Tonight’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown is live from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Michael Cole welcomes us to a sold out show ans he’s joined at ringside by Wade Barrett. WWE announced John Cena and Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn, Solo Sikoa vs. Sheamus, Ronda Rousey to defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Raquel Rodriguez and more.
Here The WWE Friday Night SmackDown Full Results
– The final Friday Night SmackDown of 2022 is opened with Bray Wyatt making his way to the ring. Wyatt takes his time entering the ring with his lantern. We see how Wyatt attacked the camera man last Friday. Wyatt introduces himself and says honestly, he doesn’t really think of himself as a good person, but he tries really, really hard, man. When he looks back at all the horrible things he’s had to do to get where he’s at today, man, honestly he doesn’t regret much. However, last week he did something that he does regret, and he wants to apologize.
Bray Wyatt says he attacked the camera man in cold blood, and the camera man didn’t deserve that. Wyatt says if the man is watching, he wants him to know that… The music interrupts and here comes LA Knight. Knight speaks from the stage and says the Master of The Mind Games is getting gamed by the mega-star, LA Knight. Knight says Wyatt can’t even keep his composure, he can’t finish a sentence, he gets all embarrassed and then takes it out on a camera man. Knight isn’t concerned about all that, but he is concerned with Wyatt paying one of his goons to come out in the Uncle Howdy outfit.
Knight further says Bray Wyatt thinks that takes the heat off him but no, Wyatt is still a responsible party. Knight says it’s time to pay the check. He’s at ringside now as Wyatt looks on. Knight says Wyatt used to be something, a force. Fans chant “you suck!” as Knight stands on the apron now, telling them to quiet down. Knight says week after week all Wyatt has proven himself to be is a fraud, a broke down loser. Yeah. Knight says he has the medicine. He enters the ring and brings up his first Royal Rumble, so he wants to make it a special one. Fans begin the “What!?” treatment and Knight tells them to shut up. He plans to put Wyatt out of his misery and break him like dishes at The Rumble. Wyatt calls him a little idiot and fans pop. Wyatt asks Knight who the hell he thinks he’s talking to, son.
Bray Wyatt says he’s been patient all this time but he knows in the back of his head that he can end this when he wants to. He says he thinks Knight is right, maybe it’s time that he needs to remind Knight and the rest of the world how cruel he can be when he feels like it. Fans pop. Wyatt accepts Knight’s challenge for Royal Rumble, tossing the mic at Knight. Suddenly, graphics flash and Uncle Howdy is now on the big screen. Howdy says to revel in what you are, embrace the dark. He repeats himself.
LA Knight asks what this is and Wyatt tells him to shut up. The lights go low and here comes Uncle Howdy to the entrance-way. Howdy marches to the ring now, and enters, taking his top hat off. The lights are still low but we see Howdy standing next to Wyatt. Knight faces them. We see them move in the shadows now, and Uncle Howdy has dropped Bray Wyatt with Sister Abigail. Knight retreats to the floor and asks what the hell is going on. Howdy exits the ring and slowly marches to the back. A closer look shows that this may not have been Howdy after all, maybe some other character or just a different look at Howdy?
– Sami Zayn is walking at backstage. He knocks on The Bloodline locker room suite door and out comes Paul Heyman. They embrace. Sami Zayn thought he and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns should talk things over before tonight’s main event. Paul Heyman praises Sami Zayn for last week’s promos on John Cena and Kevin Owens, and says Roman Reigns is so proud of him.
Sami Zayn says they talked after and Roman Reigns seemed so pleased with everything. Paul Heyman says the whole concept of Roman Reigns standing in the middle of the ring, with everyone chanting “Sami!” at him, it’s not the right optic. Sami asks if Reigns said something. Heyman says he didn’t have to. Heyman says to survive on The Island of Relevancy, you stay three steps ahead at all times. Heyman is implying people like Sami too much? Sami laughs it off and enters the room. Heyman sighs and looks a bit stressed.
– Solo Sikoa defeated Sheamus via pinfall. After the match, Solo Sikoa stands tall and Sheamus is attacked now by The Bloodline. A chair is wrapped around Sheamus’ neck in the corner, and Sikoa readies for the Umaga corner splash but the music hits and out comes Drew McIntyre. Drew McIntyre drops Jey Uso at ringside, then drops Jimmy Uso with a Glasgow Kiss headbutt as he enters the ring.
Drew McIntyre faces off with Solo Sikoa in the ring now as fans pop. Drew McIntyre ducks a clothesline and then clotheslines Solo Sikoa to the floor. Drew McIntyre dodges a superkick from Jimmy Uso, then levels him with a Claymore Kick. Butch and Holland rush the ring to stand with Drew McIntyre, sending Jey back to the floor retreating. Drew McIntyre, Ridge Holland and Butch stand tall together and later Sheamus joins them. The Usos and Sikoa look on from ringside.
– Tonight’s Progressive Match Flo replay looks at Ronda Rousey’s recent dominance, and her feud with Raquel Rodriguez.
