– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with graphics in memory of Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda), who passed away at the age of 36 on Thursday, and WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk, who passed away at the age of 79 on Wednesday. We’re now live from the KFC Yum! Center in Lexington, Kentucky, as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves. The graphics for Wyatt and Funk are on the big screen, and the WWE roster is standing on the stage with many looking emotional. Former WWE Superstar and Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan is standing next to WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H. Braun Strowman is also out.
Cole, standing at ringside, talks about how we lost two members of the WWE family this week – the one & only Bray Wyatt, and WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk. Cole says tonight we will honor their lives and legacies. Cole says these two incredible men touched us all with their work, passion and spirit. Cole leads us in a moment of silence and 10 bell salute.
A great video package for Wyatt now plays. We come back to the crowd chanting “thank you, Bray!” as the roster on the stage looks on or joins in. Everyone starts singing “Whole world, in his hands!” now. The lights go low and the camera focuses on Wyatt’s rocking chair, which sits under a spotlight. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a video showing some of the Twitter tributes to Terry Funk. Cole says Cody Rhodes will be here later tonight to pay tribute to Funk. Cole says both Funk and Bray Wyatt wanted nothing more than to entertain the WWE Universe, so in honor of them, WWE is here tonight to entertain.
WWE United States Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Grayson Waller
We go right to the ring and out comes 2023 WWE Hall of Famer & WWE United States Champion Rey Mysterio for this non-title match. Grayson Waller is out next.
The bell hits and Waller taunts Rey to boos. They lock up and Rey sends Waller to the mat, then mocks him to cheer. Rey with a big right hand but Waller fights back, then applies a headlock. They get up and Waller drops Rey with a shoulder to more boos.
Waller with a headlock takedown as fans chant “Grayson sucks!” now. Rey mounts some offense and climbs Waller in the corner for right hands as fans count along. Waller goes for an Alabama Slam but Rey holds on to the top rope and sends Waller into position for 619. Waller blocks it and back-drops Rey to the apron.
Rey fights and springboards in but Waller knocks him out of mid-air, to the floor. Fans boo as Waller shows off in the ring. Waller goes out but Rey ends up sending him into the barrier. We go to commercial as the referee counts.
Back from the break and Waller drops down to smash Rey in the corner, then drags him out for a 2 count. An aggressive Waller mounts Rey with punches, then yells to the crowd for boos. Waller goes to the middle rope and hits a flying elbow drop for a close 2 count.
Fans rally as Rey fights back but Waller levels him with a kick for 2. Fans chant for Rey now as Waller boots him around. Waller launches Rey into the turnbuckles and he goes down. Waller taunts Rey some more. Rey ends up countering and getting an opening, dazing Waller. Rey goes up top and hits the seated senton, then the big crossbody from up top, but they both land hard. They tangle again and Rey counters a backbreaker with a big tornado DDT. Fans chant “619!” now but Waller shuts him down with a back elbow, and goes on to hit a modified Unprettier.
Rey fights off Waller’s shoulders but Waller drops him with a shot to the back of the neck. Rey with a big counter and a senton. Fans rally as Rey kicks Waller’s knees out and looks to finish him off but the music hits and out comes Austin Theory.
Waller takes advantage of the distraction and rolls Rey up for 2. They go on and collide in mid-air with crossbody attempts. Theory walks down to ringside now, but Santos Escobar runs down and attacks from behind. They fight at ringside but Theory sends Santos into the barrier, then takes out his knees. Rey and Waller are going at it but Rey goes out to check on Santos and confront Theory but Waller decks him from behind, then rolls him in. Waller turns to drop Santos and pose to boos.
Waller goes back in now but Rey decks him and ends up hitting 619. Rey goes to the apron for the splash but Theory grabs his leg. Santos drops Theory with a superkick. Rey then launches himself in from the apron, hitting the big splash on Waller for the pin to win.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
– After the match, Rey stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Santos joins Rey now for the celebration. Santos puts the WWE United States Title belt around Rey’s waist as Waller and Theory look on.
