Good evening Fight Fans, and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE Smackdown on FOX!
- We open tonight's show in the new Thunderdome at Tropicana Field with the Smackdown Women's champion Sasha Banks. Sasha comes out to the ring for the contract signing for her title defense against Carmella at TLC. Adam Pearce is in the ring as Carmella shows up on the big screen and shows that she signed the contract before having someone bring it out to the ring for Sasha to sign. Carmella mocks Sasha thinking that she'd get into the ring with her after her attack last week before Sasha signs the contract with a stamp of her name. Sasha calls herself The Boss and says that she'll defend her title against Carmella tonight before Adam makes the match official for our main event.
- Backstage The Street Profits are interviewed where they cut a promo on Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode before making their way out to the ring for Ford's match against Dolph Ziggler up next as we go to commercial.
Dolph Ziggler w/Robert Roode vs Montez Ford w/Angelo Dawkins
Dolph goes for a single leg, but Ford gets to the ropes before taking him down and locking in a straight arm bar. Ford gets to his feet and gets hit with a neckbreaker for two before Ford hits a dropkick and clears the ring as blue solo cups rain down onto the ring as we go to commercial.
We come back to Dolph in control of Ford, grounding him and hitting a series of elbow drops for two before Ford comes back with punches to the midsection only for Dolph to hit another neckbreaker. Dolph gets two before taking Ford down with a waist lock before locking in a body scissors and transitioning into a bulldog choke. Ford gets back up and counters a third neckbreaker attempt with a clothesline into a flurry of kicks and a back suplex. Ford hits a standing moonsault before countering a famouser and a Zigzag before dropping Dolph with a kick. Roode then attacks Angelo at ringside which distracts Ford and allows Dolph to crotch him on the top rope before superkicking him for the pin and the win.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler defeats Montez Ford via pinfall.
- We come back to Sami Zayn in the ring where he says that he's not appreciated or respected and that he doesn't even have any merchandise. Sami is then interrupted by Big-E who's coming out for their match.
Sami Zayn vs Big-E
Sami takes his time getting into the ring at eight before E shoves him back when they lock up before rolling back out of the ring. Back in the ring E locks in a standing side headlock before taking Sami down to his knees with it before Sami locks in one of his own. They run the ropes and E locks in an abdominal stretch before Sami kicks him in the midsection and punches him before E drops him with a back elbow. E then drapes Sami across the apron before hitting a running splash onto the apron as we go to commercial.
We come back to Sami having taken control at some point during the break, punching E in the corner before locking in a cravat with a knee to the face for one. E sends Sami out onto the apron before hitting a flying elbow off of the second rope and mocking E. E hits several overhead belly to belly suplexes before hitting a standard belly to belly and hitting a jumping splash. E does the New Day clap as Sami rolls out of the ring before getting back in and E clotheslines him. E rolls through when Sami hits a diving cross body before Sami rakes his eyes and counters the Big Ending.
E hits Sami with a uranage before Sami fakes an injury and slaps E before he gets out of the ring and E chases Sami around ringside and underneath the ring. Sami then gets back into the ring at the count of nine as E is counted out for the win.
Winner: Sami Zayn defeats Big-E via count out.
- Backstage Bayley wishes Carmella luck in winning the Smackdown Women's Championship from Sasha before mocking Bianca Belair who comes up behind her. Bianca then mocks Bayley and lists off her own accomplishments so far since she joined the blue brand before Bayley leaves.
- We see the Universal champion Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman making their way from the back as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a video package recapping the feud between Roman and Kevin Owens which will culminate at TLC with Kevin challenging Roman for the Universal Championship in a TLC match. Backstage Jey walks up to Roman and Paul watching the video package we just saw from a monitor before the cousins have a brief exchange of words. Kevin Owens then comes out to the ring and brings a table, chairs and a ladder into the ring as Jey begs Roman to let him go get Kevin to which Roman says that he knows where he is, so he's welcome to go out there. Kevin talks directly to Roman through the camera and says that he doesn't fear him because Roman uses his family to fight his battles for him. Kevin says that their match at TLC is the most important match of his career while saying that he's going to need all of the help he can get if he's going to beat Roman.
