Smackdown – 11.06.26

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Last week on Smackdown: Danhausen summoned THE DEMON to destroy GUNTHER.

WWE held a Monday night supershow at The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and used the second half of the evening to record tonight’s Smackdown. The announcers for tonight’s show are Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett on play-by-play and analysis, Alicia Taylor (!) on ring introductions, and Jackie Redmond and Byron Saxton on interviews and news segments. This is the go-home show for tomorrow’s Crown Jewel extravaganza from Riyadh, so let’s watch some wrestling!

CM Punk and Kevin Owens really don’t like each other, and tonight will potentially see the end of the hostilities when they meet in a No Holds Barred Match. They both have arrived for work.

Here’s a look at the last verbals between WWE Men’s World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Sami Zayn on Raw. Zayn has arrived and has a mic. Zayn asks how many in attendance came to RIDE OR DIE WITH THE LAST REAL GOOD GUY? It doesn’t sound like many did that. Zayn mentions that Reigns had predicted that Zayn might not even make the Crown Jewel card as champion and yet here he is. Zayn says that he used to sort of revel in being overlooked, but those days are over now that he’s won his title twice. Zayn mentions that Reigns was looking up at him when Raw went off the air.

Here’s Big Jim Uso out with a mic. Uso says Zayn was his dog, his friend, his family, and his Honorary Uce, but he feels like dropping Zayn right now. Uso says his family is at war with the 946 and Zayn kicked the OTC in front of Uso when he was handcuffed to the ring post. Zayn says he’s still Jim’s dog and would be fighting alongside them in the war if things were different, but he’s the champion now and he has responsibilities. Zayn says Jim pulled the trigger to exit him from the family, and Jim says when push came to shove he did what he had to do. Zayn screams that he’s doing the exact same thing right now. Jim says that Zayn was the one who made it personal and Reigns is now fully worried about Zayn. Jim says that Reigns told him point blank that Zayn has an ass-kicking coming in Riyadh. Zayn says that’s great because that’s all he wanted. Zayn wanted 100% of the Tribal Chief’s attention because that’s what he deserves. Zayn tells Jim to tell Reigns he’ll see him in Riyadh. Zayn exits to the apron and here’s Bronco Nima, Lucien Price, Carmelo Hayes, Cruz Montana, and Royce Keys in to put a giant whooping on Jim. Keys asks Zayn if he’s going to help Jim out, and the rest of the 946 line up to find out the answer. Zayn jumps down off the apron as Jim rallies briefly before the violence re-commences. A guilty-looking Zayn can hear the beating before walking off. Hayes ascends for Melo Don’t Miss and it continues into commercials.

More fodder for WarGames, but an effective segment nonetheless. Zayn admitting he’s been egging Reigns on so he could capture the OTC’s full attention was a good character beat for their thing at Crown Jewel. Jim catches another asskicking and 946 look dominant. Mission accomplished here.

Here’s a despondent Sami Zayn backstage when the show returns. AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix walks up and shakes his head sadly before leaving. Zayn is upset about this but here’s John Wrestling and Candice LeRae assure him that he did the right thing and after he beats Reigns, Gargano can get his title match. Zayn says he might have to deal with Fenix and Penta around Penta’s briefcase, and says he’ll chat with Nick Aldis about Gargano’s potential title shot. Gargano says he’ll handle something on his own while Zayn is doing that.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion Tama Tonga

KYOKI is out with Nakamura, while Haku and WWE Men’s Tag Team Champion Talla Tonga are out with Tama. Jason Ayers is your referee. There’s some grappling to start and Tonga fires off a short spear to gain top mount for some right hands. Nakamura rises up with some strikes and Tonga reverses. Tonga blasts Nakamura with a back elbow and mashes Nakamura down with a right after a brief flurry. Tonga puts the boots to Nakamura in a corner and Nakamura responds with some knees. Nakamura stands on Tonga’s jaw and mounts him on the second rope for a chop/neckbreaker combo. Nakamura taunts Haku and walks right into a high boot from Talla Tonga as Haku menaces an advancing KYOKI. We go to commercials.

