WWE SmackDown Results – Oct. 16, 2020 – Reigns vs. Strowman

Oct 16, 2020

October 16, 2020
Orlando, Florida (Amway Center)
Commentary: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com

Quick Match Results

Lars Sullivan defeated Jeff Hardy via the Freak Accident
The New Day defeated Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura & Sheamus via the Midnight Hour on Sheamus
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship: The Street Profits (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode was no contest after all four men brawled
WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) defeated Braun Strowman via guillotine submission

In-Ring: Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, SmackDown Roster

WWE SmackDown kicks off with a new intro, highlighting the superstars which were drafted to the show. The entire WWE SmackDown locker room are on stage with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H in the ring.

Stephanie welcomes everyone to the season premiere of SmackDown. Triple H says it’s exciting, all new action and drama. Tonight, for the Universal Championship, it’s Braun Strowman against Roman Reigns. Stephanie says in their farewell match, The New Day will take on Sheamus, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura. And Jeff Hardy will go up against Lars Sullivan.

McMahon says making his very first appearance in the Thunder Dome is Daniel Bryan. Triple H talks about some of the familiar faces on SmackDown such as Kevin Owens, Aleister Black, the Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, Otis and defending their SmackDown Tag Team Championships The Street Profits.

A fight breaks out involving the SmackDown locker room. The fight breaks into the ring and on the outside. Lars Sullivan’s music hits and he knocks down The Street Profits. He throws Kalisto onto the barricade. He gets in the ring as Crews and Gable go after Lars but Sullivan knocks them both down. Jeff Hardy attacks Sullivan from behind. Sullivan goes after Jeff but Jeff ducks and Sullivan goes to the outside.

Jeff Hardy vs. Lars Sullivan

The bell rings and we are under way. Jeff with a dropkick but Sullivan on his feet. Sullivan with a clothesline takes Hardy down. Sullivan slams Jeff into the corner and down goes Jeff onto the mat. A right hand by Lars as he throws Jeff across the ring. A sliding clothesline as he goes for the cover but Jeff kicks out. Lars climbs the top rope and goes for a headbutt but Jeff moves out of the way. Jeff with right hands followed by a jaw breaker.

Jeff with an atomic drop on Sullivan but Sullivan with a right hand to the body. He pushes Jeff into the corner but Jeff with an elbow to the face. Jeff climbs the top rope and lands the whisper in the wind. He goes for the cover but Sullivan kicks out. Jeff back up, he goes for the Twist of Fate but Lars pushes Jeff to the outside. Lars to the outside as Jeff jumps but Sullivan catches him and throws him onto the ring apron and back into the ring. Jeff lands the Twist of Fate. He climbs the top rope but Sullivan is on his feet.

Sullivan grabs Jeff off the top rope and lands the Freak Accident. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Lars Sullivan

Video: Bianca Belair

A promo airs hyping up Bianca Belair.

In-Ring: The New Day

Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston are all in the ring. Big E says after the last six years, your boys the New Day, finally found something stronger than the power of positivity. And that is the WWE draft. Woods says he and Kofi will be going to Raw while Big E will stay on SmackDown. And that means for the first time, they will be split.

Kofi says they have had a week to think about it and when he went on social media, everyone reminded him of how many special moments they created. They go through some of their moments as a team. Woods says even though those moments are incredible, it means something else to them. For him, he sees two guys who didn’t have to take a chance on someone who wasn’t doing anything. They trusted him with an idea and it turned into the best six years of his life.

Big E says he thinks of the Saturday mornings having breakfast, talking about their families while he talks about his television. Kofi says he doesn’t know if he ever spoke about this but in 2012, he was in a point in his career where he didn’t know if he wanted to do this anymore. And he was approached by the both of them to do something special. Just make special moments and he is glad that they did because he knows they did a lot of great things the ring. But more importantly, he met two of the best friends he has ever had in his life.

Kofi says he considers them to be his brothers. Kofi gets emotional. Woods says tonight they are here for another reason. To get it done one last time the only way they know how and that’s because New Day rocks.

Backstage: Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro, Sheamus

We cut backstage as Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and Sheamus are backstage. They are asked about facing them in their farewell match. Sheamus says they are grateful to give them the farewell they deserve. Tonight they’l take great pleasure in ruining their final precious moments together.

The New Day vs. Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura & Sheamus

The bell rings and we are under way. Nakamura is in the ring with Woods as Woods works on Nakamura’s arm but Nakamura gets Woods in the corner. Woods out of the corner and a hip toss takes Nakamura down. Woods runs to the ropes and Kofi is tagged in and they double team Nakamura. Kofi goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. An arm bar by Woods but Nakamura with a knee followed by a kick taking Kofi down.

