WWE Friday Night Smackdown is live from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Michael Cole welcomes us and joined at ringside by Pat McAfee. WWE announced Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn, Fatal-4 way between the eliminated teams from WWE Women’s Tag Team tournament to secure place in semi-finals, The New Day returns and Ricochet vs. Happy Baron Corbin.

– Ricochet defeated Happy Baron Corbin via pinfall. After the match, Ricochet stood tall in the ring and McAfee draws on the screen to taunts Corbin while Corbin sits up in the corner to recover.

– The Street Profits walking at backstage and they meeting up with Hit Row. They briefly tease some tension but then laugh and agree that they are all money and walks off.

– we got a lengthy video package showing Drew McIntyre’s journey back home, with Drew talking about what led him back to WWE. The video will continue later, according to Cole.

– The music hits as Karrion Kross and Scarlett appear on the big screen. Kross says what a beautiful story of redemption on Drew McIntyre we just saw. He congratulates McIntyre and says who knows, maybe right now is Drew’s time, or maybe not. Kross says Drew should take this moment, think about it, feel it, savor it, because the reality is, at any given moment Kross can put his arm through the back of Drew’s head, and all of Drew’s achievements will mean absolutely nothing. Tick, tock.

– Natalya and Sonya Deville defeated Xia Li and Shotzi, Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop and Tamina Snuka and WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke via pinfall in Second chance Fatal-4 way match. After the match, Deville and Natalya stood tall and WWE confirmed Deville and Natalya vs. Rodriguez and Aliyah for later tonight. Deville and Natalya look out at the vacant titles on display at ringside.

– The Brawling Brutes – Sheamus, Butch and Ridge Holland makes their way to the ring. Sheamus says next weekend the Brawling Brutes will be starting fights and drinking pints when he celebrates becoming our new WWE Intercontinental Champion. Some fans cheer and some boo. Sheamus says he will be the first Ultimate Grand Slam Champion when he beats the sauerkraut of the so-called Ring General, who won’t know what hit him… the music interrupts and here comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther with Ludwig Kaiser. They march to the ring as the Brawling Brutes get ready.

Kaiser takes the mic and goes to introduce Gunther but Sheamus cuts him off and says no one has a bloody clue what Kaiser is saying, so why doesn’t he shut up for a second. Sheamus says his beef is with Gunther and Kaiser. Sheamus says Gunther calls himself the Ring General but the truth is, Gunther is looking at a real Ring General in Sheamus. 

Sheamus goes on about how he’s went to war with some of the best in the ring and defeated them, naming Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, John Cena, Roman Reigns, and even the King of Kings himself, Triple H, and nobody in this ring or this business has had banger after banger after banger after banger after banger… Sheamus tries to get the crowd to say “after banger” but they leave him hanging. 

Sheamus says he sees a lot of himself in Gunther as it’s been years since he saw someone possess the same brutal qualities as Gunther. He sees it in Gunther’s face, he’s just like Sheamus and loves to go to war in the ring. Sheamus goes on and says Gunther has something he wants and that’s the Intercontinental Title. Sheamus promises that he will drag the title off Gunther’s lifeless body and into the belly of the red dragon at Clash at The Castle. 

Gunther continues to stare straight ahead at Sheamus. He takes the mic and says Sheamus is a man to be respected, he will give him that, but he’s nothing like Gunther. Gunther declares himself the Intercontinental Champion and says to protect this title he will show Sheamus what violence really means. Fans were giving Gunther the “What?!” treatment during his promo. Gunther says in Cardiff not only will he retain the title, he will chop Sheamus’ chest into bloody bits, break his body and spirit, break the man that everybody thinks can’t be broken.

Gunther declares that The Ring General will break Sheamus. They face off and Butch suddenly drops Kaiser. They brawl while Sheamus and Gunther keep their eyes on each other, still facing off in the middle of the ring. Holland tries to help Butch but Kaiser sends him to the floor. Kaiser fights Holland at ringside and comes back in to brawl with Butch. All of this is happening while Sheamus and Gunther continue staring hole sin each other in the middle of the ring. Butch stands with Sheamus now while Kaiser stands with Gunther. Gunther and Sheamus hold their partners back as Holland comes back in and stands with Butch and Sheamus. Gunther and Kaiser exit the ring as Sheamus, Butch and Holland stares at them.

– Bayley, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai makes their way to the ring. Bayley is on commentary with IYO SKY and Dakota Kai standing behind her. Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah are out first for this match that will determine who faces SKY and Kai on Raw for the vacant WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Out next comes Sonya Deville and Natalya as Bayley continues ranting on commentary.

– Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah defeated Natalya and Sonya Deville via pinfall in WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles Tournament semi-finals. After the match, Rodriguez stood tall and Aliyah rushes in to celebrate with her. SKY and Kai enter the ring now and face off with Rodriguez and Aliyah as the announcers confirm their match on Raw for the vacant titles.

– Max Dupri and Maxxine Dupri are at backstage overseeing a Maximum Male Models photo shoot with ma.çé and mån.sôör. Hit Row’s theme song suddenly starts playing in the background and Max is upset because it’s ruining his shoot. Max says someone needs to fix this. Maxxine says wait, she has an idea. She walks off as Max looks on.

