WWE SmackDown Results
In Friday’s WWE SmackDown results main event, AJ Styles made his comeback to the squared circle as he faced Solo Sikoa. This match marked the end of a feud that began in September of last year after The Tribal Heir rendered The Phenomenal One inoperable. WWE SmackDown The semifinals of the US Title Tournament, a…
In Friday’s WWE SmackDown results main event, AJ Styles made his comeback to the squared circle as he faced Solo Sikoa. This match marked the end of a feud that began in September of last year after The Tribal Heir rendered The Phenomenal One inoperable.
WWE SmackDown
The semifinals of the US Title Tournament, a Holiday Havoc match involving eight of the best women’s division competitors, and a defense by NXT North American Champion Dragon Lee were among the other highlights of the show’s special holiday edition.
What happened, who won, and what did it mean for the biggest feuds and Superstars in the brand?
Use this recap of the most recent episode to find out.
Match Card
Before the show on December 22, the following were announced:
- AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
- United States Title Tournament Semifinal: Bobby Lashley vs. Santos Escobar
- United States Title Tournament Semifinal: Kevin Owens vs. Carmelo Hayes
- NXT North American Championship Match: Dragon Lee vs. Butch
- Holiday Havoc 8-Woman Tag Team Match: Shotzi, Mia Yim, Bianca Belair, and Zelina Vega vs. Bayley, Kairi Sane, Iyo Sky, and Asuka
Everybody Wants Roman Reigns
This week’s SmackDown began with AJ Styles, LA Knight, and Randy Orton expressing their desire to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in a three-way promo.
Interrupting, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis declared that the winner of the Triple Threat Match would face The Tribal Chief at Royal Rumble in the special “New Year’s Revolution” episode the following week.
Knight’s strong fan base was evident from the large turnout, and this was an excellent opportunity to unite the three leading candidates and raise the stakes for Friday’s year-end show.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
A nice example of Triple H’s attention to detail and logic that hasn’t always been a part of the WWE Creative process is Styles calling out Knight for stepping over him and using The Phenomenal One’s injuries to get a title opportunity.
Styles looks amazing in all black, as if TNA Wrestling from 2012 were still happening.
WWE is making a great use of its trademarks by bringing back New Year’s Revolution as a special themed edition of SmackDown.
Holiday Havoc Tag Match
harm In a Holiday Havoc match, CTRL’s Bayley, Asuka, Kairi Sane, and WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky faced off against Shotzi, Michin, Bianca Belair, and Zelina Vega.
Aside from some nice story development—Baley saved her partners’ matches multiple times, and Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre reappeared as threats to the heels—it was the same crazy, chaotic, holiday-themed street fight that we have seen countless times over the years.
Michin pinched Sky in the end, indicating that The OC’s first lady might be the next to get a shot at the title.
Fans might be in for a major treat to begin 2024 if that is the case and Fyre and Dawn battle the Kabuki Warriors, thanks to new and intriguing fresh pairings.
Result
Michin, Belair, Vega, and Shotzi defeated Damage CTRL.
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
1. It seemed like “Holiday Havoc” had a lot in common with “Miracle on 34th Street Fight.”
2. Vega, who was sick for both of her matches during this week’s show tapings, ended up getting hit in the face by Asuka’s blue mist and pumpkin pie. Not her best evening.
3. It is much appreciated that Dawn and Fyre are back, as it immediately strengthens the women’s division, which needed some new blood to prevent rematches.
NXT North American Championship Match: Dragon Lee vs. Butch
successfully defended the NXT North American Championship against Butch at the end of 2023.
Before defeating the Bruiserweight to win, he sold, mounted the comeback, and demonstrated toughness by “popping his finger back in place”.
As Lee keeps winning just by being good at what he does, frustration keeps building and should lead to more character development for the British. In the long run, both competitors should profit from this straightforward booking.In what was yet another impressive display of the young star’s abilities, Dragon Lee.
Result
Lee defeated Butch to retain.
Grade
B.
Top Moments and Takeaways
Butch is slowly adopting Pete Dunne’s mannerisms, facial expressions, and body language, which could indicate that the former NXT UK Champion is back to his former self.
