Post by sleestaklightning on Jan 6, 2023 20:57:56 GMT 1
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Friday -- Week 3 -- January 2023
Live! from Albany, NY
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA |VS| BUTCH
The show opens with Butch coming down to the ring. Nakamura is out next with his usual entrance but he seems...less into it this week. These two have a hot opening match designed to get the crowd fired up. Nakamura gets a near fall at one point but Ridge Holland breaks up the pinfall. Nakamura is distracted by this and Butch takes control. Butch gets a near fall with a flying knee from the second rope. Butch also hits the Bitter End but Nakamura kicks out. They work to the finish and the referee is knocked down. Ridge Holland grabs Shinsuke and holds him up as Butch charges. Nakamura breaks free and Butch and Ridge Holland collide. Kinshasa from Shinsuke and he covers Butch and gets the pinfall.
WINNER by pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura (11:49) | 69
LESNAR IS HERE
Brock Lesnar is shown walking in the backstage area and the announcers mention that he has an announcement to make and it'll happen after the break. After the break Lesnar's music hits and the crowd pops as he storms down to the ring. Lesnar cuts a promo about the Royal Rumble and declares that he will be entering the 40-man Royal Rumble Match that is taking place in 8 days. Suddenly Legado del Fantasma's music hits and Santos Escobar comes onto the stage with a microphone. He tells Lesnar that LdF are here to welcome Lesnar back to WWE. They charge the ring and Lesnar destroys Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro and hits them both with F-5s. Escobar slides in the ring with some kind of club and clubs Lesnar in the back of the leg, hobbling him. Escobar bounces off the ropes and goes a flying clothesline but Lesnar, on one leg, takes the clothesline and stands there. Escobar bails to the outside and he and his LdF teammates head up the ramp quickly. Lesnar holds his leg and seethes in anger as he stares them down. | 64
EARLIER TODAY
Next is an "Earlier Today" video package of the wrestlers arriving to the arena. Cameras missed the start of the argument but Karrion Kross and Braun Strowman got into a physical altercation in the parking lot and Strowman wants to see Kross in the ring tonight and Kross agrees. | 62
LA KNIGHT |VS| DREW GULAK
As we come back from break we see Lesnar in the back being checked on by medical staff. He says that if there's any damage to his leg he's going to find "that Mexican guy" and "rip his goddamn head off." They quickly cut back to live action where Drew Gulak is already in the ring. Knight is out next and he has a mic in his hand. He cuts a promo on Gulak on his way to the ring. When he gets in the ring and is finishing up his promo Gulak approaches and slaps him. Knight throws the mic at Gulak and begins brawling with him. Knight destroys Gulak but he gets cocky and starts talking trash and leaves an opening for Gulak to take Knight down with a double leg takedown. Gulak begins out wrestling Knight on the mat. Knight gets frustrated and gets to the bottom rope and the referee forces a break. Gulak stands up and the crowd begins cheering for him. He's really feeling it and getting fired up and when Knight gets to his feet Gulak dropkicks him. Knight rolls to the outside and has to be bleeped for an audible "GODDAMMIT!" as he shakes the cobwebs off. Knight climbs back in the ring and offers a knucklelock but Drew doesn't fall for it and kicks Knight in the midsection. Gulak starts firing forearm shots to Knight and backs him into the corner. The referee forces a break but Knight thumbs Gulak in the eye. Gulak grabs his eye and Knight takes control again and eventually hits his spinning facebuster finish and covers Gulak for the win.
