Smackdown Live in Toronto kicks off with Kevin Owens getting his propers (including a “Kev-in Ow-ens” chant) after defeating Shane McMahon at Summerslam. Kevin talks about his five-year anniversary with WWE, about having shared the ring with some of the absolute best in the business, and about having his family in attendance at SummerSlam. He was glad to have done so but he’s looking ahead… to King of the Ring! He says that it was one of his favorite things to watch as a fan and he wants to join the ranks of: Steve Austin, Edge, Bret Hart, and Owen Hart(!).
And that brings out Shane-O-Mac. The crowd shouts “Asshole!” Shane says that they shouldn’t call Kevin Owens that but that he is a lowlife and shows his proof on the big screen: Kevin Owens kicking him right in the shareholders in their match together. Shane questions KO’s integrity and manhood, prompting Owens to offer a fight. Shane says that he won’t sully himself with KO tonight. He shows further footage from SummerSlam: Kevin beating “special guest enforcer” Elias with a steel chair. Shane points out that Elias had a referee shirt on, making him an official official (officially.) For that, Shane fines him $100K! Kevin says that, for Shane, that’s a new car but, for him, that’s his kids’ college money. Shane mulls it over … and sticks with his decision.
Kevin Owens follows him to the back but Shane reminds him that he’s there as an executive and not a competitor. Putting hands on him now is putting his family’s future on the chopping block. He tells Kevin that the WWE needs to set precedent and Kevin tells him to make it “105” before throwing a barstool into a monitor and walking off.
Reaction: I’m excited for King of the Ring, even in the modern incarnation. Kevin Owens is absolutely somebody who adds to the drama, even if I’m pulling for my own favorites. This $100K fine (in US dollars) continues the “working class hero” Kevin Owens storyline (which I always thought was his highest calling.)
Charlotte Flair vs Ember Moon
After a few exchanges, Flair steps outside to get into Ember’s head and draw her out. It works a little too well and Ember leaps over the top rope for a body press! Charlotte turns it around by driving Ember into the barricade and then the turnbuckles back inside the ring. Handspring elbow smash staggers The Queen but she’s too tall to get hoisted up for a slam too easily. A shot to the back puts Ember down and a stomp to the back of the head puts punctuation on it. Standing Dragon Sleeper to wear down the War Goddess. A Fallaway Slam sends her across the ring. Flair chops and Charlotte’s looking to run away with it. Ember tries a few counter rollups but ends up in the corner.
Charlotte kicks Ember off the apron. Inside the ring, Ember kicks away to fend off the Figure 8 but The Queen throws her into the old school Walls of Jericho! She gets fingertips on the bottom rope but Charlotte pulls her away and drops across her knee. She lays Moon’s leg across the bottom rope and drops across it again. Third time, Ember rolls out of the way and a slugfest breaks out. Charlotte misses with the big boot but Ember connects on kicks and Muay Thai knees before dropping The Queen with a rolling elbow. Pump kick off the ropes gets a two count, as does a rebound Code Breaker out of the corner. Frustrated, Ember Moon goes up top to seal it with an Eclipse but Flair pulls her down by her hair. Charlotte looking for the spear but hits the ringpost. Ember gets another two count. The ladies exchange punches and kicks as they get to their feet but Charlotte’s big boot connects this time. Figure 8 is there and Ember Moon has to tap out.
Your winner by submission… Charlotte Flair!
Reaction: A good match and maybe not “fight for-ev-er” but Ember Moon has the athleticism that Charlotte Flair doesn’t have to wait for her to catch up. A little more polish in landing on her feet and she just might be a top five lady in the company.
Aleister Black is back to question who is going pay the boatman the same way he will, with anguish and fire and combat. He’ll find out when they knock knock knock on his door.
Buddy Murphy vs Roman Reigns
Roman sons Buddy for a second but he comes back with a running high knee that flattens The Big Dog! The best two-and-a-half-count kick out in the business has the crowd wondering for a few beats but he’s up. Murphy stomps Reigns in the corner and follows him outside the ring to send him ribs first into the barricade a few times. He wants to continue outside the ring so he rolls in and out of the ring to break up the count. Big mistake. Roman slaps the accent out of his mouth before beale-ing him six feet into the air and onto the announce table! Roman gets him back in the ring but misses the drive-by dropkick and is shoved into the steel ring steps.
Back in the ring, Buddy Murphy has a rear chinlock and is locked on like a terrier. He shoves Roman into the corner and Reigns goes to roll him up. But, before the Australian can even kick out, The Big Dog one arms him up for a sit out power bomb! Two count continues the match. Replay shows them getting a foot of bounce off the impact. Roman gets the DJ started on the clothesline party and spike the punch with a big boot. Murphy dodges the Superman punch and manages to ole The Spear. Roman hits the ring post and Buddy rolls him up with the feet on the middle rope but still can’t get it. Roman rushes him but ends up ass-over-tea-kettle to the floor. Buddy lays him out with a beautiful tope con helo and looks like he could’ve landed on his feet at the start of the ramp if he had to. Back in the ring, Buddy goes to the top turnbuckle and drives Roman down to the mat with a double knee press but only for a near fall. Buddy hitting strike combos but that signature right hand jaw slap form Roman slows him down.
Buddy superkicks Roman into the ropes but the rebound takes right into a Superman punch and a near fall on Murphy! Roman is shocked. He signals for The Spear but Murphy intercepts with a knee strike. More knees follow and so does a Brainbuster! One. Two. And a kickout. Murphy goes up top again but Roman smacks him all the way to the floor. Superman punch using the ring steps! Back in the ring, Roman turns Murphy inside out with The Spear! Roman is impressed and has to double check with the referee to make sure he got the tree count.
Your winner by pinfall… Roman Reigns!
