WWE Smackdown 11/17/2023

WWE Smackdown 11/17/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/11/wwe-smackdown-11102023.html 

Road Dogg is the 3rd man on commentary here tonight.

The New Damage Ctrl comes out with Iyo, Kai, Kairi, Bayley and Asuka. Bayley said Asuka joining their crew was one of the top moments in WWE history. She said they are the strongest faction in WWE and says they are playing chess when everyone else is playing candyland. Bayley said Flair, Bianca and Shotzi were not ready for Asuka. The Japanese girls then talk in Japanese and seem bothered. Kai translates and said this isn't the new and improved Damage Ctrl as someone in this ring is not part of Dmaage Ctrl. Bayley thinks they mean her then says Asuka isn't a member yet as Bayley didn't let her in yet.

Bayley offers Asuka a shirt and asks her to join. Asuka then takes the shirt. Kai then says Bayley, Kairi, Asuka and Sane should challenge Flair/Bianca/Shotzi to find a 4th member so they can fight in Wargames.

Shotzi's tank comes out without Shotzi in it. Shotzi then comes off the top and hits crossbodies. Bianca and Flair come down to help. Bianca is thrown out and Flair forearms Bayley. Flair is thrown out then Shotzi is too. It was odd to see the faces backed off as that never really happens in WWE. I didn't like the set-up to Wargames here either.

Bianca, Shotzi and Flair talk in the back. Bianca asks what that was and said they need to be strategic. Shotzi said she can't control herself and wants payback. Bianca said they need a fourth member and says Charlotte knows someone who can help them out. Nick Aldis then comes in and says he needs to know who the fourth member is by the end of tonight. Flair says she needs to think about it.

Winner gets a future title shot - The Brawling Brutes vs The Street Profits vs Pretty Deadly

PD gets a big disco ball for their entrance. Butch nails Dawkins and Elton then Butch is shouldered over. Dawkins lariats Elton then Butch takes a nice dropkick from Ford. Elton is lifted out and dropped down. Bobby Lashley is watching this on a tv in the back. Ford standing frogsplashes Elton then Dawkins stomps Butch.

Dawkins hits a nice punch combo on Elton. Ford lariats Butch. PD jump over each other and hit a spear + euro on Butch and Ford. Ridge is tagged in and suplexes Kit overhead. Kit's back gets splashed as he is seated on the middle buckle. Ridge then guillotine swings Kit around before ddt'ing him. Kit is then lariated over the top.

The Profits take the chest clubs over the top rope then Ridge is sent into the steps. We go to PiP break and return. Ridge hits a double suplex. Butch step up enzugiri's all 4 opponents then moonsaults off the apron onto Kit. Butch then jumps off the steps and tornado ddt's Elton. Butch buzzsaw kicks Dawkins then 2nd rope moonsaults a bunch of people. Butch hits a standing shiranui on Dawkins then armbars him. Dawkins deadliftts him and swings him into Elton. He then powerbombs Butch onto Elton.

ridge headbutts Ford in the chest then Kit lariats him.  Ridge superplexes Kit then takes a top rope splash from Ford. Elton then top rope legdrops Ridge for 2. B-Fab goes up to Bobby backstage. Butch fights off 4 people at once then is back body dropped to the floor. The Profits dropkick PD then Ridge double lariats PD. Butch pump kicks Ridge on accident and is thrown out. Elton is thrown out then Ridge takes a sky high + neckbreaker combo. Dawkins wins it.

It was a fast paced three way as expected. It was what it was but it was entertaining and we got some fun spots. Not a ton of selling though.

Lashley comes out to congratulate The Street Profits after. Ridge is mad at Butch and walks off alone.

We go to the back after break and Damage Ctrl is beating up Michin.

Dragon Lee vs Axiom

Lee talked to Nick Aldis during an inset. Nick said he brought in Axiom from NXT to show Rey what lucha is all about. Axiom gets a little video during his entrance.

They lock and take each other down. Ax backslides him then Lee jumps backwards and rolls him up. Lee headlocks him then superkicks Ax as he jumps in mid-air. Lee then tope con hilos him outside. Lee hits combinacion cabron in the corner on Ax then dropkicks him in the corner.

We go to break and return. Ax jumps off the 2nd rope and armdrags him then dropkicks him out. Ax then moonsaults him off the top outside. Ax is superkicked in the corner then Lee gets stuck up top. They fight up top and Lee top rope double stomps him as he hangs from the top rope.

They trade chops and Ax hits a nice dropkick. Ax half-nelson suplexes him then PK's him. Lee brainbusters him  then Ax hits a canadian destroyer out of the powerbomb position. Lee gets stuck up top again and Ax hits a top rope spanish fly. Lee then kicks out for 2.

Ax facekicks him and is rolled up into a powerbomb for 2. Lee pumping knees him then hits destino to win it.

I hated this. It was indy garbage with canadian destroyer and spanish fly kickouts. They did way too much here. I also didn't like Axiom losing on his main roster televised debut here.

