The build to TLC continues on tonight’s SmackDown as the WWE ThunderDome debuts at Tropicana Field.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and Carmella will sign the contract for their title match at TLC. Carmella returned a few weeks ago and has attacked Banks multiple times. Banks got some revenge when she recently attacked Carmella backstage.
Last week, Banks and Carmella participated in an interview but had to be in separate locations to avoid any more conflicts. Carmella mocked Banks for how hard she worked to be a WWE wrestler while it came easy to Carmella.
Big E takes on Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn in a non-title match. If Big E is victorious, he’ll likely receive a future title shot. Zayn and Big E argued two weeks ago backstage, and the segment ended with Big E crushing Zayn’s hand with a handshake. Big E and Zayn participated in the Pat Patterson tribute six-man tag match last week, with Daniel Bryan, Big E & Rey Mysterio defeating Zayn, Dolph Ziggler & Shinsuke Nakamura.
Montez Ford goes one-on-one with Ziggler tonight. Ziggler & Robert Roode defeated the SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits in a non-title match a few weeks ago.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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SmackDown started with shots of the ThunderDome in Tropicana Field.
SmackDown Women’s Championship Contract Signing
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks made her way to the ring for the contract signing. Adam Pearce welcomed Banks and noted Banks requested the match with Carmella. Banks then realized there’s no contract at the table. She freaked out and wondered if this is all a setup.
Carmella appeared on the big screen. She noted that she makes the rules and refused to be in the ring. Carmella signed the contract in the back and sent her sommelier to deliver it to the ring.
Banks signed the contract with her Boss Stamp. She doesn’t want to wait until TLC and challenged Carmella to a match tonight. Carmella agreed, so Pearce made it official. Banks then attacked Carmella’s sommelier and hit the backstabber. She then turned the table over and dropped it on him.
Carmella just watched from the back with a smile.
Kayla Braxton interviewed The Street Profits behind the entrance. She noted Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode mocked them and said they’re too funny to make money. The Street Profits made fun of Roode, and Montez Ford promised to defeat Ziggler tonight. Street Profits then made their entrance.
After the break, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode made their way to ring. Ziggler made fun of the Street Profits and promised to defeat Ford tonight. Roode noted they beat them in a non-title match and vowed to win the titles.
Dolph Ziggler (w/Robert Roode) defeated Montez Ford (w/Angelo Dawkins)
Ziggler and Ford worked hard and had a good match until the distraction finish.
Ziggler had the early advantage and hit a neck breaker for a near fall. Ziggler mocked Ford. Ford recovered and gave Ziggler a slingshot into the corner. He followed up with a blockbuster, but Ziggler rolled to the floor.
Dawkins jumped in the ring and started dancing with Ford. Suddenly, blue solo cups began raining down in the ring. Ford and Dawkins celebrated with Ford making solo cup angels. Michael Cole pointed out that Ford promised it would rain blue solo cups.
Back from the break, the solo cups are gone, and Ziggler is back in control. They never showed how Ziggler regained control. Ziggler hit an elbow drop for a near fall. He then slowed the pace down with a chin lock.
Ford fought back, but Ziggler attacked the knee. Cole noted that Ziggler injured the knee during the break to regain control, which they never showed. Ziggler took back over and put the chin lock back on.
Ford fought back and hit a flying clothesline. Ziggler attempted a back suplex, but Ford landed on his feet. Ford hit a back suplex and standing moonsault. Ziggler went back to the knee and attempted the famouser, but Ford caught him.
Ford climbed to the top for the frog splash, but Roode jumped Dawkins at ringside. This distracted Ford, and Ziggler knocked him off the top. Ziggler then hit the superkick for the win.
At the merchandise table, Sami Zayn was furious that he doesn’t have a t-shirt. Apollo Crews, Kalisto, and Tamina were standing in the background.
Big E approached wearing his t-shirt. Zayn couldn’t believe that Big E has a t-shirt and he doesn’t.
Big E solved the problem, and Crews pulled out a t-shirt for Zayn. It was just a stick figure. Zayn became upset and tried to tear up the shirt but couldn’t. He blamed his injured hand and stormed off. Zayn had a brace on his hand because of the handshake from Big E two weeks ago.
Non-title match: Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn defeated Big E By Count-out
This was a fine match until the finish.
Before the match, Zayn was still furious that he didn’t have a t-shirt. He kept complaining about how WWE is treating him.
Zayn reminded Cole and Corey Graves that it’s a non-title match. Cole noted if Big E wins, he could get a future title shot. Zayn had the brief advantage, but Big E took over with a back elbow. He followed up with the splash on the apron.
Back from the break, Zayn was in control after taking over during the break. He hit a knee to the jaw for a near fall. Zayn slowed the pace down with a chin lock. Big E fought back, but Zayn hit an elbow.
Zayn mocked Big E and imitated his dance. Big E recovered and hit a big splash. Zayn fought back and hit a cross body, but Big E caught him. Big E attempted the Big Ending, but Zayn raked the eyes.
Zayn went for the helluva kick, but Big E hit the uranage. Zayn screamed that he broke his arm, but Big E didn’t believe him. Zayn angered Big E when he slapped him in the face. Big E chased Zayn around ringside. Zayn then ran under the ring, and Big E followed.
Zayn emerged on the other side, but Big E had his leg. Zayn stomped on Big E’s head and jumped in the ring to beat the ten count for the win.
In the back, Bayley wished Carmella good luck in her match tonight. She called Sasha Banks the most overrated and overpaid superstar.
Bayley started mocking Bianca Belair. Belair showed up behind Bayley and got in her face.
Belair listed all of her accomplishments. Bayley heard enough and walked off.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed Carmella. She claimed that she made Sasha Banks relevant again. Carmella bragged and is confident that she’s going to win. She called in her sommelier and wants her champagne at ringside.
