On September 13th, 2024 WWE aired the 1,308 episode of Smackdown live in Settle Washington inside Climate Pledge Arena.
Note: This review is shorter then normal as it be the last few mins of the match.
-Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with Triple H says it seems like it was just yesterday he was standing in the ring on the 1st ever episode of SmackDown going 1 on 1 with The Rock. He says 25 years later, there’s no better place to be than Seattle to start off the premiere edition of the show on the USA Network than with a Steel Cage Match.
Undisputed WWE Title Steel Cage Match
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
Solo Sikoa lands another hip attack on Cody Rhodes but Rhodes opens the door to the cage.
Sikoa drags him back in before he can escape but Rhodes surprises him with a Cross Rhodes and goes for a pin. Sikoa kicks out and Rhodes climbs up the cage.
He considers escaping but opts to land a crossbody off it instead to level Sikoa in the ring.
He pins him again but Sikoa kicks out.
Rhodes looks to exit the cage through the door but Sikoa closes it in his face to prevent him from leaving.
He looks to land a Samoan Spike but Rhodes intercepts him with Cross Rhodes for the win.
Winner & Still Undisputed WWE Champion: Cody Rhodes (STILL CHAMPION!!!)
-After the match The Bloodline scale the cage. A distracted Rhodes doesn’t see Sikoa coming with a Samoan Spike and The Bloodline continue beating down Rhodes. Jacob Fatu lands a moonsault off the top rope and Sikoa orders him to go on top of the cage. Fatu does so but before he can fly Roman Reigns’ music hits and he makes his way out. He enters the cage through the door then fires off right hands on Tonga Loa and sends Tama Tonga crashing into the side of the cage. He does the same to Loa but Sikoa blindsides him from behind. Reigns catches Sikoa with a Superman Punch and Rhodes catches Loa with a Cross Rhodes. Reigns intercepts Tonga with a spear then takes note of Rhodes in the corner.
-After the break we head backstage to Cathy Kelly is with Nick Aldis. Aldis says Rhodes, Reigns & The Bloodline have all been sequestered then reveals Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu have a challenge to a match he’s waiting to receive more context on.
Michin vs. Piper Niven
Michin hits Chelsea Green with it across her spine but Piper Niven takes Michin down with a cannonball off the apron and dumps her back in the ring.
Niven ascends to the top rope but Michin meets her up there and hits a back suplex off the bottom rope.
She follows it up with Eat Defeat for the win.
Winner: Michin
-After the match Green attacks Michin and Niven lands a senton on her. Green dumps a garbage can into the ring then delivers the Unprettier to her on top of the can.
-After the break Kevin Owens and his mystery tag team partner Ricky follow after Owens announced his 1st partner of choice couldn’t make it due to travel issues. Owens is then informed that his original partner did make it and Owens hits a Stunner to Ricky before Randy Orton makes his way out.
Tag Team Match
A Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) vs. Kevin Owens & Randy Orton
Randy Orton hits Austin Theory with a right hand and hits an uppercut on Grayson Waller then sends A Town Down Under crashing into the announce desk spine first.
He dumps Waller back in the ring and hits a hanging DDT to him as Owens does the same to Theory.
Orton follows it up with an RKO to Waller for the win
Winners: Kevin Owens & Randy Orton
-We then head backstage to Cathy Kelley where Nick Aldis announces that Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns will be taking on Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu in a Tag Team match at Bad Blood granted Rhodes & Reigns both agree. Rhodes approaches Aldis and informs him that he will not be competing in the match as he is now done with The Bloodline.
-Women’s Champion Nia Jax says since returning to WWE a year ago, every woman in the locker room has realized why she’s called The Irrestible Force. She says she won the 2024 Queen Of The Ring Tournament and the Women’s Title with ease then says that every woman in the locker room fears her. She says Nick Aldis informed her that she would be defending the Women’s Title at Bad Blood and she doesn’t care who her opponent is because she will annihilate them.
-Bayley’s music hits and she makes her way out. She gives Jax credit for having the greatest year of her career this past year but she never set the bar that high for herself. She says she’s glad Jax is feeling confident because she wants her Women’s Title rematch. Jax says Bayley is in no position to demand things of her and says it’s not like last year when she was running behind Damage CTRL. She says she doesn’t need a posse to run the women’s division and Bayley questions what her partnership with Tiffany Stratton is. She says she won the Women’s Title without Damage CTRL while Jax didn’t without Stratton.
-Stratton’s music hits and she makes her way out. She says that Jax doesn’t buy what Bayley is trying to sell, then says like every other woman in the locker room, she’s jealous that she isn’t Women’s Money In The Bank holder. Bayley reminds Stratton that she beat her last week and Stratton says she only lost because Jax got involved. Jax stares down Stratton but refocuses and says she doesn’t.
-Naomi’s music hits and she makes her way down. She says if Jax & Stratton want a fight, she’s ready for one. She says that she won’t let Stratton & Jax verbally go after Bayley then demands a Women’s Title match. Jax suggests that Bayley & Naomi square off with Stratton & her in a Tag Team match next week with whoever gets the pin on the winning team winning a shot at her Women’s Title at Bad Blood and whoever gets pinned leaving SmackDown permanently.
Non Title Match
Speed Champion Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
Andrade lands a Meteora on Hayes in the corner, then goes for a pin but Hayes grabs the bottom rope to break the fall.
Hayes then sits Andrade on the top rope and joins him up there but Andrade pushes him off.
Hayes connects with an enzuigiri on Andrade but Andrade responds with The Message for the win.
Winner: Speed Champion Andrade (Recommend)
-After the match United States Champion LA Knight makes his way out and congratulates Andrade on his win. He says that Nick Aldis has declared him as the next #1 Contender for the United States Title but expresses his confidence in retaining the United States Title in their match next week.
-Nick Aldis tells Roman Reigns that he knows it’s been a chaotic night and he knows that he has a long history with Reigns but Reigns cuts him off by extending his hand for Aldis to hand him the contract he has and the mic. Aldis does so and Reigns says while some things change, he doesn’t. He says he doesn’t need Aldis or a contract as his business with The Bloodline is family business. He says he doesn’t need a tag team partner or Cody Rhodes then says whether he has the lei or not, he’s the Tribal Chief. He says he’s not just the original Tribal Chief but also the only Tribal Chief. He says the ring is his and so is WWE.
-Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes’ music hits and he makes his way down. He says WWE was Reigns’ but it hasn’t been since WrestleMania 40 when he dethroned him as Undisputed WWE Champion. He stares down Reigns but Solo Sikoa’s music hits and he makes his way out with Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa blindside Reigns and Rhodes but Rhodes catches Loa with a Cody Cutter and Reigns sends Tonga crashing into the mat. Reigns then picks up the contract and signs it as Rhodes places his Undisputed WWE Title down in the ring and stares down Rhodes. Rhodes then extends his hand for Reigns to hand him the contract and Reigns does so. Rhodes signs it much to the irritation of Reigns to close out Smackdown.
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