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WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Sept. 2, 2022) with a taped show (spoilers are available here) emanating from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, featuring the go home show to the upcoming Clash at the Castle pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Cardiff, Wales.
Advertised for tonight: Roman Reigns celebrates two years of being Universal champion, Ronda Rousey faces her “final judgment” in regards to her ongoing suspension, Karrion Kross will wrestle for the first time since his return to WWE, The New Day take on The Viking Raiders in a “Viking Rules” match, Maximum Male Models vs. Hit Row, BUTCH vs. Ludwig Kaiser, and more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on FOX. It will be below this line here. (Note: Links to illegal streams are prohibited. Pics and GIFs are allowed.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR SEPT. 2
Cancelled flights, limousines, hustle bustles, crazy scenes. First, you’re here, then, you’re there pretty soon, man, you’ve been everywhere, but me? I’m just here to liveblog this pro wrestling show for you folks.
The show opens with the ring decked out like a longboat for our Viking Rules Match.
New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) (Viking Rules Match)
Vikings rush New Day at the bell but Kofi and Xavier turn it around on them and brawl, mounted punches in the corner, whip reversed, out of it into corner forearms! Sidestep Ivar, double dropkick, whip reversed, corner dropkick! Off the ropes, stereo topes con giro wipe the Vikings out!
Bashing Ivar into the shields, brawling Erik around, Woods nails him with a hesitation dropkick through a shield! Perching on the barricade, frog splash, cover on the floor, Ivar kicks out and we go to break!
Back from commercial, the match has gone into the stands and Woods lands a crossbody on both Vikings but can’t put them down! Back towards the ringside area, Vikings turn the tide and Warbeard sandwiches Xavier against the barricade... NOPE! Back inside, Kingston has a kendo stick but Erik nails him with a Rock Bottom for two!
Wailing on Kofi with the kendo stick, Ivar joins the fun, Kingston gets away and he and Woods are dragging tables around the ring when Warbeard blindsides them. Fighting atop the dragon boat, nearfalls happen, Xavier with a desperate neck snap, tornado DDT blocked, slide under, superkick connects!
Ivar with the Banzai Drop and we go to break.
Back from commrecial, Erik has Woods, he fights away with an elbow, one for Ivar as well, enzuigiri staggers Erik! Off the ropes, wrecking ball dropkick on Warbeard, back inside, duck a lariat, slide under, rolling elbow! Big knee lift, 540 legsweep, jumping senton!
Xavier fired up, he goes under the ring and grabs a steel chair! Off the ropes, satellite legsweep denied, Kingston in, double Stroke puts Erik into the chair but Ivar breaks it up with a splash! Warbeard with a moonsault, Kofi rolls out of the way, Shadows Over Hell!
Woods walks the ropes, Limit Breaker... ERIK BREAKS IT UP! New Day off the ropes, stereo dives over the dragon boat but the Vikings kick out! Vikings lawn dart Kingston into the prow of the boat! Xavier with a shield bash, Vikings shrug it off, Erik takes him inside, using their shields to full advantage!
Double powerbomb puts Woods through two tables...
Viking Raiders win by pinfall with Ragnarok to Xavier Woods through two tables.
We get a video package covering the beginning of Roman Reigns’ current title reign and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Sami Zayn is wearing a smoking jacket and has his hair up.
The Usos roll up and he points out he’s wearing tribal print, to which they’re unimpressed. He talks up his prep work for Roman Reigns’ celebration and Jey gives him the third degree about his refusal to attack Kevin Owens on Monday. Jimmy tries to get him to lighten up, Jey storms off, and Jimmy goes after him.
Shayna Baszler is interviewed backstage.
She talks about how she’s going to make Liv Morgan suffer and tear her apart limb from limb until she wins the title.
Liv Morgan rolls up.
She says she’s not afraid and at Clash at the Castle she won’t tap out, and in fact she’ll rip her arm off. Shayna says she’d like to see her try, and that’s that.
We get a Killer Kross vignette about his debut against Drew Gulak tonight, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get another video package about Roman Reigns’ title reign.
Drew Gulak vs. Karrion Kross
Kross goozles Gulak and rams him into the corner, Drew with a couple forearms and chops, Karrion turns him around and demands more chops! Walking into the onslaught, shrugging them off, he drops Gulak with a boot! Corner lariats and elbows, Saito suplex! Falling back...
Karrion Kross wins by submission with a bodyscissors sleeper hold.
We get a recap of Ronda Rousey getting arrested a few weeks ago and are promised she’ll be here, after the break.
Back from commercial, we get another Roman Reigns recap package.
Ronda Rousey makes her entrance, striding to the ring with a piece of paper in hand.
She says it’s an official statement from WWE Global Headquarters regarding her suspension, and she wants her close personal friend Adam Pearce to read it.
He comes down and says no matter what that says, it’s never been personal and there are protocols and he was just doing his job. She calls him spineless and he opens and reads the letter silently, to which she berates him for not reading aloud.
The letter says that Ronda has engaged in unprofessional behavior, however it doesn’t rise to the level of criminal and her arrest two weeks ago was unwarranted. She’s paid her fines in full and as of today, her suspension is over and she can resume in-ring competition.
He says it’s absurd and he had a duty to call the police and if it were up to him he would have just plain fired her. She says she’s hypothetically devastated and tells him to kiss her ass.
