Smackdown – 10.16.26

It’s a busy time, so try to keep up, will you? Money In The Bank | AAA | Bound For Glory | Raw | NXT | Evolve Succession IV | Impact

Last week on Smackdown: Tatum Paxley and Alexa Bliss captured the Women’s Tag Team titles after Charlotte Flair was .taken out by Jade Cargill and her crew.

Smackdown comes to the USA/Netflix airwaves from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. The announcers for tonight’s show are Vic Joseph (!) and Corey Graves on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on news and interviews. We’ve got some fallout from Money In The Bank to attend to, and we might or might not be on the road to Crown Jewel, so let’s see what happens. Let’s watch some wrestling!

Arrivals: Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest, R-Truth, and new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Tatum Paxley and Alexa Bliss.

Here’s WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Sami Zayn out with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. Zayn slaps hands with an enthusiastic Gargano, and a half-hearted LeRae. Zayn reminds everyone that he informed everyone thusly that every single one of his antagonists got what they deserved. All the MITB competitors are named as gigantic losers, and Zayn advises the new Men’s MITB winner Penta to stick to focusing on Roman Reigns. Speaking of Reigns, Zayn mentions the upcoming Crown Jewel match, but he’s going to go to Raw to have a conversation with Reigns face-to-face. Here’s WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams looking resplendent in all white as always. (Trick and Gargano are the only ones in gear here, so you can probably do the math on that. – Also there’s a “RIP Sign Guy” sign in the crowd and it hit me again that that guy has passed on. Too many wrestling deaths lately.) Trick says “What’s up GINGERVITIS” to Zayn and reminds the crowd of how much he and Zayn dislike each other. Trick reminds Zayn of his losses during their feud, and says he doesn’t care about Zayn, but because of the disrespect Zayn showed a couple of weeks ago, it’s time for an asswhipping. Zayn says what he did a couple of weeks ago wasn’t disrespect, it was Zayn standing up for himself and Trick joking about it like he always does. Zayn says Trick doesn’t have a handle on the survival skills needed at this level. Zayn says he thrives in the chaos of the moment, and he always finds a way to survive. Trick removes his shades and tells Zayn he’s definitely not joking, but there’s no “Let’s talk about it!” tonight. Trick tells Zayn to take a swing, and Gargano grabs Zayn’s mic to say Trick is disrespecting the WWE champion and comes out from a place of privilege. Gargano says if Trick doesn’t show the proper respect, Gargano promises to beat some into him. Trick vows that he works as hard as anyone to be out here, and then turns his focus on beating Gargano’s ass. Gargano says it’s on, and here’s Dan Engler out as we go to commercials.

WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams vs Johnny Gargano

Zayn joins commentary, while LeRae stays at ringside. This is non-title and Engler is the referee. Graves mentions Lil Yachty is at home recovering from his experiences at Money in the Bank. Gargano pounds on Trick in a corner and grabs a headlock. Trick does a leapfrog and tweaks his knee, so Gargano goes right after it. Trick yanks Gargano up but Gargano slips off and runs the ropes. Trick shoulders Gargano down and rams him into a corner for some chops. Gargano goes back after the knee and eats a right from Trick. Trick holds Gargano vertically for awhile and then suplexes him over. Trick wants the Trick Shot but Gargano bails to the floor. Trick bounces Gargano’s head off the announce table and walks over for some verbals with Zayn. LeRae distracts Trick and Gargano uses that to grab a dragon screw leg whip through the ropes. Gargano blasts Trick with a kick and a tope suicida that sends Trick over the announce table. We go to commercials.

Gargano is pounding away mid-ring when the show returns. Trick yanks Gargano up for a lofted facebreaker and nails him with a leg lariat. Trick yanks Gargano into a flapjack and blasts Gargano with a huge chop. Trick pounds away with kicks and Gargano slides over for a sunset flip that gets two. Gargano runs into a pump kick and Trick yanks him up for a Falcon Arrow that gets two. Trick lowers his knee pad and LeRae distracts again. Gargano rolls up and uses a handful of tights to get two. Gargano fires off a couple of kicks and a tornado DDT that gets two. Gargano charges and gets dumped to the apron, and when he uses the ropes to spring in Gargano gets caught with a Trick Shot. Trick fires off a Book End and that finishes things.

