The King of the Ring and Queens Crown tournaments begin tonight featuring Sami Zayn Vs Rey Mysterio and Liv Morgan taking on Carmella!
Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Sasha Banks sign the contract for their upcoming Smackdown Women’s Championship triple threat at Crown Jewel!
What else could possibly go down on the season premiere of Smackdown, find out right here as our live coverage begins at 8:00 P.M. E.S.T
We kick things off with the Smackdown women championship contract signing with all 3 women with their own table Becky in the rampway, Bianca in the ring, and Banks at the announce table, the war of words is over quickly as this breaks down into a rumble ending with a K.O.D. to Becky through Sasha and a table standing tall to end the segment.
Grade B+ quick and to the point even though it ended in a brawl as they always do in WWE, Bianca finally receives the momentum she needs even though the winner is going to most likely be Sasha since Becky and Bianca have been drafted to Raw.
Rey Mysterio Vs Sami Zayn Opening matchup in King of the Ring
Sami tries to start off quick, Rey quickly counters and rolls him up for two. Sami counters a second hurracanranna with a powerbomb for two. Counter and head-scissor set Sami up for the 619, Zayn is able to roll out of the ring to avoid the contact, but can’t avoid a head-scissor through the ropes. Sami sends Rey sliding shoulder first into the ring post bringing out Dominic and sending us to commercial.
We return with Sami in control pounding on Rey in the corner, Rey fights back after a suplex in the corner with a blue thunder bomb for another near fall, impressive springboard huracanrana to Sami off the second rope, and another near fall. Rey counters an attempted blue thunder bomb attempts another 619 countered by Sami into the blue thunder bomb for two. Sami removes the turnbuckle pad gets countered by Rey as Dominick tries to put the pad back on Rey yells at him to get down, Sami shoves him into Dominick rolls up Rey and scores the pinfall victory to advance in The King of the Ring tournament.
Grade B
Really good opening match not just for a show but for the tournament as well, with more dissension between Rey and Dominick continuing to further that story, however, the commercial break and predictable distraction victory hurt this grade.
Seth Rollins promo
We get a nice video package recapping the last few weeks of events between Edge and Seth. <aniacal Seth is the best Seth, completely convinced that he did the right thing last week.
Zelina Vega VS Toni Storm Opening round match for Queen’s crown tournament.
Toni catches the foot of Zelina as Zelina demands for her to return her leg. Vega gets a roll-up on Storm and transitions into a vicious version of the camel clutch. Toni fires back after dropping Vega with a reversal followed by a charging thigh smash into the corner, Zelina knocks Storm off the 2nd rope, counters a backslide slam with a code red for the pinfall victory.
Grade C
This grade is not reflective of the effort put forward by both women, they have great chemistry together but barely got started by the time it was over being only given 5 minutes.
Roman Reigns makes his way to the ring
flanked by the Smackdown Tag-team Champions and Paul Heyman.
Grad A+
What an amazing segment continuing the story and still planting the seeds of Paul Heyman’s possible betrayal of the Beast, Roman forces Paul to tell Brock Lesnar directly through the camera that he stands only with The Bloodline. Sprinkling in old catchphrases from when he was with Lesnar, still leaving us questions of who Paul Heyman truly stands with.
Seth confronts Adam Pierce and Sonya Deville demanding Edge be in the arena at the close of the show and tells them to return a framed picture of Edge and Beth Pheonix in case they see him first.
Grade A
more great work from Seth planting seeds throughout the show for the final segment hooking fans in for the rest of the show.
Carmella VS Liv Morgan
We start with Carmella backing out of the ring to grab that horribly designed mask.
Liv starts right at Carmella, as Carmella counters with submission only releasing when Liv grabbed her mask. Standing enziguri and a double knee to the face from Morgan for a near fall as Carmella gets her foot on the ropes. Carmella counters Morgan again hanging her up on the top rope nailing a superkick for the pinfall victory.
Grade D
Once again this grade is affected by the limited time these women were given in the ring, two women match’s barely amounting to 10 minutes combined in opening matches for the first time ever Queens Crown tournament if they are not willing to give time in any matches what is the point of the tournament.
Happy Talk with Happy Corbin featuring the Street Profits
Kevin Owens interrupts the terrible jokes of Madcap Moss beating down both Moss and Corbin for a moment, the numbers game gets the best of him as Moss hits him with his version of a neck breaker.
Grade F
From the terrible jokes to not having the Street Profits why even advertise it, they could have given both women’s matches a few more minutes instead of this terrible segment.
Sonya Deville challenges Naomi
Grade B- This segment did everything it was supposed to do as Naomi frustrated with not being in the Queens Crown tournament demands a trade to Raw before Sonya challenges, throw in the Oh My God from Adam Pierce, for good measure.
Finn Balor VS Cesaro King of the Ring-opening round match
Quick-paced start to the action of transitions and counters, Finn not allowing Cesaro to create separation. Tilt a whirl backbreaker earns Cesaro a near fall. Cesaro stays in control quickly making covers to try and surprise Balor. Balo counters and delivers a double stomp to the chest followed by tossing Cesaro to the floor. Push-up European uppercut earns Cesaro another near fall as we head to another commercial break.
We return with Cesaro still in control delivering vicious European uppercuts followed by a Superplex and another near fall. Balor counters the swing for a near fall and sends Cesaro shoulder first into the ring post, as Balor flies through the air onto Cesaro on the outside. Balor delivers a Coup De Grace for the pinfall victory.
Grade B
This may have been the best-wrestled match of the night but was hurt by the commercial break right in the middle of it, another thing that could have been adjusted if you pulled the ridiculous Corbin Segment.
Seth Rollins Segment
Seth Rollins is in the ring after yet another commercial break, after being verbally run down by Seth Edge makes his way through the arena looking jacked as hell, Rollins grabs a chair but Edge meets him with a chair and continues the assault on the outside of the ring. Edge grabs a chair of his own looking to use a piece of the chair to deliver his painful STO, grabs the mic, and challenges Rollins to Hell In a Cell.
Grade A+
From Rollin’s exemplary Promo work to the assault from Edge and a natural progression to a Hell in a Cell match for the first time in years this was a great way to end an ok night of Smackdown.
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