Tag: nikki cross

With a limited roster due to travel delays getting out of Saudi Arabia, tonight’s SmackDown is being held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

None of the matches and segments that were originally planned for tonight will be taking place. Instead, WWE has announced that Bayley will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Nikki Cross on the show. Cross became the number one contender to Bayley’s title by winning a six-pack challenge two weeks ago.

An appearance by WWE Champion Brock Lesnar has also been confirmed for tonight. Lesnar retained his WWE title against Cain Velasquez in the opening match of Crown Jewel. The match went just over two minutes, with Lesnar catching Velasquez in a Kimura and submitting him.

After Lesnar wouldn’t break the hold, Rey Mysterio eventually fought him off with a steel chair.

The Wrap has reported that Renee Young, Tom Phillips & Aiden English will be the commentary team for tonight. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman came out to start SmackDown. Heyman noted Lesnar is the reigning and defending WWE Champion but is in a bad mood. He should be in a good mood for conquering Cain Velaquez. Heyman showed footage from Crown Jewel.

They showed the Lesnar vs. Velaquez match from Saudi Arabia in its entirety. Heyman pointed out that Lesnar finally got revenge on Velaquez after nine years. 

Heyman noted Lesnar’s furious because of Rey Mysterio. They showed footage of Mysterio attacking Lesnar with the chair after the match from Crown Jewel. Heyman and Lesnar went to Vince McMahon and asked him to serve Mysterio up to Lesnar.

Heyman said McMahon couldn’t let that happen because SmackDown stars are exclusive to FOX, and Raw stars are exclusive to USA Network. Mysterio can’t come to SmackDown because he’s on Raw.

Heyman promised that Lesnar would go to Raw to confront Mysterio. Nobody can stop Lesnar, including the chairman of the board or a lawsuit. Heyman then announced that Lesnar quits Friday Night SmackDown. 

Heyman and Lesnar walked off and left the arena. Suddenly, Triple H and Shawn Michaels showed up and watched Lesnar and Heyman go. 

SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley (w/Sasha Banks) defeated Nikki Cross 

Cross sent Bayley to the floor with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors. She followed up with a dropkick through the ropes and a tornado DDT off the apron on the floor. Back from the break, Cross was briefly in control, but Bayley took over after pushing her into the steps.

Bayley missed a charge into the turnbuckle. Cross made a comeback and ran wild. She hit a splash in the corner and followed with the bulldog. 

Cross hit a crossbody for a close near fall. She set up for the neck breaker, but Banks made the save. Cross knocked Banks off the apron, but Bayley hit a knee. Bayley hit the elbow off the top for a close near fall. Cross trapped Bayley in the ring skirt and nailed forearms.

Cross sent Bayley back in the ring and climbed to the top. The finish came when Banks shoved Cross off the top, and Bayley scored the pin.

After the match, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler ran out through the crowd and attacked Banks. The fans broke into an “NXT” chant. She jumped in the ring and beat down Bayley and Cross. She continued to attack Bayley and nailed her with a knee.

Pat McAfee joined Tom Philips and Renee Young on commentary. 

In the back, Cathy Kelly interviewed Sami Zayn. Zayn pointed out that there are lots of NXT stars there tonight. He said if anyone from NXT tries to step to him, they’re going to have a problem. He was interrupted by NXT’s Matt Riddle and Keith Lee. 

Zayn pretended to be their friend and praised them. He pretended to have an NXT shirt but said it’s in the car. Riddle and Lee followed him to his car, but Zayn ran off. Riddle and Lee chased after him to ringside. 

Riddle caught Zayn and threw him into the ring. Zayn tried to hit Riddle, but he ducked. Riddle rocked Zayn with a knee and Bro Derek. Lee then hit a massive moonsault to a big pop. 

They recapped Tyson Fury defeating Braun Strowman by count-out at Crown Jewel and Strowman attacking Fury after the match. 

Miz TV with guest The Miz 

Initially, The Miz was supposed to interview New Universal Champion “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt. Instead, he’s interviewing himself because he couldn’t find anyone else. He showed footage of Wyatt vs. Seth Rollins from Saudi Arabia in a falls count anywhere match. Miz noted that Wyatt wouldn’t appear tonight.

He turned his attention to NXT and recapped Shayna Basler attacking Bayley and Matt Riddle & Keith Lee attacking Sami Zayn. 

NXT’s Tommaso Ciampa interrupted and made his way to the ring. The fans broke into another “NXT” chant. Ciampa called himself the greatest sports entertainer of all time. He said Miz is everything that’s wrong with Raw and SmackDown.

