WWE Friday Night SmackDown Full Results (January 6th, 2023)

– The announcers begin to hype tonight’s show but commentary chairs and other items start flying. The Bloodline is here. Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso, are at ringside and they’re still in a bad mood. The music hits and here comes Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman. Reigns stops at the entrance-way and raises his finger in the air. The Usos, Sikoa and Zayn look on from ringside and salute The Tribal Chief. Reigns marches to the ring as Samantha Irvin does the introductions.

Michael Cole shows us how John Cena and Kevin Owens defeated Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn one week ago. Roman Reigns stops on the apron and poses as the rest of The Bloodline poses on the other side of the ring, raising their fingers on the apron. The Bloodline now poses together in the middle of the ring. Roman Reigns takes the mic and calls on Memphis to acknowledge him.

Roman Reigns tells Paul Heyman we’re going to start things off a bit differently tonight. Reigns says he wants to hear from The Honorary Uce, Sami Zayn. Fans pop. Zayn is all smiles and a “Sami!” chant starts up. Zayn says we saw how The Bloodline kicked off this show, how they kicked off Raw, how they kicked off 2023, to put everyone on notice that this year belongs to The Bloodline. Sami says they are starting 2023 off right. They sent a message at Raw. He goes on about their wins at Raw and says they are sending a message this year.

Roman Reigns doesn’t really care to talk about this year, he wants to talk about what happened last year. Reigns brings up last week’s loss to John Cena and Kevin Owens. Roman Reigns laughs about some saying they lost, which isn’t in his DNA. He had to think about it long and hard. Reigns says he didn’t lose, Sami did. Sami’s shoulders were on the mat, not his.

Reigns says he didn’t lose so he doesn’t really care about it, and they’re moving forward, but he can’t figure out why Sami called his shot, why he guaranteed a win. Reigns says he calls his shots, and he always delivers without a problem, but it’s embarrassing when you call a shot but then fail to deliver. Reigns asks if Sami wants to be The Tribal Chief, why is he doing things like Reigns. Does Sami want to be like Reigns, does he think he can do things better? Reigns says at the top you have to think about these things, you have to keep eyes in the back of your head. 

Sami looks a bit confused as he shakes his head. Reigns asks over and over if Sami wants to be him, if he wants to take over The Bloodline. Reigns is yelling at Sami now. The music interrupts and here comes Kevin Owens. Owens says Reigns needs to relax, take a deep breath or two because he has some misdirected anger going on. Owens can’t think of the last time he saw Reigns like this, but Owens knows he was the cause of it, and he’s the cause of it again tonight. Owens says Reigns’ problem isn’t with Sami, it’s with Owens. He’s got a KO Problem and it’s starting to drive Reigns crazy. 

Owens says it’s time for Reigns to take care of that problem, and to do it at the Royal Rumble with the title on the line. Fans pop. Reigns says yeah, sure, he doesn’t care about Owens and just wants him to go away, leave forever. Reigns says after he beat Reigns last week, he’s in a great mood and will leave but not forever, he will see Reigns at the Royal Rumble, and he will see Sami whenever Sami manages to dig his balls out of Reigns’ pocket. Owens walks away from the entrance-way. Heyman talks with Reigns as The Bloodline looks on, but we can’t hear what they’re saying.

– The new SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair arrives in the back, driving her convertible BMW. She hops out and goes to enter the building. Michael Cole says she will be here live tonight.

– Michael Cole shows us video from earlier today with Legado del Fantasma interrupting Kayla Braxton’s backstage interview with The New Day. Santos Escobar commented on how Kofi’s Royal Rumble appearances are legendary and as much as he likes watching Kofi in The Rumble, he will enjoy eliminating Kingston even more. Escobar said the sun has set on The New Day, and now it’s Legado’s time. The two sides had words with Kingston telling them to jump.

– Santos Escobar defeated Kofi Kingston via pinfall. After the match, Escobar quickly hits the floor and regroups with Zelina Vega and the rest of Legado del Fantasma at the bottom of the ramp as The New Day looks on.

– Michael Cole confirms Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns for the Royal Rumble with the Undisputed WWE Universal Title on the line.

