About 16 hours before Crown Jewel kicks off in Riyadh tomorrow, the stars of the blue brand were back in action for a taped episode of SmackDown from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn tonight. The hype mostly centered on the impending No Holds Barred match between heated rivals CM Punk and Kevin Owens.
Not long after KO’s shocking return from 17 months on the shelf, his path crossed with that of a man whose history with him dates back over two decades. Owens earned a WWE Title shot by winning his return match
at SummerSlam, and cashed it in against WWE Champion CM Punk less than three weeks later. That match, of course, ended with an angry Sami Zayn costing KO and allowing Punk to remain champ.
On an episode of Raw in Mexico City just a few weeks later, Zayn got his own retribution on Punk, after CM had ended Sami’s previous title reign earlier in the summer after just 9 days. Kevin Owens factored into the decision here again, inadvertently hitting Punk in the skull with the WWE Title. Their rivalry continued last month when both guys essentially took each other out of the equation in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. They were finally set to settle the score in tonight’s main event. To spice it up, Nick Aldis made it a No Holds Barred Match.
Now that the table’s set, let’s check out what went down on tonight’s show!
Kevin Owens outlasts Punk in a brutal No Holds Barred match
Punk was the first to share some pre-match thoughts with Jackie Redmond and was asked how he approaches a match as personal as this one. Punk pushed back, saying the match wasn’t even personal to him, but lamented losing the WWE Championship thanks to Owens. He should be prepping for Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, but is dealing with this sad ex-girlfriend energy on SmackDown. So now, he’s going to beat Kevin Owens and put that rivalry behind him so he can win his title back.
Owens then spoke with Byron Saxton before the main event. KO criticized Punk for having thin skin, while saying his rivalry with Owens is beneath him. KO then added context to the drama at the PC this past week, claiming he was in Orlando getting treatment for nagging injuries and that HBK asked him to leave because Punk was on his way there for his NXT Title match. KO threw some more shade at Punk for politicking for that title shot, and wondered how Punk inserting himself into the title picture is supposed to ‘help the next generation’.
Within milliseconds of the bell ringing, Punk and Owens began trading blows in the middle of the ring. The battle quickly spilled out onto the arena floor and went over the guardrail and into the crowd shortly after. After brawling through the crowd, they circled back around the ringside area, where Punk nailed Owens on the skull with the steel ring steps. Punk then tried to lift KO for a piledriver on the steps, but Owens blocked, then pulled Punk’s legs out from under him, landing him back-first on the steel.
Steel chairs, Slim Jim tables, and a trash can came out from under the ring. After Punk and Owens traded steel chair shots, KO nailed CM in the dome with the trash can, then placed it on top of his head. Owens wound up and hit a running cannonball on Punk, who was trapped under the trash can by the bottom turnbuckle. The fight spilled back out to the floor and up the entryway. After some back-and-forth brawling and some CM Punk taunting, he hit a GTS and then loaded his rival onto a rolling equipment cart. Punk ran down the ramp and sent the cart and Owens’ skull into the LED video board on the side of the ring.
As more chair shots were exchanged, the action intensified, with Punk hitting an elbow drop from the barricade onto KO, who was prone on the announce table. Punk was then in control and found a steel chain underneath the ring. He wrapped the chain around his knee and lined up for a brutal GTS, but KO slid out and took over, getting a two-count after a top-rope swanton. KO then set up two rows of chairs and took Punk up top. He tried to superplex him through the chairs, but Punk slid out. Back outside, Owens laid Punk on a table he had set up earlier. Punk rolled off and back into the ring and threw Kevin off the top rope and through the rows of chairs KO had set up earlier!
Next it was the tables.
Owens and Punk fought on the apron, and it ended with Owens hitting the fisherman’s buster he usually hits from the top ropes through the two tables on the arena floor. Back inside, a KO Stunner only got a 2-count as Wade wondered how either man was still standing. Owens, who stayed calm and collected despite needing to get more desperate, grabbed the chain Punk brought up earlier and wrapped it around his right hand. As Owens wound up, Punk ducked and hit a GTS, but KO didn’t go down! Instead, he bounced off the ropes and nailed Punk in the jaw with the steel chain to pick up the win!
Reaction: This was awesome. Punk and Owens are consummate professionals and put on a great match. Everything was well-paced, and their high spots had time to breathe. As Geno noted in the Cageside ‘offices’ tonight, the fact that this show was taped likely helped and gave them more time to cook than they might have gotten otherwise. I’m definitely surprised, albeit pleasantly, that Owens picked up the win and wonder what this means for both guys going forward.
