escobar and Carlito saw it.
And Carlito being sent to the back to Rey's aid.
Escobar says, "I got this."
[Patrick] Meanwhile, back inside, Santos Escobar.
[Graves] Can Santos finish the job?
-LWO! -[crowd] LWO!
[Patrick] Here we go. Escobar. Eyes on the prize.
Big knees taking Montez off his feet.
[Cole] Smart move by Montez. Rolling to the outside.
Out of the way, just in time.
-[Patrick] Look at this. -[Cole] Tag.
[Patrick] Tag made, and Santos Escobar is alone.
[Cole] Dawkins is legal.
I'm not necessarily sure if Escobar is aware.
Still focused on Ford.
He is now.
[Patrick] Oh, the Revelation.
[referee and crowd] One, two, three!
[bell ringing]
["Bring the Swag" playing]
-[Graves] What a win. -[Taylor] Here are your winners,
the Street Profits!
[Cole] So what's impressive about that is Rey Mysterio was taken out.
Carlito went to his aid and left the Profits in a two-on-one situation,
and they capitalized, and they took advantage.
[Graves] There's no need for surprise in that situation.
The Street Profits doing what Bobby Lashley taught them
as we look again at Logan Paul ambushing Rey Mysterio.
You see that, Rey Mysterio? That's all it takes my guy, one punch.
[Patrick] A sucker punch and back inside, the Revelation.
The Street Profits quickly putting away with Santos Escobar
-and the LWO. -[bell rings]
[Cole] Once again The All Mighty paying dividends for the Street Profits.
Hmm. What's that?
My Tribal Chief.
This is a custom WWE title made exclusively
for the Green Bay Packers.
[crowd cheering]
And what's it doing here?
Well, my Tribal Chief,
I'm going to give this to LA Knight,
because it's the closest LA Knight or the Green Bay Packers
are ever going to come to being champion.
[crowd booing]
[grunts]
[sighs]
Where the hell have you been?
Trainer's room.
Getting looked at.
-What happened out there? -What do you mean?
Ran the play.
-I tried to run the play. -You ran the wrong play.
Audible.
Hot route.
Right?
It was hot out there.
[coughs]
If we don't control this fool…
it's done.
You gotta handle him tonight.
-Tonight? -Finish this thing. Yes, tonight.
Uce, I'm on the injured reserve list. I can't do nothing.
You're on what?
I'm off the injured reserve list. I can do something.
-That's okay. -Yeah.
-Wiseman. -Yes, my Tribal Chief.
Make the match.
I'll go tell Nick Aldis right now.
Just so that I'm clear, my Tribal Chief, the match is Jimmy Uso versus LA Knight?
Yeah.
Yes, my Tribal Chief.
Yeet.
Man, I told you.
I don't like that.
-Logan, can I get a word? -Yeah.
Well, I was hoping to ask you, after showing a display of respect
to Rey Mysterio last week, what made you sucker punch him tonight?
Yeah, I mean, you know what they say. Never let them know your next move.
[laughs] Got your mic. You can have this back.
Look, my fist is as big as Rey's head.
I think this is why there's weight classes in boxing, right?
You got any more questions?
-Uh, well, actually, I was wondering-- -All right.
[crowd cheers]
That's a whack shirt.
[sniffs sharply]
-Are we the guys with the punchable faces? -Apparently so.
-Is that what's going on? -That's what you said.
-That would be the two of you. -Oh, wow.
-Very punchable faces. That's a fact. -Really? Punchable faces?
I'd love to punch you in the face actually. You know what?
I bet I could punch both of you at once. One shot.
-At once? That's not possible. -[all overlapping]
-One punch, both faces, guarantee it. -There's no way you could--
I totally could. If you guys were lined up properly…
[all overlapping]
Don't you think I could punch them both at the same time at once?
-You could totally… [indistinct] -Thank you, thank you.
Yes, I could.
You could not.
He thinks if we're right next to each other,
shoulder to shoulder, he could just punch us in the face?
[crowd cheering]
[Owens] See? I told you.
I told you I could. I knew it. Jamie! Jamie, I did it!
Oof. Austin and Grayson are going to want to put some ice on that.
But moving on, now please welcome my guest,
the dynamic Dragon Lee.
¿Qué pasa?
Dragon Lee, you've made quite the name for yourself
in your short time here on SmackDown.
What inspires you when you get inside of the ring?
[speaking Spanish]
[in English] I'm very happy to be here on SmackDown.
-[speaking Spanish] -[Cedric] Dragon Lee.
[in English] I don't think we've been properly introduced.
I'm Cedric Alexander.
You know, I got to say, standing here with you right now,
it's like looking in a mirror. You remind me of myself
back when I stepped foot in WWE and earned the respect of our fans,
the locker room, and Triple H himself
to a chorus of the entire WWE Universe chanting, "Please sign Cedric."
And seeing you right now lights that, that competitive fire under me.
And I would love nothing more than a match with you tonight.
It will be my pleasure to take you to your limit and beyond.
[Cedric chuckles]
Good.
[Cole chuckles] Get your popcorn ready.
[Patrick] That's gonna be a banger of a match.
-["I Am A Psycho" playing] -[crowd cheering]
♪ Welcome to the ball pit You can get your ass kicked ♪
♪ Off the top, backflip Hit you with the axe quick… ♪
[Cole] The Taking Care of Business tank.
My favorite.
[explosion]
[Patrick] Shotzi. What an opportunity here on Friday Night SmackDown
in a match that was made official earlier on today.
I just want to thank you again for arranging for me
to host Halloween Havoc with Scarlett on NXT.
My pleasure, Shotzi. You've done a fabulous job.
Thank you. And just wait until you see my costume on Tuesday.
-It will be be-- -[Chelsea] Be ridiculous.
[laughing]
And Nick, this is starting to feel personal.
Two weeks ago, you snubbed us for Charlotte Flair,
and now you have this little weirdo host Halloween Havoc instead of us.
Uh, the champs, by the way.
But no. Instead, it's like you're punishing us,
making us defend our titles on NXT.
