WWE Smackdown 1/12/2024

WWE Smackdown 1/12/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/wwe-smackdown-152024.html

We see clips from after SD last week of Heyman telling Roman that he's now in a Fatal Four Way. Roman says, "figures".

Cameron Grimes then gets jumped by Solo and Jimmy while walking to the ring. Solo and Jimmy then beat up the security members who are trying to break it up. Nick Aldis then comes out. Waller and Theory, who are in the ring for the scheduled Waller/Grimes match, leave.

Paul Heyman gets on the mic in the ring. He said they're not the bad guys here and the bad guy is that James Bond wannabe, Nick Aldis. Paul says Roman in being put in the 4 way at The Rumble, where he is gauranteed to lose. Paul says Aldis is the bad guy.

Aldis tells him this is not a conversation between two equals and says the fatal four way is a done deal. He said this is the 2nd match Bloodline ruined and said it won't happen again. He said they can't ruin tonight's main event as Bloodline as in the main event. Aldis says it will be AJ Styles, Randy Orton and La Knight vs Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.

Paul grabs the mic and is mad. He says Roman is not here tonight. Aldis says he's right and says Roman started something he doesn't want to finish. He says Bloodline has until the match starts to find a 3rd man or fight a handicap match.

I like Aldis being vengeful about Bloodline, but the double bait and switch here with Roman and Waller matches being teased and not delivered sucked.

Jimmy and Solo talk in the back. Jimmy says no one will team with them. Paul says not to worry as there's a locker room full of people who want in Bloodline. Jimmy says he's worried. Solo says he never worries.

Angel and Humberto vs Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro

No last names for Angel and Humberto here and it seems those are gone. There's a video with Santos saying there's a natural order where the weak is consumed by the strong. Humberto says they will go a long way to uphold honor and tradition. Santos says not to take this lightly and said they will hunt them if they run and hide. He says their code will prevail.

All 4 men fight to start. Wilde lariats Humberto over the top and goes with him. Cruz shotgun dropkicks Angel in the corner. Wilde flying headscissors Angel. Cruz clubs Angel then double springboard dropkicks him. Angel is thrown out and Humberto is hiptossed out. Wilde and Cruz then hit tope con hilos outside.

Cruz armdrags Humberto and Angel pulls the rope, sending Cruz out to the floor. Angel then running knees Cruz while he is sat on the apron. We go to break and return. Angel gori specials Cruz then Humberto slingshot cutters Cruz while he's on Angel's back. Cruz jawbreakers Humberto.

Wilde gets in and hits lariats and a dropkick on Angel. Wilde rolls him off a backslide then ddt's him. Cruz is thrown out as is Humberto. Wilde goes up top and is crotched. Wilde takes a double gorilla press slam from the 2nd rope. Cruz is thrown into the steps. Humberto spinning sitout powerbombs Wilde for 2.

Wilde poisonrana's Humberto then Angel spears the post when Wilde moves. Humberto double springboard dropkicks Humberto then runs up the buckles and tornillo's outside. Carlito's music hits and he nails Santos from behind. Santos is sent over the rail then Angel rolls up Wilde and wins it.

I wasn't a fan of this. A 2nd rope gorilla press slam should finish off a match and it was meaningless here. It was very fast paced and action packed otherwise. The match was also long for being the first match.

Carmelo Hayes talks to Aldis in the back. Aldis said he impressed everyone in the US Title tournament. Waller and Theory then walk in and want to know what the shenanigans are about. Melo and Waller argue and Melo said he beat him so many times. Melo said he's on a level above him and said they could run it back tonight. Waller said he just wrestled and needs to cool down, but Theory is ready. Aldis says he likes the sound of it. Melo says A-town down bad tonight.

Paul Heyman talks to the LWO. He offers Carlito an apple and says it's not like Adam and Eve. He said Carlito teaming with Uso and Sikoa is cool. Carlito said he's looking for a fight, but it's with Santos Escobar only. Carlito then thanks him for the apple.