Chelsea runs into Trouble
Nick Aldis brought WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green to the ring for final thoughts before she competes for the gaudy Crown Jewel Championship tomorrow. Mr. Mickie James glazed Chelsea for a bit, telling the lead Patri-Hot that he’s proud to have her representing his brand. He then gave the champ a chance to respond to what Liv Morgan said last week.
When the floor was hers, Chelsea got vulnerable and emotional, questioning whether she belongs in the same conversation as Charlotte, Becky, and Bianca. She told Nick that she needs to win tomorrow at Crown Jewel to prove to herself and everyone else that her championship run is not a fluke. One women’s champ was interrupted by the other, as Trouble hit in the arena and Liv Morgan strolled out. She gave Chelsea flak for crying, then vowed to leave Saudi as a two-time Women’s Crown Jewel Champion, because she’s the greatest women’s champion of allllllllll…. you get it. Liv dropped the mic and walked off, leaving Chelsea looking a bit shaken.
Reaction: So Chelsea needs to win tomorrow. You don’t put a babyface in this position unless she’s going to overcome it and end up on top when the dust settles. I still think the best option, if the plan is for Tiffany to turn heel and cash in Money in the Bank on Chelsea, is to do it tomorrow. Chelsea can win the Crown Jewel match with Liv, get cashed in and turned on by her friend, and let that be the catalyst for a shift into a more confident and assertive character. Chelsea climbing the ladder at SummerSlam was a great moment, but she deserves another moment where she wins definitively, and a feud with a heel Tiffany would be a solid way to get everyone behind her even more.
946 beats down an Uce, honorary one watches
SmackDown’s Crown Jewel go-home show kicked off with WWE Champion Sami Zayn getting his final turn on the mic before facing Roman Reigns tomorrow afternoon. He’s starting to develop his own schtick like “What do you wanna talk about?”, “Acknowledge me!”, and “Is it great to be alive on a ______ night in _____ or what?”
After he reiterated much of what he’d been saying about the Tribal Chief for weeks, Jimmy Uso interrupted. Big Jim was a lonely Uce and wanted to get a few things off his chest. He cut an impassioned promo about how he’s always had Sami’s back. They were family. And Sami went off and Helluva Kicked Roman right in front of him. Sami responded by saying that, in a different world, he’d be fighting alongside the Bloodline against the 946. But in this world, Sami is the WWE Champion. Zayn said Jimmy should understand where he’s coming from, since Jimmy was always the one who pulled the trigger in the Bloodline. Jimmy then relayed a message from the Tribal Chief. After Monday, Roman’s attention had shifted from the 946 to Sami Zayn, and now? Roman’s going to kick Sami’s ass at Crown Jewel.
That was like music to Sami’s ears.
He’s got Roman’s attention, which means Roman has to respect Sami Zayn. After telling Jimmy to let the OTC know he’d see him in Saudi, Sami started to leave until the 946 emerged. Jaida Parker presided over a 5-on-1 attack on Big Jim as Sami Zayn stood there and did nothing.
Some family.
Right after the break, Rey Fenix approached Sami. Without a word, Fenix shook his head in disappointment and walked off just in time for Johnny and Mrs. Gargano to stroll up. After talking Sami up a bit, Candice asked when her hubby could get the title shot Sami’s been promising, but Sami dodged that question again like he was Patches O’Houlihan. The Last Real Good Guy then claimed he’s got threats coming from all directions and needs Gargano’s help to make sure he’s champ long enough to give Johnny his shot. Gargano seemed on board, but Candice continued to wear her skepticism on her face.
Reaction: I really dug this segment for a couple of reasons. Sami continues to be A1 in the WWE on the microphone. What he says is always so profound and logical, which makes him incredibly believable and unbelievably credible. For his part, Jimmy Uso brought the passion tonight too. It feels like there’s more meat on this bone, and that Sami’s interactions with the Bloodline may not end with Crown Jewel. Before Cruz and Carmelo joined the fold, I thought Sami had a path to compete in War Games against the Bloodline. I think that ship has probably sailed, but Sami continues to be one of the most intriguing wrestlers on the planet.