Cesaro is tagged in and they double team Kofi. Cesaro with an uppercut gets Kofi in the corner. Right hands by Cesaro as he sends Kofi to the opposite corner but Kofi jumps off the second rope and lands a drop kick. Woods is tagged in and they double team Cesaro. In comes Woods who lifts Big E up on his shoulders and slams him onto Cesaro. Woods goes for the cover but Cesaro kicks out.

Woods with chops to the chest onto Cesaro but Cesaro knocks Woods down. Sheamus is tagged in and they double team Woods. Sheamus with a knee to the face. An uppercut by Sheamus as he lifts Woods up but Woods on his feet. An elbow by Woods followed by a knee to the face. Big E is tagged in and they double team Sheamus. Woods is tagged in and he lands a big splash off the top rope.

Kofi goes for the cover but Sheamus kicks out. Kofi runs to the ropes but Nakamura lowers the ropes and kicks Kofi to the outside while Cesaro distracts the referee. Nakamura is tagged in and all three men triple team Kofi on the outside. Nakamura throws Kofi back in the ring. Nakamura goes for the cover but Kofi kicks out. Sheamus is tagged in. Right hands by Sheamus and Cesaro is tagged in as they double team Kofi in the corner.

Cesaro with a body slam followed by a leg drop. He goes for the cover but Kofi kicks out. Sheamus is tagged in and they double team Kofi. Nakamura is tagged in and they double team Kofi. Cesaro is tagged in and he walks all over Kofi, standing on Kofi’s leg. Cesaro places Kofi on the top rope as Sheamus is tagged in. Sheamus throws Kofi to the outside.

Back from commercial, Kofi with the cover on Sheamus but Sheamus kicks out. Kofi lands the SOS taking Sheamus down. Big E is tagged in and as is Cesaro. Big E cleans house and the big splash onto Cesaro. Big E lifts Cesaro up but Cesaro with a gut wrench suplex taking Big E down. Cesaro with a running uppercut onto Big E. He goes for another one but as Woods is tagged in. They double team Cesaro. Woods goes for the cover but Cesaro kicks out.

Woods runs towards Cesaro but Woods is thrown onto the ring apron. An uppercut by Cesaro and Nakamura is tagged in. Nakamura goes for the cover but Woods kicks out. Right hands by Nakamura but Woods trips Nakamura. Kofi is tagged in. Kofi flies over the top rope onto Nakamura and Cesaro. Sheamus knocks Big E down in the ring as Kofi kicks Sheamus down.

Kofi throws Nakamura in the ring. He jumps off the top rope but Nakamura with a kick to the face. Cesaro is tagged in. He spins Kofi around and Nakamura with a kick onto Kofi. Sheamus is tagged in and they double team Kofi. Sheamus goes for the cover but Big E breaks it up. Big E with the Big Ending on Cesaro. Nakamura knocks Big E down, Woods knocks Nakamura down and Sheamus throws Woods to the outside. Kofi with a headbutt and Big E is tagged in. He and Kofi double team Sheamus as Big E goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winners: The New Day

Backstage: Otis, Sami Zayn

👀 👀 👀#SmackDown @SamiZayn @otiswwe pic.twitter.com/EMY24EhsgW

— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020

Kayla is backstage with Otis and in comes Zayn. He tells Otis doesn’t talk and and Otis has lost both Tucker and Mandy Rose to Raw. And in this lawsuit against The Miz, Otis will lose. There are winners in this world and there are people like Otis. As he says that, Otis pushes him down.

In-Ring: Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, the Mysterios, Murphy

Daniel Bryan is in the ring. He says he has watched it from home but being there, he loves being in the Thunder Dome and especially for the season premiere. He says he loves his time at home and he even got a seat for his wife and daughter as we see them in attendance. He says he couldn’t wait to come back and experience it. Bryan says he got to meet the new stars who will be here for the next year.

Bryan says people like Bianca Belair, The Riott Squad. People he is excited to fight like Kevin Owens, Aleister Black, Apollo Crews. He can’t wait to get in the ring with them.

Out comes Seth Rollins to the stage. Rollins says it is great that his wife let him off daddy duty to come to work and share the excitement of the Thunder Dome. But the baby brain may have gotten to Bryan because he mentioned a lot of incredible superstars but forgot the most important acquisition in the draft and that’s him. The savior of SmackDown, Rollins the Redeemer. Rollins gets in the ring and says he has an important question to ask him. He says which side of history would Bryan like to be on? Because when it comes to the greater good, either you are with him or against him.

Seth says and a man of his intellect, he assumes is smart enough to want to stand by Seth and help him mold the future of the industry with his vision. Bryan says he is all for changing the future for the better. But Seth’s vision seems a bit short sighted, self indulgent, self centered. Bryan says it’s a little bit dumb. Seth laughs and he tells him he doesn’t mean it. Bryan says it is dumb as the two disagree. Seth with a right hands knocks Bryan down. Seth beats up on Bryan as he sends him to the ropes but Bryan with a clothesline takes Rollins down. Bryan with the Yes kicks as Seth rolls to the outside.