And I mean, what a shame, because I dress up real nice.
I mean, Pinhead, really? That's so 1986.
[both laughing]
[laughs mockingly]
Nick, I need a favor from you.
How about you let me shut up Chelsea once and for all…
tonight in the ring?
OMG, that sounds like a great idea.
Tonight, Shotzi, Chelsea one-on-one. Let's do it.
[laughing]
Oh, strike two.
[Shotzi] Thank you, Nick.
[Patrick] Did our new GM's just say OMG?
Shotzi, Chelsea Green one-on-one action coming your way
from the sold-out crowd here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Pinhead looking to put Chelsea in her place next.
[Patrick] This is going to be some match here tonight on SmackDown.
The gravity-defying Dragon Lee continues to impress.
Can Cedric Alexander derail his momentum tonight
when they go one on one?
Welcome back, folks. Here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin tonight,
-Shotzi gearing up for Halloween. -["Hot Mess" playing]
-[Cole] Is that what she's doing? -[Patrick] I think so.
[bell ringing]
[Taylor] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Accompanied by Piper Niven, from Victoria, B.C.,
she is one half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions,
Chelsea Green!
[Cole] At least Chelsea got rid of her devil outfit.
Piper still dressed like Stevie Nicks, but…
[Patrick] Chelsea and Piper will defend their Tag Team Championships
at Halloween Havoc night two,
against Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne.
[Cole] Of Chase U. Speaking of Chase U,
congratulations to the men of Chase U winning the NXT Tag Team Titles
on the night one of Halloween Havoc this past Tuesday.
[Patrick] Tuesday night promises to be epic.
What about this for an opportunity for Shotzi here on SmackDown, Corey,
to take down one half of the Tag Team Champs?
[Graves] This is a massive opportunity for Shotzi.
-[bell ringing] -You defeat one of the reigning
Tag Team Champions,
it raises your stock. It could potentially earn you
an opportunity in the future to capture the gold,
but Chelsea Green wasting no time looking for an upper hand.
[Patrick] Chelsea now-- Shoulders are down. Out at two.
A lot of people have a lot of things to say about Chelsea Green,
and maybe rightly so, but Chelsea Green is a champion in WWE.
[Graves] Wait. Who are you to say rightly so?
[Patrick] Defending Chelsea, a champion in WWE.
She's lived up to it alongside Piper so far.
[Graves] Good save there, Cowboy. Look at Shotzi,
unorthodox offense, utilizing the official's count of five
to inflict a little damage.
Did you know that Shotzi's ring gear
was made from an authentic straitjacket, KP?
[Patrick] No, I did not know that, Corey. And I'm worried about why you know that.
[Graves] Well, I asked her.
[indistinct]
-[Patrick] Shotzi from the apron-- -[Graves] Look out! Oh!
Hey, hey, hey, Piper, if you touch her, it's a disqualification.
Don't-- Don't get involved.
[Graves] Bonfires burning bright, pumpkin faces in the night.
It's spooky season. It's where Shotzi thrives.
[Patrick] You could see Piper Niven tempted to squash Shotzi
on the outside there.
No. [screams]
[Cole] Wow, great move by Chelsea.
Fantastic counter. Great balance. Cover by Green.
[Patrick] Chelsea hooking the leg to put away Shotzi, who kicks out.
[Cole] Shotzi and Scarlett did a great job
as the hosts at Halloween Havoc night one.
They'll be back Tuesday night, night two. Watch Chelsea.
Tremendous side Russian leg sweep off the second rope.
[Patrick] Chelsea dropkick, and Shotzi in now
for the cover once more and the win, and Shotzi out in time.
[Cole] You know, lots made, Corey, of Chelsea and her well, distinct attitude,
but she is a tremendous competitor in the ring.
[Graves] No doubt about it.
And once you get past the self-confidence of Chelsea Green,
you realize that she is a competitor to be taken seriously.
[Patrick] Clearly not a fan of Milwaukee, though.
I could hear her complaining about the catering here backstage.
[Graves] To be fair, is anyone a fan of Milwaukee?
[Patrick] I'm a fan of Milwaukee.
[Graves] Milwaukeeans, is that what they're called?
[Cole] Dame took a lot of money to come here and play for the Bucks,
so I think he likes it here.
[Graves] Listen, you pay me, I'll like anywhere I am.
[Patrick] Chelsea just taunting Shotzi, who's wise to it.
[referee, indistinct]
[Graves] Kick right on the side of the ear has Chelsea on spaghetti legs.
[Patrick] What are you dressing up as for Halloween, Corey?
[Graves] It's none of your business, KP.
It's a family show. Take a look at this.
Shotzi now perched on the middle rope.
This is a precarious position for both competitors.
[Patrick] What has Shotzi got planned here?
Continues to rain down blows on Chelsea.
Oh!
Headbutt from Green.
[Graves] A lot of time in this position, and face-first, Shotzi he eats it.
[Patrick] Is this an opening for Chelsea? Missile dropkick to Shotzi.
-[Cole] Chelsea looking great tonight. -[shouting indistinctly]
[Patrick] The message perhaps sent to Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne
ahead of Tuesday. A cross to put away Shotzi now.
-Shotzi may turn this around. -One, two, three.
-Shotzi gets the win! -[bell rings]
[Cole] A little too much showboating.
-["I Am A Psycho" playing] -[Taylor] Here is your winner, Shotzi!
[Graves] Gotta be considered something of an upset,
and speaking of upset, Piper Niven none too pleased with the outcome.
[Patrick] Spooky season is where Shotzi thrives.
[Graves] Let's take a look at this fantastic dropkick by Chelsea Green.
Right on the money. But Chelsea got caught up in the moment.
Got busy celebrating before it was time.
-And the unorthodox Shotzi… -[bell rings]
…steals one from one half of the Women's Tag Champs.
-[indistinct] -[yelling]
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen, we heard about this matchup
a week from tomorrow at Crown Jewel.
John Cena will take on Solo Sikoa.
Coming up next, The Greatest of All Time, John Cena
is here live on Friday Night SmackDown.
