The October 18 2019 edition of SmackDown, out of the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, just wrapped up. We’ve got the WWE SmackDown results, as well as our overall thoughts on the show, for you to check out below. Let us know what you thought about episode #1052 of SmackDown by tweeting us, @TheRumbleRamble.
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Roman Reigns
Intercontinental Championship Match
Timing is EVERYTHING. #SmackDown @SamiZayn @ShinsukeN @WWERomanReigns pic.twitter.com/ihblQSYq4m
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
With Sami Zayn on commentary, Shinsuke Nakamura took on his newest challenger, Roman Reigns. Sami Zayn is the one who got Shinsuke into this situation, but the IC Champ didn’t seem concerned in the slightest that he may not leave with his title.
Shinsuke Nakamura got the early advantage, wearing down The Big Dog through the beginning of the match. And when Roman began to take control, Sami Zayn lept into action from the announce desk, pulling Shinsuke to safety when Roman attempted a back body drop on the apron, causing Roman to crash into the hardest part of the ring.
This gave Shinsuke the window he needed to take over, and after a commercial break, the champ had Reigns in a submission hold in the middle of the ring.
When Reigns broke free of Nakamura’s hold, he wasted no time firing off strikes, leveling Nakamura with a massive kick in the middle of the ring. Nakamura took advantage of being laid out, however, trapping Reigns in an armbar when he tried to continue the assault. Roman Reigns eventually powered through, lifting Nakamura from the mat for a powerbomb, but it wasn’t enough to keep Nakamura down.
And before Reigns could capitalize on the wounded Nakamura, Sami Zayn caused a distraction, allowing Nakamura to get his feet back under him, flattening Reigns before powering up for a Kinshasa.
Nakamura sprinted at Reigns for the finish – and was met with a Superman Punch, laying him out. Reigns backed into the corner, waiting for Nakamura to stand so he could finish the champ with a spear, but Baron Corbin chose this moment to attack Reigns from behind, hitting him with his scepter.
Baron Corbin was prepared to continue and would have if Daniel Bryan had not run down to make the save. Bryan came into the ring guns blazing but was stopped by Sami Zayn before he could do as much damage as he no doubt meant to.
While Sami Zayn held Daniel Bryan’s leg, Shinsuke Nakamura connected with a Kinshasa, and he, Sami, and Baron all left with smiles on their faces.
Winner: Roman Reigns (via disqualification)
Shorty Gable vs. Curtis Axel
THIS sequence is beautiful and it led to a victory for Shorty @WWEGable over @RealCurtisAxel on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/fWDkKnWIxL
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
Like the rest of Chad Gable’s recent opponents, Curtis Axel didn’t seem to take Gable seriously, and though he dominated in the opening moments, his confidence would cost him. Gable fired back at Axel with a sunset flip and never let up from there, taking the win soon after with an ankle lock.
In a post-match interview, Gable said that the constant taunts about his height used to bother him, but he has since embraced his size, as it’s part of what makes him who he is. And since he’s embracing shortness, why not shorten his name as well? Chad Gable will now be known as Shorty G.
Winner: Shorty G
The New Day & Heavy Machinery vs. The Revival, Dolph Ziggler, & Robert Roode
8-Man Tag Team Match
We knew @otiswwe & @WWEBigE teaming together would be amazing.
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) October 19, 2019
We just didn’t know HOW amazing. #SmackDown @HEELZiggler pic.twitter.com/0R2ya5KW2c
Tucker and Dolph Ziggler kicked off the action for their respective teams, Robert Roode jumping in to interfere when Ziggler appeared to be losing control, but this proved to be a mistake, as Otis and Tucker took them both down.
And the humiliation continued when Otis and Big E teamed up to wear Ziggler down further with their own special move and brought down The Revival as well. The momentum began to shift before the commercial break, however, when Roode and Ziggler attacked Xavier Woods at ringside.
After the break, Xavier Woods began to pick up steam but the opposing team soon put a stop to it by cutting the ring in half, keeping him in their corner. Woods escaped with a dropkick, tagging in Otis, who dropped everyone in his path.
The Revival and Ziggler attempted to regain control with a blind tag, but this tactic didn’t work as well as they had hoped and Otis came back with his signature Caterpillar.
Dolph Ziggler interfered to give his team a leg up, but the subsequent double-team on Otis wasn’t enough to put him away, and he and his teammates soon took the win with The New Day’s Midnight Hour finisher.
Winner: The New Day and Heavy Machinery
Miz TV: Bayley
“I used to be what THEY wanted me to be, but the truth is, I’ve outgrown them… LIFE SUCKS AND THEN YOU DIE!” – #SmackDown #WomensChampion @itsBayleyWWE
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
Sorry kids. pic.twitter.com/AcCdKUKREI
Making a rather solemn march to the ring with her best friend Sasha Banks by her side, Bayley joined The Miz to give some insight into her recent actions. Or, she was meant to.