Rey Mysterio’s music hits and out he comes with Dominik. Seth gets back in the ring as Bryan gets out of the ring. Murphy’s music hits and he gets in the ring. He sides with Seth but turns on him. Murphy beats up on Rollins as Seth rolls to the outside. Murphy extends his hand to Rey and Dominik but Rey and Dominik leave the ring.

WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Street Profits (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode

The bell rings and Ziggler and Dawkins are in the ring. A shoulder block by Dawkins takes Ziggler down and a drop kick by Dawkins. Ziggler in the corner as Angelo goes for a big splash but Ziggler moves out of the way and Roode is tagged in. A suplex by Roode. He goes for the cover but Dawkins gets kicks out. Roode knocks Ford off the ring apron.

Ziggler is tagged in and they double team Dawkins. Ziggler goes for the cover but Ford breaks it up. Ford beats up on Roode in the corner as Ziggler attacks Ford. The referee calls for the bell.

Winners: No contest

Ford is thrown to the outside as Roode and Ziggler double team Dawkins in the ring. Ford off the top rope with a double cross body.

Contract Signing: Bayley, Sasha Banks

Adam Pearce talks about how for the first time the SmackDown Women’s Championship will be defended in a Hell in a Cell. Sasha grabs the pen and signs the contract. She says she has been waiting for this moment for a very long time. Bayley says she wants to get rid of Sasha and continue her historic reign as Champion. She says she did it all by herself.

Sasha tells her to look at her in her face and to say it again. Bayley says Sasha has been waiting to turn on her all this time but she beat her to the punch. And that is why Sasha is upset. Sasha says if she wanted to turn on her, she would have done it years ago. Friends don’t turn their backs on each other. When Bayley got left behind on NXT, who was the first to call, who brought her in as her partner? When she was by her side and helped her win the Raw Women’s Champion. And the same for the Women’s Tag Team Championships and the SmackDown Women’s Championship. And at Hell in a Cell, she will end her and her name is bigger than her title.

Bayley gets up and doesn’t sign it. She grabs a chair and leaves the ring. Sasha tells her to run away like the coward that she is.

WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman

The bell rings and we are under way. Roman throws Strowman to the outside. Strowman on the ring apron and a Superman Punch by Roman takes Strowman to the outside. Roman goes to the outside of the ring and hits Strowman with the drive by. He throws Strowman back in the ring and goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out.

Jay Uso is watching in the back.

Roman with right hands in the corner. Roman with a big boot takes Strowman down. He goes for the cover but again Strowman kicks out. Roman gets on the ring apron as Strowman runs towards him but Roman lowers the top rope and Strowman to the outside. A headbutt by Roman as he slams Strowman face first into the steel steps. Roman gets back in the ring and back to the outside. Roman slams Strowman off the announce table. Roman jumps off the steel steps but Strowman catches him and throws him over the announce table. Strowman back in the ring and back to the outside. Braun with a shoulder block takes Roman over the barricade.

Back from commercial, Strowman throws Roman across the ring. Strowman goes for the cover but Roman kicks out. Strowman runs towards Roman but a big boot by Roman. Strowman runs again as Roman moves out of the corner and Strowman goes shoulder first into the steel post. Roman goes for the Superman Punch but Strowman catches him and slams him down. Strowman with a chokeslam onto Roman. He goes for the cover but Roman kicks out. Strowman is hurt and on the replay, we see that Roman hit Strowman with a low blow as he was kicking out. Roman hits Strowman with the spear. He goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out. Roman goes for another spear but Strowman catches him and Roman sends Strowman into the corner.

Roman runs to the ropes but Strowman catches him as Roman gets a guillotine onto Strowman as Strowman tries to get out of it as Strowman taps.

Winner: Still WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns

Jey Uso’s music hits and out he comes to the ramp. Roman looks at Strowman and hits him with the spear.

Roman tells Jey he doesn’t want to do this to him. He says at Hell in a Cell, this will be him. He hits Strowman with a chair as WWE officials get in the ring. Roman grabs the steel chair and hits Strowman with it again.

Jey gets on the ring apron and in the ring. Roman drops the chair and tells Jey he loves him and would never hurt him but he wants him to understand that he is embarrassing them. Roman slides the chair over to Jey and tells him to swing the chair. Roman turns around as Jey grabs the chair and throws it onto the mat. Roman turns around as Jey hits him with a right hand followed by a super kick. Jey grabs the chair and tells Roman he loves him as he hits him with the chair. WWE officials get in the ring to break it up but Roman gets to his feet and hits Jey with the Superman Punch.