Logan Paul talks. He said he couldn't be at the show this week. He said he was on the phones with his lawyers as Owens gave him a black eye. He said Owens cast on his hands could be a liability and calls it a weapon. He said he won't just beat him in a wrestling match, but also in the court of law. He said he's ready for a fight, but asks if he's ready for a fair fight? Logan says their match is cancelled if he wears that cast to The Royal Rumble.

We see clips from Earlier of Tyler Bate and Butch talking. They drink coffee and Bate thanks him for calling him. Butch says he can handle himself but says you can't have a tag match without a partner. Bate said they had fun breaking Pretty Deadly's fingers. Bate offers to help him find his identity and said they can work on meditation techniques. Butch says not to make him regret calling him. Butch tells him to focus on him and he'll do himself. Bate says Butch needs to look inward and asks what his naeme id going to be. Butch just stares we cut away.

Bianca Belair vs Bayley

Bayley rolls her up then Bianca rolls her up three times. Bayley lariats her. Bianca shoulders her over and cartwheels over her. She then spanks her butt at her. Bayley users the ropes and hammerlocks her. Bianca takes her down and Bayley back elbows her. Bianca backdrops her then standing moonsaults her.

Bayley lariats her in the back of the neck. Bianca slams her three times then is tripped into the middle rope. Bayley has words with Damage Ctrl outside and blocks a KOD attempt. Bayley's head is banged off the buckle then Bianca plancha's her outside.

We go to break and return. Bayley has her in an arm lock. Bianca rolls her up and takes a knee to the gut. Bianca spinebusters her. Bianca shoulders her over then dropkicks her and kips up. Bianca corner spears her then hits corner punches. Bianca hangs from the top rope and Bayley running knees her.

Bayley ties Bianca's hair to the bottom rope. Bayley running knees her then trips over the hair and goes mouth first into the buckles. Bayley's head is then pushed into the buckles and her face is banged off the apron. Bianca stretches her around the post. Bianca is then pulled into the post.

Bianca picks up Bayley in the KOD and throws her back into the post. Bianca corner spears her then suplexes her. Bianca hits corner punches then backbreakers her for 2. Bianca is pulled into the buckles by the hair then Bianca lifts and throws her down. Bianca handsprings into a moonsault for 2.

Bayley rolls her up into the buckles then top rope elbows her for 2. Bayley tries to pin her with her feet on the ropes but gets caught. Bianca is thrown out and Bayley signals to Damage Ctrl to hit Bianca. Damage Ctrl doesn't but gets yelled at anyway by the ref. Damage Ctrl awkwardly stares at Bayley.

Bayley is rolled up then Bianca spears her. Bianca hits a KOD and wins it.

It was a long one. It was okay but went longer than it needed to. Damage Ctrl not helping Bayley was something different and I know I haven't seen partners not help the other like that for a long time. They were creative with the hair spots but maybe did too many of them. 

Kevin Owens talks about Logan Paul. He said he sees what he's doing. He says they both know the cast isn't an advantage as he has a broken hand. owens says it won't keep him form being at The Rumble and says he understands what he is trying to do. Owens said they need to talk about this face to face next week. He said Logan gets to have the biggest honor of his career by being a guest on The Kevin Owens Show. He said he hopes to see him there and said he never thought he would say that.

Bayley and Damage Ctrl talk in the back. Bayley asks what that was about. Kai said the ref was looking at them. Kai said they thought she would be good to face Bianca on her own. Bayley says she knows they are stronger together and Kai says they got this. Kai says she still has a rumble to win.

Bobby Lashley, Ford and Dawkins come out. Bobby says jumping them from behind didn't get Kross' new crew the upperhand, it got them into a fight they can't win. Bobby said they settle things face to face and don't take a cowards approach and are ready to fight. Bobby said they can settle their issue right now.

Paul Ellering appears and the lights go out. He points to the tron. Kross and Scarlet talk and said they will break people on the outside inside of the inside. He calls the AOP two of the most dangerous men the world has ever known. He calls Paul Ellering the most sadistic and inhumane person the world has ever known. He says "We are The Final Testament".