They recapped Roman Reigns attacking Jey Uso and Kevin Owens last week.
Kevin Owens Promo
Roman Reigns was great in this segment again.
Reigns watched the recap on the monitor in the back. Uso approached and asked if they’re okay. Reigns was feeling confident. Suddenly, Kevin Owens’s music hit. Uso and Reigns both had a look come across their face. That was a nice subtle touch. Uso wanted to go to the ring to take care of Owens.
Owens came to the ring. He pulled out a table, ladder, and chair and set them up in the ring. Owens noted Reigns is the best he’s ever been, but he doesn’t fear him. He said that Reigns is using his family to fight his battles.
Owens claimed that TLC is the most important match of his career. He said the Reigns today can beat anyone in the WWE. Owens is going to need all the help he can get. He said his family is at home and can’t help him, but he has a few friends.
Reigns and Heyman continued to watch on the monitor in the back.
Owens first introduced his friend, chairs. He said the chairs are going to help him break a bone or two. He’s going to make it hard for Reigns to sit at the table.
Speaking of the table, Owens introduced his next friend, the table. Lastly, he presented his final friend, the ladder. Owens climbed up the ladder as he spoke.
Owens promised to do whatever it takes to climb to the top of the ladder and win the title back. Suddenly, Uso attacked Owens with the chair. He injured Owens’s knee.
Owens fought back and slammed Uso into the ladder. Owens could barely stand because of his injury.
Owens then hit the pop-up powerbomb through the table.
Reigns music hit, and he walked out with Heyman. Owens demanded Reigns come to the ring. Reigns handed the belt to Heyman. Heyman stopped him and noted he’s doing this on Owens time. Heyman told Reigns he’s the head of the table and to do it on his time.
Reigns listened to Heyman. They turned around and walked off. Owens jumped out of the ring and chased after them with a chair. He limped to the back.
Back from the break, Kayla Braxton approached Kevin Owens as he looked for Reigns in the back. Suddenly, Reigns jumped Owens from behind and beat him down.
Reigns looked into the camera with a smile. He introduced himself to the Owens family. He warned them that he’s the guy that’s going to take food off of their table if they don’t talk to their husband and father.
The Riott Squad defeated Billie Kay & Natalya
This wasn’t very good, but it was kept short.
They recapped the Riott Squad mocking Billie Kay on Talking Smack last week. Kay had to find a partner to face The Riott Squad.
The Riott Squad had the early advantage and isolated Kay on their side of the ring. Kay rocked Liv Morgan with a boot to take over. Kay and Natalya cut off Morgan from her corner and kept her on their side of the ring.
Natalya was firmly in control when Kay tagged herself in the match. Morgan knocked Kay into Natalya, and she hit her in the face. Kay barely hit Natalya in the face, so it didn’t look good.
Ruby Riott then hit the Riott kick on Kay for the win.
They showed Chad Gable training Otis. Gable threw workout balls and other objects at Otis while wearing a blindfold. Several hours later, Otis was able to catch the workout balls while still wearing the blindfold. Gable was proud of his student. This was a great training video.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Gable and Otis. They were both great here.
Gable and Otis gave each other backhanded compliments. They promised to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro later. They showed good chemistry in this interview.
Nakamura and Cesaro approached. They mocked Gable and Otis then walked off.
Actor Mario Lopez sent in a message via Twitter. Lopez and his daughter are excited about tonight’s main event and picked Banks to win.
Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro defeated Chad Gable & Otis
This was an okay short little match.
Gable and Otis had the early advantage. Otis used some mat wrestling and took Cesaro to the ground.
Gable used some mat wrestling on Cesaro as well. The heels briefly took over and isolated Gable.
Otis got the hot tag and ran wild. He hit the splash in the corner and set up for the caterpillar. Gable demanded to be tagged in because of their plan.
Gable attempted a missile dropkick, but Cesaro caught him in the giant swing. Nakamura then hit the Kinshasa for the win.
In the back, Gable approached Otis and noted he was trying to teach Otis. He didn’t want to be tagged in, so Otis dropped the ball. Gable promised that Otis would get it.
They recapped King Corbin defeating Murphy with help from Wesley Blake and Steve Culter last week. In the back, Corbin introduced Blake and Cutler as the Knights of the Lone Wolf.
Carmella defeated SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks by Disqualifcatiaction
This was an okay match with a lame disqualification finish.
Carmella has a new entrance and theme music. As Sasha Banks made her entrance, the facts on the side listed that she’s rapper Snoop Dogg’s cousin.
Carmella’s sommelier is at ringside with champagne. On commentary, Cole and Graves noted this is a surprise match since it takes place in nine days at TLC. Graves claimed that Carmella manipulated Banks into the match tonight.
Carmella had the early advantage and mocked Banks. Banks fought back and rocked Carmella with a knee. She followed up with a Meteora on the apron. Carmella recovered and dropped Banks face-first on the apron.
Back from the break, Carmella was firmly in control with a chin lock. Banks fought back with elbows and hit the double knees in the corner for a near fall. Carmella avoided the backstabber and hit a cross body for a near fall.
Carmella locked on the code of silence submission, but Banks countered into the Banks statement. The sommelier pulled Banks out of the ring. Banks jumped back in the ring and beat down Carmella in the corner. Banks wouldn’t stop, so the referee disqualified her and called for the bell.
Banks slapped the sommelier and locked on the Bank Statement. Carmella hit Banks with the superkick and beat her around ringside. Carmella picked up the wine bottle and broke it over Banks’s back.
Carmella celebrated to end SmackDown.
Next Week: SmackDown airs on FS1 instead of FOX. The SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defend against Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode. Bianca Belair goes one-on-one with Bayley.