Zayn would not shut the hell up on commentary during the match and I think it actually annoyed Graves a bunch. This was fine, functionally, but Trick wasn’t losing to Gargano no matter how competitive this was without major interference, which never truly came. The crowd was mostly into it but Gargano isn’t exactly a major player these days so even they were pretty clued in from the jump that either Gargano was losing or this would be an angle of some sorts. 2.5*

Winner – Trick Williams (Book End)

Here’s a look back at Tiffany Stratton becoming the new Miss Money in the Bank, including Stratton’s very ill-advised swanton.

Here’s Smackdown GM Nick Aldis with Blake Monroe who advises Aldis to earn his paycheck and do something about Giulia’s constant attacks. Aldis makes a street fight between the two for next week, and here’s WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green in as a disgusted Monroe exits. Aldis says Stratton is recovering well, and Green wants to know if Liv Morgan is in the building, so Aldis assures her she isn’t. Aldis reminds Green that Roxanne Perez is now owed a title shot due to defeating her on Raw (I have SO many issues with that booking but gotta build THE HEAT, I guess.). Here’s Nikki Bella in to complain about Perez getting a shot before her. Bella vows to beat Paige’s face off, and a title match is agreed to for two weeks from now. (Sort of kills the suspense around Bella’s match with Paige there, guys. OR DOES IT!?)

Paige makes her entrance as we go to commercials.

Here’s a look back at the long feud that’s still going on between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, as they’ll go FACE TO FACE later tonight.

Paige vs Nikki Bella

Daphanie LaShaunn is your referee for this one. Bella dops Paige at the bell for some ground and pound before dumping Paige to the floor. Bella rams Paige into the barricade and then Paige reverses Bella’s second attempt at the move. Paige pounds aay and dumps Bella back in. Bella decides to bail and Paige charges after her to mash her with a superkick. Paige dumps Bella back in and Bella then dumps her to the floor. Bella wants a dropkick but Paige yanks the apron out and traps Bella in it between the ring for some right hands. Paige pushes Bella back in and pounds her with some knee lifts. Bella snaps Paige’s arm through the ropes and then comes out to slam Paige on the floor. We go to commercials.

Both competitors are down when the show returns. Bella is up first and Paige slips a charge for a couple of lariats. Paige hits a fisherman’s suplex and yanks her into a German. Paige wants the Paige Turnah and Bella goes to the eyes. Paige fires off a belly-to-back suplex and wants a Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Bella yanks Paige down and slaps on an STF. Paige makes the ropes to break it up. Paige hoists Bella up for an Attitude Adjustment and covers Bella for two. Paige gets bounced off Bella’s knee before getting blasted by a forearm that gets two. Bella pushes Paige into LaShaunn’s area, and rolls her up for two. Paige reverses and uses a foot on the ropes to get the three count.

Man, we’re going to get a three-way for Chelsea Green’s title now with Bella and Paige and I wish I could say I was excited for that, but here we are. Almost no heat for this, as I kept waiting for anything to get the crowd going. They were throwing bombs at each other in the second act, but the first part before the commercial break was really poor. 2*

Winner – Paige (Roll up w/foot on the ropes)

Here’s Cathy Kelley with R-Truth. Truth sighs as Kelley asks him how he approaches a match like this. Truth says if Priest threw a party the biggest present would have been from him because of their friendship, but that’s all over now. Truth turns his hat backwards and says Priest is going to wish he was back in the bodega eating arroz con pollo before calling Priest a “pendejo”. We go to commercials.

Here’s a look back at the Men’s Money in the Bank match. Je’von Evans going through the top of the SLAMBULANCE is highlighted, as well as Penta’s victory to become Senor Dinero en el Banco.

Kevin Owens is in medical, and Nick Aldis joins him to see how he is. Owens mentions he’s doing pretty good, and he’s happy about CM Punk not winning the MITB match even if it cost him as well. Here’s a grumpy CM Punk in as Aldis steps in between him and Owens. Punk wants a match with this “piece of garbage”. Aldis says he can do that, but it’s not going to happen in a parking lot or in Catering. Punk and Owens are sniping at each other and Aldis asks if they’re through before reminding them both that it can only happen in the ring. Owens is fine with that and leaves, and Punk says “Children….” as Aldis promises he’ll get his match.

