WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Jan. 5
Roman Reigns returned on a special New Year's Revolution episode of SmackDown, headlined by a three-way clash between Randy Orton, LA Knight, and AJ Styles for a shot at the Tribal Chief's Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Elsewhere, United States Champion Logan Paul returned to find out whether it would be Kevin Owens or Santos Escobar whom he will defend his title against at Royal Rumble while the WWE Women's Championship was at stake between Iyo Sky and Michin.
Find out who won the matches with the highest stakes and what it means for the road to the hotly anticipated Royal Rumble premium live event with this recap of the January 5 broadcast.
Match Card
1 of 7Announced in advance of Friday's show were:
- Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's Match: Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles (Winner to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble)
- Reigns appearance
- United States Champion Logan Paul appearance
- United States Championship Tournament Final: Kevin Owens vs. Santos Escobar
- WWE Women's Championship Match: Michin vs. Iyo Sky (c)
- Butch and A Mystery Partner vs. Pretty Deadly
United States Championship Tournament Finals: Kevin Owens vs. Santos Escobar
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Kayla Braxton caught up with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns as he arrived to the arena, only to have The Tribal Chief laugh off the idea of The Rock's tease of a match with him.
Back in the arena, United States Champion Logan Paul joined Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick on commentary for the finals of the No. 1 contender tournament, which saw Kevin Owens defeat Santos Escobar in a hard-fought, ultra competitive match to earn as shot at the Social Media Maverick at Royal Rumble on January 27.
Owens sold his (storyline) broken hand excellently, building heat and setting up a come-from-behind battle that saw him drop Escobar with the stunner for the win.
A post-match right hand to the face of the loudmouth Paul only further endeared The Prizefighter to the people and setup what is, arguably, Owens' highest-profile battle since him and Sami Zayn defeated The Usos at last year's WrestleMania.
Result
Owens defeated Escobar
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Paul taunted Owens, reminding fans of their established issues.
- Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro attacked Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo, ensuring they did not interfere in the match.
- Paul put over his short rise to the top and the fact that he is a star while Owens and Escobar had to work for everything they got.
- Graves running gag, in which he reminds everyone never to suplex Owens because he always counters it, is fun.
A New Threat to Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits
3 of 7After weeks of cryptic promos, Karrion Kross reintroduced The Authors of Pain to the WWE Universe as Akam and Rezar attacked and laid out The Street Profits Friday night.
Kross laid out Bobby Lashley at ringside, a declaration of battle between the two trios, before he and his new associates joined Scarlett and Paul Ellering in standing tall on the stage.
This was a great angle that not only silences any doubts about Lashley and The Street Profits being full-blown babyfaces, but also instantly elevates Kross and AOP as a force on Smackdown.
Faction battles are always fun. When they involve fresh faces, and can finally elevate a competitor (Kross) to the heights some have expected for him since his days in NXT, they are even more so.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Lashley admitted that 2023 was frustrating for him because the work he put in did not net the results he wanted. He followed up by saying the highlight was linking up with The Street Profits.
- Scarlett is now sporting dark hair.
- Graves said it had been four years since AOP has been in a WWE ring and when you put it that way, the phrase "time flies" is more apparent.
WWE Women's Championship Match: Michin vs. Iyo Sky
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Iyo Sky retained the WWE Women's Championship with a win over Michin after avoiding a splash from her challenger on the floor, delivering a Meteora into the barricade, and finishing her with the moonsault.
In defeat, however, the artist also known as Mia Yim shined. It was a rare lengthy match for the talented competitor, who has been underutilized to this point in her second run with WWE.
She had great in-ring chemistry with Sky and the result was a damn good match that should elevate her stock in the eyes of management and fans alike. In her highest-profile match in months, she shined bright.
The match was good, did not feature the predictable chicanery or interference, and the result was a quality showcase for both involved.
Result
Sky defeated Michin to retain
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Sky delivered a wicked German suplex on the ring apron.
- Michin got her knees up, thwarting a moonsault attempt, and delivered and dragon suplex.
- More of this, please, Triple H.
- Backstage, Bianca Belair interrupted Damage CTRL and officially entered the Royal Rumble.
Butch and Tyler Bate vs. Pretty Deadly
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Butch turned to his past, recruiting longtime rival Tyler Bate to be his partner against Pretty Deadly Friday night.
The former foes turned effective teammates took the overwhelmed Elton Prince and Kit Wilson down, out-wrestling them en route to Bate delivering his Tyler Driver 97 for the win.
The SmackDown roster gets in Bate a phenomenal professional wrestler who can hang with anyone and presents a new style for the blue brand. Partnered with Butch, the two can go on a run and establish themselves as one of the best tag teams in the world.
With that said, the Butch moniker needs to go away. It's childish and no longer reflective of the man on the screen. This is Pete Dunne, we know it is Pete Dunne, and it is time WWE officially makes the change because otherwise, there is a definitive ceiling for a guy with his talent and that name.
Result
Butch and Bate defeated Pretty Deadly
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Bate and Butch move with such smoothness in the ring. More famous as opponents in the WWE Universe, they made excellent tag team partners in this one.
- "Maybe he's gonna need a wheelchair," Patrick said on commentary, referencing the last time Prince suffered a shoulder injury and needed one.
- It took the fans a bit to get into this one but they were right there with Butch and Bate after the win.
- Graves cited an "identity crisis" on commentary and, intentional or not, teased a potential return to the "Pete Dunne" moniker.
AJ Styles vs. LA Knight vs. Randy Orton
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Roman Reigns' attempt to prevent Randy Orton, LA Knight, and AJ Styles from earning a shot at his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship backfired in Friday's main event.
After The Tribal Chief, Jimmy Uso, and Solo Sikoa hit the ring to attack the three combatants in the Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's Match, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis informed Paul Heyman that Reigns will defend in a Fatal 4-Way at the Royal Rumble.
The match that preceded the monumental revelation was quite good and had fans in Vancouver on the edge of their seats, rooting for all three at varying points in the match. Orton was the most over, but Knight was right there behind him, proving the creative team's efforts to keep him hot have worked.
The match at the Rumble should be damn good and will ignite discussion about Reigns dropping the title to set up a match with Rock that does not hold the top prize in the company from Cody Rhodes or any other main event stars that may be in line for a push.
Result
No contest
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Backstage, Ashante Thee Adonis met with SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and expressed his desire for an opportunity. Aldis said he has a few ideas for him.
- The crowd heat for this main event is an entirely different beast than anything else on this show.
- Knight countered the RKO with Blunt-Force Trauma but Styles stopped referee Charles Robinson's count, preventing the Megastar from winning the match.
- Styles attacked the bloodied forehead of Knight, an interesting development in this match.
- Orton delivered an RKO to a springboarding Styles, but Knight narrowly broke up the count.
Overall Show
7 of 7This was one of the best episodes of SmackDown of the Triple H regime.
The in-ring action was fantastic, new contenders to top titles at Royal Rumble were crowned, and we had another noteworthy storyline development in the form of Karrion Kross and AOP's newfound union.
A lot happened, the anticipation for Royal Rumble will be greater coming out of the broadcast, and it finally feels like we may be entering the home stretch of the Reigns title run.
More of this, please and thank you.
Grade: B+
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