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WWE SMACKDOWN TAPING
NOVEMBER 6, 2018
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
REPORT BY CHRIS OSBORNE, PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT
The prestigious World Cup trophy is ringside. Paige came out first to a decent pop and she introduced Shane. When Shane came out, he received huge boos.
After a video recap of the World Cup Tournament, Shane admitted he is “probably not the best in the world,” but he did what he did because of “brand supremacy.” He then announced Daniel Bryan would be his team captain.
Bryan came out, followed by The Miz. Miz said he owns two-thirds of the World Cup trophy and he is arranging a shared custody plan with Shane. Shane agreed that Miz’s performance at the World Cup was impressive, so he is co-captain of Team Smackdown with Bryan. He said they bring out the best in each other, and he then announced they’d pick the rest of their team tonight.
Miz picked Shane first. Shane said no. Bryan said he he can’t believe he’s saying this, but he agrees with Miz that Shane should on their team. Shane then accepted. Miz said Bryan he can still make his pick. They both looked weirded out that they were getting along so well.
We will have a full report on the tapings later this afternoon and of course a full detailed report on the actual broadcast on USA Network as the show airs tonight.
(1) THE USOS beat THE NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Big E) to become Team Captain of the Survivor Series tag match. The Usos won with a top rope powerbomb and then a splash on Kofi.
-Backstage, Miz was on his phone trying to line-up slots on chat shows to promote the new Marine films, but all the chat shows want Becky. Yay! Bryan has made his pick – Rey Mysterio. Miz says only if he impresses against Andrade Cien Almas tonight. Then they agree that the last slot will be decided by a match between two wrestlers of their choosing. They get weirded out again by getting along. Funny stuff.
-Next up is Becky Lynch. Big pop. She cut a promo on Ronda, similar to last week. She was so fired up, though, that she said she wanted to fight anyone in the locker room. Who’s going to answer the challenge? It’s… Sanity. And who’s that with them? Nikki Cross! Crowd love that. Nikki cuts a creepy, cool promo and we have a match. Sanity head back to the locker room where I assume there’ll spend the next six months of their career.
(2) BECKY LYNCH beat NIKKI CROSS with the Dis-arm-her.
-Backstage again. Bryan chooses Hardy, Miz chooses Samoa Joe. They’ll go one-on-one.
-Rey Mysterio Jr our next. A Shinsuke Nakamura selfie-video promo airs on Seth Rollins. Then Andrade came out without Selena Vega.
(3) REY MYSTERIO vs. ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS to earn a spot on Team Smackdown. Great match. Springboard splash ends it. Look out, though, Rey! Randy Orton came out through the crowd and hit an RKO! If only there were a short catchphrase to describe how sudden and unexpected that RKO was. Oh well.
-Bryan and Miz again. Miz says something about how scary and intense Orton is, I assume in an attempt to validate why they haven’t considered him for the team. Miz winds up Bryan about being choked out by Joe last week. They share lolz.
-Paige is back. This bit will be off air. She announced a (dark) main event of Bryan & A.J. vs. Miz & Orton.
-Styles on the big screen reminds fans his title reign started here a year ago. And he promised to beat Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series: That’s not a promise, it’s a spoiler.
-Paige in the ring announces the Smackdown women’s team. They all come out – Carmella, Naomi, Sonya Deville, Asuka, and Charlotte… wait. Charlotte is not coming out, here comes God’s greatest creation Mandy Rose instead. She wanted to know why she’s not on the team. She cut a promo on the other four women and Naomi tried to take her down. The other women split them up.
-Miz and Bryan come out for the main event to do commentary.
(4) SAMOA JOE beat JEFF HARDY to earn a spot on Team Smackdown. Joe got his knees up on the Swanton and then put him in the Coquina Clutch for the win.
Joe celebrated in Bryan’s face. Bryan retaliated with punches and they ended up in the ring where Bryan slapped on the Yes lock. Miz separated them in an attempt to restore team unity, but Bryan punched him too. Shane rushed out and pulled back Bryan, who threw Shane to the floor. All three men down as Bryan stormed off angry. Good ending.
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