Courtesy of WWE
SMACKDOWN 10/13/23
-Jeffrey T. Fountain, Contributor
On the season premiere of Smackdown, we see the return of your Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. We get The King of Kings, HHH, and the new Head of Creative, make some big announcements. Let’s jump into the action!
John Cena opens up the season premiere of Smackdown, “Welcome to the Season Premiere of Smackdown!” That’s all we got from John on his opening because Roman’s music hits and the Bloodline make their way to the ring (Roman is no longer carrying three belts).
John does show concern on his face being in the ring alone with the Bloodline. Roman has Tulsa acknowledge him, but its mixed with "Cheers" and "Boos" and the crowd breaks out in Cena chants. Roman says they cheer for a coward and Cena only showed up cause Roman was on leave and that John even had the audacity to convince people to call him the GOAT. Roman says, “Cena you know who the GOAT is, its the Tribal Chief”. Roman says, “Leave or we make you leave”. The crowd is chanting CENA, Cena says, “Smackdown is excited for what’s about to happen." Cena says who knows what’s next, but John has a surprise for Roman, and he acknowledges Roman for a such a long reign as champion.
Cena says he isn’t here to challenge Roman cause he hasn’t earned it but he knows someone who has. LA Knight's music hits and LA makes his way to the ring. Cena tells LA, It's his time. "Let me talk to ya!" Roman's face is selling the cheers for LA. Knight asks Roman, “You pissed your pants yet?“ LA Knight apologizes for being rude and then lets the crowd introduce him. “Tulsa, whose game is this? LA KNIGHT...YEA!"
Knight and Roman are having a war of words, when Jimmy Uso hits LA Knight from the back and Roman looks annoyed he is there. LA gets the upper hand in the exchange and throws Jimmy out of the Ring, and stands toe-to-toe with Roman. Roman leaves the ring with some encouragement from Paul Heyman. Solo leaves the ring, and Roman tells him to forget about Cena and to handle LA and Solo goes to get back into the ring but stops on the apron and says, "You and me tonight", and leaves the apron. The season premiere of Smackdown is off to a great start.
Match 1
Pretty Deadly vs. Brawling Brutes
Brawling Brutes were in complete control the entire first part of this match even delivering a homage to Sheamus with the "10 Beats" but back from the commercial break we see Pretty Deadly in complete control of the Brutes. Finally, Butch gets a tag to Holland and he's cleaning house of Pretty Deadly, Elton Prince is faking injury which sets up a cheap shot and a rollup of Holland by Elton for a 1, 2, and 3.
Winner: Yes Boy! Pretty Deadly
Back Stage Segment
Kayla Braxton is interviewing Carlito. Kayla ask Carlito how does it feel to be back in WWE? Carlito gave the Carlito answer..."That is cool" Bobby Lashley comes out just before Carlito takes a bite of his apple to "Welcome him back to Bobby's show".
Carlito proposes his first match back be against Bobby but The Street Profits hit Carlito from behind with a chair and beat him down. Bobby goes to hit him again with a chair when Adam Pierce shows up and breaks it up with other WWE officials.
Back from the break we see the LWO and WWE officials attending to Carlito when Bailey comes up talking about a pity party while she is trying to have a Iyo Sky celebration Party.
Zelina Vega gets in her face and the two start arguing when Adam stands up and gets between them and says they can have a match to settle and tells Charles Robinson to take them to the ring to settle it. As Bailey walks off to the ring Zelina chunks the "Chonkla" at her.
WWE cuts to the Tribal Chiefs locker room where Roman ask Jimmy, "What are you doing" Roman reminds Jimmy that he don’t call plays, he does. Roman says everything that Jey is doing is disrespect to the Bloodline.
Match 2
Bailey w/ Damage Ctrl vs. Zelina Vega
This was a quick match that saw Zelina in control for the entirety until Damage Ctrl caused the interference to allow Bailey the chance to hit a rose plant for the W. After the match we see Damage Ctrl attacking Zelina, when Charlotte’s music hits and Charlotte comes to the aid of Zelina.
