top of page
Courtesy of WWE

SMACKDOWN 12/15/23

-Jeffrey T. Fountain, Contributor 

Well...Well...Well...The Tribal Chief decided to show up to work tonight so Green Bay can acknowledge him. "Green Bay, Acknowledge me!...All right, all right, shut your mouths now." 

 

In the three plus years of Roman Reigns' championship run, this was the first city I've heard him booed this way. Roman is laughing, and says he's here to celebrate, it's the holiday season. "It's promotion season, yall!" He says, "I'm a good boss, a fair Tribal Chief." Roman says, "When someone is doing good, we let them know, and when they're doing bad, we smash 'em, but that’s not tonight." He goes on, teasing who is the next in line as Tribal Chief. Jimmy Uso is all smiles behind him, because he thinks he is the next logical choice to step up as the Tribal Chief. 

 

The crowd breaks into a "Randy" chant, causing Roman to once again be visibly upset by the crowd. "No this ain't for Randy Orton, No, HELL NO! This person is the next in line, the heir to be the next Tribal Chief." Jimmy is still all smiles and takes off his jacket, getting ready to accept his "promotion.” Roman says, "Jimmy, join me in congratulating your brother, Solo". Roman embraces Solo and then tells him he loves him. 

 

Before Roman could continue, “The Viper” Randy Orton interrupted the proceedings, and made his way into the ring with The Bloodline. Randy says, "For 18 months, I've been thinking about this moment, what I'm going to do, what I'm going to say, but you know what, Roman? The only thing I need to say is that I'm coming for ya". Randy tells him, "You took 18 months from me, so I'm going to take everything from you." Randy tells him it doesn't matter which of the family members he has to go through, but it starts tonight and ends at Royal Rumble. The Viper declares, "I'm challenging you for that Undisputed WWE Universal Championship." The Green Bay crowd erupts again, this time in "RKO" chants. 

 

Randy tells Roman that maybe he's right, he's looking into the eyes of the Tribal Chief. He tells Roman he has evolved and he's no longer just a historical champion, but Roman is now a legend. Randy says he's changed to and evolved, too, but the one thing he will forever be is a “Legend Killer.”


 

Randy keeps getting closer and closer while he is talking, then suddenly goes for a RKO, but Roman sensed it and was able to avoid it. Randy takes a knee in the middle of the ring, and apparently starts listening to the voices in his head. Randy tells Roman, "The voices in my head say you probably just crapped your pants." "One more thing they said, and I'll leave you with this, ‘Daddy's Back.’" 

​

Match 1 (Round 1 of the  United States Championship #1 Contender Tournament) 

Grayson Waller vs. Carmelo Hayes 

These two old foes from NXT threw everything at each other (except the kitchen sink) tonight in a first round match-up in the U.S. Championship #1 Contender Tournament. This match went back and forth between the two in a hard fought match-up that included Grayson using what looked like a modified version of Bayley's "Rosebud" finisher off the middle rope. He earned a very close two count for his efforts. However, we all know “Melo Don't Miss” and came out of the two-count on the offensive and hit a "First 48", followed up by a "Nothing but net" off the top rope to put Waller away and advance. 

Winner: Carmelo Hayes 

​

Backstage Segment 

Randy Orton is walking through the backstage area when L.A. Knight approaches him and asks “What time should I set my alarm to, to make the save tonight?” Randy is insistent that he doesn't need L.A.'s help, despite the numbers advantage for the Bloodline. Randy tells L.A. they are good, and in order to stay that way, L.A. needs to stay out of his way. L.A. tells Randy before walking off, "There's only one man that's going to take everything away from Roman Reigns, and thats L.A. Knight, Yeah!"

 

Match 2 (Round 1 of the  United States Championship #1 Contender Tournament) 

Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory 

This was another great match in the first round of the U.S. Championship tournament. Both competitors gave each other a beating, and K.O. took the brunt of most of the exchanges. Austin attacked the broken arm of K.O. early and often to try and get the advantage. Theory dug deep into his bag of tricks and pulled out a seated springboard spanish fly that got him a close two-count, but couldn't put K.O. away. In a final fury of offense on the outside, Austin dropped K.O. on the announcer area railing. Theory hammered K.O. with a left hand, and got into the ring just before the referee finished the 10 count. Owens barely beat the count himself, and Theory went back on the offensive, only to be met with a hard right hand from K.O. (with the help of his cast) for the victory. 