Ciampa noted he broke his neck for NXT, but Miz plays an actor. Miz mocked Ciampa and noted he’d heard that for the last 15 years. Miz then challenged Ciampa to a match.

Tommaso Ciampa defeated The Miz 

Miz had the early advantage but missed a dropkick through the ropes. Ciampa took over and threw Miz into the ring steps. Ciampa slowed the pace down with a chin lock. Miz fired back and hit an inverted DDT for a near fall. 

Miz hit a series of running knees in the corner, but Ciampa hit a discus lariat. Miz fought back and attempted the figure four leg-lock. Ciampa fought out, and Miz clipped the leg. Ciampa went for a powerbomb, but the leg gave out. Miz hit a DDT for a close near fall. He applied the figure four, but Ciampa reversed the hold. 

Ciampa used an inside cradle for a two count and locked in a half-crab. Ciampa and Miz traded hard chops in the middle of the ring. Miz went for a crossbody, but Ciampa rocked him with a knee. Ciampa then hit the Fairy Tale Ending for the win. 

The commentators pushed this as a massive win for Ciampa and NXT. 

In the back, Daniel Bryan approached Triple H and Shawn Michales. Bryan wondered what they were doing there. Triple H noted he heard a challenge, so NXT showed up tonight.

Bryan’s looking for a fight and challenged Triple H. They went face-to-face, but The Game turned him down. They teased Bryan against Michales, but he was taking off his jacket and putting it back on. 

Triple H then brought in the NXT Champion Adam Cole and challenged Bryan. Bryan agreed to the match but for the title. NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. Daniel Bryan is official for later. 

Fire & Desire were in the ring, waiting for Dana Brooke and Carmella. 

They cut to the back, and NXT’s Bianca Belair attacked Brooke and Carmella. 

In the arena, Rhea Ripley and Tegan Nox came out and challenged Fire & Desire. 

Rhea Ripley & Tegan Nox defeated Fire & Desire 

Ripley and Nox dominated that match. Nox tossed Sonya Deville into the commentators. Ripley won the match with an inverted cloverleaf on Mandy Rose. 

Triple H and Shawn Michaels came down to the ring and sat at ringside. 

Stephanie McMahon came out and talked about women’s evolution. She spoke about Natayla vs. Lacey Evans at Crown Jewel yesterday in Saudi Arabia. They showed footage of the match from Crown Jewel. 

NXT Champion Adam Cole defeated Daniel Bryan 

NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong walked out with Cole but went to the back. Cole got a pretty big reaction during the ring introductions. There were dual “Adam Cole” and “Daniel Bryan” chants at the start of the match. 

They had a really good match that got very heated by the end. Bryan had the early advantage with hard chops in the corner. Cole slowed the pace down with a side headlock.

Bryan fought back and rocked Cole with a hard kick. Bryan worked over the elbow and used a surfboard. He looked right at Triple H as he locked in the submission. Cole fought back with a boot for a near fall. 

On commentary, Tom Philips noted Cole’s competing with a fractured hand. Bryan then suplexed Cole, but they were too close to the ropes, and they both fell to the floor. 

Back from the break, Cole scored a close near fall on Bryan. He followed up with a figure four headlock. Bryan fought back and ran wild. He ran up the turnbuckle and hit Cole with a dropkick.

Bryan threw Cole to the floor, and Cole’s back hit the apron. Bryan followed up with a missile dropkick and hit the running dropkick in the corner. 

Bryan rocked Cole with uppercuts, but Cole hit a big boot for a two count. Bryan threw Cole out of the ring in front of Triple H and Michaels. Bryan then hit a suicide dive, but Cole cut him off on the second attempt. 

Back from the break, Bryan gave Cole a sick looking German Suplex off the top. He held on and went for the diving headbutt, but Cole moved. Cole attempted the Last Shot, but Bryan countered with half-crab. 

Bryan applied the Lebell Lock, but Cole broke free. Bryan kicked Cole in the face and used the LeBell Lock again, but Cole made the ropes. 

Bryan followed up with the Yes Kicks, but Cole rolled him up for a near fall. Bryan went for the running knee, but Cole hit a superkick and followed up with the Panama Sunrise. Cole then hit the Last Shot for the win to retain the NXT Championship. 

After the match, Roderick Strong and other NXT stars came out to celebrate Cole’s win. Triple H talked about building an army, and NXT fired the first shot. He wants to see what Raw and SmackDown got. He ended by saying, “We Are NXT,” which the crowd repeated.

Triple H put his arms around NXT Woman’s Champion Shayna Baszler, and NXT Champion Adam Cole with the rest of the NXT stars in the background.