WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 1003
#SDLive
Original Air Date: November 6, 2018
Event Date: November 6, 2018 (aired live)
City: Manchester, England, UK
Venue: Manchester Arena
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Ring Area
Paige heads to the ring. When she gets to the ring, She introduces Shane McMahon who heads to the ring as well.
Video
Clips of how Shane McMahon won the WWE World Cup at Crown Jewel.
Ring Area
Before Shane says anything, Paige wants a picture of Shane and the World Cup trophy. Afterwards, Shane says he is not the best in the world, and the trophy belongs to everyone in the locker room. He says that he acted on instinct at Crown Jewel because he couldn’t stand the idea of SmackDown not winning.
Shane then talks about the matches already set for Survivor Series. When he gets to the traditional Survivor Series matches, he introduces the men’s team captain: Daniel Bryan. Bryan heads to the ring.
Bryan is humbled and honored to be team captain. As he talks, The Miz interrupts and slowly heads towards the ring. Miz says he isn’t mad that Shane took his place in the World Cup finals, because technically two-thirds of the trophy are his. Together, he and Shane are the best in the world. Shane reminds Miz that he would have been fired if Shane hadn’t stepped in. Miz says he never forfeited. He also thinks he deserves to be team captain.
Shane agrees with The Miz. Based on his World Cup performance, Shane says Miz is team captain. But Daniel Bryan is also team captain. They are co-captains. Miz doesn’t like it, but Bryan doesn’t seem too upset.
Backstage
Miz and Bryan both question Shane’s decision. Shane says Miz and Bryan bring out the best in each other, and he needs this to work. Also, by the end of the night, they need to pick the rest of their team. Miz picks Shane, but Shane doesn’t think that’s the best idea. Bryan actually agrees with Miz, so Shane accepts the spot on the team.
Match 1
Kofi Kingston & Big E w/ Xavier Woods vs The Usos
(referee: Charles Robinson; watching in the back: Cesaro, Sheamus; stipulation: the winning team will be captains for the Survivor Series tag team match)
Result: Jimmy Uso pins Kofi Kingston after a Samoan splash
Time: 12:37 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Great match. These two teams made the captaincy feel important. There were some very big and memorable moves in this match. It was a fast-paced, high-energy match that felt unique even after seeing these two teams face each other so many times before.
Ring Area
After the match, The Usos get on the mic and talk about the respect they have for New Day. As captains, The Usos pick New Day as the first team to join them in the Survivor Series match. New Day accepts.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan tells The Miz that he wants to pick Rey Mysterio for the men’s Survivor Series team. Miz says Rey hasn’t done anything since he’s been back, but Bryan reminds Miz of who Rey has beaten in the last few weeks. Miz is one of the people Rey has beaten. Miz says if Rey impresses him in his match tonight, then Rey can be on the team. Bryan agrees.
Bryan also suggests that they each pick someone for their final teammate, and their picks will fight for the last spot. Miz likes the idea. Miz and Bryan both thinks it’s weird that they’re kind of getting along with each other.
Backstage
Becky Lynch rips a Ronda Rousey t-shirt.
Ring Area
Becky Lynch heads to the ring. Becky wonders who Ronda Rousey thinks she is to tell the champ anything. She says Ronda might hold a title, but she’s not a champion yet. She hasn’t even been tested. Yet.
Becky has been tested over and over again, and she has made history. Becky talks about how Rousey mocked the jobs she had to take to make her way to where she is now. Becky wasn’t hand-picked, but here she is. She’s the champ. The only champ. Becky doesn’t care if Ronda is the “baddest bitch on the planet,” because Becky is going to make Ronda hers.
Fired up after her own speech, Becky wants a fight. She issues and open challenge, and SAnitY appears. Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Killian Dain walk out to the stage. Behind them appears Nikki Cross!
Cross runs to the ring and throws herself all around Lynch. Lynch isn’t impressed. Cross takes the mic from Lynch. Nikki wants to play.