WINNER by pinfall: LA Knight (8:04) | 64
SATELLITE FACE-TO-FACE: SASHA BANKS AND CHARLOTTE FLAIR
Sasha, live from the set of a movie project she's working on, is live via satellite. Charlotte Flair joins us from the backstage area of the arena. Charlotte starts off by mocking Sasha for thinking her tv project is good enough to justify not being here to meet her face to face and insinuates that she's just not there because she's afraid of Charlotte. Sasha tells Charlotte not to flatter herself and that Sasha would love to be there tonight to slap Charlotte right in the face but she had a prior commitment. She makes a joke about Charlotte not knowing anything about commitment and how it must run in her family. Charlotte is incredulous and asks Sasha why she's so hostile. Is it jealousy? Sasha laughs at the suggestion of jealousy and says that it's because Charlotte gets everything she wants at the expense of everyone else in the division. Sasha lets it be known that Charlotte sat out for all of last year because she wanted time off to get married and how she pretended to be hurt. Sasha admits that she walked out because she wasn't happy but accuses Charlotte of doing the same thing. "The difference between us though, Charlotte, is that I admit where I was and you still pretend you were injured to save face or something." Charlotte says Sasha is wrong and she actually was hurt. Sasha doesn't believe it because Charlotte has always been a lying, conniving, two-faced bitch. Charlotte is pissed and challenges Sasha to a match where ever and whenever. Sasha says next week on SmackDown so that Sasha can humiliate Charlotte one-on-one before they both have to share the ring with 28 other women at the Royal Rumble. Charlotte agrees and tells Sasha that she's going to hurt Sasha next week. | 73
AN AMBUSH
Kayla Braxton is backstage with Drew McIntyre. She asks Drew about his recent comments on social media about how Gunther and Imperium are bad for SmackDown. McIntyre says he stands by what he says -- the longer Gunther remains Intercontinental Champion and the more he wins due to Imperium helping him the worse it is for SmackDown and WWE. Suddenly Gunther appears on the other side of Kayla and dares McIntyre to fight him. Before McIntyre can reply with fisticuffs Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci of Imperium attack Drew from behind. Kayla runs away and Imperium put the boots to McIntyre. Road agents rush in to break it up and Drew fights to get to his feet. | 55
THE VIKING RAIDERS |VS| HIT ROW
Quick squash match that sees Erik and Ivar destroy Hit Row in a few minutes. A cool spot happens for the finish as Erik powerbombs Ashante Adonis on the mat. Ivar puts Top Dolla on his shoulders and climbs up to the second turnbuckle. Ivar leaps off and simultaneously hits a Samoan Drop on Top Dolla and a senton on Ashante Adonis. Erik covers Adonis for the pinfall victory.
WINNERS by pinfall: The Viking Raiders (4:39) | 46
THE BLOODLINE DISCUSSES THE ROYAL RUMBLE
For the first time on tonight's show we get a shot of the Bloodline's locker room. Each member is sitting in their usual spot in the room. Roman asks Heyman what he thinks about Roman and Sami at Royal Rumble. Heyman says that it's a great opportunity for Reigns to take the night off and get an easy win. Right Sami? Sami quickly agrees that he's willing to go out there and "do the right thing" for Roman Reigns. Reigns is pleased to hear it and then turns his attention to the Royal Rumble match. He says that between Jimmy and Jey and Solo Sikoa he expects one of them to win the Rumble. Jimmy Uso says that he looks forward to winning the Royal Rumble and facing Sami Zayn at WrestleMania. An awkward pause fills the room for a few moments until Roman starts laughing and then everyone else joins in. The camera focuses on Sami Zayn and we see Sami appears to be deep in though and is clearly faking his laugh. | 77
WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?
Liv Morgan is walking backstage and she sees Shayna Baszler getting her back taped up. Liv laughs and asks Shayna if she's still feeling that Raquel Rodriguez powerbomb from last week. Shayna tries to go after Liv but she's literally being wrapped up. Ronda Rousey lays Liv out from behind and then picks her up and drags her over to Shayna so both women can kick and punch Liv until suddenly Raquel Rodriguez rushes in and shoves the heels away and pulls Liv away from danger. | 58
LEGADO DEL FANTASMA W/ZELINA VEGA |VS| REY MYSTERIO, RICOCHET & RIDDICK MOSS
This was a strange match because everyone knew where this was going. The crowd was at a fever pitch just waiting for Brock Lesnar to hit the ring. In the meantime they got some good action out of it as long as Riddick Moss wasn't in the ring. They go about 14 minutes until LdF is close to winning when Lesnar's music hits. Lesnar storms to the ring with a major limp and Del Toro and Wilde attack him. He lays them both out quickly. Escobar reaches his arms out toward Zelina Vega and she appears to be trying to dig something out of her purse. She pulls the club that Escobar used earlier out of her purse and hands it to him. Lesnar grabs him by the hair and Escobar turns and swings the club and hits Lesnar in the ribs. It slows Lesnar down temporarily and allows Escobar to flee the ring. LdF leave through the crowd as Lesnar tries to shake off the club shot. In the ring Riddick Moss checks on Lesnar and Brock hits him with a huge F5 to make the crowd happy.
