WWE SmackDown Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reactions and Highlights From Jan. 16
Welcome to Bleacher Report's live coverage of WWE SmackDown on January 16.
Last week's show saw Drew McIntyre win the WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell match, but there's no rest for the wicked. Nick Aldis has already set up a tournament to find his next challenger.
Four matches took place this week to determine the competitors in a Fatal 4-Way, with the winner going on to face McIntyre for the title at The Royal Rumble.
Here's a look at what WWE advertised for the show:
- Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa
- Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
- Randy Orton vs. The Miz
- Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams
- Carmelo Hayes holds an open challenge for the U.S. title
- McIntyre celebrates his WWE title win
Let's take a look at everything that happened on this week's SmackDown.
Your New WWE Champion
1 of 10
SmackDown opened with the usual shots of Superstars arriving at the arena in London before we got a recap of what happened last week in the Three Stages of Hell match.
Back in the arena, a group of bagpipe players was on the stage to play McIntyre to the ring. He took his time getting down the aisle and celebrated with some people in the front row.
The Scottish Psychopath had the crowd chanting his name and it looked like he might give more of a babyface promo before he turned on the crowd and said they had never been there for him when it counts.
He also revealed Cody Rhodes would not get a rematch per a stipulation he snuck into their contract. This is when Orton came out to remind McIntyre that he had beaten him before and could do it again.
Jacob Fatu showed up and went right after the WWE champion. They fought at ringside as an amused Viper watched from the ring. Fatu chased McIntyre through the crowd, allowing The Miz to sneak in behind Orton and hit the Skull-Crushing Finale.
McIntyre remaining a heel was both the expected route for him to take and the right call. WWE could have turned him babyface following his victory, but he operates better as a monster heel. His promo was good, and the way it led into the first match made sense.
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
- McIntyre's custom leather jacket and kilt looked cool.
- The WWE title design needs an update. WWE has been using the same style for the title and logo for way too long.
Randy Orton vs. The Miz
2 of 10
Last time in action: Orton and Rhodes lost to The Vision (Raw, Oct. 3), The Miz lost to Joe Hendry (SD, Dec. 19)
The first of four qualifying matches took place after the break with The Miz and Orton. The A-Lister had the advantage after taking out Orton before the break, but the 14-time champion was not going to go down easy.
The match started during the break and saw The Miz maintain control until Orton nailed him with a pair of clothesline and a snap powerslam. He dropped The A-Lister on the announce table three times before hitting a draping DDT.
The Viper scored the win with his patented RKO to end a predictable but decently entertaining match. These two have been working together for years, so they have built up enough chemistry to have a good match in their sleep.
Result: Orton defeated The Miz
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
- The Miz suplexing Orton onto the announce table was a fun moment of him stealing Orton's move, but the announcers didn't acknowledge it until Orton did it to The Miz later.
- The Miz has never looked weaker. His finisher doesn't finish people anymore, and it feels like it's been years since he was a serious contender for a title.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Giulia and Kiana James
3 of 10
Last time in action: Bliss and Flair won an eight-woman tag match (SD, Jan. 2), Giulia defeated Bliss (SD, Jan. 9)
McIntyre was shown still running from Fatu when he ran into Ilja Dragunov backstage and had a brief exchange. After the break, Uncle Howdy delivered a pre-taped promo about the MFT stealing Bray's lantern.
Bliss and Charlotte had a quick run-in with Lash Legend and Nia Jax backstage before they went to the ring for a tag match against Giulia and Kiana James.
James and Bliss talked a little trash before The Goddess took James down with a few strikes. The U.S. champion and her advisor took control as the show cut to a break.
This felt more competitive than their previous encounters, which benefitted the match. James and Giulia were definitely more aggressive than they have been in recent weeks. There was a couple of spots that didn't look great, but most of what we got in this bout was good.
Unfortunately, that aggression did not equal a win. The former tag team champions were able to secure the victory thanks to Bliss hitting James with Sister Abigail. Legend and Jax came out and attacked the winners when it was over.
