– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia as Tom Phillips welcomes us. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. They hype tonight’s main event – Randy Orton and The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy.
– We go right to the ring and out comes WWE Champion AJ Styles as the announcers hype Styles’ Crown Jewel match against Daniel Bryan on Friday.
AJ looks to take the mic but fans start chanting his name. AJ gets a big pop from the Atlanta crowd as he’s wearing his custom shirt for the city. AJ says he needs to get something off his chest. He calls Bryan to the ring and Bryan’s music hits to a pop. Bryan makes his way out as the “yes!” chant starts up.
Fans do dueling chants as they meet in the middle of the ring. AJ wants to apologize but Bryan says they are fighting for the same prize. Bryan goes on about respecting AJ as a man and a competitor. Bryan says when he looks at AJ right now however, all he sees is the WWE Title, not a man or a respected colleague. Bryan says the title has a lot of meaning to him because when he was told he would never wrestle again, all he thought of the WWE Title, and now AJ is the only thing standing in his way. Bryan says it’s nothing personal but he’s going to take the title from AJ and he’s going to do it this Friday at Crown Jewel. Some fans boo Crown Jewel. AJ says that’s good to know but Bryan didn’t let him finish.
AJ says he’s sorry because he lied to Bryan last week. The pele kick wasn’t an accident, it was meant for Bryan. AJ says it’s nothing personal but he looks forward to doing it again this Friday. Bryan acts surprised. Bryan says he doesn’t lie and right now he feels like hitting AJ on purpose. AJ asks what’s stopping him. AJ says they don’t have to wait until Crown Jewel, he will defend the title right here, right now in Atlanta. Fans pop as they get ready to fight. The music interrupts and out comes SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon.
Shane says we’ve seen this before, two competitors wanting to fight, and it never transpires but this is SmackDown and he’s back. Shane announces Bryan vs. Styles in the Crown Jewel title match right here tonight in Atlanta. A “yes!” chant starts up. Shane says that match is happening right now. He calls for a referee. Tom says Crown Jewel is coming early. AJ and Bryan have words in the middle of the ring as we go to commercial.
WWE Title Match: Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles
Back from the break and we get formal ring introductions from Greg Hamilton. They size each other up and trade holds as the bell rings. Bryan takes AJ down in a hold and stomps on his arm. AJ comes back and they continue to trade holds as Bryan focuses on the left arm. AJ dumps Bryan to the apron. Bryan taunts AJ and comes back in through the ropes. Fans chants for AJ as they lock up again. Bryan takes it to the corner. They break but Bryan shoves AJ. AJ shoves back. Bryan shoves him again. AJ with another shove. Bryan grabs the left arm and goes to work on it again, sending AJ into the turnbuckles arm-first.
Bryan with kicks to the arm now. AJ turns it around with a chop in the corner. Bryan counters a move in the corner and they run the ropes together. AJ nails a dropkick and Bryan goes to the floor for a breather. AJ launches himself to the floor with a forearm but Bryan moves. Bryan goes back in the ring and runs the ropes, nailing a suicide dive to send AJ into the barrier. Bryan clutches his knee on the floor as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Bryan is hitting “yes!” kicks while AJ is on his knees. AJ catches a kick and nails a Dragon Screw leg whip. AJ focuses on the leg now as fans chant his name. AJ drops a DDT on the left knee and continues working it over. AJ keeps Bryan down in a leg submission now as the referee warns him. Bryan turns it into an armbar attempt but AJ resists. AJ slams Bryan on the knee and kicks his leg out. AJ talks some trash while kicking Bryan into the corner. AJ slams Bryan’s knee into his own knee again.
