WWE SmackDown’s December 1 episode was live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. WWE provided a great show with some surprising developments for the future.
A return from Randy Orton and Logan Paul highlighted the show. The tension among Damage CTRL has been visible throughout the episode. Check WWE SmackDown Results, Winners, Grades, and Analysis from the December 1 Episode.
Bianca Belair Kick off WWE SmackDown
Bianca Belair opened the Raw, thanking her partners Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Shotzi for giving the team an impressive victory. After this, she showed her intentions of getting the women’s championship back from Iyo Sky.
The four members of Damage CTRL, without the leader Bayley, entered the arena. Dakota Kai handled the mic work and told Belair that Sky had already beaten her twice. So, she did not deserve a title shot.
Charlotte Flair and Shotzi joined the proceedings. Flair cleared that Bianca can go through all members of Damage CTRL to get a title shot. All women fight in the rung with babyfaces standing tall.
Damage CTRL went backstage, where Bayley found them. Kai cleared Bayley that Kairi Sane would fight Bianca later tonight, and Bayley could help her in the match.
Grade C+
Analysis
WWE did one thing wrong here: giving Bianca another title opportunity. The storyline again began in the same pattern. The good point is that Kai has taken a de facto leadership role, which is good for the breaking point of Damage CTRL.
Singles Match
Bobby Lashley vs Butch
Lashley gave a promo before the match, asking Butch to make a name for him. Butch slapped Lashley, and the match started.
Lashley took control of the match with a clothesline. Butch made a great comeback with a kick to the face and sent Lashley out of the ring. Lashley used his power moves to make a comeback.
Butch used his signature twisted finger moment and stomped Lashley’s arm. He covered Bobby for a two-count. Butch tried to give some further punishment to Lashley, but Lashley hit him with a running power slam. Later, they exchange some moves in the ring. Bobby Lashley hit his opponent with the spear and pinned him in the ring.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Grade B
Analysis
Bobby Lashley drew a great reaction from the ground, which was a good sign for his future. It was a great match between the two credible opponents. Butch can give an outstanding match to anyone.
Backstage: Paul Heyman went straight to Nick Aldis and asked if Aldis discussed Randy Orton’s comeback to SmackDown with the tribal chief. Aldis cleared Heyman that he wanted to sign Randy Orton to SmackDown, and if he had to do it at the expense of the entire Bloodline, he would do it.
Singles Match
Santos Escobar vs Joaquin Wilde
Wilde started the match with a drop kick and a back elbow. Escobar rolled out of the ring to eat a cross body from over-the-top rope. Wilde hit him with a splash and went for a pin, but Escobar kicked out. Escobar made a return with a knee-to-face and dropkick. Wilde returned with a knee to the face and a rolling DDT. Escobar finished the match with a Phantom Driver and got the victory.
Winner: Santos Escobar
Grade C+
Analysis
Both wrestlers showed great chemistry in the ring. WWE is high on Escobar, and he is doing well. He can have these kinds of victories before going against veterans like Carlito and Mysterio.
Return of United States Champion and Kevin Owens vs Grayson Waller
Logan Paul made a grand entry to the ring, taking pride in his United States championship victory.
He turned his attention to his haters and asked them where they were now by raising the belt high over his head. Paul announced his discussion with Nick Aldis and revealed that a tournament will determine his next opponent.
Kevin Owens gave his usual promo on Paul and told him that he was a jackass in Paul 10 years ago. The Prize Fighter further insulted Paul and warned him to hold the belt strongly because his days as champions were numbered. Waller interrupted the proceeding with his insulting remarks directed at Owens. The match was short and sweet. Theory distracted Owens and stomped on his hand to give an advantage to Waller. However, Owens gets the pin in the end.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Grade B+
Analysis
The tournament to decide the no.1 contender will include Santos Escobar, Dragon Lee, Karrion Kross, Bobby Lashley, Grayson Waller, Austin, Theory, an unnamed NXT star, and Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens will be a great opponent for Paul. The match between KO and Waller was good, as expected.
Singles Match
Bianca Belair vs Kairi Sane
The match started hot with a few kicks from Sane. Bianca hit her with a shoulder tackle and a dropkick. She went for the body slam, but Sane landed on her feet. Iyo provided a timely distraction to give Sane control of the match. The interference from Charlotte and Shotzi, along with Asuka and Iyo, did not give the match control to a single competitor. Bayley tripped Biance to give Sane an upper hand in the end. Kairi Sane climbed to the top rope for her signature elbow drop, but Bianca hit her with her right hand. Belair hit her with the KOD for the pin.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Grade B+
Analysis
The match was good, as we expected from these two women. But the distractions from outside did not allow it to become one of the best TV matches in recent history. The B+ grade is only for the storyline development between Damage and CTRL. It looked like Bayley would be thrown out of the faction sooner rather than later.
Randy Orton Returned to SmackDown
Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce joined each other in the ring as The Apex Predator Randy Orton returned to the blue brand. Both SmackDown and Raw General Managers wanted to get Orton their brand. Before they could decide, Paul Heyman interrupted. He reminded the crowd that Orton returned after 18 months due to Roman Reigns and the Bloodline. Heyman told them that it was the Bloodline who would decide the future of Randy Orton once again.
Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso showed up and attacked Orton in the ring. Before they could do any damage, LA Knight came to save the veteran. Knight and Orton teamed up to take out the Bloodline.
Randy hit an RKO to Jimmy Uso to please the crowd. Heyman told Orton to go to Raw to stay safe. Orton signed the SmackDown contract and hit Nick Aldis with an RKO to end the night.
Grade A
Analysis
Randy Orton had a big pop upon his return. He signed the contract and told Heyman to give his message to Roman Reigns that Daddy’s back. It was a great segment to end the night. LA Knight worked with another veteran, which is a good thing. The Bloodline got another top name to feud with. Above all, Randy will work with the young guys on SmackDown, like Solo Sikoa and others.
It was all from our WWE SmackDown Results, Winners, Grades, and Analysis from the December 1 Episode.