Winner: Bailey w/ Damage Ctrl
Back from the break and HHH is in the ring and the crowd is erupting in cheers. HHH says he misses the cheers from the crowd. He is talking about the road to Survivor Series starts tonight and then directs our attention to Adam Pierce who is in the ring with him. HHH sings the praises of Adam as both a in-ring performer and authority figure on both Raw and Smackdown but that is a difficult job to do alone and then promotes Adam Pierce to the new position of GM of Monday Night Raw!
Dominic Mysterio interrupts HHH and says Fastlane was not a tremendous success and the Judgement Day got screwed out of their tag team titles. He says Jay and Cody are defending Judgement Day’s titles on Smackdown and wants it fixed.
HHH says he thought WWE was pumping in the boos, which is the running joke on the dirt sheets. HHH tells Dom he needs to be talking to the GM of Smackdown, Nick Aldis.
Nick Aldis says he is happy for the opportunity to serve as the GM of the number 1 sports entertainment brand of Smackdown and looks forward to the healthy competition between him and Adam.
Nick extends his hand to Dom and says he's a big fan...of his dads. Nick is talking about the deal that Cody cut to get Jey from Smackdown to Raw and as his first official act of Smackdown GM but Dom cuts him off and the boos ring out, HHH takes his mic and gives Dom his mic, cause his isn’t working...damn HHH still has it.
Dom says he'll smack whoever it is and make him respect me, Kevin Owens music hits and DOM looks like he peed a lil bit. Dom goes to smack KO and KO hits him with a stunner. Dom takes a bump like a pro and sells the hell out of the stunner.
Backstage Segment
Backstage we are back in The Tribal Chief’s locker room and he's questioning why is KO on his show, and why are Jey and Cody on his show. Then he asks why is Jimmy just sitting on his couch and not doing anything about these people being on his show.
After some more berating from the Tribal Chief, Jimmy gets up and leaves and takes Solo with him and says, “Yeet” again. Roman yells at Jimmy to stop saying that cause he doesn’t like it.
Back from a commercial break we see the women’s tag champions, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven talking to the new GM of Smackdown. They are asking him to fix the curse on the womens tag titles. Chelsea recommends new titles, Italian Leather...Charlotte comes in and Nick informs the tag champions he has another meeting the tag champs walk off, with Chelsea saying, "Terrible First impression." Nick informs Charlotte she'll be getting a rematch next week against Iyo Sky. HHH comes in with Jade and introduces her to Charlotte. This is a match-up to look forward to someday.
Match 3
"Main Event" Jey Uso/Cody Rhodes vs. A Town Downunder (Grayson Waller/Austin Theory)
Great back and forth match between these four competitors. Lots of good double teaming and A Town Downunder cutting Jey off from Cody for a good chunk of this match. When Jey gets the tag in to Cody, we got some classic Cody offense reminisce of his brother and father. We see Jey and Cody hit the Code D One D followed by the Cross Rhodes for the hard fought Win and to retain the undisputed tag team belts.
Winner: "Main Event" Jey Uso and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes
Following the match we hear Roman's music hit and its Jimmy and Solo making their way to the ring followed by the Tribal Chief and Paul Heyman. Roman and Cody are face to face and WWE officials and Nick Aldis come out and keep them separated and telling Roman and Cody not tonight.
Main Event
Solo Sikoa vs. LA Knight
This was a hard hitting match-up between these two superstars. Both men hitting hard offense and getting the best of each other. Just when you thought LA Knight was going to put it away Jimmy Uso came out to interfere and cost LA the match but he was intercepted by John Cena and a AA. Solo recovered in time to deliver a Samoan spike to Cena and this distraction gave LA knight a opportunity to hit the BFT on Solo for hard fought win.
Winner: LA Knight...YEA
After LA Knight’s celebration out of no where Roman delivered a body splitting spear and stood over his Crown Jewel Challenger.
Take Aways:
1. Adam Pierce is New GM of Raw
2. Nick Aldis is New GM of Smackdown
3. HHH acknowledged the Dom Mysterio “boos” are loud
4. Chelsea Green brought up the Dirt Sheet curse of the Women Tag Belts
5. Roman Reigns vs. LA Knight at Crown Jewel