Bryan backs into the corner but AJ stays on top of him. Bryan fights back with uppercuts now but AJ kicks the leg again. AJ slams the knee back into the top turnbuckle and Bryan goes back down, clutching his knee. AJ drops an elbow on the knee and keeps Bryan grounded in the middle of the ring again. Bryan tries to break free and does. Bryan rocks AJ into the corner with strikes. Bryan runs into an elbow. AJ goes for the moonsault into a reverse DDT but it’s blocked. Bryan with knees to the face before dropping AJ on his neck. Bryan with more “yes!” kicks now. Bryan drops AJ with the last kick. Bryan starts a “yes!” chant as he waits for AJ to get up.
Bryan charges with the knee but AJ jumps up and nails a dropkick. AJ springboards up but Bryan shoves him into the top turnbuckle. Bryan climbs up while AJ is on top facing the crowd. Bryan goes for the super back suplex but AJ counters in mid-air and lands on top of Bryan. Both Superstars try to recover on the mat as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Bryan goes for the Yes Lock on the champion. AJ makes the save by getting to the bottom rope. AJ ends up suplexing Bryan from the ring to the floor while he’s on the apron. Bryan lands hard on his knee and clutches it. AJ slams the knee into the announce table now. Bryan counters and whips AJ into the steel ring steps. Bryan brings AJ back into the ring at the 8 count. Bryan limps around as some fans start booing. Bryan nails the big running knee to the face in the corner.
Bryan backs up and delivers another running knee in the corner. Bryan takes AJ to the top turnbuckle and tries to hit the hurricanrana but AJ counters. Bryan counters that and powers up, pulling himself up and sending AJ to the mat with the hurricanrana. More back and forth now. Bryan kicks AJ while AJ is on the apron. Bryan uses the ropes to work on the injured left arm. Bryan with more kicks now but AJ nails another Dragon Screw, this time using the ropes. Bryan goes down in the ring as AJ gets a breather on the floor. AJ springboards in for the Phenomenal Forearm but it’s blocked. Bryan goes for the armbar in the middle of the ring but AJ resists.
Bryan turns that into the Yes Lock. The referee checks on AJ but he powers out. Bryan turns that into a triangle. AJ looks to be fading now as Bryan tries to complete the hold. Fans chant for AJ. AJ powers up and nails a Styles Clash in the middle of the ring for a pop. AJ applies the Calf Crusher as Bryan reaches for the bottom rope. AJ keeps it locked and Bryan taps for the finish.
Winner: AJ Styles
– After the match, Styles recovers as his music hits. Styles raises the title as the referee raises his arm. Bryan recovers and pulls himself up as AJ looks on. Bryan extends his hand for a shake and AJ shakes his hand. They embrace and AJ raises Bryan’s arm. Samoa Joe hits the ring out of nowhere and attacks AJ from behind. Bryan leaves the ring as Joe unloads on AJ and drops him in the middle of the ring with the Coquina Clutch. Bryan runs back in and beats on Joe to break the hold. Joe takes the leg out and works it over. Joe with the Coquina Clutch on Bryan now.
– The announcers hype the WWE World Cup tournament at Crown Jewel. We go backstage to a cryptic promo from Jeff Hardy, who says he will prove once and for all that he is the best in the world. We cut to a backstage promo from The Miz next. Not only is he the best husband, father and reality TV star in the world, he’s the best WWE Superstar in the world and he will prove it on Friday. Still to come, Miz and Randy Orton vs. Hardy and Rey Mysterio.
– We see crew members bringing out Halloween decorations for tonight’s Trick or Street Fight. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see stills from Evolution.
– SmackDown General Manager Paige is backstage with Charlotte Flair. She gives Flair props for the Last Woman Standing match with SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and says it could have gone either way. Paige asks Flair if she will be the Captain for the women’s Team SmackDown at WWE Survivor Series but Flair declines the offer. Paige tells Flair to think about it and she says she will.
– The announcers hype Crown Jewel and lead us to a video package for DX vs. The Brothers of Destruction.