– Sami Zayn at backstage knocking on the door of Roman Reigns’ locker room suite but Paul Heyman stops him. Sami just wants to explain but Heyman says now is not the time. The Usos and Solo Sikoa walk up, and they’re allowed to enter the room. Heyman recalls how last week he told Zayn that you need to be three steps ahead at all times on The Island of Relevancy, but even three steps down the road would be bad timing. Heyman says think about this – I still love you. Heyman enters the room. Sami looks confused as Heyman shuts the door in his face.

– Liv Morgan cuts a backstage promo on how she will win the Women’s Royal Rumble, declaring her spot. She wants to be the first entrant.

– We see how Uncle Howdy dropped Bray Wyatt last week while they both stood in the ring with LA Knight. LA is backstage with Kayla Braxton now. She asks show he feels going into the Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble. LA insults the people of Memphis and says he feels good because Bray Wyatt’s plans back-fired last week and now all he has to do is walk into The Royal Rumble and kick what’s left of him around. 

LA Knight says now no one is talking about Bray Wyatt’s big return match, they’re talking about LA Knight. Yeah. Knight goes on and says when the lights go down at The Royal Rumble, Bray Wyatt’s lights will go out. That’s not an insult, it’s just a fact of life. Yeah. Michael Cole says we still don’t know much about the Pitch Black match but it will be No Rules, Anything Goes, win by pinfall or submission.

– Karrion Kross and Scarlett defeated Madcap Moss and Emma via submission. After the match, Kross stands tall over Moss. Scarlett brings Rey Mysterios’ mask into the ring and they place it over Moss’ head. They pull out a Mysterio tarot card, then lay it over Moss. Kross and Scarlett pose over Moss and the lights go red. Kross kneels into the camera and says he knows Mysterio is watching, and he knows Rey knows that he will be in Moss’ place soon. Tik, tok. Kross exits the ring and carries Scarlett to the back.

– Michael Cole touts last week’s SmackDown ratings and shows us tonight’s Progressive Match Flo video, which looks back at how Ronda Rousey retained the SmackDown Women’s Title over Raquel Rodriguez last Friday, but then dropped the title to Charlotte Flair after she made her surprise return. Flair is here tonight.

– The announcers hype WWE Money In the Bank from London on Saturday, July 1 at The O2 Arena.

– We go to King Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar & Grille on Beale Street in Memphis, owned by WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler. Sheamus and Drew McIntyre are there talking. Sheamus says being on the front lines together these past few months has made him want to smash Drew’s face in a little bit less. Drew says the talk like that is what got them in this mess in the first place, that and Sheamus kept kicking Drew in the head. They keep hitting each other with friendly but aggressive body slaps. Sheamus says he’s proud to call Drew an Honorary Brute. 

Drew appreciates that. Sheamus says he’s been thinking back to all of their matches and how they kicked the crap out of each other. The friendly slaps continue as they recall their past matches. Sheamus says if they did that to each other, imagine what they will do to The Usos tonight on SmackDown. McIntyre is looking forward to beating The Usos and getting back out on Beale Street later tonight. They get the bar crowd to chant “Banger after banger!” with them.

– We go back to the ring and here comes new SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. Fans cheer for Flair as Cole talks about last week’s surprise return and title win over Ronda Rousey. Charlotte Flair takes the mic and gives a shout-out to Memphis, then asks if they missed their Queen. Flair says she missed them too. She asks about the “payback is a bitch” catchphrase and says just ask Rousey, she knows. Fans chant “thank you Charlotte!” and Flair is surprised to hear this, but she thanks the fans. 

She says she was gone for 8 months and whether you love or hate her, she was genuinely surprised to hear the reactions to her return in Tampa last week. Flair says whether you like to cheer her or boo her, or just “Woooo!”, she’s always been about three things – passion, consistency and dedication for what she does in the ring. Flair says she may be a lot of things to a lot of people but one thing she is not is complacent, she will always ask and demand more, she will not just coast, she will knock down any obstacle in her way, because that’s what a champion does. 

A champion expects the unexpected and rises to any occasion, and that is what she’s done 14 times. The music interrupts and here comes Sonya Deville. Deville gets fans to give it up for Flair. Deville says the hillbillies in the arena might not be bright enough to see through Flair’s lies, but Deville is and she does. Deville says there should be an asterisk next to Flair’s #14 because she beat a half-dead Rousey. Deville sarcastically congratulates Flair as she enters the ring.