[Patrick] Such incredibly exciting news breaking this week.
WWE is headed to the German capital for the Bash in Berlin.
The first ever major WWE Premium Live Event to be held in Germany
will emanate from the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin
on Saturday, August 31st of next year. Cole, how exciting is this?
[Cole] Hey, listen, 2024 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year
for WWE internationally.
Elimination Chamber, of course, comes to Perth, Australia
in February, and now news of the Bash in Berlin.
More info coming in the weeks ahead.
[Graves] But before we get there, it has been made official for tonight
ahead of his championship showdown with Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel,
LA Knight takes on Roman's cousin Jimmy Uso.
Can Jimmy stop the meteoric rise of the self-proclaimed Megastar?
We'll find out tonight.
["The Time Is Now" playing]
[crowd cheers]
♪ Your time is up, my time is now ♪
♪ You can't see me, my time is now ♪
♪ Its the franchise, boy I'm shining now… ♪
Big night, big night.
Let's go to work.
[Taylor] Please welcome
The Greatest of All Time,
John Cena!
[crowd cheers]
[Patrick] Tonight's Friday Night SmackDown on FS1 is sponsored by Progressive.
[Cole] People broke the story earlier on today.
John Cena, Corey, is back in action a week from tomorrow night at Crown Jewel.
[Graves] But it will be no easy feat.
In fact, it may prove to be downright impossible.
Can The Greatest of All Time topple one of the most dangerous men
in the game today, the enforcer of The Bloodline, Solo Sikoa?
We will get our answer in Riyadh.
[Patrick] Many are saying this is one of the most challenging opponents
for John Cena, the 16-time World Champion.
It's at the special start time of 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific
at Crown Jewel.
[song fades out]
[crowd cheering raucously]
[crowd chanting] Cena! Cena! Cena!
This is what SmackDown looks like from a sold-out Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
[crowd cheers]
And this is what SmackDown sounds like from a sold-out Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
[crowd cheers]
Man, it is a special night tonight.
We are one week from Crown Jewel,
and there is a special energy in this building tonight.
[crowd cheering]
There is a special excitement in this building tonight.
[crowd cheering]
[man] Cena, I can see you!
[crowd chanting] Cena! Cena! Cena!
For me, tonight, uh, the energy is a little different.
It is special.
But for me, tonight, the energy is serious.
Don't get me wrong. I've had a lot of serious moments in my career, but…
it hasn't been this serious since 20 years ago
when the WWE wanted to fire me.
And I think about that time. I think that what did we do?
We dug in deep.
We turned it around.
And for over 20 years, we have shared this.
[crowd cheering]
For over 20 years,
each and every night, I've tried to give you my heart.
I've tried to give you my soul. And in return, you give to me.
You give me your noise, whether I like it or not.
[crowd cheering]
You may not realize this,
but you have given me support when I have needed it the most.
And most importantly to me,
you have given me your respect.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Cena! Cena! Cena!
The reason that Crown Jewel is so serious to me
is because for the first time in 20 years,
I feel I'm in jeopardy of losing your support.
[crowd boos]
For the first time in 20 years,
I feel I'm in jeopardy of losing your respect.
[crowd booing]
[sighs] I… I really do appreciate that. I do.
-[man] Cena! -[crowd cheering]
Thank you.
-Man… -[crowd cheering raucously]
[crowd chanting] Cena! Cena! Cena!
Thanks, guys.
Thank you. Uh…
Thank you.
But we can't ignore the math, okay?
[crowd chanting] You still got it! You still got it! You still got it!
What if I don't?
-[man] You do! -[crowd booing]
We can't ignore the data.
And I'll be honest, if I don't deliver soon…
We've seen it a thousand times. I lose this, and if I lose this,
we all know the next thing to go is losing this.
And I don't want to lose this. And I don't want to lose this.
I want to hear your noise.
I want to feel your-your support.
[crowd cheering]
I want to keep this ride going.
[cheering continues]
So there is only one thing left to do at Crown Jewel.
Win.
[crowd cheers]
You know, WWE uses words like "must-see" all the time,
and they're not kidding. Y'all know you must see the Royal Rumble.
You must see WrestleMania.
Hell, you must tune into SmackDown live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
[crowd cheering]
And Crown Jewel is no different. It is a must-see.
But Crown Jewel for me is not just a must-see.
Crown Jewel is a must-win.
[crowd cheering]
I know that your respect is earned, and I also know that it takes guts
to stand right in this ring and promise a victory.
But the time has come to dig deep.
The time has come to knuckle up.
And the time is now to deliver!
[crowd cheering]
[Heyman] Ladies and gentlemen…
[crowd boos]
Relax.
Ladies and gentlemen…
my name…
is Paul Heyman,
and yes, I serve as Special Counsel and the Wiseman
to the reigning, defending
Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion,
Roman Reigns.
[crowd boos]
But that's not why I'm out here.
I'm out here with no hustle.
I'm out here with no loyalty to anything but the truth.
I'm out here,
I assure you,
with respect.
[crowd chanting] You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck!
And based on my past actions, I deserve that.
But not tonight.
[crowd booing]
With all due respect, may I?
[crowd shouting and jeering]
[indistinct]
[Heyman, indistinct]
We are sold-out tonight in Milwaukee.
[crowd cheering]
Thank you for the house.
Thank you for 21 years of sold-out arenas based on the name John Cena.
[crowd cheering]
And mutual respect, where did that all start?
It started in a boardroom when Vince McMahon turned to me
and said, when I'm running SmackDown,
"First-round draft pick from OVW, who you got?"
And who did I pick? John Cena.
[crowd cheers]
And for 21 years, you never let anybody down.
For 21 years, you've been a real life superhero.
I raised my kids to be more like you than I wanted them to be like me.
And then came SummerSlam against Roman Reigns,
when, with all due respect, Roman Reigns proved
you're not The Greatest of All Time in the ring anymore.
[crowd booing]
But that's not a bad thing.