Pretty Deadly go up to Paul Heyman and call him "my lord". They said they are the best tag team and said they think they can be the team. Kit puts his arm around Paul and Elton asks what he thinks. Paul said they only need 1 person and reminds them they will face Knight, Orton and AJ. Elton then makes up and excuse and they leave.

We get a video on Carmelo Hayes. He says "I am him". He said his accomplishments speak for themselves and said when he shoots, he don't miss.

Lashley and The Street Profits run into Paul Heyman. Paul says to work out his aggression tonight in the 6-man. Bobby said the only time he wants to be in the ring with The Bloodline is when he is standing across from Roman Reigns.

Carmelo Hayes vs Austin Theory

Melo headlocks him then hits a big chop. Melo headlock takeovers him then dropkicks him. Theory forearms him then Melo fadeaway legdrops him. Melo then slingshot ddt's him on the apron.

We go to break and return. Melo jawbreakers him then is tripped into the middle buckle. Theory rolls into a dropkick. Theory is on the apron and Melo sits on the 2nd rope and suplexes him. Melo hits an atomic drop then springboard back cutters him. Melo hits a la mistica drop on him.

Theory back elbows him and Melo superkicks him in the chest. Melo is up top and Theory sitdown spanish flies him. Melo takes a hard landing and the ref calls it off.

No real comments on this. There was a lot of flipping around and obviously the ending was unplanned and disappointing. Hopefully everyone is okay. 

The Bloodline talk in the back. Jimmy wants to know who their partner is. Paul said there's not one man who is worthy to stand with them. He said there's no more auditions and said he's not worried. Jimmy says he's worried and Solo says he's not.

Randy Orton, LA Knight and AJ Styles vs Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso

Orton gets jumped during his entrance and Solo samoan spikes him in the throat.

LA and AJ argue over who should start this. Jimmy blindsides LA then pounds on him. LA neckbreakers Jimmy for 2. Jimmy takes a double back elbow then LA hits punches and boots in the corner. LA leg lariats Jimmy over the middle rope then AJ sliding forearms Jimmy. AJ dropkicks Jimmy and Jimmy goes out.

Solo grabs both opponents by the throat then takes chops and punches from both. Solo is lariated over the top. We go to break and return. Solo puts AJ in a traphezus hold then Solo pounds on him.

We got another bait and switch here with Orton being taken out. Solo corner hip attacks AJ then Solo chokes AJ over the ropes. Jimmy dropkicks AJ over the middle rope. AJ and Jimmy get in. AJ hits kicks and a big lariat. LA sends Solo into the steps and AJ  pele kicks Jimmy. LA wants tagged in and AJ argues with him. AJ gets out of the way and Jimmy superkicks LA. AJ and Jimmy collide in mid-air with crossbodies.

Randy Orton comes out and AJ tags him in. Orton powerslams Jimmy then draping ddt's him over the 2nd rope. Orton RKO's Jimmy and pins him.

Solo jumps Orton after and AJ flying forearms him. LA hits a BFT on Solo then AJ and LA argue. Orton then RKO's Solo. Orton hits Jimmy with the stpes outside then Jimmy is thrown over the rail.  Solo takes a triple powerbomb through a table from the faces outside. Paul Heyman says "call Roman Reigns" and the show ends wit hthe faces talking.

I'm never a fan of the angle where someone gets jumped before the match starts and the match is allowed to go on. Obviously, it made more sense here as it turned a handicap match into a normal match though. I don't really think they've done a good job of explaining what AJ's deal is right now as he's mad at LA Knight for unknown reasons and yet also mad at The Bloodline, so it was hard to really get the logic of this match. The match was a little better in the second half but the first half was very basic and uninteresting stuff.

Overall thoughts: It wasn't a good night with bait and switches and matches being ended early due to injuries. 2 of the 4 matches also ended up going longer than they needed to and the main just had a lot of different issues.