Nakamura and Tonga are both down as the show returns. Nakamura fires off some strikes and blasts Tonga with a basement dropkick. Nakamura hits some chest kicks and pulls Tonga into a full nelson briefly. Nakamura hits a bridging German and covers Tonga for two. (Tonga took this German like he was in Osaka-Jo Hall because he got it fully on the back of his head and neck. Nasty bump.) Nakamura walks into a Tonga Flatliner and Tonga follows with two brainbusters that get a long TWO count. Tonga eats a big right and fires off a headbutt in response. Nakamura drops Tonga with a knee and then yanks him over with an overhead throw. Talla sneaks in to interfere and here’s KYOKI flying over to try to help. KYOKI runs the apron and kicks Talla over the barrier. Nakamura fires off a Kinshasha to a baffled Tama Tonga and that ends things.

Very much a strong style type of match, and I enjoyed it. I think this crowd is a bit burnt out at this point but it’s also fair to point out that there’s not a ton of juice around this MFT’s-BAKUSAI feud at this point. At least we got an actual match tonight, and I thought Nakamura did well in terms of showing some fire and hitting some strikes with venom behind them. I enjoyed it even if the crowd sat on their hands a bit.  2.5*

Winner – Shinsuke Nakamura (Kinshasha)

Here’s Jackie Redmond with CM Punk. Redmond mentions how personal this feud with Owens has been and Punk says Owens has been holding a grudge for 20 years over something Punk barely remembers. Punk laments that this feud cost him his title to a “mid-carder” in Sami Zayn and since then he’s been stuck in this seemingly endless loop with Owens. Punk says he should be preparing for Roman Reigns right now but he’s got to deal with these sad-ass men. Punk vows to put Owens in the dirt and then come for his title again. (Punk has a shiner developing and I would imagine this fight tonight might help that along.) We go to commercials.

Here’s GUNTHER out with a very grim expression on his face. I know, I was shocked too. Here’s highlights of Danhausen summoning the Demon last week and the subsequent ass-kicking that was delivered to GUNTHER. GUNTHER assures everyone he wasn’t scared of the Demon because he was focused on cleaning out that “freak show”. GUNTHER says that he was right all along about Finn Balor and he should actually quit the business TONIGHT. GUNTHER says instead of taking his advice Balor became pals with that “underprivileged weirdo” Danhausen and played along with all his bullshit. Balor used to have GUNTHER’s respect but he’s embarassed himself and GUNTHER insists the real Balor join him right now LIKE A MAN.

Here’s Finn Balor out with a mic and he remains in the aisle. Balor says what GUNTHER saw last week was something he Balor really doesn’t understand himself. Balor says it was HIM who did all those things last week no matter what get-up he was in. Balor says if you wanted the real guy, here he is. There’s no paint, no smoke or mirrors, just a Demon inside waiting to get out. A fight ensues and GUNTHER wants a ripcord lariat, but Balor drops him to the floor and nails GUNTHER with a plancha. Balor nails GUNTHER with a high kick but GUNTHER reacts quickly to toss Balor across the ring after he ascended. Balor fires off a sling blade and a shotgun dropkick. Balor ascends again and GUNTHER rolls out of harm’s way and to the floor. (I love you Finn Balor.)

Here’s Byron Saxton with Fatal Influence. WWE Women’s US Champion Jacy Jayne is offering counsel to Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid before mocking Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley’s very short tag title reign. Henley assures “Brendon” that she and Reid will be taking back their titles TONIGHT and the locker room will understand their INFLUENCE. The title match is next as we go to commercials.