– Ronda Rousey defeated Raquel Rodriguez via submission and successfully retained her SmackDown Women’s Championship. After the match, Shyan Baszler joins Ronda Rousey in the ring and they stand tall together. We come back and a familiar music of Charlotte Flair hits as the crowd erupts. Charlotte Flair is here. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler are shocked. Charlotte Flair marches to the ring and enters the ring now.
Ronda Rousey takes the mic and asks Charlotte Flair how her arm is doing, how rehab is going. Ronda Rousey says let me guess, you want a title shot at the Royal Rumble? Rousey asks “Queenie” how she’s doing. Flair says no, she’s challenging Ronda Rousey tonight. Flair tosses the mic as fans pop. Rousey seethes as Baszler tries to talk her to the back. Flair raises her arms and the crowd pops. Rousey drops the title in between them, and says she’s feeling spicy. Baszler argues with Rousey now. Rousey hands the title to the referee and her we go.
– Charlotte Flair defeated Ronda Rousey via pinfall in a quick match and became the new SmackDown Women’s Champion. After the match, Charlotte Flair raises the title and celebrates at ringside. Flair enters the crowd to celebrate with fans as a disappointed Rousey looks on from the ring. We see Flair embracing fans in the crowd now. Charlotte Flair raises the title on the entrance-way now as the pyro goes off. Flair continues her celebration and heads to the back, stopping to kiss the title belt and raise it in the air.
– We go backstage to The Bloodline. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn are talking and sharing a few laughs. Sami asks Reigns if he was bothered by the fans chanting for him last week. Reigns acts as if this did not bother him, and says he meant to tell Sami this – the way he was locked in, how can anyone pay attention to anything else due to the words he was saying, the conviction he said it with. Reigns says if Sami has 10% of that tonight, it’s an easy night for Reigns, he won’t have to do anything. Sami says it will be a great night for The Bloodline. The Usos agree while Solo Sikoa stares ahead, and Paul Heyman smiles. Reigns looks ahead and nods.
– Micheal Cole shows us a replay of what happened with Dominik Mysterio getting arrested at his grandfather’s house on Christmas when he showed up with Rhea Ripley to confront Rey Mysterio. Cole confirms Ripley bailed Dominik out.
– WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The New Day, Hit Row, Madcap Moss and Maximum Male Models are backstage ribbing “Top Dolla” AJ Francis over his recent failed dive. Ricochet joins in on the jokes against Dolla, but Dolla gets offended and shoves him. They have words as the others hold them back. Cole says Dolla should be embarrassed as a man of his size should never try dives like that.
– The Imperium – WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, makes their way to the ring. WWE announcers hype tonight’s main event. We see what happened earlier with LA Knight, Bray Wyatt and Uncle Howdy. The Pitch Black match is confirmed for Royal Rumble, sponsored by Mountain Dew’s Pitch Black flavor. No details are announced. We go back to the ring and Imperium is standing tall in the center. Kaiser takes the mic.
Kaiser says 2022 was the year of The Ring General. Vinci says GUNTHER has proven to bet he mos dominant Intercontinental Champion in history, and no man on SmackDown will take the title from him. Kaiser says don’t just take their word for it, take a look at the men who tried. We see a video package on GUNTHER’s recent dominance as champion. The music hits and here comes Braun Strowman now. Braun takes the mic and faces off with GUNTHER. Braun says he noticed one thing about GUNTHER’s little video – Braun wasn’t in it, which means GUNTHER clearly hasn’t defeated him.
Braun says maybe Vinci and Kaiser are right when they say there’s not a man on SmackDown who can beat GUNTHER, but what about a monster? Fans pop. GUNTHER laughs and drops the mic. Imperium turns to leave but Braun says he’s not asking for a title shot he’s telling GUNTHER, boy. Braun Strowman grabs GUNTHER’s shoulder to turn him back around. Imperium attacks Braun Strowman but he fights them off. Braun clears the ring of Vinci and Kaiser as GUNTHER watches from the corner.
Braun Strowman backs GUNTHER into the corner now. GUNTHER attacks with a chop but Braun catches it. GUNTHER pleads with Braun as Braun holds his arm. Braun with a big clothesline. GUNTHER rolls to the floor as Braun rips his shirt off, then yells out. Braun runs around the ring with the Strowman Express as fans pop. Braun runs over Kaiser and Vinci but GUNTHER sends him crashing through the barrier into the timekeeper’s area.
GUNTHER with a steel chair shot over the back. They hold Braun Strowman as GUNTHER delivers another chair shot, then they send him into the steel steps. GUNTHER brings Braun Strowman back into the ring and stretches his arm out. Vinci and Kaiser keep officials from entering the ring. Ricochet runs down with a steel chair to make the save for Braun Strowman. Imperium retreats. Adam Pearce and other officials try to restore order from ringside as Ricochet checks on Braun Strowman.
– John Cena and Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns via pinfall. After the match, Kevin Owens and Cena celebrate to a big pop. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn are down at ringside as Solo Sikoa and The Usos stand tall next to them. John Cena and Kevin Owens continue their celebration as Michael Cole wishes everyone a Happy New Year and The final Friday Night SmackDown of 2022 goes off the air.