– We get a look at some of Bray Wyatt’s early promos as the leader of The Wyatt Family. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see various wrestler Twitter tributes to Bray Wyatt. Cole talks about how Wyatt got his start in FCW. Cole says tonight, two of Wyatt’s signature opponents will go at it – LA Knight and Finn Balor. Corey Graves recalls working with Wyatt in FCW, and how he always made everyone smile. Graves says he will never forget Wyatt’s laugh, and he loves him.
– We see how Zelina Vega defeated IYO SKY twice this summer, before she won the WWE Women’s Title. Cole hypes tonight’s title match. We end up going backstage to Kayla Braxton, who is with Damage CTRL now. Bayley insults The LWO and Kayla, and says Vega’s wins over SKY were flukes. Bayley has big praise for SKY before they head out.
WWE Women’s World Title Match: Zelina Vega vs. IYO SKY (c)
We go back to the ring and out comes Damage CTRL – WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY with Bayley and Dakota Kai. Zelina Vega is out next to a pop. We get formal ring introductions from Mike Rome. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a video looking at Bray Wyatt’s debut as The Fiend. We go back to the ring and the bell rings as Vega and SKY lock up. They trade holds and counters as Damage CTRL talks some trash.
Vega and SKY both show each other up with counters for a stalemate. They go at it again and Vega gets the upperhand. SKY leans over for advice from Bayley, but Vega attacks. SKY takes control now and hits a powerslam for 2. Vega counters a scoop slam and rolls SKY for 2, then ends up kicking her in the jaw. Vega goes up top but SKY slams her to the mat for 2.
SKY with a Crossface submission now. Fans rally for Vega but SKY shuts her offense down. SKY fights off a Sleeper attempt, but then misses a splash in the corner. Vega mounts offense now, hitting a hammerlock DDT. Vega yells out as fans pop. Vega pays tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero, then hits a Meteora from the middle rope for 2. Vega with two more quick pin attempts.
SKY comes back and hits a big missile dropkick from the apron. Vega counters a slam and stuns SKY. SKY counters Code Red, then lifts Vega up and holds her for a big powerbomb. Vega avoids a pin but they’re both down. SKY get up first and goes to the top but Vega sends her to the mat. Vega nails Code Red but SKY rolls to the floor to avoid the pin. Vega ends up following but the gets sent into the steel ring steps.
SKY brings it back in and poses, then hits the running double knees in the corner. SKY goes back up top and hits the Over The Moonsault for the pin to win and retain in her first televised title defense.
Winner: IYO SKY
– After the match, SKY stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Bayley and Kai enter the ring now as Damage CTRL celebrates.
– We see Cody Rhodes walking backstage. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see more wrestler Twitter tributes to Bray Wyatt.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Cody Rhodes to a pop and pyro. Cody gets more pyro and then greets fans in the front row as he goes to the ring. Cole talks about WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk and some of his feuds, including with Cody’s father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes.
Cody poses in the corner for more pyro. Fans chant “Cody!” as he takes the mic, then says hello to Louisville. Cody already knows what he wants to talk about tonight. He recalls traveling with his father at age 11, and hearing a man yell insults at Dusty while at an airport. The man called Dusty an “egg sucking dog,” and Cody asks Cole if we can say that on FOX. Cody recalls how the man had words for his grandmother next. Cody still could not see the man, but figured there was about to be an incident. Then he saw him, it was the proprietor of The Double Cross Ranch – Terry Funk.
The camera points to the Funk tribute graphic on the big screen as a “Terry!” chant starts up. Cody says they get to call themselves the coolest things, they get to call themselves WWE Superstars. In the past they’ve been called things like wrestlers, athletes, competitors, and some even carnies, but only a select few could call themselves a cowboy… Wyatt and Funk were cowboys in the best of ways. Fans pop.
Cody says tonight he has the privilege of talking to us about Funk. Cody says he was a second generation wrestler, who wore The Big Gold Belt proudly… he was a constant in pro wrestling and sports entertainment for 50 years. He goes on and explains what “the rub” is in wrestling, and says Funk did this for many, for an entire movement and revolution.
Fans cheer and Cody sends us to a great video package on Funk’s career. Fans cheer as we come back to Cody. He says Funk was passionate, he was hardcore, from Texas to Tokyo. Cody says he is privileged to tell us that this next match is a Terry Funk Hardcore Match. Fans cheer.