Santos Escobar comes out to talk. He says never meet your heroes and said Rey Mysteiro was his hero. He said he modeled his career off of Rey and said he wished the next generation would see him the way he used to see Rey Mysterio. He said Rey became a father figure to him and made him feel at home. He said he realized Dominik was right and said he (Santos) deserved to be the US champ. He said he wanted to rebuild the LWO then Rey came and brought in new members like Carlito. Santos talks in spanish and said Rey sided with an outsider over him. He said he hopes the pain Rey feels reminds him of how Rey treated him.

Santos says he apologizes for not doing more damage. He said he hopes the surgery didn't go well and said he hopes they have to amputate Rey's leg. He said he hopes Rey doesn't come back. Zelina Vega and the LWO are watching in the back and Vega comes out. Santos and Vega argue. Santos says they are done and Vega slaps him. Cruz and Wilde come down. Wilde says Santos is out of line then Santos tells both to get out of here. He says they are deadweight and done. Santos then nails both from behind. Carlito comes out and Santos leaves through the crowd. It was a good angle minus the spanish parts.

Grayson Waller vs Cameron Grimes

Austin Theory comes down to do commentary. Grimes cartwheels out of a wristlock then hits a waterwheel drop. Grimes hits a nice dropkick then Waller rolls in and hits a flatliner for 2. Waller hits forearms to the back of the head.

Grimes trips Waller then hits flying forearms. Grimes atomic drops him, spin kicks him then baseball slides hi. Grimes hits a swinging side slam for 2. Grimes kicks Theory from the apron then Waller flips Grimes on the apron. Waller flips over Grimes' back and hits an unprettier to win it.

It was quick and was a reverse squash with Grimes getting in almost all of the offense and Waller needing help to win. Waller's moves were super smooth and athletic here though.

Bianca goes up top Vega in the back and seems to try to get her to be on her team.

Damage Ctrl celebrate over the body of Zelina Vega in the back. She's down and crying then Bianca goes up to her.

Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso are in the ring. Paul says we have an impromptu celebration ceremony for Solo Sikoa here for beating Cena at Crown Jewel. He then makes it seem like John Cena is coming out but then says he is not here this evening. He says that is all thanks to Solo. He says Cena will never appear in a WWE ring again. He says Cena doesn't have the heart to say goodbye to the WWE Universe, so he gets to say goodbye for John Cena. Paul then says, "John Cena, goodbye".

Paul says that was John Cena's cue to come out and mocks him doing that, but says we will never expeirnece that again due to Solo. Paul says if Cena does come back, Solo hasto be his opponent. He said Cena isn't really John Cena anymore though and says its due to Solo. LA Knight ends up coming out.

LA says no matter how good Roman has been, the only reason he is still champ is because of The Bloodline. LA said everyone knows that's a problem and said he is the problem solver. He says Bloodline will cease to exist because he made it that way. He said each one of them will fall until its him and Roman. He says the first start on that path is against Jimmy Uso tonight. LA says he's been elected to pay the price. LA then does a promo saying Jimmy Uso will eat a BFT. 

Bianca, Shotzi and Charlotte talk in the back. Bianca says they don't have anymore options and Charlotte needs to make the call.

LA Knight vs Jimmy Uso

LA back body drops Uso then LA snap suplexes him. Paul and Solo get a phone call and leave. LA stomps Uso then Uso rolls out. LA punches him outside then LA is kicked coming back in. Uso's neck is pulled down over the top rope then LA slingshot shoulders him for 2.

Uso samoan drops LA. LA back body drops Uso over the top then dropkicks him through the ropes. Uso goes into the table then has his head banged off of it. Uso is then thrown over the table with LA posing on the table.

We go to break and return. Uso spinning enzugiri's him. Uso misses a running hip attack in the corner then LA hits punches. LA hits a ddt then lariats him. LA flapjacks him then pendulum drops him on his chest. Uso enzugiri's him from the apron then LA hits a bft on him. LA then picks up the win.

We didn't get a whole lot of this. It was okay but the finish was flat.

Solo Sikoa comes out after. Uso nails LA from behind then Solo hits a samoan spike on LA. LA is beaten up on the table then Cody Rhodes comes out. Cody bangs Solo's head off the post then bangs Uso's head off the steps. Cody hits punches on Uso

Bianca and Shotzi go up to Charlotte Flair in the back. Flair said she called her but didn't know if she would make it in time. Bianca then says they have to go out and it is what it is.

Nick Aldis and Cody Rhodes talk in the back. Nick says Cody has to go and Cody leaves. Cody says he's sorry.

Bianca, Charlotte and Shotzi come out. Flair says they are running out of time and accept the Wargames challenge. Flair says she knows a thing or two about turning on a best friend and says there's a thin line between love and hate. Flair says there's only one person she wants on their side if they are going to war.

Damage Ctrl then come out. Bayley says they are bluffing and says they won't make out of the building or to Wargames. Damage Ctrl goes to get in then Becky Lynch gets in the ring. The 8 girls fight with Kai watching. Bayley's head is banged off the post then Biance is thrown out. Flair and Iyo then top rope moonsault outside at the same time. They keep brawling and the show ends.

Overall thoughts: It was a good show overall. The LWO angle worked and the mystery of Flair's partner was good. The 3 way and main were okay, though I didn't like the Lee/Axiom or Waller/Grimes matches much.