WINNERS by DQ: Legado del Fantasma (14:07) | 68
TICK TOCK BRAUN
Karrion Kross and Scarlett cut a promo backstage on Braun Strowman. Kross says that Braun loves to throw his size around and bully people. Kross says that he also loves to bully people. But the difference between the two of them is that Braun is dumb and generally good natured but Kross is an evil genius. Kross says that Braun might think he's got an advantage tonight because he's bigger. But Kross is definitely badder and Kross will outthink Braun and do things to him that no one else has been able to. Time waits for no one and we are inching closer and closer to Braun Strowman's moment of destiny. Tick tock, Braun. Tick. Tock. | 65
MAIN EVENT: BRAUN STROWMAN |VS| KARRION KROSS W/SCARLETT
A lot of stalling and smack talking to start. Braun offers a test of strength but Kross kicks Braun in the gut and then points at his own head and laughs. Eventually a match begins and the two men hit each other with stiff punches and chops and slaps. They light each other up and the crowd gets into it. Eventually Strowman takes control and throws Kross out of the ring. Strowman goes outside for his run around the ring train spot but Scarlett steps in front of Braun. He desperately tries to stop before he runs her over and does so successfully but he picks her up and sets her on the apron. Kross uses the distraction to go on the attack. He works on Braun's knee and then throws him into the steel ring steps. Kross climbs up onto the apron and leaps down onto Braun with a double axe handle. Kross tries it again but Braun catches him and runs him into the steel ring post. Braun rolls Kross back into the ring. The brawl around the ring for a big and Strowman takes over. He goes for a chokeslam but Kross kicks Braun in the dick and somehow hits his Saito Suplex. He covers Braun and gets the pinfall.
WINNER by pinfall: Karrion Kross (7:50) | 63
EVERYONE'S ASKING UNCLE HOW-DY BUT NO ONE ASKS UNCLE WHO-DY?
After the final commercial break Bray Wyatt comes out. He gets in the ring and opens up by apologizing for last week's broadcast interruption. He says that it seems like he's out here every week apologizing for something or to someone. Bray says he's sick of having to apologize. Bray says that he truly believes that demons live in the darkness and that they live in lies and in the hearts of evil men. Bray says he doesn't lie and he's working on not being evil. So that leaves -- darkness. He asks that all of the lights in the arena be turned on. After the lights are turned on he goes back to his promo. Bray says that he is making his in-ring return at the Royal Rumble because he's entered the Royal Rumble match. He says that he is going to make it up to us by giving us what we want at the Rumble. He promises to never hurt us again. Those days are behind him. What was brought forth in darkness has been killed by the light. Suddenly we hear some children laughing and slowed down firefly funhouse music playing. Bray begins grabbing at his hair and pulling his hair. He starts mumbling "He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here." very quickly and to himself. The lights start flickering until we're in total darkness. Bray drops the microphone and we hear rustling for a second before a second voice is heard. "Did you think I wouldn't find you. You're mine now." Suddenly the lights flicker and we see Uncle Howdy standing in the ring with Bray. Bray's lip is quivering. The cameras at ringside pick up Bray's voice as he begins screaming "I KILLED YOU! I KILLED YOU!" Uncle Howdy approaches Bray and backs him into the corner. Uncle Howdy laughs, grabs Bray and hits Sister Abigail on him. As the copyright logo pops up on the screen we hear Uncle Howdy tell Bray over the microphone "It doesn't work like that. You cannot kill your creator. But your creator can kill you." Uncle Howdy laughs and smoke fills the ring. Eventually the lights come back up and Uncle Howdy is gone and Bray is laid out in the smoke filled ring. | 99