Terry Funk Hardcore Match: The Brawling Brutes vs. The Street Profits
The music hits as The Brawling Brutes are out – Butch and Ridge Holland, but no sign of Sheamus. The pyro hits and they pose as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a video looking at The Era of Bray Wyatt. We go back to the ring and out comes The Street Profits – Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, as Butch and Holland look on. The bell rings and both teams start brawling.
Dawkins and Holland go to the floor, and Holland is sent into the steel ring steps. Ford and Butch also brawl at ringside. Butch sends Ford into the table, and ends up clawing at his face, then his ears. Fans chant for tables. Butch brings Ford in but gets dropped with shoulder. They run the ropes and Butch hits a dropkick. Butch then dropkicks Dawkins off the apron. Butch goes for a Figure Four on Ford but Dawkins sends him to the floor.
Holland sends Dawkins to the floor. Butch and Ford go at it. Holland comes and swings Ford around by his neck, into a big DDT. Dawkins kicks Holland and hits a double underhook DDT. Ford drops Holland for 2. Butch kicks Dawkins and unloads with kicks and chops. Ford drops Butch and now they double team Butch, spiking him into the mat hard. Ford throws a crotch chop at Butch. They double team Holland in the corner now. Butch fights both opponents off with boots. Butch goes up and hits a moonsault to take both opponents down after they stood there waiting. Holland scoops Butch to his shoulders and swings him around to hit both opponents, like Terry Funk would have done with a ladder. Holland runs over Dawkins at ringside.
Fans still want tables. Holland looks to powerbomb Dawkins on the floor, but Dawkins back-drops him. Butch attacks on the floor with a big kick but Ford leaps out with a big dive. All four are down at ringside now as the music hits and out comes Bobby Lashley. Lashley is all smiles as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Holland drops Dawkins as fans chant for tables and Lashley looks on from ringside. Butch comes in on Ford while Holland has Dawkins as they deliver 10 Beats of the Bodhrán at the same time.
The Brutes then hit a big double team on Ford for a close 2 count. Holland goes out after Dawkins but gets dropped. Dawkins comes in and they double team Butch. Holland comes back in but Dawkins gets him on his shoulders. Ford leaps off and knocks Holland to the mat with a huge super Blockbuster. Butch rushes in just in time to break the pin up.
Butch unloads on Dawkins with kicks now. Ford attacks and drops Butch, but then gets leveled by Holland and all three are down. Lashley encourages Dawkins to get up on the floor. Holland takes Dawkins up top for a superplex and they tangle but Holland hits it. Ford then hits a big Frogsplash on Holland but Butch again leaps over to break the pin up.
Butch goes out and pulls a table from under the ring, but backs into Lashley. Lashley is no longer smiling. Butch slides the table in but Ford rocks him off the apron to the floor. Ford positions the table and goes to put Holland through it. Holland fights back and fights off both opponents at once. Butch bends their fingers back.
Butch goes back to the top to keep the momentum going but Lashley knocks him to the floor, then charges over and hits a big Spear. This leads to Ford stunning Holland with a superkick, then The Profits put Holland through the table with a 3D for the pin to win.
Winners: The Street Profits
– After the match, Dawkins and Ford celebrate the win with Lashley as the music hits and we go to replays. Lashley and The Profits continue their celebration on the stage.
– We get a video looking at Bray Wyatt in The Firefly Fun House.
– LA Knight is shown walking backstage. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see more wrestler Twitter tributes to Bray Wyatt.
– Tonight’s Progressive Match Flo replay video looks back at what happened on RAW with The Miz, Akira Tozawa and LA Knight. We see footage of TMZ Sports catching up with The Miz. They ask him about the rivalry with Knight. He says Knight is nothing but a fad like Myspace or Napster, and if LA keeps talking disrespectful the way he has been, he won’t make it to WrestleMania.
LA Knight vs. Finn Balor
We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event and out comes LA Knight to a big pop.
