WWE SmackDown
Episode 1054
#SmackDown
Original Air Date: November 1, 2019
Event Date: November 1, 2019
(aired live on FOX)
City: Buffalo, NY
Venue: KeyBank Center
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Renee Young, Aiden English (1), Pat McAfee (2 – 4)
Ring Announcer: Kayla Braxton
Intro Video
“Are You Ready” by AC/DC
Ring Area
Brock Lesnar (the new WWE Champ) and Paul Heyman head to the ring. Heyman says Lesnar is really, really pissed off tonight. How could that be? Heyman explains by showing footage of the Lesnar/Velasquez match at Crown Jewel. After quickly defeating Velasquez, Lesnar was attacked by Rey Mysterio.
Heyman says he called Vince and told him to serve Rey to Lesnar, but Vince said Rey is a RAW superstar, so he can’t face Lesnar on SmackDown. If Rey can’t come to Lesnar on SmackDown, then Lesnar will go to Rey on RAW. With that, Heyman informs everyone that Lesnar quits SmackDown as of right now. Heyman and Lesnar leave.
Backstage
Heyman guides Lesnar towards the exit. Behind them, Triple H and Shawn Michaels look on.
Match 1
SmackDown Women’s Title Match
Nikki Cross vs Bayley (SD Women’s Champ) w/ Sasha Banks
(referee: Charles Robinson)
Result: Bayley wins via pinfall after a facebuster
Time: 5:45 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Nikki had a lot of offense early, and Bayley had a fair amount of offense later. Sasha interfered a couple of times, and she was the difference in the match for Bayley. This was a fine title match, but I’d like to see Nikki get a better shot at some point.
Ring Area
Immediately after the match, Shayna Baszler (the NXT Women’s Champ) attacks Sasha Banks at ringside before sliding into the ring. Shayna pushes Nikki out of the ring and slams Bayley with a gutwrench side slam. Shayna finishes Bayley with a running knee strike. Shayna picks up her title belt and calmly leaves the ring area.
Backstage
Cathy Kelley welcomes Sami Zayn. Sami thinks he sees a pattern emerging. He thinks NXT is here tonight, and they need to watch where they stick their noses tonight. As he speaks, Matt Riddle and Keith Lee walk up. Sami says he’s a big fan of them, and he’s a big fan of NXT in general. He was even wearing an NXT t-shirt earlier, so he’s just going to go get it. Riddle and Lee offer to follow Sami to his car, so Sami runs. Riddle and Lee follow.
Ring Area
Riddle and Lee chase Zayn into the ring. Zayn tries to get away, but he’s with with Bro Derek by Matt Riddle and by a moonsault from Keith Lee.
Video
A brief look at Tyson Fury beating Braun Strowman by count out at Crown Jewel.
Ring Area
The Miz heads to the ring for Miz TV. Miz shows footage of The Fiend beating Seth Rollins and becoming the Universal Champ at Crown Jewel. Unfortunately Bray Wyatt can’t be here tonight, so Miz talks about NXT instead.
Miz says he can’t wait to see what happens next. What happens next is that Tommaso Ciampa heads to the ring. Ciamoa is confused. This is supposed to be “must-see TV?” Well, Ciampa is here, and he is the greatest sports entertainer of all time. The world does not revolve around The Miz. Reality check: Miz is everything that is wrong with RAW and SmackDown. Ciampa is out there breaking his neck to prove how good he is while Miz is playing actor.
Miz has heard this all before. If Miz has been playing at being a superstar for 15 years, then he says he deserves an Oscar. Miz wants Ciampa to make a statement. Ciampa takes that as a challenge. The Miz accepts.
Match 2
The Miz vs Tommaso Ciampa
(referee: Charles Robinson)
Result: Tommaso Ciampa wins via pinfall after the Fairytale Ending
Time: 7:42
Match Thoughts
Good match. Ciampa looked better than Miz tonight, and the finish was definitive. I liked it.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan encounters Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Bryan wonders what they’re doing here. Triple H says it seemed like someone was looking for a fight, so that’s why NXT is here. Bryan says he’s looking for a fight tonight, so why doesn’t Triple H accompany him to the ring. Triple H isn’t looking for a fight, but someone else is. Adam Cole (the NXT Champ) walks up. Bryan wants the NXT Title on the line. Cole is fine with that.
Ring Area
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville are in the ring for a tag match. Carmella’s music plays, but no one comes out. Backstage, Bianca Belair is beating up Carmella and Dana Brooke.
Back at the ring area, Rhea Ripley comes out with Tegan Nox. Ripley says Rose and Deville need opponents, and they now have some.
Match 3
Fire & Desire vs Tegan Nox & Rhea Ripley
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Rhea Ripley submits Mandy Rose with Riptide
Time: 1:21
Match Thoughts
This was pretty much a squash. Rose and Deville were not ready for this fight at all.
Ring Area
Triple H and Shawn Michaels head out to ringside. Stephanie McMahon then comes out to the stage. Steph talks about Natalya and Lacey Evans making history in Saudi Arabia. Then she shows clips of the match.
Match 4
NXT Title Match
Daniel Bryan vs Adam Cole (NXT Champ) w/ Roderick Strong (NA Champ)
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: Adam Cole wins via pinfall after the Last Shot
Time: 15:09 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Great match. Both men had nice segments of sustained offense throughout the match. It felt like Bryan started to pull ahead late in the match, particularly after a German suplex from the ropes that had Bryan dumping Cole nearly straight down on the top of his head. Cole seemed okay after that, but he was put into multiple pinning and submission predicaments. Cole had to push hard at the end of the match to try to save his title. This was a great way to end a fun night.
Ring Area
After the match, Triple H and Shawn Michaels enter the ring, and they’re joined by all of the NXT superstars we’ve seen tonight (with the addition of Lio Rush, Dakota Kai, Raul Mendoza, and Isaiah Scott). Triple says if RAW and SmackDown want a war at Survivor Series, then they’ve got one, and NXT is his army.
Show Impressions
This was a fun show. Knowing that most of the roster was stranded in Saudi Arabia after Crown Jewel the previous day, I was wondering what this episode of SmackDown would be like. I was pleasantly surprised.
Match of the Night
Daniel Bryan vs Adam Cole
The only thing that could have made this more interesting was if we weren’t sure Cole was going to keep the title. I mean, there was no way Cole could lose tonight.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/friday-night-smackdown-nov-1-2019