Thanks for joining Ringside News for the SmackDown Live results on December 18th, 2018. It’ll be a pretty fun show and you should keep refreshing as the night goes on because it will be updating.
If you want results for the Christmas Day tapings that are going on after the show, you can check back later because we’ll have that as well.
Tonight will begin the era of Asuka on SmackDown Live. She defeated Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch at TLC and we’ll just have to see what The Man has to say about that. I can only imagine it won’t be pretty. We put up an article yesterday about how upset Lynch really was after her TLC loss, you should check it out.
The New Daniel Bryan is still the WWE Champion so we’ll just have to see what his focus might be leading into the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Only time will tell how long Byran will be champion, but after one of the best matches of TLC, he’s off to a great start.
There are a lot of other stories going on in SmackDown Live, but everything could also change tonight after Vince McMahon’s promise on Raw of a New Era. Could Paige be out of a job because The McMahons will be running things? That is one of the biggest questions yet to be answered.
So let’s get right to it and if you’re reading this before the show starts, welcome. The reporting will resume once the show begins.
Opening Segment
Shane McMahon was holding a big meeting for the SmackDown locker room in the back. The mere mention of Raw caused everyone to boo. Shane said we’ll see a lot of new faces, match-ups, and opportunity. He said they’re listening. He said they owe this for the greatest fan base in the world. It’s hard to argue with that.
He said they need to not only reach for the brass ring, but grab it and rip it down. He said it starts tonight. Then he thanked their “former” General Manager Paige.
Shane said Paige is no longer GM, but she isn’t going anywhere. After that, the locker room chanted “Thank you, Paige” as the segment closed.
The Man Speaks… So Does Mr. McMahon
Becky Lynch came out to the ring and she was still incredibly over with the WWE Universe even without the SmackDown Women’s Title. Becky said she doesn’t do meetings so she’s out there. Lynch was focused on Ronda Rousey though and she said that she wasn’t going to let a Roddy Piper cosplayer take her title away from her.
Then Charlotte Flair came out and told her to take a number, in fact, take #2 and get behind The Queen. Asuka came out next and she looked good with the SmackDown Women’s Title around her waist.
Asuka said, “Forget Ronda, Asuka is the champion now.” Becky and Charlotte said that Asuka never beat her and then Vince McMahon walked out next.
Vince said happy holidays and congratulated Asuka. He said this behavior is unbecoming of Becky and Charlotte. He said that anything goes in a TLC match, and they were… her name was Ronda Rousey. He told them to get over it and then if they’ve got a problem, take it out on Rousey.
Then Vince asked Asuka if she’d like to defend her championship tonight. Vince asked, “Is anyone ready for Asuka?” Then Vince brought out Naomi.
Naomi said Becky was the man and Charlotte had her opportunities. She wants it, so he said, “Let’s have the match right now!”
Asuka vs Naomi – SmackDown Women’s Title Match
These two traded some kicks and then some roll-up pins. Then Naomi got caught with a stiff kick and Asuka took over as Becky and Charlotte remained at ringside sitting in office chairs.
Asuka maintained control and beat Naomi around the ring. She hit a missile dropkick that sent The Glow outside the ring. Then Asuka started kicking Naomi down until Naomi returned fire with a springboard kick off of the barricade.
The referee counted to nine and then they both slid into the ring. Naomi and Asuka traded stiff forearms and Naomi started firing away until Asuka laid her out with one powerful one.
Naomi nailed a kick off of the ropes and went for a split-legged moonsault, but Asuka got the knees up. Asuka got the Asuka Lock and Naomi got up with her on her back, but then Asuka got it back on, but Naomi fought out of it.
Naomi nailed the Rearview and nearly won the title on a close two count. Naomi went for a springboard move, but Asuka turned it into a codebreaker into the Asuka Lock for the submission win.
Winner: Asuka
The Miz was backstage and he started knocking on the door marked “McMahon Family.” Vince McMahon came out and Miz asked for Shane. Vince said he can’t come out to play right now and The Miz said he and Shane are going through trust issues — it’s complicated.
The Miz wanted to tag with Shane still and Vince asked him what he wanted him to do about it. The Miz said he’s a worthy partner for Vince’s son and he wanted his blessing. Vince said he’s never given a blessing before in his life, he doesn’t do that and he’s not giving his blessing. Then McMahon said he’ll find Miz a partner for a match later tonight.
Then he slammed the door on The Miz’s face.
Backstage Interview
Rusev and Lana were interviewed by Kayla Braxton. Rusev said his beard is beautiful and hyped his feud with Shinsuke Nakamura while making fun of Nakamura’s recent ring attire.
Samoa Joe Apologizes To Jeff Hardy
Hardy came out and he had no face paint on. He said that he heard Samoa Joe wanted to apologize. He admitted that some of the things Samoa Joe said about him are true. That was then and this is now. He worships the fact that he’s alive every morning.
Then he invited Joe out for a face-to-face apology.