Here’s AAA GM and WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio on Stephanie McMahon’s podcast putting over how big AAA’s influence has become. Mysterio announces a Team Mexico vs Team USA traditional five by five Survivor Series match for the show in San Diego! This is exciting news for people that like that match type.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: B-Fab and Michin (C) vs Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid)

Dan Engler is your referee. Jade Cargill is out with the champs. Reid and Michin start and they agree to drop each other’s legs before shaking hands. Michin uses that to yank Reid into a backslide, Reid reverses, and Michin mashes her with a dropkick. Michin and B-Fab hit some double team stuff on Reid and B-Fab’s cover gets two. Reid catches B-Fab with a Flatliner and Henley tags in for a running forearm that gets two. Henley mashes B-Fab into a corner and B-Fab fires a back elbow off in response. B-Fab rolls up Henley for two. B-Fab kicks Reid off the apron and Henley leaps on to her back for a sleeper. Henley mashes B-Fab with a running kick and then nails Michin with a right. They crash together with simultaneous lariats and here’s Tatum Paxley and Alexa Bliss looming up behind Cargill and Michin respectively. Bliss nails Michin with a cannonball and then a huge brawl breaks out as Engler calls for the bell.

More of an angle than a match. We’re getting things lined up for the women’s War Games match, though. 1.25*

No winner – Match thrown out

Bayley comes flying out to attack Cargill and her crew, and that goes okay for a bit, but here’s Charlotte Flair out to eye up Cargill because this feud will never end. They start slugging it out and Flair drops Cargill and wants the Figure Four. She doesn’t quite get it applied and the big brawl breaks out again. We’re left with Bayley, Flair, Bliss, and Paxley in the ring while Cargill, Michin, B-Fab, and the Fatal crew are on the floor. LOOKS SUSPICIOUS TO ME, JESS.

Here’s Byron Saxton with Kevin Owens. Owens says Punk is great at making people think he’s calm and cool but when Owens mentioned conflict and drama following Punk around it clearly affected him. Owens knows he’s under Punk’s skin. Owens says Punk had Shawn Michaels come up to him at the PC to get him to leave prior to Punk arriving at the PC on Wednesday. Owens wants to know how Punk politicking his way into an NXT title match is helping anything, and Owens promises to send Punk to “the past” as quickly as he can. “See you in the ring, PHIL” says Owens before leaving. We go to commercials.

Here’s Byron Saxton with Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, and Tatum Paxley. Flair says if those assholes want to go to war, WE CAN GO TO WAR.

Here’s Smackdown GM Nick Aldis mid-ring who wants to talk about the Women’s title match at Crown Jewel. Here’s WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green out to chat with Aldis. Aldis says he really respects Green and says they have the greatest female roster in the history of THIS BUSINESS. Aldis is stoked that Green is representing Smackdown for Crown Jewel, but Liv Morgan was a gigantic jerk and Aldis wants Green to respond. Green says that she told Aldis that it only matters what people think about us. Green says there are times that she doubts herself and she’s taken Morgan’s comments to heart. Green says Morgan’s insults are being said by other people and it hurts because she finds herself saying it as well. Green fights the urge to doubt herself every time she comes to work and she knows she shouldn’t admit that but it’s true. Green questions herself every day, and Aldis puts over the crowd chanting her name as proof that she deserves it. Green says that’s awesome but it’s not enough to be considered with the greats who’ve held the title. Green wants to leave a real legacy and beating Morgan will be that defining moment. Green considers this match a referendum on the nature of her reign. Green wants to cement her place as a true champion.

Here’s WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan out with a tissue in case Green needs it. Morgan says Green hasn’t earned her title and mentions that Green didn’t defeat anyone to win the title after Rhea Ripley’s injury. Morgan says the crowd sees themselves in Green, a talentless person who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Morgan calls Green a charity case and vows that tomorrow night the voices in Green’s head will become the truth. Morgan says she’ll be the Crown Jewel champion for the second time and the greatest world champion of ALLLLLLLLLLLLL TIMMMMMMMME. Morgan drops her mic and goes to the apron as Green stares daggers at her.