OVERALL RATING: 77
Next week on SmackDown:
- Sasha Banks vs Charlotte Flair
- Shinsuke Nakamura vs Ridge Holland
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WWE ROYAL RUMBLE
Saturday -- Week 4 -- January 2023
40-Man Royal Rumble Match
Logan Paul --Kofi Kingston -- Xavier Woods -- Seth Freakin' Rollins -- AJ Styles -- John Cena -- Santos Escobar -- Sheamus -- LA Knight -- Karrion Kross
Cody Rhodes -- Bobby Lashley -- Finn Balor -- Damian Priest -- Kevin Owens -- Baron Corbin -- Cruz Del Toro -- Joaquin Wilde -- Braun Strowman
Brock Lesnar -- Drew Gulak -- Shinsuke Nakamura -- Bray Wyatt -- WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther -- Ludwig Kaiser -- Giovanni Vinci -- Butch -- Ridge Holland
Solo Sikoa -- Jey Uso -- Jimmy Uso -- Edge -- Matt Riddle -- Johnny Gargano -- The Miz -- Dolph Ziggler -- 4 Other Participants To Be Announced
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Becky Lynch -- Nikki Cross -- Charlotte Flair -- Sasha Banks -- Piper Niven -- Liv Morgan -- Shayna Baszler -- Shotzi -- Asuka -- Alexa Bliss -- Mia Yim
Bayley -- Dakota Kai -- Iyo Sky -- Raquel Rodriguez -- Emma -- WWE Universal Women's Champion Ronda Rousey -- 13 Other Participants To Be Announced
WWE Undisputed Universal Championship Match
Roman Reigns (C) |vs| Sami Zayn
WWE World Women's Championship Match
Bianca BelAir (C) |vs| Rhea Ripley
Friday -- Week 3 -- January 2023
Live! from Albany, NY
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA |VS| BUTCH
The show opens with Butch coming down to the ring. Nakamura is out next with his usual entrance but he seems...less into it this week. These two have a hot opening match designed to get the crowd fired up. Nakamura gets a near fall at one point but Ridge Holland breaks up the pinfall. Nakamura is distracted by this and Butch takes control. Butch gets a near fall with a flying knee from the second rope. Butch also hits the Bitter End but Nakamura kicks out. They work to the finish and the referee is knocked down. Ridge Holland grabs Shinsuke and holds him up as Butch charges. Nakamura breaks free and Butch and Ridge Holland collide. Kinshasa from Shinsuke and he covers Butch and gets the pinfall.
WINNER by pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura (11:49) | 69
LESNAR IS HERE
Brock Lesnar is shown walking in the backstage area and the announcers mention that he has an announcement to make and it'll happen after the break. After the break Lesnar's music hits and the crowd pops as he storms down to the ring. Lesnar cuts a promo about the Royal Rumble and declares that he will be entering the 40-man Royal Rumble Match that is taking place in 8 days. Suddenly Legado del Fantasma's music hits and Santos Escobar comes onto the stage with a microphone. He tells Lesnar that LdF are here to welcome Lesnar back to WWE. They charge the ring and Lesnar destroys Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro and hits them both with F-5s. Escobar slides in the ring with some kind of club and clubs Lesnar in the back of the leg, hobbling him. Escobar bounces off the ropes and goes a flying clothesline but Lesnar, on one leg, takes the clothesline and stands there. Escobar bails to the outside and he and his LdF teammates head up the ramp quickly. Lesnar holds his leg and seethes in anger as he stares them down. | 64
EARLIER TODAY
Next is an "Earlier Today" video package of the wrestlers arriving to the arena. Cameras missed the start of the argument but Karrion Kross and Braun Strowman got into a physical altercation in the parking lot and Strowman wants to see Kross in the ring tonight and Kross agrees. | 62
LA KNIGHT |VS| DREW GULAK