Instead, Bayley announced that she didn’t owe anyone an explanation. In true Miz fashion, The A-Lister proded the champ with verbal jabs in an effort to draw a response out of her, but Bayley remained silent.
That is until Miz asked Bayley if she changed her entire image because she knew that she would always play second fiddle to Sasha Banks. Banks threw Miz’s late draft pick in his face, after which Bayley finally gave her thoughts.
She said that all she ever wanted to do was be a role model and change the world, but it never did her any good. Because good girl Bayley lost the title at Hell in a Cell and no one was there to comfort her.
Bayley said neither the division nor the fans offered any inspiration, but she had some to give – life sucks and then you die.
This drew Nikki Cross to the stage to tell Bayley that she was wrong; there was plenty of passion in the SmackDown Women’s Division. Dana Brooke and Lacey Evans weren’t far behind and came out ready to fight in the Six-Pack Challenge for No. 1 Contendership to show Bayley just how much drive the women’s division has.
Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Cross vs. Dana Brooke vs. Lacey Evans
6-Pack Challenge to Determine No. 1 Contender for SmackDown Women’s Championship
F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S 👏👏👏👏#SmackDown @CarmellaWWE pic.twitter.com/ShZFLGUB1I
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
As expected, Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose teamed up shortly after the match began, working together to dominate Nikki Cross, who eventually rolled out of the ring to escape the onslaught.
This led Deville and Rose to shift focus to Carmella, but their sole concentration on the Princess allowed Dana Brooke to attack them from behind. Lacey Evans joined the fray, and Carmella took advantage of several of her opponents being together at ringside, diving onto them from the barricade.
But by the time the commercial break had ended, Fire and Desire had control again and were using their numbers advantage against Carmella in the ring. The action spilled to ringside, where Nikki Cross dove onto her competitors, which took her out of action momentarily as well.
This left Dana Brooke and Lacey Evans to go one on one in the ring, where Dana gained a near fall, but Carmella broke it up. Carmella went straight after Mandy Rose, looking for revenge and nearly gaining it, locking her in a Code of Silence, but Sonya Deville broke it up before Mandy tapped out.
This did not save Mandy for long, though, because Nikki Cross would soon come flying into action, hitting Mandy with her swinging neckbreaker and winning the match.
Winner: Nikki Cross
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Braun Strowman vs. Drew Gulak
Unfortunately for @DrewGulak, @BraunStrowman is NOT in the mood for any PowerPoint presentations. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/q7rLSZK9or
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
In his SmackDown debut, Drew Gulak was tasked with the unfortunate job of facing Braun Strowman one-on-one. Gulak attempted to delay the inevitable by showing Strowman a powerpoint presentation he had put together to help Strowman strategize against Tyson Fury, but Braun wasn’t interested.
The Monster bulldozed Drew Gulak, pummeling him both inside the ring and out before screaming that he hoped Tyson Fury was watching while powerslamming Gulak in the middle of the ring and winning the match.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns vs. Baron Corbin and Shinsuke Nakamura
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯#SmackDown @BaronCorbinWWE @WWERomanReigns pic.twitter.com/4oOv2grDDt
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
After Daniel Bryan (almost) saved Roman Reigns from a three-on-one attack in the opening match, he cut a promo backstage informing everyone that he didn’t care about the draft or any of the backstage politics, he was on SmackDown and he was there to fight. And who better for his first opponents than the men who he attacked earlier in the show?
Roman Reigns started the match against Baron Corbin, who caught a few strikes from The Big Dog before Daniel Bryan tagged into the match, picking up where Reigns left off.
Corbin escaped to his corner after taking a beating from Bryan, giving the ring to Shinsuke Nakamura, who had much better luck than his partner, mostly due to the fact that Sami Zayn was at ringside to cause a distraction whenever necessary.
Back from commercial, Baron Corbin had Daniel Bryan laid out and welcomed Shinsuke Nakamura to join him in a double-team assault. Bryan rolled out of the situation, knocking Nakamura off his feet before reaching for Roman Reigns.
But before he could reach his partner, Roman Reigns was jerked backward off the apron and thrown into the steel steps at ringside, taking him out of action. While Shinsuke brutalized Bryan in the ring, Baron Corbin almost cost himself and Nakamura the match at ringside when he threatened to crush Reigns between two pieces of steel steps.
In the midst of all the confusion, Daniel Bryan trapped Nakamura in the LeBell Lock, which Nakamura escaped, but the attention was again drawn away from the ring, this time by Roman Reigns spearing Corbin through the barricade.
Bryan threw Yes Kicks which Nakamura countered with a vicious knee strike, but Daniel Bryan didn’t miss a beat, coming back with a running knee out of nowhere, leveling Nakamura and taking the win.
Winner: Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns
WWE SmackDown Results (October 18 2019)
Check out the fan votes on the October 18 2019 episode of SmackDown on Twitter:
What letter grade would you give tonight’s show? #SmackDown
— Rumble Ramble (@TheRumbleRamble) October 19, 2019