(I’m not sure this worked how they were hoping it might. Morgan came off like a bully and Green just stood there and took it. We’ll see how this goes in Riyadh, I guess.)

Here’s Byron Saxton with Lil Yachty and WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams. Trick’s disappointed to not be facing the Tribal Chief this weekend but it’s not the end of his story. It’s not a story of IF Trick will be champion, it’s a matter of WHEN. There’s a question about Damian Priest’s stuff from last week, and Trick says he’s not a hard man to find if Priest wants to continue things. We go to commercials.

Damian Priest vs Nathan Frazer

Priest has the “All Rise” theme back and it rules with the entrance he uses as a heel. Adrian Butler is your referee. Frazer leaps onto Priest prior to the bell and then nails Priest with a second tope con giro. Priest gets nailed with a running 360 senton and Frazer tries to use his speed. Frazer fires off a forearm but eats a gigantic one in response. Priest yanks Frazer up for some knees and a lofted facebreaker. Priest wants South of Heaven and Frazer escapes the goozle to send Priest to the floor. Frazer hits a basement dropkick and his tope suicida sees Priest fire him into the barricade. Priest yanks Frazer up for a Razor’s Edge onto and over the announce desk. Axiom is here to complain to Priest and he gets fired into the ring post. Butler has called the match due to Frazer’s incapacitation after the Razor’s Edge.

Boy, they are not really trying too hard with these finishes tonight, are they? They never announced a winner, so I guess it’s “ref stoppage”? That’s two matches in a row that went about two-three minutes before being tossed out due to various reasons. Ah well. I don’t know what this might have turned into but there wasn’t much to pick from here.  1.25*

No winner – Ref stoppage

John Cena provided some details on the John Cena Classic on Raw, and we watch some highlights of that after commercials. THE POWER TO VOTE LIES WITH CLUB WWE. Cody Rhodes was the first invitee into the Classic (Zilla Fatu got invited on NXT, and you can read all about that at the link above!) John Cena will be on Smackdown next Friday from Fort Lauderdale to discuss more details.

Tessitore and Barrett discuss the Randy Orton-Cody Rhodes feud and there’s a highlights package to set up Crown Jewel. Rhodes called for Last Man Standing and Orton reminded him that he’s now asked for what’s coming. They meet tomorrow in Riyadh.

No Holds Barred: CM Punk vs Kevin Owens

Since he only worked about two minutes earlier, they dragged Dan Engler back out to referee this one. There’s a hockey fight to start and Punk drops Owens with a clothesline and some rights. Owens eats a bunch of knees and Punk hits a flying knee in a corner. Owens fires up briefly and Punk eats a clothesline that sends him to the floor. Owens comes out with him and drives Punk into the announce desk. Punk fires up and sends Owens onto the table before finding a SLIM JIM table. Owens sprints over to grab a chair to nail Punk in the back with it. Owens pops Punk with some rights and sends him over the barricade. Owens rams Punk into a ringside monitor and follows him out into the WWE UNIVERSE. Punk fires off some rights and slams Owens into a trashcan. Punk fires a wheelchair at Owens who fails to remove the trashcan lid for violence usage.

Owens rams Punk into the STEEL RAILING and then bashes him into a camera. Owens drags Punk around and Punk reverses an irish whip to send Owens into the railing. Punk goes to ground and pound before getting some approval from the crowd. Owens fires up and sends Punk into some plex-glass. Owens sends Punk over another trash can and stands right on his nuts. Owens drags Punk back to ringside but Punk reverses another irish whip to send Owens over the barrier. Punk hits a leaping lariat and then tears apart some ring steps to use the top part as a weapon. Punk poses and then pulls Owens onto the bottom portion of the steps. Owens drops Punk on the base and pulls out the SLIM JIM table on the hard cam side. Owens finds another chair for a blast to Punk’s back before grabbing another SLIM JIM table.