Maxxine Dupri returns to the Maximum Male Models photo shoot, and Los Lotharios is with her. They heard Maximum Male Models has a problem, and they have a solution. Angel and Humberto show what looks like a few cans of spray paint as Max Dupri thinks it over.

– The New Day makes their way to the ring. The returning Xavier Woods is in a wheelchair, and Kofi Kingston is standing next to him. Woods talks about how they’re usually out here having fun. They made fun of The Viking Raiders but they truly underestimated their abilities. Kofi says he had his ribs cracked a few weeks ago. Woods says they have to face a harsh reality – last week they saw the Viking funeral where boxes of Booty-O’s were burned, New Day t-shirts and unicorn horns were burned, their legacies were burned.

Woods says maybe New Day is just dead. Kofi says they appreciate that, and they’ve got to do a lot of cool things together but… the music interrupts and here come The Viking Raiders, Erik and Ivar. They say this is pathetic, they gave The New Day a proper send-off for warriors last week and instead of leaving, they’re out here crying. Woods says they just want a few seconds to say what they need to say. 

The Vikings march to the ring and say one thing a Viking despises is weakness and it makes them sick to see The New Day in their ring, groveling like a sick animal and sometimes the best thing to do for a wounded animal is to put them down. They drop their shields and gear, then enter the ring. Kingston stands between them and Woods in the wheelchair. They turn their backs on Woods to face Kofi down on one knee. 

Woods comes out of his wheelchair, then tosses a kendo stick to Kofi. The New Day laid a trap. They now unload on Erik and Ivar with the kendo sticks as fans cheer them on. Erik and Ivar retreat to the floor and Woods tosses the wheelchair out of the ring. The New Day yells out at The Viking Raiders, making it clear this isn’t over.

– Maximum Male Models are with Los Lotharios in the back parking lot. They have apparently spray painted “HIT ROW SUCKS” on a tour bus. Hit Row appears and Ashante “Thee” Adonis says if there’s beef, they can handle it in the ring next week. “Top Dolla” AJ Francis says this isn’t even their bus. Dolla, Adonis and “B-Fab” Briana Brandy laugh and walk off as Los Lotharios and Maximum Male Models look confused. The Street Profits come walking off the tour bus now. Max Dupri and Maxxine Dupri quickly walk away, while ma.çé and mån.sôör also hurry away, and the same goes for Los Lotharios. The Street Profits look at the vandalism on their bus, and they are not happy.

– Sami Zayn at backstage warming up when The Usos walk up. The Usos say Roman Reigns usually don’t talk about people the way he did Sami earlier, so that’s a big deal, and a big opportunity for Sami. They tell Sami to remember he needs to level up when he wears The Bloodline shirt, and he blew it last week so don’t blow it again tonight. Sami asks why they’re coming at him with this negativity as he prepares to go out to the ring. The negativity is what he was talking to Reigns about last week. Jey Uso yells at Sami and tells him to never disrespect him to his family the way he did last week. He yells at Sami to handle his business.

– We get another video package on Drew McIntyre’s journey to Clash at The Castle. Drew says his journey has brought him back to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns now, and Reigns is a monster but he will take him down. Drew goes on and says Reigns is now coming to his island, and he will kick Reigns’ head off his body, then lay him out – 1-2-3.

– WWE announced Karrion Kross’ in-ring debut, Butch vs. Ludwig Kaiser, The New Day vs. The Viking Raiders in a Viking Rules match, a “Final Judgment” segment for Ronda Rousey with Adam Pearce, Hit Row vs. Maximum Male Models, and a two-year title reign celebration for Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns for the for next week’s Clash at The Castle go-home edition of Friday Night Smackdown.

– Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn via pinfall. After the match, Drew stood tall in the ring but Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns runs down and quickly hits the ring to attack. Reigns unloads on Drew and beats him back down. Reigns is fired up now, taunting McIntyre. Drew counters and sends Reigns shoulder-first into the ring post. Reigns falls out to the floor. The Usos double team Drew now but he fights back and clears the ring. Drew then turns around to a big Spear by Reigns. 

The Usos bring steel chairs into the ring now as a furious Reigns barks orders, telling them to unload on Drew while he’s down, and they do with several chair shots. The Usos take Drew to the floor and toss him over the announce table. They continue stomping and beating on Drew while he’s down on the other side of the announce table. Reigns watches from the ring as The Usos now launch Drew into the barrier. The Usos hold Drew up against the barrier, allowing Sami to nail a Helluva Kick. 

The Usos take half of the steel ring steps and repeatedly ram them into Drew against the barrier. The Usos manage to roll Drew back into the ring. Reigns grabs Drew’s face and talks some trash, saying the top of the mountain is his and Drew will never have it unless Reigns is done with it. Do you understand me? Reigns now applies a Guillotine submission and tightens it. 

Roman Reigns lets go of Drew, then places a chair over his head while he is flat on his back. Reigns takes a seat in the chair, while still sitting over Drew’s face, and poses with both title belts while Drew is laid out. Sami and The Usos pose behind Reigns with their fingers and titles in the air. Reigns clutches both titles and barks into the camera, saying the whole business and whole industry runs off him, and he wants someone to try to take the title from him and SmackDown goes off the air.