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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
OCTOBER 25, 2024
BROOKLYN, N.Y. AT BARCLAYS CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reported that shortly before showtime, 11,323 tickets had been distributed with a late surge of sales; arena set up for 11,688. The arena has a capacity of 19,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by ProWrestling.net’s Jake Barnettto review Smackdown LIVE. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
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[HOUR ONE]
-They again opened with men in black suits and white gloves carrying the Crown Jewel Title belt in a case into the arena. Then they cut to Gunther and then Cody Rhodes as Michael Cole noted they’d be in the same ring tonight. Also, Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley backstage followed by Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa.
-The camera followed Ramdy Orton to the Gorilla position. He stopped at the curtains and turned around and had a chat with Paul “Triple H” Levesque. Levesque seemed a bit taken aback. Orton then made his way to the ring. Corey Graves said that conversation had to be about Nick Aldis telling Orton last week that asking for a match against Kevin Owens goes over his head considering Owens is essentially suspended for his attack on Cody outside the arena two weeks ago after Hell in a Cell.
Orton called Levesque to the ring. He said he suspects he’s protecting Kevin Owens from him. They cut backstage to Levesque exhaling and taking off his headset after his music began to play. Graves said Levesque runs the show, so Orton has to be careful. He said he’d have preferred not to do that out at the ring, but since he never seems to show up to work on time, “which we can talk about later,” I guess we’ll do this now. Orton said everyone know that he’s protecting KO from him. Levesque denied that as he entered the ring.
Levesque said he is just doing his job. Orton said Levesque has a soft spot for Owens. He told him to admit he’s protecting him over and over. Levesque said he is not protecting him. “I am trying to protect you!” Levesque said. Fans “oohhh’d.” Fans chanted “RKO! RKO!” Levesque said he’s known both Orton and Owens since the day they stepped into WWE. He said Owens wanted to be known as “a prize fighter” because it’s always about business. He told Orton he knows what that is like. He said Owens never had an actual friend, but for some reason recently he let his guard down around him and Cody Rhodes.
He said maybe he was attracted to the good person he wants to be in Cody and he sees the “miserable prick” in Orton he doesn’t want to be. He said Owens trusted them and he felt betrayed. He said when he talked to Owens, he sensed there was something different in his eyes and disconnected in him now. “Quite frankly, I don’t want to put him in the ring with you,” he said. He explained that Orton just came back after 18 months on the shelf. He said he had steel rods put in his back and he was told he’d never wrestle again, “but here you are and I just got you back.” He said he doesn’t want to see him go back on the shelf, perhaps permanently this time.
Orton assured him that won’t happen. He said he didn’t ask Paul Levesque to come out, the guy in a suit. He said he wanted Triple H, the guy in a leather jacket with a sledgehammer. He said he wanted the guy who beat the miserable prick out of him on his front lawn. He said he’s not the old Orton who was impulsive. He said he knows what’s at stake in his career now. He said Levesque knows as well as anyone what it’s like to have everything taken away from him. He said people like them need to handle their business in the ring. “Please, I beg of you, Hunter,” he said. Fans chanted, “Let them fight!”
Levesque said, “I hope to god you all know what you’re asking for.” He agreed to book him against Owens at Crown Jewel, then told him to protect himself at all times, then left the ring as Orton’s music played.
(Keller’s Analysis: This is a slight augmentation of the ol’ “don’t suspend him, let me wrestle him” plea that territory bookers employed for years in past decades when someone overstepped the bounds like Owens did. I like Levesque really selling the idea that Owens is dangerous and Orton is at risk with his recent surgery and long layoff. It makes the stakes feel higher.)
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. Cole said Levesque heard Orton’s compelling argument and was persuaded. He wondered if Orton got caught up in the situation too much emotionally. Graves said Orton just forced Triple H’s hand and he might regret getting what he asked for. Cole pivoted to plugging the Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes match.
-A video package aired on their past six matches in the series.
-L.A. Knight made his ring entrance to be special referee. He was wearing his U.S. Title belt around his waist. [c]
(1) CARMELO HAYES vs. ANDRADE – Match Seven in the Series
Andrade made his entrance. Carmelo made his entrance. When the bell rang 22 minutes into the hour, Andrade landed a quick spinning elbow for a two count. Knight continued to wear his title belt. Cole said he’s never seen that before. Andrade kicked away at Hayes in the corner. Knight admonished Andrade. Hayes leaped and hit Andrade, then exchanged words with Knight. Andrade knocked Hayes to the floor. Knight blocked Andrade from doing a dive. Knight then began counting Hayes out. Andrade leaped over Knight and landed on Hayes. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
During the break, they fought at ringside and then back into the ring. Hayes grounded Andrade. Andrade fought back and after the break landed a springboard Spanish fly. Both were down and slow to get up. Andrade took control and landed double-knees in the corner. When Hayes kicked out of Andrade’s cover, Andrade landed on Knight. Hayes rolled up Andrade, but Knight was recovering from being landed on. Hayes tried to superkick Andrade, but he caught Knight by mistake. Andrade then gave Hayes two unreleased vertical suplexes, but Hayes blocked a third and landed a cutter. Knight yanked Hayes out of the ring and threw him into the announce table.