Owens gets a chair shot in response when he goes back to Punk and they go back in the ring. Punk finds a trashcan along the way and tosses it in. Owens snatches it right up to smash Punk in the head with it. Owens puts the trashcan over Punk’s head and nails it with a chair. Owens blasts Punk with a cannonball into the trashcan before pulling it off of a dazed Punk. Owens nails Punk with the trashcan a couple more times before yanking him up. Punk fires Owens over in a backdrop onto the now-flattened trashcan. They go back to the floor for more hockey fighting and Punk drags Owens to the top of the aisle to show Owens “how beautiful I am”. Owens takes control briefly but gets yanked onto Punk’s shoulders for a GTS. Punk goes backstage and comes out with a STEEL CART to roll Owens back to the ring. Owens goes head-first into the side of the ring and Punk rolls him into the ring.

Punk ascends for the Savage Elbow and covers Owens for two. Punk goes to top mount for some rights and then slaps on the Anaconda Vice. Owens rakes the eyes to escape and then bites Punk on the forehead. Owens puts a chair between the top and second rope before grabbing another one for some shots to Punk’s back. Punk reverses an irish whip and sends Owens into his previously-mounted chair. Punk spikes Owens onto the chair in the ring with a DDT and covers him for two. Punk starts tossing chairs into the ring Terry Funk-style and buries Owens with a bunch of them. Owens bails to the floor before Punk can do more damage. Punk slides out for a chairshot before blasting Owens with a right. Punk poses again before going to the barricade to elbow Owens through the announce table.

Punk finds a chain under the ring and brings it in. Punk wraps his knee with the chain as he barks at Owens. Punk yanks Owens onto his shoulders and Owens prevents the knee strike before headbutting Punk. Punk denies a stunner attempt but eats a superkick in response. Owens ascends for a swanton that lands directly on Punk’s chest before covering and getting two. Owens sets up two chairs and nails Punk in the back with a third. Owens puts the edge of the chair on Punk’s throat and then sets up four more chairs. Owens mounts Punk on a top turnbuckle and goes up with him. Punk fights Owens off and trips Owens up on the apron. Punk gets rammed into the ring post and ends up on top of the previously set-up tables. Punk rolls into the ring before Owens can do damage and mashes Owens with some kicks. Punk heaves Owens through the set up chairs and covers him for two.

Punk pulls Owens onto his shoulders and Owens slips down. Owens yanks Punk up for a Fisherman’s Buster through the SLIM JIM tables. Owens pulls Punk back into the ring and nails him with KICK WHAM STUNNER for two. Owens puts a chair leg into Punk’s throat and sees the chain laying on the mat. Owens yanks up the chain and wraps his fist with it. Owens yells “Die you piece of shit!” and Punk rises up to pull Owens onto his shoulders for a GTS. Immediately Owens nails Punk with a right hand and covers him for three.

HOLY SHIT what a war this was. I very much appreciated the entirety of this being shown on television with no breaks, it really helped the tension build and build in terms of the finish. These two really went all out with this one and despite probable real-life animosity they fully cooperated to deliver a hell of a battle. WWE doesn’t do blood really ever, and I thought in the end, it really didn’t matter with this one. I 100% urge you to find this match if/when it gets posted to youtube because it was excellent.  4.5*

Winner – Kevin Owens (punch with chain)

Post-match sees Tessitore talk briefly about Crown Jewel, the credits roll, and we’re out.

This show was a giant nothing-burger until the main event. Owens and Punk saved this from being an all-time stinker with a main event that delivered in spades. Like I said, find that match when it’s posted to youtube. Everything else was pretty skippable but it was cool to get some clarity about the direction of Women’s War Games and to find out about the Team Mexico vs Team USA deal at Survivor Series. We move on to Crown Jewel, and let’s hope that comes off safely and everyone gets home okay.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy Crown Jewel and the rest of your weekend.