James was going to go after Jax for getting involved in her business, but James talked her out of it and physically held her back.
Result: Flair and Bliss defeated Giulia and James
Grade: B-
Notable Moments and Observations
- If James is going to carry that huge bag with her every week, she should start using it as a weapon. Put some bricks in that thing or something.
- It was hard to tell, but it felt like WWE might be planting seeds for Bliss and Flair to break up soon.
- It looks so effortless for James to lift up her opponents. The announcers never make a big deal out of her power, but she is probably one of the strongest pound-for-pound competitors on the roster.
- The way Flair covered James after a crossbody looked very weird and ineffective.
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Your Former WWE Champion
4 of 10
Sikoa responded to Uncle Howdy's video with his own pre-taped promo saying he wants a tag title shot for the MFTs to give the lantern back.
When we went back to the arena, Rhodes came to the ring to talk about losing the WWE Championship and what's next for him.
The London crowd gave him a mixed response, which seemed to catch him off guard. Some fans were chanting his name while others booed just as loudly.
The American Nightmare said his reign had become episodic, which is a nice way of saying it was becoming repetitive.
He gave his usual rah-rah kind of speech before saying he was entering the Royal Rumble with the intention of being the second man to win it three times in a row. He also spoke about owing Fatu a receipt for what he did last week.
Grade: B-
Trick Williams vs. Matt Cardona
5 of 10
Last time in action: Williams defeated Rey Fenix (SD, Jan. 9), Cardona defeated Kit Wilson (SD, Jan. 2)
The next qualifying match saw Cardona take on Williams. This was an interesting combination because Williams is new to the main roster while Cardona is trying to re-establish himself after spending several years away from WWE.
They started with a basic lockup and a clean break. Williams took a bit of a cheap shot, so Cardona planted him in the corner for some punches. Once Trick Willy had the upper hand, he started talking trash while he was dishing out punishment.
This was a pretty even matchup. There was obviously a difference in experience, but both men bring a lot of similar qualities to the table, so they were able to put together a match that was enjoyable.
It was hard to tell who would win because both men would make sense to advance in the tournament, and unpredictability always makes a match more interesting.
The former Zack Ryder put up a good fight, but Williams prevailed to advance to the Fatal 4-Way. For some reason, Wilson came out and attacked Cardona before posing for the crowd, which seemed to enjoy his antics.
Result: B-
Grade: Williams defeated Cardona
Notable Moments and Observations
Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa
6 of 10
Last time in action: Priest defeated Aleister Black (SD, Jan. 2), Sikoa and MFT defeated Wyatt Sicks (SD, Jan. 9)
Wilson was still in the ring after the break and he delivered a quick promo saying he was the solution to the toxic masculinity problem. Fatu showed up and took him out with a few of his signature moves before telling Rhodes to come get some.
The American Nightmare showed up and they started throwing hands. Security broke up the fight and Nick Aldis booked them to do battle at Saturday Night's Main Event next weekend.
Up next was the match between Sikoa and Priest for a spot in the Fatal 4-Way. As usual, the rest of the MFTs were by Solo's side. Both of these guys are powerhouse brawlers, so it didn't take long for them to start throwing strikes.
Priest found himself being attacked by the MFTs when Sikoa had the ref distracted before the break. We returned to see The Archer of Infamy still being dominated by The Street Champ.
The two previous qualifying matches didn't feel like there were big stakes, but Sikoa and Priest did a good job making this feel like an important match for them. These two always work well together.
The ref caught Talla Tonga cheating and booted him from the ringside area. As Sikoa was preparing to finish Priest off, the lights went out in the arena. The Wyatt Sicks appeared behind the MFTs and began a huge brawl at ringside.
Sikoa stopped Howdy from taking the lantern, but the distraction allowed Priest to hit his finisher for the win.