Knight then confronted Knight in the ring. Andrade took a swing at him. Knight ducked and gave him a BFT. Graves said that wasn’t very impartial. Hayes confronted Knight, so Knight gave him a BFT. Knight dropped to the floor and rang the bell. He then stood on the announce desk and said, “To hell with game seven.” He said there is still just one man who is still U.S. Champion. Cole said, “I’m not sure how I feel about that.” Graves said two of the best athletes in the world were competing and Knight made it all about him. “I’m done with this guy,” said Graves, emphatically.
WINNER: No contest in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Knight’s babyface character and popularity isn’t dependent on him being level-headed or fit to be a referee, but this did feel like a really cheap way to end what turned into a Best of Seven series. The good news, fans weren’t that invested in the outcome probably, so there won’t be outrage over this.)
-Backstage Tiffany Stratton told Nia Jax she is there and ready to serve her. Jax said she needs someone to Naomi because she can’t get her off her back. Tiffany eagerly volunteered. Jax said she already found someone – Candice LeRae. She said she pinned Bayley last week. LeRae walked in with Indi Hartwell. She said she’s going to take care of Naomi, so Tiffany can just relax.
-Cole hyped Naomi vs. LeRae. [c]
-Aldis confronted Knight and asked, “What the hell was that?” He said he’s made himself the center of attention, so he’ll get both guys in a Triple Threat match at Crown Jewel.
(2) NAOMI vs. CANDICE LERAE (w/Indi Hartwell)
Naomi made her “glow” ring entrance. The bell rang 41 minutes into the hour. Graves touted LeRae being the first WWE Speed Champion in the women’s division. They battled onto the ring apron where LeRae delivered a faceplant on Naomi on the edge of the ring apron. They cut to a break at 2:00. [c]
Indi interfered and shoved Naomi into the ringpost. Bayley ran out and attacked Indi at ringside. Naomi then attacked LeRae from behind as LeRae was looking down at Bayley. She leveraged her shoulders down for a three count.
WINNER: Naomi in 9:00. [c]
-They showed Lin-Manuel Miranda in the front row.
-They showed the Crown Jewel Title belt glistening at ringside.
-Cody Rhodes made his ring entrance.
[HOUR TWO]
-As Gunther made his entrance, Cole noted that in the last two Royal Rumbles, Cody eliminated Gunther. Graves said Gunther knows that and it gnaws at him every night. Gunther asked Cody what he wanted to talk about. Cody said he wants to know why he thinks he’ll leave Crown Jewel as champion. Cody paused. Gunther then said he’d interrupted Cody. (It’s not interrupting if the other person stopped talking and a second or two of silence took place.) Gunther said Cody didn’t need to bring his daughter into it. He said they should find out who the Crown Jewel Champion is.
Gunther told Cody what he doesn’t understand is him dragging the people closest to him into his business. He said it’s all for the legacy of his dad, Dusty Rhodes. He said he now wants to be “the quarterback of this operation” and keeps asking for John Cena’s schedule just to live up to somebody else’s standards.” He said he thinks he’s doing it just to make things “a little more dramatic than they actually are.” He said his reason is himself. “I am the greatest professional wrestler in this company right now,” he said. “So my reason is to live up to myself.” He told Cody to do him a favor and imagine they were in the arena alone, without the fans present, and tell him his real reason why if there really is any.
Cody said for a man so well-educated and well-dressed, “that is the dumbest question that has ever been asked of me in a wrestling ring.” He said none of this exists without all of the fans. He said he had the nerve and gumption to take away their “whoa!” in his song. He led the fans in getting it out of their system. He said they are dramatic. He said they don’t call them Cody Crybabies for nothing. He said he is a bit of a messy king.
Cody asked where he was yesterday or the day before that. He said he was doing media rounds promoting WrestleMania 41 “but you couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed.” He said the part he’s missing is the giant responsibility that comes with his title. Gunther insisted he is the work horse champion of the company. “I know everything about responsibility!” he said. He said he gets the same requests that Cody does, “but I have the guts to say no” to any media request or charity appearances. He said the reason Cody doesn’t put himself first is that if he stops being the servant of everybody else, his story is over. He said that makes him a gutless champion “and the gutless champion will always be secondary to me.”
Cody said they call Gunther the “Ring General.” He said he’s 6-4, 250 terrorizing the planet, but he commands no one but himself. He said all he does is show guts. “The path less traveled has been made up of my guts!” He said guts is ending a civil discussion like they’re having and taking the first shot. He attacked Gunther. Ludwig Kaiser quickly joined the fight. He and Gunther attacked Cody. Orton ran out for the save. Graves said he thinks Gunther found the chink in Cody’s armor. [c]
-They showed aerial shots of Manhattan including Madison Square Garden, but labelled it “Brooklyn, N.Y.”