Trick or Street Fight: Big E vs. Cesaro
We go to the ring for tonight’s Trick or Street Fight and out first comes The New Day – Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston. We hear Big E’s intro but the music for The Brood starts up. The Brood is from the Attitude Era and was made up of Gangrel, Christian and WWE Hall of Famer Edge. Out next are SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bar, Cesaro and Sheamus, with Big Show. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Big E has been chosen by The New Day while Cesaro has been chosen to represent his team. Big E blocks a candy corn kendo stick shot and unloads on Cesaro with it. We see a table leaning in the corner. There are pumpkins all around the ring on the apron. Cesaro counters a move and a big brawl breaks out in the ring with both teams.
Show looks to double chokeslam Kofi and Woods but he pushes them over the top rope instead after they tried a double clothesline. Big E and Sheamus send Big E to the floor next. Sheamus grabs the tray of pancakes and throws it in Kofi’s face. Sheamus with a rolling senton to Kofi on the floor. Show forces Woods to bob for applies in a bucket at ringside. Cesaro drives Big E onto a pile of pumpkins in the middle of the ring but Big E kicks out at 2. Cesaro tries to suplex Big E through the table in the corner but Big E blocks it twice. Big E suplexes Cesaro on top of the pumpkin pile in the middle of the ring.
Sheamus enters the ring and nails Big E. Sheamus tries to put Big E through the table but Big E counters and sends Sheamus through the table. Woods runs in and kicks Show, stopping him from coming in from the apron. Show grabs Kofi at ringside but Woods comes over to assist. Show grabs them both but they spit the Brood mist in his face. This leads to Cesaro and Big E going back & forth in the middle of the ring again. Big E spits the mist on Cesaro and drops him for the pin to win.
Winner: Big E
– After the match, The New Day celebrates up the ramp. Show and Cesaro are covered in red mist.
– The announcers hype the World Cup tournament at Crown Jewel again. Shane McMahon is backstage with Jeff Hardy and The Miz, asking who will become the best in the world on Friday. Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio are also in the back with Shane. Rey knows how vicious and intimidating Orton can be, and Orton does strike fear in the other Superstars, but Rey is here to represent for everyone who’s been looked down upon. Orton says he is vicious and he will show Rey just how vicious he can be tonight. Orton says he will show Rey why he should have never came back to WWE. Jeff has words for Miz and says he will show everyone what he can be – the best. Miz mocks Hardy and says Hardy will crash & burn in their first round match. Miz says he has carried SmackDown since he came to the brand and that won’t change. Miz knocks Rey and Hardy’s looks for it being Halloween and goes on about being the best. Shane says he called them here for a reason, so they will understand the gravity of the situation because he doesn’t want his sister to be able to say a RAW Superstar is the best in the world. Shane says if one of these SmackDown Superstars loses to a RAW Superstar in the World Cup finals, they will be fired from SmackDown.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. R-Truth
We go to the ring and out comes WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. Tom says this will be a title match but that’s incorrect as it was previously announced as non-title. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and SmackDown General Manager Paige is backstage with AJ Styles. Styles wants Samoa Joe for Crown Jewel and Paige makes the match. We go back to the ring and out comes R-Truth with Carmella. Back and forth to start the match. Truth gets the upperhand and sends Nakamura to the floor over the top rope. Carmella enters the ring and dances with Truth as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Nakamura has turned it around. Nakamura drops a knee and covers Truth for a 2 count. Nakamura keeps Truth grounded in the middle of the ring with a submission now. Truth makes a comeback and drops Nakamura with a big scissors kick as Carmella cheers him on. Truth does the split and takes out Nakamura as he gets back up. Truth covers for another close 2 count.
Nakamura catches a kick and drops Truth. Truth whips Nakamura into the corner but Nakamura counters. Nakamura with a big kick to the back of the neck. Nakamura positions Truth on the top turnbuckle and drives his knee into the ribs. Nakamura with a 2 count as Truth gets his foot on the bottom rope. Truth counters a move but Nakamura drops him with an elbow to the back of the neck. Nakamura with another shot to the back of the neck. Nakamura charges in and hits the Kinshasa for the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
– After the match, Nakamura stands tall and raises the title as his music hits.