He gets hot and asks if she thinks this is funny? 52 weeks a year, two shows on two networks, he has to babysit people like her and is never once thanked or asked how his day goes, and all he gets from people like her is grief. He’s proud of his job, but he’s not proud of busting ass for people who undermine him, and he’s got a problem with her, walking around like she owns the place.
He calls her the single biggest bitch he’s ever met and hastily apologizes as she advances on him and drops him with an STO! THE ARMBAR IS ON!
Backstage, Sami Zayn receives a bouquet of black roses by delivery.
He looks at the card and it simply says “Tick Tock” and sets it down, smelling a bad smell on his fingers.
Hit Row make their entrance to send us to break.
Hit Row (Ashante “Thee” Adonis & Top Dolla) vs. Maximum Male Models (Mace & Mansoor)
Adonis and Mansoor to start, the models regroup on the floor after some quick shots, Los Lotharios arrive to jaw at Hit Row, B-FAB drops them with a dropkick and Mansoor returns to the ring for a cheap shot! Referee Jason Ayers backing Dolla off, models with double-teams, cover for two!
Top with the assist...
Hit Row win by pinfall with an assisted dropkick.
Post-match, Los Lotharios attack Hit Row, Maximum Male Models join the fun and it’s a beatdown! STREET PROFITS MAKE THE SAVE!
Happy Corbin is interviewed backstage.
He doesn’t want to talk about past defeats and he knows he’s the best man in that locker room, so he’s gonna go issue an open challenge, and anybody that walks out for it is going to crawl back.
And us? We’re going to break.
Back from commercial we get another video package for Roman’s celebration.
Happy Corbin is in the ring waiting for someone to take his challenge...
...IT’S SHINSUKE NAKAMURA!
Happy Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Corbin rushing him into the corner, laying kicks in, referee Jessika Carr breaking it up. Nakamura turns him around, strike rush, axe kick, chest kicks in the corner set up Good Vibrations! Happy with a couple forearms, drawing Shinsuke up, suplex blocked with a knee, 540 heel kick, Nakamura lying in wait... DEEP SIX COUNTERS KINSHASA FOR TWO!
End of Days blocked, Corbin out and back in, Shinsuke cuts him off...
Shinsuke Nakamura wins by pinfall with Kinshasa.
We get a recap of Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez winning the tag titles.
Brawling Brutes make their entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, a dejected Happy Corbin is leaving as a stretch limo with horns pulls up in the loading bay.
The window rolls down and we hear John “Bradshaw” Layfield’s voice asking what happened and telling Corbin to get in.
Ludwig Kaiser vs. Pete “Butch” Dunne
Dunne charges in, hammerlock, transitioning to mounted punches, Kaiser gets away, double thrust and he steps on Pete’s hair! Wrenching the hand to escape, bending the arm down, stomping the bicep! To the floor, Dunne dives and Ludwig cuts him out of midair with an uppercut to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Butch with double knees to the arm, a German suplex, double stomps to the hand, buzzsaw roundhouse for two! Kaiser cuts him off in the corner, kick, hanging him in the ropes and clobbering him, overrotated back suplex, no dice! Enzuigiri for an uppercut, Pete lands on his feet, buzzsaw kick, waiting in the corner, tilt-a-whirl slam from Ludwig... NOPE!
Wrists clutched, upkicks from Dunne break him free, Kaiser with an inverted headlock, Square Hammer DDT blocked by wishboning the fingers! Pumphandle...
Pete Dunne wins by pinfall with Bitter End.
Post-match, GUNTHER and Sheamus square up in the ring but Ludwig Kaiser tries to back his man off.
Another video package for Roman’s title reign follows.
Sami Zayn is backstage with the Usos.
He says everything’s good, they want to make their entrance but Sami wants to wait for Reigns. Jey accuses him of overstepping his boundaries and says he ain’t blood yet. Jimmy wants to go out there and put the spotlight on the Big Uce, and that’s good enough for everybody.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Sami Zayn and the Usos make their entrance.
Sami gets on the mic and says we’re here to celebrate two years of Roman Reigns as the champion and he checks in with Jimmy to make sure he’s okay to take lead on this. Jimmy says he’s down with it and Zayn says he wouldn’t want anyone to accuse him of being too comfortable, pointed look at Jey.
Jey interrupts and takes over, saying Reigns has dominated everyone for two years. Superman Punch, spear, guillotine, they’ve all been flat out beat. Sami tries to play hype man and Jimmy has to tell him to calm down. Jey wants everybody to stand up and put their ones to the sky and introduce the Head of the Table, the Tribal Chief, the Needle Mover, God Mode himself, the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion, their cousin, Roman Reigns.
We cut to the loading bay to watch Roman’s SUV roll up and the Big Dog get out, but he gets blindsided by Drew McIntyre! McIntyre walks away while the Usos and Sami are stunned, trying to figure out their next move.
Drew makes his entrance and clears the ring before hitting a tope con giro! He wrecks the celebration set, Sami makes a valiant stand with a chair but just gets Claymored! Jimmy gets a suplex through the announce table! Drew roars and spears Jey through the barricade!
McIntyre gets on the mic and tells Roman to look around him, the Bloodline is torn apart and god mode deactivated, so tomorrow he’s gonna kick Reigns’ head off and dethrone him as champion.
That’s the show, folks.
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