Sonya Deville seemingly challenges Charlotte Flair, then takes off her jacket. Charlotte Flair taunts Sonya Deville. Deville says if Flair wants to prove she’s a real champion, put the title on the line right now. Charlotte Flair asks Memphis what they think of the challenge, and they cheer. The “whoop that trick!” chant starts back up. Charlotte Flair says challenge accepted, trick. Flair and Deville get ready for a match as the referee hits the ring.

– Charlotte Flair defeated Sonya Deville via submission and successfully retained her Smackdown Women’s Championship. After the match, Charlotte Flair stands tall and raises the title in the air.

– Michael Cole sends us to the same Cody Rhodes vignette that aired during Monday Night Raw this week.

– We get a new vignette from Lacey Evans. She is training and learning more methods and close combat skills. Her new method of destruction is the Cobra Clutch

– Ricochet defeated “Top Dolla” AJ Francis via pinfall and qualified for the Royal Rumble match. After the match, Ricochet stands tall and come back to Dolla offering a handshake to a skeptical Ricochet. They shake and embrace. Dolla then raises Ricochet’s arms in victory. Adonis superkicks Ricochet out of nowhere, then Dolla man-handles him and talks trash to his face. 

Dolla holds Ricochet while B-Fab nails a pump kick to put him back down. Fans continue to boo as Adonis mounts Ricochet with punches. Adonis and Dolla with a big double team slam now as B-Fab continues the trash talking. Dolla grabs Ricochet again but the music hits and here comes Braun Strowman. Strowman rushes the ring but Hit Row quickly retreats. Strowman dares Dolla to come back to the ring but he won’t. Strowman and Ricochet stand together while Hit Row barks back from the ramp.

– We go backstage to The Bloodline. The Usos are getting hyped up for the main event. Solo Sikoa leaves with them. Roman Reigns tells Paul Heyman to bring Sami Zayn to him.

– Michael Cole sends us to a video package for next week’s title match between Braun Strowman and WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.

– We go to Roman Reigns’ locker room suite and in comes Sami Zayn, who asks if Reigns wanted to see him. Reigns tells him to take a seat. Paul Heyman is sitting in the background. Sami says he doesn’t have to say this but he acknowledges Reigns as The Tribal Chief, everyone does, no one questions that. Zayn says he’s not trying to be a Tribal Chief or take power, nothing like that, but if anything he did gave that impression to Reigns, then he’s sorry. Sami repeats – he’s sorry. Reigns takes a deep breath and sits forward in his chair. 

Reigns says he does not accept Zayn’s apology. Reigns says as your Tribal Chief, he holds himself to a very high standard and at the end of the day, he’s got to control his anger. Reigns says no one deserves to be talked to like that, nobody deserves that in front of the whole world. So no, Reigns does not accept Zayn’s apology because Reigns should be the one apologizing. Zayn is shocked. Reigns says he’s sorry. Zayn doesn’t know what to say. Zayn says it’s fine, Reigns is under a lot of pressure, right? Zayn says as Reigns is Head of The Table, he gets it. 

Roman Reigns appreciates that but says it’s no excuse. Reigns is embarrassed to say Kevin Owens was right – he’s not mad at Zayn, he’s mad at KO, and he’s taking it out on Zayn, and that’s not right. It’s not right, but they’re going to fix it. Sami looks relieved. Reigns says the KO problem is one they’re going to fix, right Wise Man? Heyman, clutching both title belts, sits down next to Sami on the couch. Heyman says The Tribal Chief is giving Sami the opportunity to redeem himself next week, live on SmackDown, in a match against Kevin Owens. 

Sami Zayn nods his head and says yes, let’s do it. Sami Zayn says he will take care of Kevin Owens for his Tribal Chief. Sami Zayn gets up to go join The Usos for the main event. Roman Reigns grabs his arm and tells him to stay so they can all watch this match together. Paul Heyman is all smiles. Sami Zayn sits back down next to Paul Heyman.

– The Usos defeated Sheamus and Drew McIntyre via pinfall and retained their Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles. After the match, we cut backstage to see Sami Zayn going wild and throwing popcorn all over the room. Roman Reigns is a bit surprised. The Usos quickly head to the floor. The first Friday Night SmackDown of 2023 goes off the air with the announcers hyping Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens for next week.