Match 2
Becky Lynch (SD Women’s Champ) vs Nikki Cross
(referee: Nikki Cross)
Result: Becky Lynch wins via submission with Disarm Her
Time: 5:37
Match Thoughts
Good match. The main excitement here was seeing Nikki Cross on SmackDown, but the match was good as well. It wasn’t very long, but it didn’t need to be. I like that Becky had this match and not just some squash match so she could show off her arm bar heading into Survivor Series.
Backstage
Bryan has picked Jeff Hardy for the final member of the men’s Survivor Series team. The Miz has picked Samoa Joe. Joe walks up, and he looks like he’s ready for a fight.
Selfie Promo
Shinsuke Nakamura feels sorry for Seth Rollins. His friends are gone, but Nakamura can cheer him up. He has a gift for Rollins: a knee to the face.
Match 3
Rey Mysterio vs Andrade “Cien” Almas
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Rey Mysterio wins via pinfall after the 619 and a springboard splash
Time: 8:21
Match Thoughts
Great match. Almas had nothing to lose in this match, but he still took full advantage of being in the ring with Rey Mysterio. Almas hit a back elbow early in the match that floored Rey, and Almas have the advantage in the match for a good while after that. Almas was quick and precise with his attacks. Rey managed to come back with some strong moves of his own, and the two worked very well together. I’m looking forward to seeing this match-up again.
Ring Area
After the match, Randy Orton appears and hits Mysterio with the RKO. Orton then quickly leaves.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan asks Miz if he sent Orton out to sabotage his pick for the team. Miz doesn’t say yes, but he doesn’t really say no either. Bryan is frustrated, but Miz concedes that Rey looked good against Almas. Miz agrees to allow Rey on the team.
Video
WWE has teamed with Girl Up.
Backstage
AJ Styles talks about his rematch with Brock Lesnar at this year’s Survivor Series. Last year, Styles gave Lesnar everything he had, but it wasn’t enough. This year, things will be different. Styles will win, and that’s not a prediction. That’s a spoiler.
Ring Area
In the ring, Paige introduces the SmackDown women’s Survivor Series team. First out is Carmella (who is accompanied by R-Truth). Second is Naomi. Third, Sonya Deville. Fourth, Asuka. And finally, Charlotte Flair… but Charlotte doesn’t head to the ring. Instead, Mandy Rose comes out.
As she heads to the ring, Rose wonders why Paige chose Charlotte instead of her. Also, Rose is happy for Sonya Deville, but Rose reminds Paige that she eliminated Deville in the battle royal at Evolution. Rose then proceeds to talk down to each woman on the Survivor Series team. Naomi doesn’t take it though. Naomi attacks Rose, and the two women have to be pulled apart.
Deville holds Rose back, and Rose seems offended. Rose walks away as Deville looks on.
Match 4
Jeff Hardy vs Samoa Joe
(referee: Mike Chioda; guest commentary: Daniel Bryan, The Miz; stipulation: the winner joins the men’s Survivor Series team)
Result: Samoa Joe wins via submission with the Coquina Clutch
Time: 5:07 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Joe looked good. He dominated a lot of this match. Hardy had some offense, but this felt like Joe’s match.
Ring Area
After the match, Samoa Joe gets in front of Daniel Bryan and gloats. After a few moments, Bryan attacks Joe. The fight makes it into the ring where The Miz attempts to get Bryan off of Joe. Bryan attacks Miz. Shane comes up from behind and begins to try to break things up when Bryan flips Shane over and down to the mat. Bryan looks at Shane, shakes his head, and walks away.
Show Impressions
I was very entertained by this show. The wrestling was quite good, the story bits were interesting, and there was even a debut. This was one of the better main roster shows in a while.
Match of the Night
Andrade Almas vs Rey Mysterio & New Day vs The Usos
I can’t pick between these two. They were both great.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2018-11-06