-A video package aired on the Raw main event with Bron Breakker beating Jey Uso to retain the Intercontinental Title after The Bloodline showed up at ringside.
-A bunch of women wrestlers were arguing. The G.M.’s of NXT (Ava), Smackdown, and Raw (Adam Pearce) told Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill that at Crown Jewel they’ll defend their tag titles in a Fatal Four-way tag match against the other three teams – Iyo Sky & Kairi Sane, Chelsea Green & Piper Niven, and Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend. The camera panned over to the teams who went into cartoon mode reacting to the news.
-As DIY made their way to the ring, Cole said this is the kind of match pro wrestling fans have craved for years.
(3) DIY (Tomasso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) vs. THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS – No. 1 Contendership match
The bell rang 27 minutes into the hour. Cole said Shelley taught Gargano the Gargano Escape. Graves said Shelley used to sleep on his floor when they were indy wrestlers dreaming of making it big. Gargano battled Shelley at first. Ciampa tagged in next. They cut to a break a few minutes in. [c]
As the action continued, Graves joked that he and Shelley sat on his couch years ago and said Gargano would never make it out of Cleveland. Ciampa connected with a running knee on Sabin for a near fall at 10:00. He and Gargano set up the Meet in the Middle, but Shelley yanked Ciampa out of the ring. Gargano and Shelley, meanwhile, exchanged leverage two counts. Gargano tried to superkick Sabin, but Sabin ducked so he superkicked Ciampa instead. Shelley and Sabin then landed Skull & Bones for the win. Graves said they’re making believers out of WWE fans.
WINNERS: Machine Guns in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good action, and really just a teaser of a match they could have if given 5-15 more minutes.)
-As the Guns celebrated, The Bloodline made their way out. [c]
-Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Jacob Fatu were in the ring. Aldis had joined them and said they aren’t going to fight tonight. Solo said there’s no problem there. Fans chanted, “OTC!” Solo told them to shut their mouths. He said they just came out to introduce themselves to the no. 1 contenders for their tag titles. He told Brooklyn, New York to acknowledge him. Fans booed. He welcomed Sabin and Shelly to Smackdown. He said he is their Tribal Chief. Sabin introduced himself to Solo. He said they’re always read, so let them know when they want to face them. Solo said if they want to “make an impact for themselves,” how about a tag title match “right here, right now.”
Aldis said those men have fought and sacrificed for 20 years, so he won’t let them get their fairly earned title shot when they’re anything less than 100 percent. Shelley interjected that if they want to do it right here, right now, they’re ready. Aldis called for a referee. Graves said it wasn’t a smart decision.
(4) TAMA TONGA & TONGA LOA vs. THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS – WWE Tag Team Title match
The bell rang 48 minutes into the hour. Shelley and Sabin threw Tama and Loa to the floor and then set up a dive, but Tama and Loa re-entered and dropkicked them. They cut to a very early double-box break. [c/db]
Tama and Loa dominated during the break. Cole talked about these teams having a history in New Japan. When Shelley avoided top rope splashes, Solo stood on the ring apron. Jimmy Uso showed up and yanked him down and threw him into the ringside steps. He superkicked a charging Fatu. Fatu and Solo, though, double-teamed him at ringside. Roman Reigns’s music played and he came out, which froze Solo and Fatu. Roman walked out,. Fatu charged after him, but Reigns hit him with a Superman Punch. Roman and Jimmy brawled with Fatu and Solo up the ramp.
Meanwhile, Sabin battled Tama in the ring. When Shelley charged at Tama, Tama pulled the ref into his path. Loa attacked Shelley. With the ref down, Tama and Loa were about to use chairs when Jimmy Uso showed up in a hood. He speared Tama and then lowered his hood and facemask. Shelley and Sabin then finished Tama with a double-team Skull & Bones splash for the win. Cole said it was only their third match in WWE. As Sabin and Shelley celebrated their way up to the entrance stage, Cole said, “Guys, welcome to the show!”
WINNERS: Machine Guns to capture the WWE Tag Team Titles in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Wow. That’s pretty cool for Sabin & Shelley. I think they’ve made a good enough impression on fans early on and were talked up enough in general by announcers that even fans barely or not-at-all familiar with their impressive track record will see them as credible fast-rising champs rather than fluke champions.)
-Jimmy entered the ring and approached Jey apprehensively. He moved in and they hugged. Fans exploded with cheers. They showed Roman watching from the stage. Fans chanted “OTC!” Roman didn’t reveal his emotions.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by ProWrestling.net’s Jake Barnettto review Smackdown LIVE. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
If you can’t join us live on YouTube, stream the show on demand later at YouTube or listen or stream later on a podcast app. Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
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