Reaction: A damn fine coming out party for Buddy Murphy on Smackdown. The storyline of Roman’s secret saboteur continues without him but he may be better off from that. Tonight, “The secret is out on Smackdown’s ‘best kept secret,’” as per Corey Graves. The millions who don’t watch 205 Live get to see their new best Buddy put on the top shelf. Cue my version of the crowd chant: “You! Have! Earned! It!”
Kayla Braxton checks in with The Revival. They say they take issue with The New Day being clowns with the RAW Tag Team titles they love so much. Tonight, the jokes get a “punch”-line.
Kofi Kingston and Big E are trying to console Xavier Woods on his anxiety over King of the Ring and whether he’ll get to participate. Kayla asks them about Revival’s notion that they “ruined” the tag team titles. They haven’t “ruined” anything… except their dinners (cookies were involved)… and Christmas (early present opening)… and… an adult circumcision? Uhhh… Anyway, they handle their business just like Kofi did by going off on Randy Orton when he disrespected Kofi’s family in the audience at SummerSlam.
Kevin Owens vs Samoa Joe
Immediately before the match starts, we are told that a special guest ringside enforcer is appointed to the match: WWE 24/7 Champion, Elias!
We start out with some dad bod demolition derby as the two smash mouth all stars knock each other around the ring. Samoa Joe gets the upper hand and holds onto it by getting a handhold off Kevin Owen’s head and beard. Samoa Joe measures Owens in the corner but runs right into an elbow, then a boot, and finally a dropkick off the second turnbuckle. Senton on Joe for a two count. Owens rushes Joe in the corner but a big uranage takes the wind out of his sails.
Joe seats Kevin on the top turnbuckle but is knocked down, followed up by a swanton for a two count. KO goes for the stunner but Joe shoves him off. Kevin backs up to see if he can get it but Joe goes for the Coquina Clutch. Owens slings him off. Joe charges… right into a pop-up power bomb! As the referee counts, Elias pulls him from the ring! Elias gets in the ring and reminds a fuming Kevin Owens that he’s there as an official. Fuming Kevin Owens is a distracted Kevin Owens and easy prey for a Samoa Joe school boy and a onetwothree count by Elias.
Your winner by pinfall… Samoa Joe!
Reaction: Bullshit finish (by design) aside, a good spot of work between these two. Samoa Joe, sometimes, is written off as a guy who has “made his art so now he’s making money” but he certainly doesn’t sandbag it for the boys. The low altitude pop-up powerbomb? Not nearly as dumb-looking as I often decry.
In the back, Daniel Bryan and Rowan clear the locker room, except for (in a bit of déjà vu) Buddy Murphy. Daniel sits him down and says that he understands why he lied but he needs him to say it. Buddy stays silent as he stares down Rowan. More déjà vu as Rowan ragdolls him until he’s ground into the whiteboard, screaming that he lied.
Reaction: This takes some of the juice away from Murphy’s earlier match with Roman. This “lie” was already addressed on the SummerSlam kickoff show and the segment doesn’t advance the story unless Murphy is caving to pressure again. Curious if not outright frustrating.
Roman is in the back and looking for D-Bry and Rowan’s dressing room.
The New Day vs The Revival
After a recap of Randy Orton taunting Kofi Kingston’s family at ringside and Kofi’s subsequent kendo stick attack on Randy are shown. This brings The Viper out with a microphone, he calls Kofi’s actions that lead to a double count out an escape because he knows that he can’t beat Orton. Kofi is incredulous and more than happy to oblige in making the main event a six-man tag.
Xavier Woods is running the match in the beginning but The Revival makes use of quick tags and picking apart of his left arm and shoulder. Woods tries to fight his way to his corner when Orton is tagged in but is tossed out of the ring and suplexed onto the announce table. After minutes of being stretched out by Scott Dawson, Xavier manages to bash his face off of the top turnbuckle. Big E gets tagged in and he clears house before belly-to-belly and big splash on Dash Wilder for a two count. Distraction by Dawson and schoolboy for two.
E picks Wilder up and it looks like we’re going to see Midnight Hour/UpUpDownDown but Revival hits a double DDT on the big fella. Kofi comes off the top with double chop on Revival, though. Boom Drop on Wilder and he’s calling for Trouble in Paradise. Randy Orton slips in to attempt an RKO but Kofi dropkicks him away. Kofi tags in Woods and Fosbury Flops onto Randy at ringside. Woods tries for a tornado DDT but gets caught up by Revival. Wilder holds him and Dawson comes in at him but he ends up backdropping him over both himself and Wilder. He trades hands pretty well with only one arm but The Shatter Machine is a lock.
Your winners by pinfall… the team of Randy Orton & The Revival (which would be a classic band name)!
The Revival goes after The New Day after the fact but Kofi tries to fight them away from the injured Woods. An RKO for him and each one of The New Day and all that’s left is the referees warning Randy away from cradling Kofi’s head and contemplating more malice.
Reaction: The Revival runs a clockwork match. Xavier Woods has become one of the most under-appreciated in-ring talents in the company, poised to pounce on the singles scene. Randy Orton, operating at 80% or 45% or whatever, is always at the top of the order because he brings an element of believable malice and menace. But enough about things we all already know.
Roman Reigns makes his way to Daniel Bryan and Rowan’s locker room. Daniel is very insistent (and condescending) about how Rowan is owed an apology. Roman is starting to get peeved but Daniel decides to quell the storm by letting him in on a secret: He and Rowan have been conducting their own investigation and, next week, they’ll deliver the culprit to him.
Overall Reaction: Compared to RAW, Smackdown Live in Toronto was a regular show with no big surprise returns or fanfare. But it was a cut above in terms of match quality. People got elevated. Storylines progressed. Byron Saxton got told to shut up. If it’s not broken…