Because as long as you can take a microphone
and bring it up to your mouth, John Cena,
and this is coming from me,
you are The Greatest of All Time at communication
in the history of WWE.
[crowd cheers]
I mean, they'll boo me out of the building,
but you, they'll laugh with you,
they'll cry with you, they'll cheer for you.
You have a bond with them that I can never, ever, ever have, John.
Because you…
You can talk like no one on this planet can talk.
And what a future you could have had just talking.
I've been doing this a hundred years. I'm still on top.
And, John, you could have been me.
[crowd booing]
Until you pissed off The Bloodline.
[crowd booing]
And now the order has come down from the top,
from the very top, from "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns.
It's not enough for Roman Reigns to spear you. Oh, he'll break your ribs.
But you, you've had broken ribs before. You'll come back from that.
It's not enough for Jimmy Uso to come off the top rope, and splash you,
and crack your sternum.
You've had a cracked sternum before. You've come back from that.
But Solo…
Oh.
Solo hits you with that Spike…
and then you can't talk anymore, John.
The greatest weapon that you have, your ability to communicate,
taken away from you.
What makes you so dangerous taken away from you.
John Cena versus Solo… Spike.
Solo takes that away from you,
and The Bloodline takes you away from your WWE Universe.
[crowd booing]
You come out here,
and you open your heart, and you say, "I must win. I must win."
"I must win. I must. I must. I must."
And, John Cena,
in the one match left in your career
that you must win,
you can't win.
[crowd booing]
And John Cena,
that's not a prediction.
[crowd booing]
That's a spoiler.
[Patrick] Oh, Solo Sikoa from behind.
[Graves] Ambushing Cena.
Heyman suckered him in, and Solo Sikoa struck.
-The spinning Solo planting Cena. -[yelling]
[Graves] If Solo lands that at Crown Jewel,
Paul Heyman's spoiler may prove to be absolutely correct.
[Cole] But I don't think Solo Sikoa is done yet.
Oh, no, no, no.
[yelling]
[Cole and Graves] Oh! Samoan Spike.
Wooo!
[crowd boos]
["Taking It All" plays]
[Patrick] A calculated trap that was set by Paul Heyman,
and the Samoan Spike to the throat of John Cena.
[Cole] The problem for John Cena is this.
John Cena has dug himself a hole,
but this time that hole may be so deep that for the first time in his career,
-John Cena can't climb out of it. -[Solo, indistinct]
[Graves] It may be Solo holding the shovel.
[Solo, indistinct] Yeah!
Paul Heyman talks about worrying about who The Bloodline--
You know, worrying about people pissing off the Bloodline.
The Bloodline needs to start worrying about who they're pissing off.
Because I haven't forgotten about Roman Reigns spearing me
just a couple of weeks ago.
But then Jimmy Uso wants to walk down,
thinking he's got enough tingle in his loins to come on in
and tangle with the man they call The Megastar.
But nah, nah, got thrown through a table for his troubles.
So here's how it goes down.
You want to come on down and do it again, Jimmy?
I'll tell you what. Later tonight, I will grab those two little pigtails,
ride your ass all around that ring until you tell your Tribal Chief
whose game this is with everybody saying…
-LA Knight. Yeah! -[crowd] LA Knight! Yeah!
[Patrick] What a main event we've got coming up tonight
here on Friday Night SmackDown with Jimmy Uso and LA Knight.
[Graves] What about what's coming up right now?
This has all the makings of something very special.
["Control The Empire" playing]
♪ Let the Dragon's fire rain Fire, fire, fire, rain down… ♪
[Patrick] He is the high flying, the gravity defying Dragon Lee.
But Cedric Alexander is special.
What a match we've got in store here.
Live on Friday Night SmackDown, Dragon Lee, Cedric Alexander next.
♪ Set the stage like blaow No defeatin' us… ♪
[Patrick] Friday Night SmackDown is sponsored by Progressive Insurance.
Save when you bundle auto, home, or motorcycle insurance.
♪ I'm one in a milly, traigo fuego That's that… ♪
[Patrick] You're looking at Dragon Lee.
It's always electric when Dragon Lee is in the house.
["Prime Time" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Taylor] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring,
from Charlotte, North Carolina, weighing in at 205 pounds,
Cedric Alexander.
[Patrick] What an outstanding match we've got in store.
Cedric Alexander, here's a look at what makes him so special.
[yelling]
[dramatic music playing]
[Cole] Cedric Alexander, former Cruiserweight Champion.
Very dangerous striker.
One of the most resilient athletes you'll ever see.
[Cedric] I'm a man of action.
[Graves] Alexander looking for the lumbar check.
[Wade] Lumbar check!
[announcer] What can stop Cedric Alexander?
[Cedric] This is the age of Alexander.
[dramatic music fades out]
["Prime Time" resumes]
[Cole] And listen, I really applaud Cedric Alexander
to step up here tonight to Dragon Lee.
-He understands that Dragon Lee… -[bell rings]
…has had all this hype as of late.
He's been in the headlines. People are talking about him.
So Cedric Alexander's saying, "Why not me? Why not take the advantage?"
"Try to knock off Lee here tonight. Then they'll be talking about me."
[Graves] This fast-paced, hard-hitting style
is something that Cedric Alexander is incredibly comfortable with
and one of the many reasons Cedric is a WWE Superstar to begin with.
Let's not forget it was back in the Cruiserweight Classic
that Cedric captivated the WWE Universe in such a manner
they demanded that Triple H sign Cedric to a contract,
and here we are.
[Patrick] You can already see his quality as Dragon Lee realizes
what he's in the ring with.
[Cole] Dragon Lee, a newer Superstar on the scene
here on Friday Night SmackDown took his name, adopted his name
as an homage to his hero Bruce Lee, because Dragon realizes,
while he may not be the biggest dog in the fight,
he can more than compensate in his ability and skill set,
which is second to none.
[Patrick] Dragon Lee, a second generation luchador
from a small town called Tala, Jalisco in Mexico.
His father Arturo was known as La Bestia del Ring,
and he said that the proudest moment of his life
is seeing his son shine in WWE.