Winner: Kevin Owens 

​

Backstage Segment 

In the Bloodline locker room, Roman Reigns is looking like a toddler who got his favorite toy taken away. Roman tells Jimmy that somebody should silence Randy for what he said. Jimmy responded that it sounded like a job for the Tribal Heir. That was met with Roman telling Jimmy it’s promotion season and if Jimmy could handle Randy alone, just imagine what is in store for him. That drew a "Yeet" from Jimmy and a sour look appeared on Roman's face again. Roman tells Jimmy if he silences Randy he could get anything, which draws another "Yeet" from Jimmy, and another sour look from Roman. I don’t know how they keep straight faces, because those facial expressions sell these segments.

 

Kevin Owens is walking through the backstage area when Cameron Grimes approaches and says he wishes he could have punched Austin in the face himself. Once Cameron Grimes walks off, Kayla Braxton approaches to get a word in with K.O. Kayla asks him, "How does one prepare for an opponent you've never faced before?" Kevin Owens is answering the question when Carmelo Hayes approaches and says he has a lot of respect for K.O., and that he wasn't going to punch Owens in the face or "little bro" him. K.O., obviously confused by "little bro" asks Kayla, "What is that, do I do that?" 

​

After a clip from the Asuka vs. Charlotte match that saw Charlotte injure her knee, WWE cuts to Bayley cutting a promo on the reason she started Damage Ctrl. Bayley says she started Damage Ctrl to become the most dominant faction in the women's division, and everyday is a step closer to her goal. Bayley does a good job of hyping every member of Damage Ctrl, and it ends with her declaring she will enter the Royal Rumble and win, so she can then go on to defeat Rhea Ripley for the Raw Women's Championship. 

​

Match 3 

The Kabuki Warriors (Kairi Sane/Asuka) vs. Zelina Vega/Michin 

This match started with a bang, as Zelina and Michin attacked the Kabuki Warriors from behind before the match even started. This got Zelina and Michin an early advantage, but soon the Kabuki Warriors were able to rally back and turn the tides of this match into their favor. The Kabuki Warriors picked Zelina and Michin apart with good tag-team work and overwhelming their opponents with offense. Michin and Zelina tried an attempt to rally back into the match, but soon the numbers game would put that rally in a stranglehold. With the ref distracted on the outside by Dakota Kai, Bayley took advantage and pushed Michin off the top rope and into a kick from Asuka. She followed that up with an "Inzane Elbow" from the top rope by Kairi, and Damage Ctrl gets the victory. 

Winner: The Kabuki Warriors

 

Backstage Segment 

In the Bloodline locker room, Jimmy and Solo are alone while Roman and the Wiseman, Paul Heyman, are talking. Jimmy mentions that it feels like a set-up and asks his brother, "You would tell me if something was going to happen to me?” Solo, who doesn't really speak that much, said "I'm your brother". I wouldn't know how to take that, considering Solo was flexing the hand that he gives the Samoan Spike with. 

​

After another commercial break, we get a video package of Santos Escobar doing a promo on the LWO, Rey Mysterio, and why is going to beat Bobby Lashley on his way to winning the U.S. Title. After the video package, the WWE cuts to Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits. Bobby says he will win the U.S. Title and the Street Profits hype their mentor. 

​

Main Event 

Randy Orton vs. Jimmy Uso 

This was guaranteed to be a smash-mouth type of match and it didn't disappoint. Randy and Jimmy tore the house down and delivered a great match that didn't see any interference until Randy was getting ready to deliver a RKO to Jimmy. As Randy was “talking to the voices” in his head, and waiting for Jimmy to get up so Randy could deliver the RKO, Solo's music hits and is immediately followed by L.A. Knight’s music. L.A. catches Solo before he gets to the ring, and throws him into the barricade. This allows Randy to hit the RKO and put Jimmy away for the victory.

 

After the match, Roman runs out to attack L.A. Knight from behind as he was making his way to the ring. Roman then enters the ring and he and Randy are throwing big right hands at each other. The distraction from Roman allows Jimmy to recover and enter the fray. He and Roman are beating down Randy when Knight finally regains his strength, and gets back in the ring himself.

​

Things are looking pretty even until Solo hits the ring and gives the advantage back to The Bloodline. The Bloodline are beating down Randy and L.A. Knight, but then AJ Styles’ music hits. AJ is nowhere to be seen, until he appears on the ring apron behind Roman Reigns. When Roman turns around, AJ delivers a Phenomenal Forearm to the Tribal Chief. The team of L.A. Knights, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles fight off The Bloodline. Once their opponents leave the ring, AJ grabs L.A. Knight and drops him with a closeline. Orton stares at AJ with a look on his face implying “What the hell just happened?”

Winner: Randy Orton

​

Takeaways: 

1. Roman Reigns showed up to work. 

2. Bayley and Damage Ctrl seem to have patched things over. 

3. Carmelo Hayes and Kevin Owens advance in the U.S. Championship tournament. 

4. AJ Styles is back, but whose side is he on?

BCP+

©2024 by BCP+ Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page