Kevin says that his family supports him at home, but he has a few friends who will help him as he introduces the inanimate objects he brought into the ring as his friends. Jey slides into the ring and attacks Kevin from behind with a chair before lying him on a table and climbing the top turnbuckle. Kevin gets up and throws a chair at Jey before sending him into the ladder and hitting a pop-up powerbomb through a table as Roman and Paul make their way out to the ring. Paul says that Roman is the Tribal Chief, Head of the Table and more before saying that everything is done on his time before Roman and Paul leave. Kevin then hobbles up the ramp with a chair while saying that he's not running as we go to commercial.
- We come back to Kevin backstage before he's abruptly interviewed and attacked by Roman with a chair before Roman sends him into a chain link fence and luggage before beating him down. Roman talks to Kevin's family at home where he says that he's the reason for Kevin being able to provide for his family before saying that his family need to convince him to back out of their match. Roman then says that if Kevin goes through with the match then Roman will make sure it takes food off of his table.
The Riott Squad vs Billie Kay & Natalya
Kay and Riott start the match off before Liv comes in and hits a running elbow in the corner before TRS double up on Kay for two. Natty distracts Liv which allows Kay to drop her from behind before Natty and Kay stomp Liv in the corner. Natty drives Liv into the corner and keeps her away from Ruby before Liv comes back with a boot and sends Kay into Natty. The Riott Squad then hit a double team move to Billie for the pin and the win.
Winner; The Riott Squad defeats Billie Kay and Natalya via pinfall.
- Earlier this week we see Otis and Chad Gable training together brought to us by Instagram.
- Backstage Chad and Otis talk strategy before they're interviewed and Chad talks about how good of a student Otis is before Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro show up and get under Otis' skin ahead of their match up next as we go to commercial.
Otis & Chad Gable vs Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro
Chad and Cesaro start the match off by grappling on the mat before Chad hits a German suplex into a roll through for one before Otis comes in and takes Cesaro down. Chad comes back in and gets dropped with an uppercut before Shin comes in and kicks Chad in the chest before hitting Bad Vibrations. Chad counters an exploder suplex before dropping Shin and getting the hot tag to Otis who runs over Cesaro and drops Shin with a back elbow. Otis pancakes Cesaro before hitting a running splash in the corner and tagging Chad back in. Chad goes for a missile dropkick that Cesaro turns into a swing before Shin comes back in and hits the Kinshasa for the pin and the win.
Winner; Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro defeat Chad Gable and Otis via pinfall.
- Backstage Sasha is posing as we get a graphic for her title defense in tonight's main event as we go to commercial.
- We come to Otis and Chad, Chad saying that tonight was a test that Otis failed by not taking initiative and finishing the match himself.
- We get this week's Progressive Match Flo recapping last week's match between Baron Corbin and Murphy where Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake helped Corbin defeat Murphy. We then go backstage where Corbin talks with Cutler and Blake before they scan the interviewer with a metal detector and Corbin says that they are his loyal knights.
- A Smackdown Tag Team Championship match between the champions The Street Profits defending against Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode as well as Bianca Belair versus Bayley are announced for next week's show on FOX Sports 1.
Smackdown Women's Championship Match
Sasha Banks (c) vs Carmella
Sasha backs Carmella into the corner before Carmella shoves her back and backs her against the ropes before slapping Sasha. Carmella hits a head scissors into a dropkick and a drop toe hold before Sasha counters the Code of Silence before Carmella beats her down in the corner. Sasha then sends Carmella out onto the apron and drops her with a knee before hitting a slingshot meteora and Carmella hits a sit-out face buster on the apron as we go to commercial.
We come back to Carmella in control at ringside before rolling her back in and covering her for two before punching her in mount. Carmella hits a snap mare into a rear chin lock before Sasha comes back with elbows into a meteora in the corner for two. Carmella locks in a tarantula before hitting a diving cross body for two before Sasha gets two off of a jack knife and Carmella locks in the Code of Silence. Sasha counters into the Banks Statement before Carmella's assistant drags her out of the ring and Sasha attacks Carmella in the corner for the disqualification when she doesn't stop at the count of five.
Winner: Carmella defeats Sasha Banks via disqualification, but Sasha retains her title due to champions advantage.
- After the match Carmella attacks Sasha before hitting her in the back with a champagne bottle and pouring a drink from another one. Carmella then sprays Sasha with champagne before talking trash to Sasha before standing over her as we get a replay of what just happened. Carmella then plays to the crowd and stands over Sasha as we go off the air.