[Cole] He was also very proud of the fact that Rey Mysterio, the Hall of Famer,
once called Dragon Lee the future of lucha libre. High endorsement there.
[Graves] And if you're Cedric Alexander, you're seeing all the hype,
all the accolades surrounding Dragon Lee,
and you realize, "Hey, this is my opportunity."
Cedric is a guy who has paid his dues.
Cedric does what he can when provided the opportunity.
So tonight's about making an opportunity.
You've got a rising star like Dragon Lee.
Cedric realizes that's a great launchpad for his own career. Oh!
[Cole] That's one of the things about being a WWE Superstar.
You cannot just sit around and wait.
You have to try to create your opportunities,
which is what Alexander is doing tonight.
Cedric Alexander saying, "I've been on the bench way too long."
"It's time to move into a starting role here."
Fresh start on Friday Night SmackDown.
[Patrick] You're right, Cole. He picked his moment perfectly.
Backstage, saying to Dragon Lee, "You remind me of myself."
Picking his opportunity, getting this match tonight,
live on Friday Night SmackDown.
[Cole] But again, it's what John Cena was talking about earlier on tonight.
It's about having a connection with the WWE Universe
and what allows you to have that connection.
[Graves] It's very much a "what have you done for me lately" business,
and lately, Dragon Lee has begun to catch fire.
Cedric Alexander has tasted it in the past and knows what it means.
Would love to get back there again.
Great balance shown by Dragon Lee.
[Patrick] Big knee rocking Dragon Lee. And look at Cedric Alexander go.
[Graves] Cat-like agility--
Oh my goodness!
Hope Cedric knows a good dentist here in Milwaukee.
[Patrick] Perilous position. Cedric is on top here.
How can Dragon Lee respond?
[Graves] Both men down.
[Patrick] 13,205 of the WWE fans in attendance tonight.
Dragon Lee, Cedric Alexander.
And it's living up to the hype. What a match we are witnessing.
[Graves] Oh wow.
[Cole] Important match for both of these Superstars
looking to make a name for themselves.
Wow, what a Michinoku Driver.
[crowd] One, two…
[Patrick] For the win-- Just out in time is Dragon Lee.
[Cole] Cedric Alexander realizing just how close he was.
And look at the height before the impact on the Michinoku Driver
executed by Cedric Alexander.
And Dragon Lee is in a bad, bad way right now.
[Patrick] You gotta hand it to Cedric Alexander.
Matching Dragon Lee at every step tonight.
Big boot from Dragon Lee.
The aerial artist can't even make it to the top rope.
[Cole] Alexander realizes what an opportunity this is.
[Patrick] For Dragon Lee, Corey, it's all about continuing
this momentum as we--
[Graves] Oh baby! That could be the dagger through the heart.
Dragon Lee unable to execute the cover. But let's look at this again.
As Cedric was attempting to pull himself upright,
Dragon Lee with a double stomp to the guts.
[Cole] A critical point in this matchup. Both Superstars down.
[Patrick] Dragon Lee now… Look at the put away.
Cedric Alexander lands on his feet.
[Cole] Back elbow rocks Dragon Lee.
[Patrick] Cedric now…
Dragon Lee, incredible athleticism.
[Cole] Oh my! Boom!
-That could do it. -[Patrick] Shoulders are down.
Dragon Lee-- Oh, Cedric's out in time again.
[Cole] Incredible near fall. A frustrated Dragon Lee.
[Graves] Dragon Lee finding out firsthand about the fortitude
within Cedric Alexander, Cedric's will to be the best.
Alexander knows what this opportunity could mean.
[Cole] Another Michinoku Driver. No.
[Patrick] Dragon Lee looks to turn it around now. Shoulders are down.
Cedric now can turn it around.
End to end.
A pulsating match here.
[Cole] A knee to the spine.
Could be the beginning of the end for Cedric Alexander.
-[yelling] -Dragon Lee looking to begin a rally.
[Patrick] Fired up and ready to finish off Cedric Alexander if he can.
-My word! Cover. -[crowd] One, two, three.
-[Patrick] He's got it. -[bell ringing]
["Control The Empire" playing]
[Taylor] Here is your winner, Dragon Lee!
[Cole] Hell of an effort tonight from Cedric Alexander,
but Dragon Lee continues his ascent
here on Friday Night SmackDown.
Take a look at some of the highlights of this one.
The closing moments. Beautiful inverted DDT by Dragon Lee.
Deep hook of the leg, and it was too much for Alexander tonight.
[Patrick] Dragon Lee continues to roll.
What a match we witnessed here tonight.
Dragon Lee, a man that would love a championship opportunity one day.
And that was the case here with gold on the line
last week for the WWE Women's Championship.
Here's our Progressive Match Flo.
[narrator] Match Flo is sponsored by Progressive.
A triple threat of protection with home, auto and more.
[Patrick] The WWE Women's Championship on the line.
Charlotte Flair can smell a 15th championship.
We are very much in Iyo's era. Iyo Sky has been sensational.
[bell rings]
[Patrick] Flanked by Bayley and Dakota Kai.
This may represent Iyo's toughest test yet.
[Cole] Iyo Sky hasn't done all of her homework,
she will not succeed tonight.
[Patrick] How could Charlotte fully focus knowing that Damage CTRL are ringside?
[Cole] Here comes the champion.
Just that slight interference by Bayley has turned this match around.
You have to quite literally have your head on a swivel
when you're dealing with Damage CTRL.
[Cole] Oh my goodness!
For the win.
Oh no! Bayley.
Charlotte had the championship won.
The fight is on, and here comes Bayley.
[Patrick] Meanwhile back inside…
[Cole] Iyo used the championship.
[Patrick] Oh my God.
[Cole] Iyo used the damn championship. The official never saw it.
[crowd] One, two, three.
-[Cole] Iyo steals it. -[bell ringing]
[Cole] And now the beatdown.
A full beatdown by Damage CTRL.
["Watch Me Shine" playing]
[crowd cheers]
[Patrick] It's Bianca Belair!
The EST is back.
