This week’s SmackDown started as the Bloodline came out to the arena. Paul Heyman spoke first about the upcoming matches of the Bloodline. He reminded the Tag Team title defence of the Usos against the Hit Row which would take place later tonight. Solo Sikoa would take on Sheamus and next week Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn would take on the team of Kevin Owens and John Cena. He explained how in every occasions the Bloodline would come out victorious.
Roman Reigns took the mic next and talked about his upcoming match with Kevin Owens and John Cena next week. He threatened them that they would destroy them. Sami Zayn came on the mic next and talked about his recent fame but he could not be happy about it because of Kevin Owens. He said that if he had a problem with the Bloodline he had a problem with him. And he threatened them that next week he would end it once and for all.
WWE SmackDown 23.12.2022 Results & Ratings
Match 1 – WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship – The Usos defeated The Hit Row to retain
The first match of the night was booked for six minutes only and it was not a bad match. Top Dolla needed this really bad after last week’s terrible botch. At the end of the match, Top Dolla tried to pick up both Usos at the same time, but his injured knee was heavy again and the Usos connected the 1D after a Double Superkick on him. Jimmy Uso pinned Top Dolla to earn the victory for his side.
Match 2 – Raquel Rodriguez won the Seven Women Gauntlet Match to become the no. 1 contender for The Smackdown Women’s Championship
The whole segment was booked for nearly 20 minutes and this might have been the biggest push in Raquel Rodriguez’s main roster career so far. It was a huge win. She single handedly defeated four women by herself. Next week she will be facing Ronda Rousey for The Smackdown Women’s Championship.
The match started between Xia Li and Emma. Xia picked up the win here. Next Xia eliminated Tegan Nox pretty easily. Rodriguez joined the match next and she eliminated Xia Li, Liv Morgan, Sonya Deville and Shayna Baszler one after another. Rodriguez defeating all these four women with an injured arm might have been a good look for her, but not for the rest.
The match between Rodriguez and Liv Morgan what’s the best match among all these matches. Only this match went on for over seven minutes. But one thing became pretty clear WWE gave up on the push of Morgan. The match was originally scheduled to be a six women gauntlet match. But Ronda Rousey at the end added Shayna Baszler whom Rodriguez defeated too. It was a great performance from Rodriguez.
Bray Wyatt came out to the arena. He talked about the incident of last week when it was revealed that Uncle Howdy was a different person. He also said that LA Knight owed him an apology. While talking he suddenly stopped for a while, and then he attacked a cameraman. The officials had to come out to save the cameraman.
Match 3 – Rey Mysterio defeated Angel Garza
This match was booked for lesser than 4 minutes and it was an easy win for the legendary Luchador. Karrion Kross and Scarlett stood on the crowd to watch Rey. Angel Garza got some offenses but Rey picked up an easy win. He pinned Garza after a 619 and a Flying DDT.
Backstage Emma confronted Scarlett and Karrion Kross. She condemned them for disrespecting a legend like Rey Mysterio. Scarlett said that she called Rey a fool. Emma slapped her right into the face. Scarlett tried to give something back but Kross stopped her. A feud between Emma and Scarlett has started from here surely.
Match 4 – Miracle on 34 Street Fight – Braun Strowman and Ricochet defeated Imperium
This match was booked for nearly 10 minutes and it was more of a funny match than and actual competition. The first half was dominated by the babyface side but after Imperium took the control of the match, funny things started to happen. They first opened a big present box from which a live Ballerina doll came out and danced her way out of the arena.
From the next present the NXT Tag Team champions The New Day came out as wooden dolls. They both kicked the Imperium in the mid sections and left. Ricochet who was down, hurt was picked up by Braun after that and he insisted Samantha Irvin to kiss Ricochet.
The kiss of Samantha worked like Popeye’s spinach. He got a lot of energy and beat down both Imperium members by himself. The expression of the kids in the background was just hilarious during the kiss. Ricochet pinned Giovanni Vinci after a Frog Splash to earn the victory for his side. Ricochet and Braun Strowman celebrated as this week’s SmackDown went off air.
Overall, it was a fun week of Smackdown but a lot of questions were raised. So WWE just brought in Tegan Nox to be another jobber? She is just 28, and pretty talented. Why is she being treated as the jobber? And they did not even bother to continue the story of Tegan Nox and Xia Li. Why did Xia attacked last week? And Nox is not asking any questions either. It would have been better if they continued the Tag Team of Nox and Liv Morgan. There are not enough women’s tag teams right now, and they could have been a great women’s Tag Team champions.
Next up, where was LA Knight throughout the night? The way the story ended last week, when it was revealed that Uncle Howdy and Bray Wyatt are two different people, everybody wanted to know the expressions of Knight. But he did not even appear tonight. And why there was no presence of Gunther? He just left Imperium on their own against Ricochet and Braun Strowman? These are some of the big downfalls of this week’s SmackDown.
But there were some positive sides as well. Like the matches were pretty good. Raquel Rodriguez is getting a big push which is a really good thing. We hope she goes on to win Women’s Championship in the near future. Roman Reigns appearing along with the Bloodline was also a positive side. It promoted the much awaited tag team match of next week. We give this week’s Smackdown 2 out of 5.
Sportzwiki Ratings – 2/5