Lee’s simple appeal to audiences stems from his hard work and skill as a professional wrestler. He’s seeing great results with this straightforward formula.
Upon meeting Nick Aldis backstage, Roman Reigns cautioned him that everything passes through him and that the next time the general manager wants to announce a match, he should consult the Tribal Chief first. Aldis scoffed, going so far as to say that Solo Sikoa looked after John Cena better than even Roman Reigns. a smooth exchange of ideas.
United States Title Tournament Semifinal: Kevin Owens vs. Carmelo Hayes
Kevin Owens faced NXT’s Carmelo Hayes in the first of two semifinal round matches, with a date in the United States Title Tournament finals on the line.
Owens won the pinfall after a good, hard-fought battle ended with the more seasoned fighter moving forward.
Many supporters will contend that Hayes ought to have prevailed in this instance, but he was unfazed by the setback and, if nothing else, showed he could compete with one of the most well-known players in the organization.
A few weeks ago, Owens and the current US champion Logan Paul hinted at a rivalry, so it’s not entirely plausible that The Prizefighter won here to go to the finals and is only one win away from facing The Maverick a very unexpected one.
Result
Owens defeated Hayes
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
In this match, Hayes wrestled alongside a former Universal champion and never once appeared uncomfortable. He already has stardom; he is not a star in the making.
By reminding the audience that KO had previously made the move to the main roster in an attempt to become well-known by defeating John Cena, Corey Graves did an excellent job of connecting Hayes to Owens.
United States Title Tournament Semifinal: Bobby Lashley vs. Santos Escobar
Due to the intervention of the returning Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo, Santos Escobar defeated Bobby Lashley in an upset to advance to the United States Title Tournament finals on Friday.
Escobar took advantage of the distraction created by the former Los Lotharios by attacking the Street Profits by jumping the guardrail, and he won with a schoolboy rollup.
The majority of the fight was Escobar selling early, taking advantage of a gap in the opposition’s defense, and controlling the situation until Lashley made a controversial comeback. For what it was, it worked and gave Escobar more momentum, which was the original intention.
Even though the match itself wasn’t quite as good as the talent involved would have suggested, it was still a successful part of the show, thanks to mostly due to the hectic conclusion.
Result
Escobar defeated Lashley
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
Before the break, Lashley had ragdolled Escobar, but the former El Hijo del Fantasma artist gave him a dropkick to the face, sending him into the steel steps.
The worst rollup is the schoolboy rollup. Proceed, complete…everything. In WWE, it’s utilized far too frequently.
AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
The main event of the night featured no sign of the AJ Styles we saw a week ago, the one who clocked LA Knight and seemed to be teasing a new side of himself based on his demeanor and attire.
Rather, the main event of Friday’s show featured a largely one-sided squash match in which Sikoa dominated and outmatched The Phenomenal One for the better part of the fight. Styles battled his way back into the match, but it was in the same way that we have witnessed him do so for years.
After Roman Reigns attacked, he was unable to make a rebuttal, and Randy Orton eventually showed up. LA Knight saved the day when Jimmy Uso entered the fight and The Bloodline defeated the babyfaces. and made the ring clear.
This week’s show concluded with a brawl between the three top competitors.
Result
Styles defeated Sikoa via disqualification
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
Bravo to Styles for competing in the black denim jeans your aunt buys at Boscovs straight off the rack, unaware that 1993 isn’t that far away.
Sikoa was in charge. For much of it, this was a very one-sided match.
Style did little to hide this new aspect of himself. There was nothing about this performance that set Styles apart from the others, aside from the dad jeans.
Overall Grade
Any holiday-themed program should be evaluated on whether anything noteworthy actually occurred to warrant viewing. The response in this instance was “yes.”
In addition to learning that SmackDown will unveil New Year’s Revolution in two weeks, we also know that Orton, Styles, and Knight will square off in the main event of that exciting episode to determine who gets to challenge Reigns at Royal Rumble.
Isla Dawn, Alba Fyre, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, and the US Title Tournament semifinal round were all back, and Karrion Kross issued another dire warning.
Things took place. This was a significant broadcast that prepared the audience for a bigger event in two weeks. The bookings were largely consistent throughout the board simply serves to improve its grade.