– We see Becky Lynch backstage. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and the announcers briefly discuss Evolution.
– We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch to a pop. Tom hypes Becky vs. RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey for the upcoming WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view.
Becky says she won. She was folded up on a stack of chairs and put through more punishment at Evolution but she won. Becky says she is the Last Woman Standing and when Evolution was over, there was only one woman who everyone saw as the rightful main event – her. Becky says defeating Charlotte Flair, the most decorated woman in history, proved she is the man. That goes for RAW and SmackDown. Becky says she will go and smack the heads off everyone there if she has to.
Becky asks what’s next for her and brings up Ronda Rousey. Becky says the other women who Rousey has stepped in the ring with were already defeated but she is built different and has traveled the world to smash women like Rousey. Becky says she didn’t come to cosplay or talk about a reality TV show, she is going to Survivor Series to rip Ronda’s arm off. Becky drops the mic and raises the title as her music hits.
– The announcers hype the Crown Jewel card again. Tom leads us to a video package for Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman for the vacant WWE Universal Title.
The Miz and Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio
We go to the ring for tonight’s main event and out first comes The Miz. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see Triple H’s tweet on sending a custom WWE Title to the Boston Red Sox for their MLB World Series win. We cut backstage to a promo from Samoa Joe. Joe asks AJ if he really thought they were done. Joe talks about AJ’s family again and says he will right their finally chapter, which has AJ choked out and Joe raising the WWE Title above his head – the end. We go back to the ring for the main event and The Miz waits as partner Randy Orton makes his way out. Jeff Hardy is out first for his team. Rey Mysterio is out last. Rey hits the corners to pose as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Hardy starts off with Orton, going back and forth. Hardy slams Orton’s head into the turnbuckles several times. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate but stops when Miz runs in. Hardy drops Miz and leg drops him. Orton blocks another Twist of Fate attempt. Hardy goes to the top but Miz pushes him off while Orton has the referee distracted. Rey runs over to warn Miz. The referee is distracted with Rey and Orton again, allowing Miz to get more cheap shots in on Hardy. Orton goes back to work on Hardy and keeps him down.
Miz tags in and stomps Hardy. Miz charges in with a big boot to the face for a 2 count. Orton ends up getting cheap shots in on Hardy while the referee is distracted. Miz keeps Hardy down in the corner and shows off for some boos. Orton tags back in and slingshots Hardy under the bottom rope. Fans try to rally for Hardy as Orton keeps control. Orton uses the bottom rope on Hardy’s neck again. Hardy tries to scramble for a tag but Orton stomps away on him. Orton sneaks in a thumb to the eye. Hardy looks to turn it around but Orton dropkicks him for a 2 count.
Hardy eventually boots Orton and nails a Whisper In the Wind. Fans rally for Hardy again as Rey waits for the tag. Rey finally gets the tag and launches himself in as Miz also comes in. Rey unloads with offense and nails a DDT for a 2 count. Miz catches Rey in a backbreaker and then hits a neckbreaker for a close pin attempt. Rey and Miz go back and forth with counters now. Hardy tags in and goes for a cover but can’t get it. Rey sends Miz into the turnbuckles. Jeff follows up with Poetry In Motion. Rey sends Miz into the ropes again and nails 619. Hardy goes to the top and hits the Swanton Bomb on Miz for the pin to win.
Winners: Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio
– After the match, Orton immediately hits the ring and drops Hardy with the RKO. Rey flies but Orton takes him out of the air with another big RKO. Orton stands tall to a mixed reaction now. Orton then grabs Miz and drops him with the RKO. Orton’s music hits as we go to replays. Orton poses in the corner as SmackDown goes off the air.
Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.