As we come back from break we see Lesnar in the back being checked on by medical staff. He says that if there's any damage to his leg he's going to find "that Mexican guy" and "rip his goddamn head off." They quickly cut back to live action where Drew Gulak is already in the ring. Knight is out next and he has a mic in his hand. He cuts a promo on Gulak on his way to the ring. When he gets in the ring and is finishing up his promo Gulak approaches and slaps him. Knight throws the mic at Gulak and begins brawling with him. Knight destroys Gulak but he gets cocky and starts talking trash and leaves an opening for Gulak to take Knight down with a double leg takedown. Gulak begins out wrestling Knight on the mat. Knight gets frustrated and gets to the bottom rope and the referee forces a break. Gulak stands up and the crowd begins cheering for him. He's really feeling it and getting fired up and when Knight gets to his feet Gulak dropkicks him. Knight rolls to the outside and has to be bleeped for an audible "GODDAMMIT!" as he shakes the cobwebs off. Knight climbs back in the ring and offers a knucklelock but Drew doesn't fall for it and kicks Knight in the midsection. Gulak starts firing forearm shots to Knight and backs him into the corner. The referee forces a break but Knight thumbs Gulak in the eye. Gulak grabs his eye and Knight takes control again and eventually hits his spinning facebuster finish and covers Gulak for the win.
WINNER by pinfall: LA Knight (8:04) | 64
SATELLITE FACE-TO-FACE: SASHA BANKS AND CHARLOTTE FLAIR
Sasha, live from the set of a movie project she's working on, is live via satellite. Charlotte Flair joins us from the backstage area of the arena. Charlotte starts off by mocking Sasha for thinking her tv project is good enough to justify not being here to meet her face to face and insinuates that she's just not there because she's afraid of Charlotte. Sasha tells Charlotte not to flatter herself and that Sasha would love to be there tonight to slap Charlotte right in the face but she had a prior commitment. She makes a joke about Charlotte not knowing anything about commitment and how it must run in her family. Charlotte is incredulous and asks Sasha why she's so hostile. Is it jealousy? Sasha laughs at the suggestion of jealousy and says that it's because Charlotte gets everything she wants at the expense of everyone else in the division. Sasha lets it be known that Charlotte sat out for all of last year because she wanted time off to get married and how she pretended to be hurt. Sasha admits that she walked out because she wasn't happy but accuses Charlotte of doing the same thing. "The difference between us though, Charlotte, is that I admit where I was and you still pretend you were injured to save face or something." Charlotte says Sasha is wrong and she actually was hurt. Sasha doesn't believe it because Charlotte has always been a lying, conniving, two-faced bitch. Charlotte is pissed and challenges Sasha to a match where ever and whenever. Sasha says next week on SmackDown so that Sasha can humiliate Charlotte one-on-one before they both have to share the ring with 28 other women at the Royal Rumble. Charlotte agrees and tells Sasha that she's going to hurt Sasha next week. | 73
AN AMBUSH
Kayla Braxton is backstage with Drew McIntyre. She asks Drew about his recent comments on social media about how Gunther and Imperium are bad for SmackDown. McIntyre says he stands by what he says -- the longer Gunther remains Intercontinental Champion and the more he wins due to Imperium helping him the worse it is for SmackDown and WWE. Suddenly Gunther appears on the other side of Kayla and dares McIntyre to fight him. Before McIntyre can reply with fisticuffs Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci of Imperium attack Drew from behind. Kayla runs away and Imperium put the boots to McIntyre. Road agents rush in to break it up and Drew fights to get to his feet. | 55
THE VIKING RAIDERS |VS| HIT ROW
Quick squash match that sees Erik and Ivar destroy Hit Row in a few minutes. A cool spot happens for the finish as Erik powerbombs Ashante Adonis on the mat. Ivar puts Top Dolla on his shoulders and climbs up to the second turnbuckle. Ivar leaps off and simultaneously hits a Samoan Drop on Top Dolla and a senton on Ashante Adonis. Erik covers Adonis for the pinfall victory.