Knight takes the mic and says he will get to The Miz in a second, but from what he can tell, tonight is about Bray Wyatt. Fans pop. LA says he saw everyone out in the crowd with their Fireflies tonight, and it got him thinking back. LA recalls how they say sometimes your greatest foes can be your greatest helpers. LA says he will be honest… he and Wyatt went through hell, and they did everything to each other, but through all of that, Wyatt was helping him for what was next.
LA says he held himself together pretty well tonight until he saw photos of Wyatt’s family. He goes on and says he can feel it, see it… he knows the fans can also feel the spirit of Wyatt in the building tonight. Fans pop and some chant “Thank you, Wyatt!” now. LA says he won’t act like he and Wyatt were best friends but he will repeat that same sentiment – thank you, Bray! Because that spirit you’re feeling, is the same spirit that allows me to stand here and say… let me talk to ya. LA then does his signature “Yeah!” but a bit more somber than usual.
LA goes on about how The Miz always has the same tired stuff to say, and he goes to TMZ with the same material every time. LA says if Miz thinks he’s a fad… that’s fine because Miz never was, no one has cared about Miz. He says even when Miz had a stunt double, the stunt double was the star. This appears to be a reference to Alex Riley. LA says Miz was a background story for The Rock and John Cena, and if Miz is looking to end LA, he’ll have to wait because that’s a long way away. Yeah! LA holds his finger in the air and holds it. LA says one more thing… Miz, a wise man once told me – next time you see me, run! LA’s music hits as fans cheer him on. We go back to commercial as a clip of Wyatt’s WWE Extreme Rules 2022 return plays.
Back from the break and the announcers hype John Cena’s return for next Friday. We go back to the ring and LA waits as the music hits for Finn Balor to make his way to the ring, representing The Judgment Day but by himself tonight. The bell rings and they lock up with Balor taking LA down.
Balor backs off and smiles to taunt LA. They lock back up and LA grabs from behind, then slaps him around in the back of the head. Yeah! An angry Balor attacks now but LA drops him with a shoulder. Balor goes to the floor to regroup. LA chases Balor back in and Balor attacks but LA quickly sends him back out. LA stays on Balor and slams his face into the announce table over and over.
Fans pop and do a big “Yeah!” as LA brings it back in for a DDT. Balor kicks out at 2. LA stomps and sends Balor into the corner for a thrust. LA keeps control until Balor spikes him into the mat in the corner. We go back to commercial as they play a clip of one of Wyatt’s last in-ring promos.
Back from the break and we see how Balor knocked LA off the top during the break. LA dodges an elbow attack in the corner now, then hits a neckbreaker. They both get up and trade shots now. LA drops Balor with a DDT for 2.
More back and forth now. LA lifts Balor high in the air, then spikes him into the mat. LA follows up with a running kick to the face but Balor kicks out at 2. LA keeps control but Balor kicks him away and slams him. Balor unloads with stomps now as fans boo. Balor stays on LA and calls for a corner dropkick but LA intercepts him with a lariat out of the corner. LA stomps now as fans count along and the referee warns him. LA backs up and then connects with a running knee to the face.
Balor ends up fighting off LA’s shoulders, then drops him and stomps away on the chest. Balor calls for the corner dropkick again but this time he hits it as fans boo. Balor goes up top for Coup de Grace but LA moves. LA comes right back with a big powerslam. LA stands tall over Balor now as fans cheer him on. LA does his signature taunt, then hits the big elbow drop in the middle of the ring for more cheers. Balor still kicks out and LA may be frustrated now. They tangle some more and Balor rolls LA up. Balor follows up with the inverted DDT.
Balor now taunts the crowd as he climbs back to the top. LA crotches Balor before he can hit Coup de Grace. LA now climbs up for a superplex but Balor headbutts him to the mat. LA runs and leaps back to the top, then hits the big superplex. Balor stumbles back to his feet but LA is waiting with a BFT for the pin to win.
Winner: LA Knight
– After the match, LA stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. LA is on the stage now to celebrate. He throws a “Yeah!” to the crowd and then the lights go out as we see Fireflies light up the crowd. Bray Wyatt’s moth logo appears on the big screen. A lantern is shown in the ring and there’s also a silhouette of Wyatt on display. Fans chant “Thank you, Bray!” for a minute of two. They show a close-up shot of the lantern as SmackDown goes off the air.
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