This was the season premiere of Friday Night SmackDown and it took place inside the WWE ThunderDome at the Amway Center in Orlando Florida with virtual fans in attendance. The matches scheduled included the last time Big E would team up with The New Day to take on Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro and Sheamus. Two championships were also on the line as The Street Profits defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode and Roman Reigns defended the Universal Championship against Braun Strowman.
[lawrence-related id=1162359]The show kicked off with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon welcoming everyone to the season premiere. They talk about the matches on the card and introducing the new faces on the show. They introduced The Street Profits but then Ziggler and Roode attacked them. It caused a brawl with everyone who was on the stage. Lars Sullivan came out and cleaned house. Jeff Hardy came out and sent Lars out of the ring.
The #SmackDown season premiere kicked off with a wild Superstar melee! pic.twitter.com/8WoxXAdWd8
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Lars Sullivan Defeated Jeff Hardy
.@JEFFHARDYBRAND looks to settle some unfinished business with @LarsSWWE on #SmackDown! 🧾 pic.twitter.com/f6l4NXpw80
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Review: Good match. This was Hardy’s write off for SmackDown and going to Raw. Hardy made lars look really good I think as a monster with the way he kicked out of Whisper In The Wind at 1 and getting up right after the Twist of Fate.
The New Day came out to the ring. They talk about all they have been through together as The New Day. Kofi revealed that in 2012 he almost wanted to quit WWE until he met them and they changed his whole career for the better. They get emotional. Xavier said it was time to kick butt one last time.
#ThankYouNewDay#SmackDown @TrueKofi @WWEBigE @AustinCreedWins pic.twitter.com/dEEMqYDiXI
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Kayla Braxton interviewed Sheamus, Nakamura and Cesaro before their match. She asked about the match and they claim they will send The New Day packing forever.
The New Day Defeated Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and Sheamus
The Power of Positivity shines on, as #TheNewDay battle it out against @ShinsukeN, @WWECesaro and @WWESheamus in their #SmackDown Farewell. pic.twitter.com/3VVK3kpkCE
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
#ThankYouNewDay.#SmackDown @WWEBigE @TrueKofi @AustinCreedWins pic.twitter.com/vAbsKrEBAQ
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Review: Good match. It had a lot of emotion riding into it and it translated very well into the match. It really worked even with their promo before the match because you can tell how close they are and all of the emotion that they were feeling as they were talking was real.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Otis backstage. Kayla asked what Otis will be doing about his lawsuit with Miz. Sami Zayn interrupted before he can get a word in. Sami claimed that Otis lost Tucker, his girlfriend Mandy Rose and he’ll probably lose his Money in The Bank contract in the lawsuit. Otis shoved Sami to the ground and left.
Daniel Bryan came down to the ring. Brie Bella was a part of the virtual fans along with their daughter Birdie. Daniel said he is psyched that he gets to experience the ThunderDome. He listed Kevin Owens, Aleister Black and Apollo Crews as people he can wait to get in the ring with. Seth Rollins interrupted saying it is so good to see him. Seth said Daniel forgot Seth as part of the people to wrestle against. Seth asked him what side of history to be on when it comes to the greater good. Daniel said Seth’s vision is short sighted and self centered. Daniel calls it dumb and Seth attacked Daniel. Bryan fought back as he took down Seth and landed kicks to the chest but Seth escaped. As Seth was leaving, Rey and Dominik Mysterio came out to help Daniel. Daniel Bryan left the ring as Rey and Dominik stood off with Seth. Murphy came out and it looked like Murphy was going to join Seth but Murphy attacked Seth. Seth left the ring. Murphy offered his hand to them but they did not accept. Rey and Dominik left Murphy alone in the ring.
.@WWEDanielBryan’s #WWEThunderDome debut quickly got out of hand!#SmackDown @WWERollins @reymysterio @DomMysterio35 pic.twitter.com/bkGHZhrwUF
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
The Street Profits vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler Ended In A No Contest
The #SmackDown Tag Titles are on the line as The #StreetProfits defend their reign against @HEELZiggler & @RealRobertRoode. #SmackDown @MontezFordWWE @AngeloDawkins pic.twitter.com/11MK6tOBex
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Dolph and Robert beat down The Street Profits in the ring until Montez Ford took them out with a cross body from the top rope.
Review: The match was what it was. I guess this sets up a rivalry with these two teams so again it is what it is.
Sasha Banks and Bayley came down to the ring for their contract signing for Hell In A Cell. Adam Pearce hosted the signing. Adam gives Sasha the contract first. She signs it and tells Bayley that she has been waiting a long time for this. Bayley said she can’t wait either to continue her longest title reign. Bayley claimed she beat Sasha to the punch for her to turn on her. Sasha said friends don’t turn their backs to each other. Sasha said she has always been by Bayley’s side and she has always helped Bayley. She said she will end Bayley’s career and walk out with the title. Bayley leaves without signing the contract and Sasha calls her a coward. Sasha claimed there will be no where to run and that Bayley will sign the contract one way or another.
"At Hell in a Cell, I'm going to end you!"
The tension between @itsBayleyWWE and @SashaBanksWWE is at an all-time high. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/LLWP6TTtkn
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Roman Reigns Defeated Braun Strowman To Retain The Universal Championship
His ring. His island. His WWE Universe.#SmackDown #UniversalTitle @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/JPwkrJhpFU
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Jey Uso came out after the match. Reigns speared Strowman to send a message to Jey as Jey watched on. Roman summoned Jey to the ring and Jey went by the ring. Roman tells Jey that he will do this to Jey if he continues to go to Hell In A Cell with him and attacks Braun with a chair. Jey went into the ring. Roman tells Jey that he loves him and tells him to swing the chair as Roman turned his back to him. Jey dropped the chair but then Jey attacked him as soon as he turned around. Jey nailed Roman in the back with the chair until officials tried to restrain him. Roman got up and knocked out Jey with the Superman Punch. The show went off the air as Roman left the ring.
Get these two inside Hell in a Cell ASAP! #SmackDown @WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/oX5eAy5H11
— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2020
Review: I’d say this was almost as good as their matches in the past. This was all to further the storyline with Roman and Jey Uso though and send Braun on his way to Raw.
Overall Review: This was another pretty good episode. It was cool to see the legends show up on the virtual audience like Goldberg, Mark Henry and Ric Flair. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon opening up, doing a whole run down with the show, everyone on the stage, introducing the new draftees and they all brawl just felt very formulaic. I know they were trying to make this special but it felt like lazy writing in the beginning. I don’t think it was as good as they wanted it to be for a season premiere episode but there wasn’t much to really complain about. I’m happy that Daniel Bryan is back on TV. The whole thing with them transitioning from Daniel Bryan returning to the storyline with Seth and Rey and Dominik Mysterio was a little confusing. The thing that was confusing was why would they tease Murphy would join Seth after they had fought each other on Raw. They should’ve just had Murphy run out and attack Seth. The contract signing between Bayley and Sasha was really great. Both of them cut great promos to help hype the match and I’m glad they are doing something different with Bayley not signing the contract. I’m also glad it didn’t end in a brawl like what these segments usually do. I would say the ending segment to the show between Roman and Jey was better than the match with Roman and Braun even though I really didn’t have much of a problem with the match.
Grade: 6/10
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