WINNERS by pinfall: The Viking Raiders (4:39) | 46
THE BLOODLINE DISCUSSES THE ROYAL RUMBLE
For the first time on tonight's show we get a shot of the Bloodline's locker room. Each member is sitting in their usual spot in the room. Roman asks Heyman what he thinks about Roman and Sami at Royal Rumble. Heyman says that it's a great opportunity for Reigns to take the night off and get an easy win. Right Sami? Sami quickly agrees that he's willing to go out there and "do the right thing" for Roman Reigns. Reigns is pleased to hear it and then turns his attention to the Royal Rumble match. He says that between Jimmy and Jey and Solo Sikoa he expects one of them to win the Rumble. Jimmy Uso says that he looks forward to winning the Royal Rumble and facing Sami Zayn at WrestleMania. An awkward pause fills the room for a few moments until Roman starts laughing and then everyone else joins in. The camera focuses on Sami Zayn and we see Sami appears to be deep in though and is clearly faking his laugh. | 77
WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?
Liv Morgan is walking backstage and she sees Shayna Baszler getting her back taped up. Liv laughs and asks Shayna if she's still feeling that Raquel Rodriguez powerbomb from last week. Shayna tries to go after Liv but she's literally being wrapped up. Ronda Rousey lays Liv out from behind and then picks her up and drags her over to Shayna so both women can kick and punch Liv until suddenly Raquel Rodriguez rushes in and shoves the heels away and pulls Liv away from danger. | 58
LEGADO DEL FANTASMA W/ZELINA VEGA |VS| REY MYSTERIO, RICOCHET & RIDDICK MOSS
This was a strange match because everyone knew where this was going. The crowd was at a fever pitch just waiting for Brock Lesnar to hit the ring. In the meantime they got some good action out of it as long as Riddick Moss wasn't in the ring. They go about 14 minutes until LdF is close to winning when Lesnar's music hits. Lesnar storms to the ring with a major limp and Del Toro and Wilde attack him. He lays them both out quickly. Escobar reaches his arms out toward Zelina Vega and she appears to be trying to dig something out of her purse. She pulls the club that Escobar used earlier out of her purse and hands it to him. Lesnar grabs him by the hair and Escobar turns and swings the club and hits Lesnar in the ribs. It slows Lesnar down temporarily and allows Escobar to flee the ring. LdF leave through the crowd as Lesnar tries to shake off the club shot. In the ring Riddick Moss checks on Lesnar and Brock hits him with a huge F5 to make the crowd happy.
WINNERS by DQ: Legado del Fantasma (14:07) | 68
TICK TOCK BRAUN
Karrion Kross and Scarlett cut a promo backstage on Braun Strowman. Kross says that Braun loves to throw his size around and bully people. Kross says that he also loves to bully people. But the difference between the two of them is that Braun is dumb and generally good natured but Kross is an evil genius. Kross says that Braun might think he's got an advantage tonight because he's bigger. But Kross is definitely badder and Kross will outthink Braun and do things to him that no one else has been able to. Time waits for no one and we are inching closer and closer to Braun Strowman's moment of destiny. Tick tock, Braun. Tick. Tock. | 65
MAIN EVENT: BRAUN STROWMAN |VS| KARRION KROSS W/SCARLETT
A lot of stalling and smack talking to start. Braun offers a test of strength but Kross kicks Braun in the gut and then points at his own head and laughs. Eventually a match begins and the two men hit each other with stiff punches and chops and slaps. They light each other up and the crowd gets into it. Eventually Strowman takes control and throws Kross out of the ring. Strowman goes outside for his run around the ring train spot but Scarlett steps in front of Braun. He desperately tries to stop before he runs her over and does so successfully but he picks her up and sets her on the apron. Kross uses the distraction to go on the attack. He works on Braun's knee and then throws him into the steel ring steps. Kross climbs up onto the apron and leaps down onto Braun with a double axe handle. Kross tries it again but Braun catches him and runs him into the steel ring post. Braun rolls Kross back into the ring. The brawl around the ring for a big and Strowman takes over. He goes for a chokeslam but Kross kicks Braun in the dick and somehow hits his Saito Suplex. He covers Braun and gets the pinfall.
