This edition of Friday Night SmackDown took place inside the WWE ThunderDome at the Amway Center in Orlando Florida with virtual fans in attendance. This was the go home show for Clash Of Champions which featured the Intercontinental Champions Jeff Hardy and Sami Zayn going head to head. Plus an in ring interview was scheduled with the Universal Champion Roman Reigns to talk about his title defense against Jey Uso this Sunday.
AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy and Sami Zayn came out for an ascension ceremony for the Intercontinental Championship. Corey Graves introduces the concept of the match. AJ tells Jeff to savor the moment because he won’t be holding the title much longer. AJ tells Sami that he shouldn’t be in this match since Sami took the summer off while he was trying to put the title on the map. Sami tells AJ he was a fraud champ for a minute after winning a fake tournament. Jeff tells Sami to shut up and that him and AJ have been defending the title while Sami was gone. The title hanger comes down as Sami and Jeff hang the titles on there. The title hanger goes up but then Sami dumps a ladder onto AJ and Jeff Hardy. Sami attacked Jeff until AJ went after Sami. Sami retreated but Adam Pearce came out to announce that AJ has been added to him and Jeff’s match, making it a triple threat match.
[lawrence-related id=1160362]Sami Zayn Defeated AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy In A Triple Threat Match
AJ Styles attacked Sami and Jeff with a ladder after the match. He climbed the ladder and retrieved both belts.
Are we looking at the new, 𝑷𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒍 #ICChampion?
A picture is worth 1,000 words as @AJStylesOrg stands on top of a ladder with the #ICTitle! #SmackDown #WWEClash @SamiZayn @JEFFHARDYBRAND pic.twitter.com/uV029BUCzx
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Review: The match was pretty good. I wouldn’t say its the best match these guys have had but this was to give a little tease into what they will do in the ladder match at Clash Of Champions.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Heavy Machinery and asked them about the lawsuit that Miz is threatening them with. Otis said his momma told him not to trust carnival clowns, 1% milk and lawyers. He said no one is taking his Money In The Bank briefcase. Miz and Morrison interrupted as Miz told Otis that his lawyers are trying to give a Money In The Bank holder that is worthy. Tucker said Otis won it fair and square. Miz threatened Otis that his lawyers will take away everything from him and mocked Otis for trading Mandy. Otis gets angry and wanted to face him. Tucker asked why Miz’s name is on the lawsuit. Otis went after John Morrison until Adam Pearce and officials broke them up.
"You want it? COME GET IT!"
Things are heating up between #HeavyMachinery & @mikethemiz & @TheRealMorrison! #SmackDown @otiswwe @tuckerwwe pic.twitter.com/eEwN3n4WoK
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Bayley came out with a chair. She unfolded it and sat on it. She said she doesn’t have time for useless Sasha Banks. She said she is focused on Nikki Cross for Clash Of Champions. Bayley tells Nikki that she better be worried what she does to her at Clash Of Champions from what she did to Sasha. Bayley says she is going to wipe the stupid smile off of Nikki and then claims that she can only imagine what will happen next.
#SmackDown #WomensChampion @itsBayleyWWE will be at a 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 because @SashaBanksWWE 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 in her corner this Sunday?
It's actually quite the opposite… #WWEClash @NikkiCrossWWE pic.twitter.com/um5veOiuQd
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Shinsuke Nakamura Defeated Gran Metalik
If @ShinsukeN vs. @WWEGranMetalik is teaching us anything, it's that Shinsuke Nakamura & @WWECesaro vs. #LuchaHouseParty at #WWEClash is going to be 🔥 🔥 🔥! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/oAidI34Wcg
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Cesaro planted Lince Dorado with a gut wrench suplex after the match. They attack Lucha House Party as Kalisto looked on. As Kalisto helped them to their feet, Lince pushed him down.
Review: This was okay. I’m still not into this feud heading into Clash Of Champions. I hate to say it. I hope Vince likes this one better than Cesaro and Gran Metalik from last week from the reports we’ve heard.
Jey Uso was walking backstage and knocked on Roman Reigns’ door, telling him they got to talk in the ring.
They show a highlight package of Roman Reigns and Jey Uso to hype up their match this Sunday.
Jey Uso came out to the ring. Roman and Paul Heyman watched on from the locker room. Jey told Corey Graves that he wanted to interview Roman to keep it in the family. He asked Roman what was up with the look he gave Jey last week. He doesn’t get a response from Roman. Jey asked Roman what was up with it again. Paul Heyman appeared on the screen saying that Roman is not going to respond to Jey when Jey wants to but when Roman wants to. Paul promised that the face to face will happen in the ring later on. Paul walked back in the locker room afterwards. Jey said either way he is going to go down with him and Roman.
King Corbin cut a video promo saying that he is going to make “bro” mean intolerable misery” and “excruciating agony” in their match.
King Corbin Defeated Matt Riddle
Bro. @SuperKingofBros is about to knock off King @BaronCorbinWWE.
We're serious, Bro. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/SvyMB02Zti
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Riddle was interviewed after the match saying that it sucks but he is going to continue to grind.
Review: The in ring action was pretty good but I think we can all agree that no one wants to see the Riddle and Corbin feud taking place again. Corbin winning is not going to hurt Riddle but they could do better than this rather than them just fighting and not really having much a purpose at this point to have a rivalry.
Lacey Evans Defeated Alexa Bliss By DQ
Alexa continued the attack on Lacey after The Fiend’s sound effects were played during the match. She planted Lacey with Sister Abigail outside the ring. The Fiend’s voice was heard saying “Let Me In” as the lights turned red and Alexa had a huge grin on her face.
𝑳𝑬𝑻 𝑴𝑬 𝑰𝑵.#TheFiend's magnetic hold over @AlexaBliss_WWE has just reached a new level. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Ml6vzTmZkC
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Review: The match was okay. This was continuing the storyline with Alexa Bliss and The Fiend. I’ll admit her facial expressions along with the messy hair really does the character change justice.
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman walked down to the ring as Alexa was leaving. Paul Heyman started to speak until Jey Uso came out. Roman tells Jey that he would give him the title if he would but he wouldn’t know what to do with it. He says Jey doesn’t understand the pressure of a champion because he was always with his brother. Roman tells him the family is proud of him of being one half of the best tag teams in WWE today. Roman said the family depends on him to be the tribal chief and it will never be Jey. He said it will always be Roman. Roman and Paul left the ring while Jey was still in the ring. Jey asked why can’t he provide for his family. Jey said the family always asked him whether he is Jimmy or Jey. He said the family will know that he is the one to beat Roman for the title. Roman and Paul left. Jey was leaving the ring and made his way towards the stage until Roman knocked him out with the Superman Punch. Roman yells at him that he will never take the title from him and he will never take his place at the head of the table. The show ended with Roman standing tall on the stage.
"YOU WILL NEVER TAKE THIS TITLE. YOU WILL NEVER TAKE MY PLACE AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE." #UniversalChampion @WWERomanReigns couldn't keep it in any longer. #SmackDown #WWEClash @HeymanHustle @WWEUsos pic.twitter.com/a0vJZwXCmo
— WWE (@WWE) September 26, 2020
Overall Review: This was an okay go home show for Clash Of Champions. The matches were pretty good but not anything noteworthy. Out of all the segments to happen on the show, the promos with Jey Uso and Roman throughout the night probably had me the most excited for this Sunday. The video package they showed really helped as well. The opening segment with Hardy, AJ and Sami Zayn felt very formulaic and just your standard title build up with them in the ring together talking about their match. Other than that, I got nothing else to say about it except that it could’ve been a lot better.
Overall Grade: 5/10
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