R-Truth vs Damian Priest

Adrian Butler is your referee. Truth attacks prior to the bell and flies out to mash Priest in the aisle. Priest heads in and the bell sounds. Truth runs into a Priest high boot and Priest puts the boots to Truth in a corner. Priest yanks Truth up and mashes him with a chop and a flying elbow. Priest yanks Truth up for Broken Arrow that gets two. Priest sits on Truth over the ropes and blasts him with some rights. They slug it out briefly before Priest yanks Truth’s arms back to jam a knee in Truth’s back. Truth breaks out for a kick to Priest’s chest and a shoulder tackle. Priest hits Truth with an elbow and a Flatliner before missing a charge. Truth ascends for a missile dropkick and he appears to have injured himself during the move. Butler advises Priest of what’s going on, and the X symbol goes up as the bell sounds. Priest grabs a chair and Butler tries to hold him off. Here’s FrAxiom out to hold Priest off, so he drops the chair and exits as his music fires up.

So I’m seeing reports that this was a legit stoppage and not an angle, and I’m hoping Truth will be okay. He did come down hard on his back during the missile dropkick so it’s possible he just knocked the wind out of himself, and let’s hope that’s what it was. Not much to rate here as it had barely gotten going.

Winner – Damian Priest (ref stoppage)

Here’s another look at the Wrestlemania chapter of the Rhodes-Orton feud.

Here’s a look at AGENT OF SHADOWS. We take a break.

Here’s a look at the Street Fighter premiere that Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes attended, along with a few other WWE luminaries.

Here’s a look at GUNTHER destroying Danhausen last week before Finn Balor showed up to get into it with the big galoot.

Here’s GUNTHER in Nick Aldis’s office and he’s very grumpy about what happened last week with Danhausen and Balor. Here’s Danhausen in a neck brace and an arm sling to mention that GUNTHER never actually pinned Danhausen. GUNTHER yanks Danhausen up and mentions making Halloween a very special night for him. (This big goof is showing up to Halloween Havoc. UGH.)

Here are the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley out for a chat. Bliss mentions Charlotte Flair being such an amazing friend that she set her opportunity aside after being attacked because she’s now awesome at being a good friend. Bliss thanks Paxley and is proud of her for stepping in and winning her first main roster title. Paxley gets a “you deserve it” chant and tells Bliss that she’s super excited to be part of the team, but she also wants to thank Charlotte for her generosity. Paxley says she’s got a gift waiting for Flair and whispers what it is to Bliss.

Here’s Fatal Influence out to new and much shittier entrance music. WHY? WWE Women’s US Champion Jacy Jayne calls Paxley’s speech “cringey” and says it made Jayne sick to her stomach. The crowd fires up and Jayne mentions being injured, and wants to yell about Tiffany Stratton stealing the MITB briefcase right out from under her. Henley and Reid put the badmouth on Paxley before Reid mentioning that there’s no actual way that Charlotte is actually happy for either one of them. Jayne promises that the titles will come back to Reid and Henley and then Bliss and Paxley will go back to being in Flair’s shadow. Paxley says she and Bliss will play with Fatal and after a quick chat, Reid and Henley attack. Fatal get dumped to the floor and then they drop the injured Jayne as well.

Here’s Cathy Kelley with AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix. Kelley wants some comments about Penta winning MITB, and Fenix is happy and proud. Here’s Sami Zayn in for a quick hug with Fenix, and he asks Fenix about Penta’s intentions. Fenix says he hasn’t discussed anything with Penta yet before mentioning that Penta should be targeting Roman Reigns. Fenix says he has no idea what Penta is planning and it could be Zayn who is targeted. Fenix exits and we go to commercials.

Here’s a look at Randy Orton costing Cody Rhodes during his title match with CM Punk at Summerslam.

Here’s Fatal Influence running into Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin backstage. Apparently B-Fab and Michin have secured the first shot at Paxley and Bliss, leaving Fatal a bit non-plussed over that bit of news.

AAA Cruiserweight Championship: Rey Fenix (C) vs Ricky Saints

Charles Robinson is your referee. Saints works a headlock to start and then fires off some rights. Fenix nails Saints with a rana and follows with a rope-assisted armdrag. Fenix gets mashed by a Saints lariat and some chops. Saints gets dumped to the apron and Fenix walks the ropes for a giant kick to Saints head. Fenix ascends for a giant cross-body and we go to commercials.