Joe said he’s sorry that this is no apology. He is forced to deceive him because this is actually an intervention. Joe said he’s known Jeff for a long time and a man in Jeff’s fragile condition can have a tough time around the Holiday season.
Jeff said the more Joe reminds him of his past the more it reminds him that he’s never going back there. Jeff asked what Joe’s demons are and whether it’s the fact that he’s been here two years and hasn’t won a title.
Joe went at Jeff and Hardy hit a Twist Of Fate. Then he left while Joe sold in the ring looking really angry.
The Miz & Mandy Rose vs R-Truth & Carmella
Truth and Mella were super over. Truth also called Mandy Rose “Maryse” before the match started.
Early on in the match, Truth and Mella sent Miz and Mandy out of the ring so they could have a dance break. Then Miz quickly ran in after Rose took a bump and he hit the Skull Crushing Finale on Truth for a quick win.
Winners: The Miz & Mandy Rose
The Usos came out and called out The Bar, but Gallows and Anderson came out instead. Karl said he’s tired of seeing the same teams week after week. He said they’re great teams, but last week they had a rap battle and the Good Brothers haven’t been on the show since August.
Gallows said that’s four months that one of the greatest teams in wrestling weren’t on the show. Jimmy said they’re not to blame for The Club “falling through the cracks.” Then they invited The Good Brothers into the ring for a match
The Usos vs The Club
This match started during the commercial break. When we came back, Karl Anderson had control and then tagged Luke Gallows in to continue the abuse to Jimmy Uso.
Anderson and Jey got tags at the same time and Uso took control. Anderson moved out of the way of a hip attack in the corner and then Karl got a two count. Gallows and Jey were in the ring next and Jey kicked out after a sit-down chokeslam.
The Usos clotheslined Gallows out of the ring just after Karl got a blind tag. Uce went for a dive and Anderson kicked him from the apron in midair causing Uso to get tied up in the top rope so the referee had to break him loose. Soon, everyone was on the outside selling for the commercial break.
Finally, after trading near falls left and right, Jimmy Uso landed two superkicks and climbed to the top rope. The Bar came down and distracted Jimmy who hit a splash anyway.
Jimmy went for the pin, but then SAnitY jumped in the ring and everyone too The Usos and The Club out while The Bar stood there in their tracksuits looking a bit confused.
Winners: Nobody
After SAnitY left, The Bar went in and picked up the scraps but beating down everyone who was already down thanks to SAnitY to prove a point.
Backstage Promo
Shinsuke Nakamura asked “I should be afraid of this?” and then they played a bunch of clips from Total Divas where Rusev was showing off his legs, getting naked, dressing as a clown, kissing a baby pig, etc. Shinsuke said that Rusev doesn’t belong on SmackDown, he’s a Total Diva.
Daniel Bryan & Andrade Cien Almas vs AJ Styles & Mustafa Ali
Bryan got on the mic and said he killed the Yes Movement and he destroyed the house AJ Styles built. Then he said he’s about creation and he’s creating a brave new world on SmackDown Live. He said the fans won’t like it because they fear change. Then he railed on fans for consuming and destroying the very planet that gives them life.
He said the city of Fresno ranks #1 in pollution in the state of California and this got a pop from the crowd.
Styles and Almas wrestled first when we came back from commercial. Andrade nailed AJ with a back elbow that sounded very good and Styles sold it very well. AJ took control again and Ali got the tag to do a double stomp off the top rope onto Almas’ extended arm.
Bryan got the tag next and he kicked Mustafa down in the corner before Almas got the tag again to continue the abuse on the former Heart Of 205 Live.
Ali tried to hit a dive on AJ, but Almas blocked it with a Tranquilo pose. Then AJ kicked him down and assisted Ali in catching even more air on a dive to the floor on both heels.
Ali soon started selling as Bryan picked him apart. Then Almas got the tag and hit a splash while Corey Graves kept reading facts that Daniel Bryan probably handed him to read about reducing your carbon footprint.
Bryan started hitting Yes kicks and Almas yelled, “YES!” with each kick. Then Bryan locked on a bow and arrow submission on Ali which he transitioned into a dragon sleeper. Daniel Bryan is such a great wrestler.
Almas taunted AJ as he tried a Styles Clash on Ali, but Mustafi countered with a rana. Then Almas turned him inside out with a clothesline. Ali countered again and then got the tag to AJ. Bryan got tagged in too and AJ too the fight to Bryan.
AJ hit a neck breaker on Bryan for a two count. Bryan ducked under a Phenomenal Forearm and then AJ locked in a Calf Crusher until Almas broke it up. Almas got the tag and tried for a hammerlock DDT, but AJ sent him to the outside. Then Ali nailed a top rope rana to the floor on Andrade.
Bryan kicked AJ twice and knocked him down. Styles got a foot up in the corner and then he nailed a reverse DDT. Mustafa got the tag and hit a tornado DDT on Bryan before setting him up for the 054, but Almas slowed him down on the top. AJ hit a Phemonal Forearm as Ali nailed the 054 and pinned Daniel Bryan to get the win.
Winners: AJ Styles & Mustafa Ali