[Cole] And she's someone with a huge score to settle with Damage CTRL.
[Patrick] Belair ready for Iyo Sky.
[Graves] Bayley again saving the day. But look out--
[Cole] Yeah, she's gonna pay for it, though.
K.O.D.
Bianca Belair may be Damage CTRL's bigg-EST problem.
["Watch Me Shine" playing]
[crowd cheering]
♪ Instead of crying, they hear me roar ♪
♪ And now I see That I'm way better than before ♪
♪ I never needed you at all ♪
♪ Think I'd fall down I'mma watch you fall down ♪
♪ I'm living large now… ♪
[Taylor] Please welcome
Bianca Belair!
[Graves] After nearly two months on the shelf,
courtesy of Damage CTRL,
The EST is back on Friday Night SmackDown.
[Patrick] And looking better than ever. It is great to have The EST back,
and maybe with a little revenge on her mind.
As you say, Corey, Damage CTRL tried to end her career
-a couple of months ago. -[Graves] There's no maybe about it.
And speaking of Damage CTRL, the dangerous trio looks on.
[Graves] Bianca speaking to you, the WWE Universe, next.
♪ Think I'd fall down, I'mma watch you… ♪
["Watch Me Shine" playing]
[Patrick] We are joined by "The EST" Bianca Belair.
♪ They hear me roar ♪
♪ And now I see That I'm way better than before ♪
[song fades out]
[crowd cheering]
Whoo!
Man, I am so excited to be back on SmackDown.
[chuckles]
[crowd cheering]
Now last week, I did get my lick back, but I am just getting started,
because while I was away, I only had one thing on my mind,
and it replayed in my head over and over and over again
like a doggone horror story.
It was this.
Do you feel like tonight was any sort of payback against--
[yelling]
[thud]
[indistinct yelling]
[screams]
[screaming in pain]
[crowd booing]
That's still hard to watch.
'Cause, you know, getting attacked from behind
and getting taken out of the game completely just two weeks
after getting cashed in on and losing my title
to Iyo Sky at SummerSlam,
yeah, that did something to me.
Not just physically, but mentally.
Because for the first time, I was out.
I was at home, sitting at home with nothing but my thoughts.
And while I tried to rehab and get through the pain.
Yeah, my body got stronger and stronger.
But my mind, it couldn't focus on anything other than
how was I going to make Damage CTRL pay?
[crowd cheering]
'Cause y'all know me.
Y'all know I'm usually the one that, when I get knocked down,
I get right back up, I brush it off, and I smile through it.
But this time, I just could not let it go.
[crowd cheers]
And for the first time in my life, I was consumed with vengeance.
It was vengeance that got me up every single morning out of the bed.
It was vengeance that had me training like a beast
so that I could get right back here to SmackDown.
[crowd cheering]
And it was vengeance that helped me come up with a plan
that I took to Nick Aldis today.
So now, it's official.
At Crown Jewel, your girl is getting her rematch
against Iyo Sky for the WWE Women's Championship.
[crowd cheering]
And I love that, y'all… y'all liking that,
because guess what? That's not it.
Because next week, I will be facing the master planner herself
that was behind that little attack, Bayley.
[crowd cheering]
Because my vengeance is not complete
until I take out every single member of Damage CTRL,
starting with Bayley, ending with Iyo,
and reclaiming my WWE Women's Championship.
-[mic clatters to mat] -[crowd cheering]
-["Watch Me Shine" plays] -[Cole] Good luck, Bayley.
[Graves] The EST is back, and The EST is on a mission.
How about that announcement?
Bianca Belair challenging Iyo Sky
for the WWE Women's Championship at Crown Jewel.
[Patrick] Revenge on the mind of Belair.
Earlier tonight, folks, we had the contract signing
for the Undisputed Championship at Crown Jewel,
and Roman Reigns was irritated and frustrated with LA Knight
and taking the fight to LA Knight.
[Cole] Knight turned the tables on The Tribal Chief,
and Roman was in trouble, had it not been for Jimmy Uso,
who would appear right on time and thwart LA Knight's advances
on The Tribal Chief.
However it would be the self-proclaimed Megastar
getting the last laugh as he sent Jim Uso
crashing through a table before The Tribal Chief.
["Born A King" playing]
[Cole] And Roman Reigns said earlier on to Jimmy Uso,
"You need to control this LA Knight situation,
and you need to do it tonight."
[bell ringing]
[Taylor] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, from San Francisco, California,
weighing in at 251 pounds,
Jimmy Uso!
[Patrick] You're spot-on, Cole.
This is a man on a mission for Roman Reigns,
to end LA Knight before he can even travel to Crown Jewel.
Can LA Knight survive and advance toward the biggest match of his career?
-It's Jimmy Uso, LA Knight, and it's next. -Yeah. Playing quarterback.
Touchdown Bloodline.
["Nobody Better Than Me" plays]
[Patrick] With Crown Jewel one week from tomorrow,
WWE is proud to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin tonight.
An electric atmosphere in the sold-out crowd
as things are getting heated here on Friday Night SmackDown.
And in attendance tonight, fellas, got some members of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Welcome, fellas. Delighted to have you here tonight on SmackDown.
[Graves] Fear the Deer, KP. Fear the Deer.
But how about what we got on tap next week here,
on Friday Night SmackDown? We just heard from The EST,
Bianca Belair who's on a mission to take out all of Damage CTRL.
Well, she'll have her chance to take out the leader, Bayley, next week
in one-on-one action.
[Cole] After sucker punching Rey Mysterio earlier tonight,
what will the social media maverick, Logan Paul, have in store for Mysterio
when they square off in the first ever United States Championship Match
weigh-in next week on SmackDown?
[Patrick] What a match that promises to be one week from Saturday.
[Graves] But what a match we have coming your way in a matter of moments.
Jimmy Uso one-on-one with LA Knight.
Of course, this all came to be by order of The Tribal Chief himself.
-["Welcome To LA" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Taylor] And his opponent, from Los Angeles, California,
weighing in at 240 pounds.
LA Knight!