Saints is working Fenix over in a corner when the show returns. Saints fires off some kicks and runs into a Fenix knee when he charges. Saints hits a pump kick and yanks Fenix up, but Fenix slips off and hits a back handspring cutter that gets two. Fenix yanks Saints up and clubbers on his back. Saints eats a kaman giri and Fenix nails him with a frog splash that gets two. Fenix lines up Saints and runs right into a rolling driver that gets two. Saints mounts Fenix in a corner and ascends with him after a huge right hand. Fenix slips out and wants a Muscle Buster but Saints blocks it. Fenix fires off an uppercut and blasts Saints with a top rope rana. Fenix ascends but Saints pushes Charles Robinson into the ropes, which crotches Fenix. Saints yanks Fenix into Rochambeaux and covers him, but Robinson refuses to count. Saints and Robinson argue and go face to face, and Robinson DQ’s Saints.

Saints is such a tool. I love that they chose this lame-ass finish for his big main event title match on Smackdown (Cody and Orton’s yap-fest is up next and prepare your butts because they’re going fifteen minutes, probably.) Charles Robinson ain’t nothin’ to eff with, Rick. 2.5*

Winner AND STILL AAA Cruiserweight Champion – Rey Fenix (Saints DQ’d for pushing Charles Robinson)

Post-match sees an irate Saints continue to assault Fenix. Saints hits a second Rochambeaux and continues to bark at Robinson. Some refs come out to break things up.

Here’s a look at the SNME chapter of the Rhodes-Orton feud, and they come face to face next. Here’s Rhodes backstage running into Nick Aldis, who mentions he hasn’t seen Orton yet. Rhodes heads to the ring regardless, and we go to commercials.

After commercials, Joseph and Graves run down next week’s card from Ontario, CA.

Here’s Cody Rhodes out as “Kingdom” sounds throughout the arena. Rhodes grabs a chair and vows to sit in the middle of the ring until Orton shows up. Here’s Baron Corbin out to tell Rhodes that he told Rhodes a long time ago that he didn’t see what everyone else saw. Corbin taunts Rhodes about not having a killer instinct while he was born with one. Corbin talks about his current path and says he doesn’t need friends, while Rhodes is overly concerned with being a good guy. Corbin says he’s getting back where he belongs and it will come at Rhodes expense. Rhodes tells Corbin to do him a favor, and wants a referee out so they can get it on. We go to commercials.

Cody Rhodes vs Baron Corbin

Dan Engler is back out to ref whatever this is going to be before Orton inevitably shows up. Rhodes gets caught in a Deep Six and Corbin’s cover gets two. Corbin kicks away at Rhodes and yanks him up for an irish whip into a corner. Corbin fires off some rights and drives in a knee. Corbin misses a charge and they mash each other with lariats. Rhodes tosses a couple of rights and nails Corbin with a snap powerslam. Rhodes tears his shirt open and slings off some jabs before hitting the Bionic Elbow. Rhodes blasts Orton with a Disaster Kick and here’s Randy Orton out to yank Rhodes out of the ring for some violence. Orton just murders Rhodes with uppercuts and Rhodes fires up by smashing Orton off the announce table. Orton retakes control and runs him into a ring post. Orton sends Rhodes into the ring and lines him up for a punt. Rhodes slips that and nails Orton with a Cody Cutter. Rhodes has Orton lined up and goes to a place before Corbin comes back in for some more fisticuffs. Orton exits up the aisle as Corbin continues assaulting Rhodes. Corbin yanks Rhodes up for End of Days but Rhodes slips it and crushes Corbin with a Super Cody Cutter. Rhodes eyes up Corbin and Orton yells from the aisle that Rhodes doesn’t have it in him. Rhodes PUNTS Corbin and glares at a stunned Orton as the credits roll and we’re out.

A mixed bag tonight, but nothing really stood out ring-wise as something you need to seek out if you missed the show. The big closing angle will be the main talking point coming out of tonight, as presumably we’re heading to some sort of major blowoff for this feud at Crown Jewel. Some things were set up for the next few weeks and we’ll see how all of that goes. Not their best effort tonight, but coming off a rough event with MITB, some folks were hurting and they did their best to put on a show with what they had available. We’ll move on to next week in Ontario, but our Men’s champion will be on Raw Monday night so we’ll see how that goes for the LAST REAL GOOD GUY.

Thanks for reading. If you’re peeking around the site this weekend, please make sure to give some love to all the current reviews because we put a lot of time and effort into these and it’s all for the love of the game, you know?