WWE Friday Night Smackdown 9/15/2023

WWE Friday Night Smackdown 9/15/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/09/wwe-friday-night-smackdown-982023.html

Pat McAfee is in the ring and welcomes us to the show. Austin Theory comes out and says it isn't Smackdown, but Austin Theory Live. Theory said he's on top at 26 while Pat was on a mugshot. He says they have unfinished business and says he's going to drop him. Theory says he will go back to his show, injured and unable to do anything like Aaron Rogers. Pat then tries to mock his accent and says he copies him. Theory says he looks like a Greek god in a tanktop and Pat looks like he should be flipping fries.

Pat tells him this will never be his show and will always be the people's show. The Rock's music then hits and The Rock comes out. Theory asks Rock if he knows who's ring he is in. Rock tells him to shut up and tells him he doesn't know how this works. Rock then does his "finally" line. Theory mocks it and is booed. Theory says the fans get to see Austin and Rock in the ring together, but it's not the boring old Austin. It's the new Austin who is so great. The Rock gets the mic and says "The Rock says", then Theory interrupts and says, "It doesn't matter what The Rock says".

Rock says it actually does matter what The Rock says and says it matters what the people say. Rock says then if Austin were here, he'd say, "if you wanna see me beat this jabroni's @ss, give me a hell yeah". Rock then tells him to notice the pop and says he's from A-Town and is an a-hole. Rock says one side of the arena will chant "you are" and then says the other will chant "an @sshole". They bleep all of it out, so it loses its effect. Rock then has the crowd switch lines and it is all bleeped out again.

Theory tells them to shut up. Rock says he doesn't know who he is, but knows what he is. Rock says he has a theory of his own and says hes going to whoop him in 3 seconds. Theory hits Rock then Rock spinebusters him. Rock then does the people's elbow and then Pat McAfee does the people's elbow.

This was a classic segment and was fantastic. Everything went perfect here and they really made you want to see Rock vs Theory. Theory interrupting Rock was a great moment and The Rock was the best he has been in years.

Finn Balor vs AJ Styles

Finn stomps on AJ then takes a russian leg sweep. Finn rolls through a sunset flip and basement dropkicks him. Finn chinlocks him then spin kicks him in the gut. AJ hits a nice dropkick and Finn goes out.

We go to break and return. AJ hits chops on Finn then they collide in mid-air with crossbody attempts. AJ forearms Finn while he is seated then corner lariats him. Dom distracts th eref and Finn eye rakes AJ. AJ drops him chest first and Finn blocks AJ's 2nd rope hurricanrana by holding on to the ropes.

Finn is crotched then AJ neckbreakers him over the knee. AJ plancha's Finn outside then nails Dom. Priest grabs AJ's foot and is thrown out. AJ goes for a styles clash then Jimmy Uso tries to interfere. AJ hits him then is rolled up by Finn. Finn wins it.

We didn't get a lot of this due to various breaks and it was loaded with shenanigans.

The Rock and Pat McAfee talk in the back and a lot of it is bleeped out. John Cena then shows up behind Rock. Cena stares him down and they shake hands and hug.

Jimmy Uso is in the back and talks to Finn Balor. Finn says he's his dog and Jimmy says this has nothing to do with him. He said this is payback and they are even. Finn said he saw Jey Uso on Raw and said he bets he misses him, as he misses his brother. Finn says both Uso's should join Judgment Day. Jimmy says they are good and mentions Bloodline. Finn says there's no leaders in Judgment Day and says that means there's no Roman.

Paul Heyman is seen watching in the back and he goes up to Jimmy, but we cut away.

The LWO are in the ring. Rey said he felt heartbroken and unloved until he got with the LWO. He said now he's the US champ and has a family that is united and stronger than ever. Santos Escobar said Rey stepped up by becoming US champ. He said his dream has always been to face Rey with a title on the line and asks if he will face him for the US title. Rey says he accepts.

Bobby Lashley comes out with The Street Profits. Bobby said we have teams falling apart and teams having this awkward lovefest in the ring. Bobby said they were taking over and said this will be easier than he thought. The LWO challenge them to a fight and The Street Profits seem to agree.

The Street Profits vs LWO (Cruz del Toro and Joaquin Wilde)

This was joined in progress. Wilde hits an elbow on Dawkins then Crus is hiptossed over the top. Wilde takes a sky high + neckbreaker combo and is pinned.

We saw like 20 seconds of this total.

Wilde and Cruz are beat up after. Rey and Escobar make the save. Lashley nails Escobar from behind and goes after Bobby but is stopped by The Profits. 

The Miz vs LA Knight

LA shoulders him over and Miz is upset. LA shoulders him over again and Miz begs off. Miz pulls him into the 2nd buckle and hits some boots. Miz hits chops then LA hits chops back. LA powerslams him for 2 then hits a neckbreaker.