[crowd shouts] Yeah!
[Patrick] What a moment for LA Knight!
Signing on the dotted line earlier on tonight.
Making official the biggest match of his career.
One week from Saturday, taking on Roman Reigns.
[Graves] It may be the biggest match of LA Knight's career,
but Knight certainly is not acting like it.
LA Knight is acting like he's been there before,
like it's where he belongs.
-Like this truly is LA Knight's game. -[crowd shouts] LA Knight, yeah!
[Patrick] Millions of vocal LA Knight fans watching around the world.
Corey, why should they believe that LA Knight
is the man to topple Roman's reign?
[Graves] Listen, I'm not the one
that can convince the WWE Universe to believe in anybody.
-Only LA Knight can make the fans believe. -[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight!
-[Graves] But Roman Reigns is intent… -[bell ringing]
…on snuffing out the fire inside Knight in Saudi Arabia.
[chanting continues] LA Knight! LA Knight!
[Patrick] The mission clear for Jimmy Uso tonight,
and LA Knight ahead of Crown Jewel.
[Cole] Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
For here for 1,153 days, Roman Reigns has been champion.
That's three and a half years. Roman's doing something right.
He's at the head of the table. He's at the top of his game.
LA Knight still has to beat the champion.
He has to pin him, or he has to tap him out.
Reigns has the advantage going into Crown Jewel
a week from tomorrow.
LA Knight can have all the momentum in the world,
but this is his first ever World Championship opportunity in WWE
on the grand stage against perhaps the greatest champion ever.
[Graves] Cole, I don't disagree with a single word you just said.
That is all absolutely true.
My point is, as opposed to the many who have already fallen
at the feet of The Tribal Chief, LA Knight is approaching this very differently
from all of Roman's other challengers.
The confidence of Knight is off the charts right now,
and that could be a game changer.
[Cole] That's playing with house money. He has nothing to lose.
He wasn't even expected to be in this situation, and he is.
And he has a championship opportunity.
And he could perhaps knock off Roman Reigns.
Somebody's going to, someday. Maybe it's next Saturday,
maybe it's five years from now, but somebody's going to beat Roman.
[Patrick] And it's safe to say that few have entered a championship match
with Roman Reigns as hot as LA Knight is right now.
[Cole] If you look back over the past three and a half years,
-you make a good point, KP. Cover. -One, two…
[Patrick] LA Knight to put away Jimmy, who kicks out early.
[Cole] I can't really remember anyone
that has been quite at this level of momentum that LA Knight has right now.
-[indistinct] -You're not going to Crown Jewel.
-[Knight] Yeah. -[yelling]
He's cheating. He's cheating.
[Cole] Corey, you know better than anyone, in this business,
you've gotta strike while the iron is hot. That's where LA Knight is right now.
[Graves] There is no one hotter in this entire game right now than LA Knight.
But time will tell. Is he just the hot hand at the moment,
or is this a guy who can lead WWE into the future
at the expense of Roman Reigns?
It is a tall, if not impossible task, but Knight seems to be up for it.
[Patrick] That's exactly it, Corey.
You become the Undisputed Champion, and there's a weight.
There's a magnitude to carrying that title every day.
[Cole] Everything changes in your life. You become the WWE Champion,
everything changes. Your pay goes up,
you're--you're wanted around the world for public appearances.
You're on covers of magazines. You become the man in WWE.
There's so much at stake.
[Patrick] LA Knight now eyeing Jimmy Uso, sent to the outside.
[Cole] And for Jimmy Uso, an opportunity to quell that momentum.
[Graves] Oh, beautiful backbreaker by Knight. Very creative offense.
-[crowd cheering] -[Cole] Roman Reigns is here.
You know he's watching this matchup intently.
[Patrick] Roman Reigns hasn't had a match since SummerSlam three months ago.
Is there fear of any rust there for Roman Reigns?
[Graves] Roman Reigns is constantly operating at his highest level.
Roman isn't sitting on his couch eating potato chips
while he's not in the ring defending his title.
Roman keeps himself in tip-top physical and mental condition.
Trust me, LA Knight will be stepping in the ring with the best Roman Reigns
we've ever seen.
[Patrick] What condition will LA Knight be in?
Can he recover from this?
[Patrick] You are watching the main event of Friday Night SmackDown live
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
LA Knight, just over one week away
from the biggest night of his life against Roman Reigns,
tackling Roman's cousin Jimmy Uso.
[Cole] It's Jimmy who has been tasked with attempting to slow the momentum.
-Shoulders down. -[crowd] One, two…
[Patrick] LA Knight now… Jimmy still alive.
[grunts]
[Graves] On behalf of The Tribal Chief, what an uppercut!
[Cole] I wanted to bring something forward
you guys were talking about before the commercial break.
And that happened to be the fact that will Roman Reigns have ring rust,
because he hasn't competed in a match since SummerSlam nearly three months ago.
And to Corey's point, Roman Reigns keeps himself
in such spectacular shape.
But let's look back over the three a half years
that Roman's been champion. It's not like Roman's defending
the championship each and every week, right?
He does have layoffs here and there,
and he's proven adept at being able to control and keep the championship
during those layoff periods. So if anybody can do it, Roman Reigns can.
LA Knight never been on this massive stage before.
Roman Reigns knows all about it. He understands the pressure of it.
He can take the emotion out of it for LA Knight,
and control the pace of that match.
[Graves] Oh my goodness!
[crowd booing]
[Patrick] Crushing LA Knight.
[Graves] And this is exactly what Roman wants.
Roman wants to see Jimmy Uso soften up LA Knight,
maybe inflict a little extra punishment tonight.
And if I'm Jimmy Uso, I'm targeting a body part.
-I'm attacking the ribs. -Uce!
-[crowd] O! -I'm trying to take out LA Knight's knee,
anything to weaken The Megastar before the biggest match of his career.
[Cole] Oh! But Knight not having any of it right now.
[Patrick] So much heart.
So much fight in LA Knight as he continues to ride the momentum with the WWE.
This wave that we've all witnessed. Look at this.