WINNER by pinfall: Karrion Kross (7:50) | 63
EVERYONE'S ASKING UNCLE HOW-DY BUT NO ONE ASKS UNCLE WHO-DY?
After the final commercial break Bray Wyatt comes out. He gets in the ring and opens up by apologizing for last week's broadcast interruption. He says that it seems like he's out here every week apologizing for something or to someone. Bray says he's sick of having to apologize. Bray says that he truly believes that demons live in the darkness and that they live in lies and in the hearts of evil men. Bray says he doesn't lie and he's working on not being evil. So that leaves -- darkness. He asks that all of the lights in the arena be turned on. After the lights are turned on he goes back to his promo. Bray says that he is making his in-ring return at the Royal Rumble because he's entered the Royal Rumble match. He says that he is going to make it up to us by giving us what we want at the Rumble. He promises to never hurt us again. Those days are behind him. What was brought forth in darkness has been killed by the light. Suddenly we hear some children laughing and slowed down firefly funhouse music playing. Bray begins grabbing at his hair and pulling his hair. He starts mumbling "He's here. He's here. He's here. He's here." very quickly and to himself. The lights start flickering until we're in total darkness. Bray drops the microphone and we hear rustling for a second before a second voice is heard. "Did you think I wouldn't find you. You're mine now." Suddenly the lights flicker and we see Uncle Howdy standing in the ring with Bray. Bray's lip is quivering. The cameras at ringside pick up Bray's voice as he begins screaming "I KILLED YOU! I KILLED YOU!" Uncle Howdy approaches Bray and backs him into the corner. Uncle Howdy laughs, grabs Bray and hits Sister Abigail on him. As the copyright logo pops up on the screen we hear Uncle Howdy tell Bray over the microphone "It doesn't work like that. You cannot kill your creator. But your creator can kill you." Uncle Howdy laughs and smoke fills the ring. Eventually the lights come back up and Uncle Howdy is gone and Bray is laid out in the smoke filled ring. | 99
OVERALL RATING: 77
Next week on SmackDown:
- Sasha Banks vs Charlotte Flair
- Shinsuke Nakamura vs Ridge Holland
-------------
WWE ROYAL RUMBLE
Saturday -- Week 4 -- January 2023
40-Man Royal Rumble Match
Logan Paul --Kofi Kingston -- Xavier Woods -- Seth Freakin' Rollins -- AJ Styles -- John Cena -- Santos Escobar -- Sheamus -- LA Knight -- Karrion Kross
Cody Rhodes -- Bobby Lashley -- Finn Balor -- Damian Priest -- Kevin Owens -- Baron Corbin -- Cruz Del Toro -- Joaquin Wilde -- Braun Strowman
Brock Lesnar -- Drew Gulak -- Shinsuke Nakamura -- Bray Wyatt -- WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther -- Ludwig Kaiser -- Giovanni Vinci -- Butch -- Ridge Holland
Solo Sikoa -- Jey Uso -- Jimmy Uso -- Edge -- Matt Riddle -- Johnny Gargano -- The Miz -- Dolph Ziggler -- 4 Other Participants To Be Announced
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Becky Lynch -- Nikki Cross -- Charlotte Flair -- Sasha Banks -- Piper Niven -- Liv Morgan -- Shayna Baszler -- Shotzi -- Asuka -- Alexa Bliss -- Mia Yim
Bayley -- Dakota Kai -- Iyo Sky -- Raquel Rodriguez -- Emma -- WWE Universal Women's Champion Ronda Rousey -- 13 Other Participants To Be Announced
WWE Undisputed Universal Championship Match
Roman Reigns (C) |vs| Sami Zayn
WWE World Women's Championship Match
Bianca BelAir (C) |vs| Rhea Ripley