LA is on the apron and slingshot shoulderblocks him for 2. Miz knees him in the gut then running facekicks him. LA tries to flip out of a backdrop and nearly hurts himself. LA hits a neckbreaker, a 2nd rope bulldog then a running kick to the head for 2. Miz grabs the ringskirt then eyerakes LA when the ref isn't looking. Miz corner lariats him then flatliners him while seated on the 2nd rope.

We go to break and return. Miz is in control and kicks LA right in the ribs. Miz hits chest kicks and a face kick. Miz then sliding knees him for 2. LA hits a back elbow and then hits a clothesline and a russian legsweep. LA ddt's him then corner stomps him. LA running knees him in the corner and they try pin attempts.

Miz tries to ddt him but LA holds onto the ropes. LA goes for a slingshot move but is booted. Mis then kneelifts him and codebreakers him for 2. LA blocks Miz's punches and hits his own. Miz takes a stun gun then LA hits the BFT to win.

It was a rather average match and they really protected Miz here, letting him control most of this. It really didn't do a lot for LA though despite him winning.

LA gets on the mic and said it doesn't matter if its Seth, Gunther, Rey or Roman, he is easily Top 2 and it ain't #2. He then asks whose game is it and poses.

Solo and Heyman are seen watching LA after. Solo says something but we can't hear it. Heyman says he hasn't been given the order from Roman to do whatever he said. Heyman said Jimmy is cutting deals with Judgment Day and Cena and says Solo will have to fight those battles. Solo says he already knows what he needs to do and he's going to finish this, tonight.

Pretty Deadly goes up to Adam Pearce in the back. Adam says Elton will be back in the ring in no time and Elton says he is a shell of himself. He says he can still hear the sounds of his bones breaking. Adam says why he is in a wheelchair and Elton says some scars you can't see. Kit says they will be back before he knows it and asks Elton for a "yes, boy!". 

Bayley and Dakota talk in the back. They say Iyo has to beat Asuka. Bayley said she ha snever been in the ring with her and doesn't know why she challenged her. Dakota says Bayley has been so distracted that she wants to know if hshe is ready for Asuka.

We see Judgment Day talking in the back.

Asuka vs Bayley

Asuka kind of slaps her then Bayley stomps her foot. Asuka hits leg kicks and they stand off. Asuka top rope dropkicks her then is pushed into the post on the apron.

We go to break and return. Bayley has her in a chinlock then cutters her over the 2nd rope. Bayley then runing knees her. Bayley overshoots a sunset flip and is put in an armbar. Asuka germans her then pops her up into a knee. Asuka is pushed into the buckles then codebreakers her, but Bayley holds on. Asuka ankle locks her then hits a 2nd rope codebreaker for 2. Asuka turns it into an armbar and they roll out.

Asuka is dropped face first on the apron then is pushed down on the floor. Bayley clears the announcer's table off then Shotzi appears out ofthe crowd. Shotzi scares her into the ring then Asuka backslides Bayley to win it.

The finish was lame with Shotzi scaring Bayley but not touching her and the match really wasn't anything special.

Bayley wants to pound fists after and Asuka is hesitant about it but agrees.

The Grayson Waller Effect with John Cena

Waller said he has had a lot of people on this show with some who think they are the GOAT. He said that only applies to one person though. He says his star is fading quicker than his hairline though but he's coming back thanks to the Grayson Waller rub. He then brings out John Cena.

Waller said it must be a real honor for him to be here. Waller then says when he talks to grown up, he takes his hat off like his mother taught him. Waller said Cena needs advice as a host and needs to learn how to be more like Grayson Waller. He says sit back and let the stars shine. Waller said he can't help himself and had to make it all about him one more time.

Waller says the truth is Cena doesn't want to be an in-ring competitor anymore. He said Cena doesn't care about being the greatest of all time anymore and isn't close to it anyway. He said Theory beat Cena at Mania. Cena takes off his shirt then Jimmy Uso comes out. Uso takes the mic from Cena and says Kangaroo Jack has a point. Uso says nobody wants Cena here, but they all came to see Jim Uso.

Uso tells him if he ain't gonna do nothing then to get out of the ring. Solo Sikoa comes down. Solo stares down Cena then grabs Uso by the throat. He then superkicks Cena. Uso wants a high five but Solo doesn't do it. They beat up Cena then AJ Styles comes out. AJ pounds on Jimmy then Cena punches Solo and throws him out. AJ enzugiri's Jimmy then Cena hits the five knuckle shuffle on Jimmy. Heyman tells Solo to save Jimmy and Solo does.

Well, at least they furthered AJ/Uso some here and maybe built some kind of tag match for the future. It was a short segment and nothing too crazy happened.

Overall thoughts: The show started off with a fantastic segment and didn't keep up throughout. It wasn't bad, but the matches were really cut up by breaks and they weren't anything memorable. I don't even know why they bothered with the LWO/Street Profits match since we only saw 20 seconds of it. I wouldn't recommend this.