Result: Priest defeated Sikoa
Grade: B+
Notable Moments and Observations
Carmelo Hayes vs. Leon Slater
7 of 10
Last time in action: Oba Femi defeated Leon Slater (NXT, Jan. 6), Hayes defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (SD, Jan. 9)
Hayes held another open challenge for the U.S. title this week, and TNA's Leon Slater answered the call. Slater is from the U.K., so the London crowd gave him a very warm welcome.
They locked up and immediately started trading counters and takedowns at a brisk pace. Hayes had a slight size and power advantage, but they seemed to be on even ground for speed and agility.
This was the first time these two have ever shared a ring and it looked like they have been working together for years. They had instant chemistry thanks to their similar abilities.
Hayes appeared to land funny on his left leg, but he continued the match. They wore each other out and by the time the commercial break was over, both men were looking worse for wear.
Once again, the U.S. title stole the show on Friday night. Hayes has proved he is one of the most reliable workers on the roster, but the past few weeks of title matches have cemented him as one of the best all-around wrestlers in WWE.
Hayes continued to sell the injured leg, but he fought through it and managed to beat the young X-Division champion to retain his U.S. title. Hayes turned a superplex into a cutter for the win.
Result: Hayes defeated Slater
Grade: A-
Notable Moments and Observations
- It's too bad Slater was pulled from TNA Genesis due to his WWE commitments.
- Slater makes so many things he does look easy. He's definitely a prodigy in the ring and WWE would be wise to sign him when his TNA deal is up.
- This might be the best Slater has looked in a WWE ring. He looked even more at home in a SmackDown ring than he does in NXT.
- Slater's slingshot leg drop on the apron was awesome.
Chelsea Green vs. Jordynne Grace
8 of 10
Last time in action: Chelsea Green lost to Giulia (SD, Jan. 2), Jordynne Grace defeated Alba Fyre (SD, Jan. 9)
The next match saw Chelsea Green take on Jordynne Grace in singles competition. Alba Fyre was by Green's side for backup.
The Juggernaut immediately took control and hit a nice delayed vertical suplex as Jade Cargill watched from ringside.
This was a short match that Grace won clean with her finisher. Cargill did not look impressed. The Juggernaut got on the mic and challenged Cargill to defend her title right then and there.
Green tried to attack Grace from behind but ended up crashing into Cargill instead, which gave Grace a chance to pose with the title before tossing it out to the champion.
Result: Grace defeated Green
Grade: C
Notable Moments and Observations
Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
9 of 10
Last time in action: Zayn lost a 10-man tag match (SD, Nov. 21), Dragunov defeated Wilson (Main Event, Jan. 9)
Two men who tore the house down in their last match over the U.S. title locked horns again this week for a chance to be in the No. 1 Contender's Fatal 4-Way.
Zayn got the match going by firing off a forearm strike, and Dragunov was more than happy to respond with some strikes of his own.
The Mad Dragon took control and kept Zayn on defense for a long time, but the Underdog from the Underground hit a suplex out of nowhere to turn things around.
The best part about this match is that it felt completely different from their last encounter. They worked hard to make it feel like both men were fighting for their lives.
Zayn is a lauded veteran and Dragunov is one of the best young stars on the roster, so you shouldn't be surprised to hear they put on another great show.
After a great back-and-forth fight that saw both men come close to winning a few times, Zayn was able to get the victory with a Helluva Kick.
Result: Zayn defeated Dragunov
Grade: A-
Notable Moments and Observations
The Final Word
10 of 10Friday's SmackDown did a good job of juggling multiple storylines related to titles, but two matches stood out above the rest.
Hayes and Slater put on an incredible display of high-flying action in their U.S. title bout, adding another in a long line of show-stealing performances by competitors fighting over that belt.
The main event was also a fantastic match between Zayn and Dragunov. Every time those two step into the ring, they create magic.
We now know it will be Orton, Williams, Zayn and Priest fighting over a title shot in what should be an awesome match.
This week's show had a couple of weak spots, but it was a decent way to spend a few hours on a Friday night.
Grade: B
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