WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Dec. 15
Carmelo Hayes is HIM and Friday night on SmackDown, the hottest star in NXT made his first appearance with the main roster, battling Grayson Waller as part of the United States Championship Contender's Tournament.
That match was just one of the major talking points from a broadcast that also saw Randy Orton battle Jimmy Uso, the continuation of the Damage CTRL storyline, and the fallout from CM Punk's decision to sign with Raw.
Oh, and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns returned for the first time since successfully defending his title against LA Knight at Crown Jewel.
Find out what went down on this blockbuster broadcast with this recap of the December 15 show.
Lineup
1 of 7Announced in advance for Friday's show were:
- The return of Roman Reigns
- Randy Orton vs. Jimmy Uso
- United States Championship Contender Tournament: Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller
- United States Championship Contender Tournament: Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory
- Zelina Vega and Mia Yim vs. Asuka and Kairi Sane
The Return of The Tribal Chief
2 of 7
Roman Reigns returned to SmackDown Friday night and was immediately confronted by the next challenger to his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in Randy Orton.
The Viper issued words of warning to Reigns, recognizing his growth and evolution as a wrestler but vowing to take everything away from him, just like The Tribal Chief took 18 months away from him.
Orton threw down the challenge for a match at Royal Rumble, which Reigns denied, and nearly ate an RKO for his trouble.
This was a suitable first showdown between The Head of the Table and The Legend Killer, even if the verbal back-and-forth did not match the tone of the backstory between these two.
Orton will likely up the intensity on the road to the Rumble, rolling through The Bloodline before only Reigns is left to conquer. He probably will not, but it will be interesting to see who and what costs him his shot at revenge.
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- "Alright, alright, shut your mouths now," Reigns said. "I wouldn't have had to do that if you would have kept the boos down."
- "You took 18 months away from me so I'm going to take everything away from you," Orton said. "It starts tonight, it ends at the Royal Rumble because I am challenging you, Big Dog, for the [Undisputed] WWE Universal Championship."
- "It ain't 2007 anymore. I'm levels above you and everyone else," Reigns warned The Viper.
- "If you have a match with me, it's not another 18-month vacation. It's just retirement. You ain't never coming back."
- "I have evolved but the one thing that Randy Orton will always be...is a legend killer," Orton said.
United States Championship Contender's Tournament: Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller
3 of 7
Familiar foes Grayson Waller and former NXT champion Carmelo Hayes clashed in the latest United States Championship Contender's Tournament Match.
Hayes overcame damage to his knee, exploited by Waller, to fight his way back into the match and best his former rival with his finisher, Nothing But Net.
It was a good match that properly highlighted Hayes, which is a very good thing. He is the future of this company and a world champion within the next five-to-10 years. With that said, it was interesting to see Waller, a regular fixture on main roster programming, beaten clean here.
He is better than that and in many ways, may be an even bigger star than Hayes, thanks to his enormous personality and athleticism. Preserving some of his credibility early on in his WWE run could be the difference between him realizing his fullest potential and, well, not.
Result
Hayes pinned Waller
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Kevin Patrick all put over Waller targeting the knee of his opponent but none of them pointed out that Hayes was attacked backstage Tuesday on NXT and had his knee damaged.
- Hayes winning clean was a huge statement about him, his future, and how management sees him at this point in his young career.
United States Championship Contender's Tournament: Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory
4 of 7
Kevin Owens and Austin Theory wrestled the best match of the entire contender's tournament Friday night, with the heel focusing his attack on the broken right hand of his opponent.
Owens sold mightily for Theory and mounted a comeback using every limb he could but the affected one. Ultimately, the tenacious villain determined to target Owen's hand and expose it by ripping off the cast which ultimately doomed him as The Prizefighter rocked him with the encased hand and scored the pinfall off of it.
Good action, a focused story, and great intensity from the victorious Owens elevated this one and set up a hell of a match between KO and Hayes next week.
Result
Owens defeated Theory
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Logan Paul's insert promos before this one and the Hayes-Waller match were nice touches that at least insinuated that he was paying attention to the shows and aware of those fighting for the right to challenge him.
- Owens did a great job throughout of selling the injured right hand, including throwing left-handed punches and delivering an Irish whip into the ropes with his non-dominant limb.
- "You can't superplex Kevin Owens. It's not possible," Graves said before pointing out that Owens has a long history of countering that particular move.
- Theory tried desperately to rip the cast off Owen's hand and paid for it as the babyface rocked him with a shot to the face for the win. "Hey Logan Paul, one lucky punch. Does that sound familiar?"
Mia Yim and Zelina Vega vs. Asuka and Kairi Sane
5 of 7
For the second week in a row, Bayley helped her Damage CTRL teammates to victory, this time lending an assist to Asuka and Kairi Sane as the reunited Kabuki Warriors defeated Mia Yim and Zelina Vega in tag team action.
A good back-and-forth match that reiterated Asuka and Sane's tag team chemistry while highlighting Vega and Yim more than expected, this made for an effective continuation oft he Damage CTRL story.
There is still very real tension between the other members and Bayley, but The Role Model is doing her damnedest to prove herself to her teammates.
Result
The Kabuki Warriors defeated Vega and Yim
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Kevin Patrick revealed on commentary that Charlotte Flair suffered a knee injury last week that will keep her out of action for nine months, a huge blow for The Queen and the women's division as a whole with WrestleMania drawing near.
- Bayley cut a pre-taped promo in which she touted Damage CTRL's plans for impending dominance, including the Kabuki Warriors' chase of the tag team titles and her entry into the Royal Rumble. The looks from her teammates upon that revelation told the story of a team ready to cut bait with their founder.
- Vega is really good and has made the most of every opportunity she has received here in 2023. Still, she is more of a hidden gem than the star she should be.
Randy Orton vs. Jimmy Uso
6 of 7
LA Knight attacked Solo Sikoa late in Friday's main event between Randy Orton and Jimmy Uso, preventing the enforcer's interference in the contest and allowing The Viper to strike with an RKO for the win.
A post-match beatdown led by Reigns on both babyfaces had The Bloodline looking dominant as the show neared its conclusion until AJ Styles returned, launching himself off the top rope and blasting The Tribal Chief with the Phenomenal Forearm.
The show went off the air with confusion reigning supreme, though, as Styles rocked Knight and walked out on his own, leaving a battered Reigns confused.
Result
Orton defeated Uso
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Backstage, a hesitant Jimmy Uso suspected a trap and asked Solo SIkoa if he would tell him if something was going to happen to him. "I'm your brother," was the sole response from the enforcer.
- This match would have even more heat if anyone believed Uso had a chance of winning.
- The continued popularity of Knight, and WWE's commitment to keeping him prominently featured, are still some of the best parts of Friday nights.
Overall Grade
7 of 7The closing moments of the show were the perfect exclamation point on what was a damn fine episode of SmackDown.
The air of mystery surrounding Styles and his attack on Knight, moments after coming to his and Randy Orton's aid, made for the perfect cliffhanger and creates intrigue ahead of next Friday's Fox broadcast.
Beyond that angle were the two tournament matches, both very good or better, and the return of Reigns elevated the quality and significance of the show.
A focused broadcast with some strong wrestling, interesting storyline development, and the potential start of a big-time storyline involving Styles, this was the best episode the blue brand has produced in months.
Grade: B+
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