Quick Hits
- The SmackDown tag team division hasn’t been much of a division lately. In fact, the MFTs and Bakusai have been the only teams to get anything resembling TV time in recent weeks. After a match between their respective partners ended with Talla Tonga basically squashing Kyoki on Main Event this week, Shinsuke Nakamura and Tama Tonga renewed their acquaintance tonight. The match swung back and forth multiple times, but ended when Shinsuke took advantage of a commotion on the outside involving Kyoki, Talla, and Haku and hit a Kinshasa to knock off one half of the WWE Tag Team Champs. This win evens the score between the two teams, so a tag title match is likely forthcoming.
- Finn Balor and Gunther have been circling each other, seemingly for months, but their rivalry escalated to new heights last week, when the Demon returned thanks to the handiwork of Danhausen. After claiming he wasn’t actually scared last week, the Career Killer called Finn out tonight, and it didn’t take long for it to turn into a brawl. Finn took control and landed Gunther in the drop zone, but before Balor could hit the Coup de Grace, Gunther rolled out of the way and retreated up the ramp. Balor bringing the Demon out on a random episode of SmackDown can’t be the extent of it, so the Ring General might need to prepare for a battle soon. Maybe Survivor Series?
- We saw a clip of Rey Mysterio on Stephanie McMahon’s podcast, officially announcing the Team USA vs. Team Mexico elimination match for Survivor Series.
- A Women’s Tag Team Title match between the champs, Michin and B-Fab, and Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid of Fatal Influence hardly got off the ground before the former champs, Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley, got involved. Alexa and Tatum appeared, then climbed onto the kiddie corners of the barricade and took out Jacy Jayne and Jade Cargill, who were supporting their respective teams at ringside. Alexa and Tatum looked a little foolish at first, as this essentially kicked off a 6-on-2 attack, but first Bayley and then a returning Charlotte Flair came down for the save. If anybody was wondering how they were going to book a Women’s War Games match this year, I think this segment might have answered that question. Minutes later, as the babyfaces walked backstage, Charlotte said the ‘w’ word, all but confirming where this is headed.
BrianBrennanBrendanByron Saxton interviewed Trick Williams, decked out in his lemon-pepper steppers, accompanied by Lil’ Yachty. Trick vowed to keep fighting for the WWE Championship after coming up short against Sami Zayn last week. Byron then brought up Damian Priest, who’s been vocal that Trick isn’t top-guy material in recent weeks. Yachty interjected to say that Trick doesn’t care what Priest has to say about him. Trick reminded us that he’s the United States Champion and that if Damian, or anyone else for that matter, is looking for a fight, he’s not hard to find.- Speaking of Damian Priest, he has been on a rampage since losing the WWE Tag Team Titles over the summer. After turning on and brutally attacking his former tag partner, R-Truth, Priest drew the ire of Fraxiom. Nathan Frazer and Axiom had no problem telling the former World Champ that what he did to Truth was crap, which, of course, prompted Priest to drop them where they stood. Frazer stepped up to challenge Priest on last week’s show, and that match went down tonight… well, sort of. Just a few minutes in, after Frazer kicked things off with back-to-back suicide dives, Priest hit a Razor’s Edge on Frazer, sending him onto and tumbling off of the announce table. Joe Tess said Frazer couldn’t continue, and the ref stopped the match. Axiom came down, got in Priest’s face, and then got dropped for his troubles.
- Leading up to the main event, we saw the footage from Raw of John Cena making Cody Rhodes the illustrious first invitee to the John Cena Classic, followed by news that the Never Seen Seventeen will appear on SmackDown next Friday night!
Final Thoughts
Usually, these taped shows just don’t do it for me. I get the logistical reasons for it, but they just never have the same energy as the live shows. The production patches they do with the video clips and the voiceovers are annoying, and the Brooklyn crowd seemed exhausted after sitting through an entire Raw taping. I thought there was decent storyline development, but nothing on the show came close to the main event. I was in C/C+ territory before the Punk/Owens brawl, and that match bumped it back up to B status for me. It wasn’t quite as violent as I expected, but it was still a master class from two of the best in the business.
Grade: B
Star of the Night: Kevin Owens
KO took everything that Punk threw at him and survived an awesome main event.
Match Results
- Shinsuke Nakamura def. Tama Tonga
- Fatal Influence vs. Michin & B-Fab ends in a no-contest
- Damian Priest def. Nathan Frazer via referee stoppage
- Kevin Owens def. CM Punk in a No Holds Barred Match
Now it’s your turn, Cagesiders! Were you surprised KO beat Punk tonight? How excited are you for Crown Jewel now that it’s just hours away? Let us know in the comments below!