This is a man that was not part of WrestleMania just six months ago.
A meteoric rise culminating with an Undisputed Championship Match
against Roman Reigns a week from tomorrow.
But tonight, can he dispose of Jimmy Uso? Or will it be the loose cannon
that has been Jimmy Uso, the erratic Jimmy Uso,
doing the business for Roman Reigns?
[Graves] Shoulder-first into the ring post goes LA Knight.
Jimmy Uso with a valuable few moments to compose himself and replan his game.
[Cole] Such an important match for Uso as well.
I mean, continuing to prove himself to Roman Reigns.
Get in the good graces of The Tribal Chief.
[Graves] I don't know how Roman isn't impressed
with the fact that Jimmy was on the IR, and then off of the IR
in a matter of, like, minutes.
[Cole] Well, because he called the audible earlier tonight.
-[Graves] A great backup QB does. -Roman said, "You ran the wrong play."
I think, deep down, maybe Roman was happy with Jimmy Uso's involvement.
[Graves] Sharp knife-edge chop from Jimmy Uso
driving the wind out of the lungs of LA Knight.
[Patrick] Something you touched on, Corey. You've been impressed
with how LA Knight has managed this meteoric rise.
[Graves] Listen, Knight has never taken his eye off the ball.
Oh, inverted DDT.
Jimmy Uso could be in trouble, but Knight in no position to capitalize.
LA Knight is a guy who has been steadfast in his belief
going back to his days pre-WWE. LA Knight has known for years
in his heart that he belongs at the top of the mountain.
It's been convincing the world that he's right
that he's really struggled with.
But now he's making believers.
[Cole] But as long as you know inside, as long as you have
that confidence inside, that'll take you a long way.
[Graves] Absolutely.
[Patrick] He's made believers of everybody watching.
[crowd] Oh!
[Graves] Save, perhaps, the man he needs to get past,
-Roman Reigns. -[crowd cheers]
[Patrick] Exactly right.
LA Knight now having his way with Jimmy Uso.
[Graves] Side Russian leg sweep by Knight.
Jimmy escapes out the back, but is spiked with a DDT into the cover.
[Patrick] This could be it for LA Knight, and Jimmy kicking out.
[Cole] And again, one of the things that LA Knight's going to have to do…
As you take another look here. The DDT.
…at Crown Jewel is control his emotions.
-One, two… -He's on this emotional wave right now,
but he's gotta be able to control that. He can't get frustrated.
It's not going to be easy to put Roman Reigns away.
-It's gonna be a long, grueling match. -[crowd chanting] Yeah!
[Graves] I totally agree with you, Cole. And I would say to look back
at what we just saw out of LA Knight a few moments ago.
He delivered the DDT. Jimmy escaped, and LA Knight didn't panic.
He didn't look frustrated. LA Knight composed himself
and continued soldiering forward.
-You might wanna-- -[Cole] Oh!
[Graves] …turn around.
[crowd chanting] Yeah! Yeah!
[Patrick] At the home of the Milwaukee Bucks,
LA Knight just dribbling Jimmy's head.
[Graves] Y'all need a new point guard?
[Cole] No, they got Dame.
[Patrick] Roman Reigns taking to social media this week, saying,
"Let's see if you're as good as you think you are."
[Cole] Right now, LA Knight is looking pretty damn good.
Samoan Drop!
[Patrick] Crushing LA Knight and may put away The Megastar.
He kicks out.
[Cole] LA Knight realizes the importance of this match.
Make a statement. Send a message. Build momentum.
All the old clichés, however, are at work in our main event tonight.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
[Graves] Jimmy Uso just called for the end. Saying, "This is it."
"This ends now."
[Cole] Well, LA Knight is halfway across the ring.
[Patrick] LA Knight quickly back on his feet now.
Eventually across to Jimmy Uso.
[Cole] Jimmy being a little lackadaisical, taking his time climbing to the top,
and LA Knight made him pay.
[Patrick] Blows to the ribs of LA Knight. Looking for the Uso Splash.
[Cole] That's gonna do it.
Jimmy Uso… Oh!
And that right there told me a lot about LA Knight.
Jimmy Uso has finished off many a competitor with this move,
the Uso Splash, and Knight able to kick out.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] And when you're in the ring with The Tribal Chief,
you're going to have to dig down deep, fight with everything you have
to be able to survive and somehow pull perhaps the biggest upset
in the history of sports entertainment.
[Graves] And LA Knight manages to thwart Jimmy's plans
for a second Uso Splash.
[Patrick] Taking this high risk now.
[Graves] LA Knight wanted a superplex. Jimmy Uso able to stop it.
Wow.
[Patrick] There we have it!
LA Knight, superplex.
LA Knight BFT.
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[bell ringing] -["Welcome To LA" playing]
[Taylor] Here is your winner,
LA Knight!
[Graves] LA Knight knew he would be in for a fight tonight against Jimmy Uso,
but The Megastar dug deep.
The Megastar took a high risk right here with this superplex,
but it paid off big time by opening the door
-for BFT, Blunt Force Trauma. -[crowd] One, two, three.
-[bell rings] -[Graves] And I don't care who you are,
even if you're The Tribal Chief,
-you ain't getting up from that. -[indistinct]
[Patrick] One from week tomorrow,
at the special start time of 1:00 p.m. Eastern--
[Cole] Turn around, LA. No.
[crowd roaring]
[Graves] Roman just ate the buckles.
[Patrick] Oh, BFT!
[Graves] Just like that, that sudden impact of Blunt Force Trauma.
LA Knight drops the champ.
And if he does that a week from tomorrow, we may crown a new champion.
[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight! LA Knight!
[indistinct] This ain't a game. I might talk about…
[Cole] Sometimes you just got to believe.
[Graves] Well, no one believes in LA Knight
more than The Megastar himself.
A BFT to The Tribal Chief.
And if that happens in Riyadh,
everybody will be saying…
-[indistinct] -…"And new WWE Undisputed
Universal Champion,
LA Knight!"
[Patrick] Yeah. on,