Well everyone, this is it, the very last Smackdown of 2023. The end of the year is upon us, and it’s been kind of a rough one all the way around I think. That doesn’t mean universally awful, just kind of rough. Tonight, as is becoming tradition, instead of a regular episode we’ll get the Best of Smackdown 2023 edition. Smackdown had some highs and lows this year, in theory this could be clips of just the best but WWE and I differ on what they consider the best so it’ll be interesting to see their selections. The Royal Rumble is starting to loom on the horizon and next week will push a lot of Smackdown towards that point, we’ll crown the challengers for both Logan Paul and Roman Reigns and hopefully by February we can have at least one active champion on the blue brand besides Iyo Sky. But for tonight, it’s more relaxed so get comfy and permit me to say simply “thank you”. There are a boatload of places for this kind of content and that you all choose mine is humbling and motivating. So thank you for another year of fun and frustration, the highs and lows and everything in between that comes with this kind of a gig. Enjoy the show, and I better see you all next year.
LA Knight seems to have been roped into recording the intro for this. Smackdown has had a great year, and so has LA Knight. We start with quick mentions of John Cena and Randy Orton returning to Smackdown, and the very brief cameo from CM Punk. Oh yeah, The Rock had a brief cameo as well. We’ve seen a lot this year, returns, alignment shifts, new champions, and the undeterred success of Roman Reigns as supreme overlord of the WWE Universe. Here we go, the best of Smackdown 2023.
In a studio our hosts are Jackie Redmond and Corey Graves. OK then.
First up for discussion is the return of John Cena because he had to do something union approved during the writers and actors strike earlier this year. That leads to some part of Cena vs. Solo Sikoa getting replayed.
Match #1: John Cena vs. Solo Sikoa from Sweet Sweet Saudi Blood Money
We join with Cena working over the right hand of Solo. Solo with a headbutt then some stomps. Slow motion Solo looks for a Banzai Drop and hits it. Solo wants a Samoan Spike but Cena ducks and tries an Attitude Adjustment only for Solo to slip free and land a superkick. Hip attack from Solo connects and we get a commercial break.
We come back to Solo trying a Samoan Spike again but Cena avoids and fires up with the Five Moves of Doom. Cena wants the Attitude Adjustment but Solo avoids it and hits a Samoan Drop for a 2 count. Solo tries a Samoan Spike, but Cena blocks and counters into the STF. It takes a bit but Solo drags himself to the ropes to force the break. Solo lands a Samoan Spike and sells the hand damage so he doesn’t go for a cover right away. Cena fights to his feet but Solo with another Spike. Solo has had enough of this and proceeds to Spike Cena over and over again before getting the perfunctory pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Solo Sikoa won
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: Given how little we were shown here this is about as high as I can go.
We do see the standing ovation for Cena after the match, the man went out like a pro if nothing else. Kind of a shame his final bow was in Saudi Arabia instead of Boston or New York.
John Cena video, he raises a toast to the WWE Universe for making his 2023. He got to have a brief run and thanks everyone for the reception and the respect. He’s not sure if he’ll make it back but the fans have always welcomed him back and he’s indebted to the fans for their empathy, generosity, respect, and excitement. Thank you for making this year for him and his family. Classy from Cena there.
After this break we’ll get a look back at The Usos vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens from night one of WrestleMania.
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits have a brief video, clearly recorded at the last Smackdown. They want more next year, the Profits promise a beatdown for Angel and Humberto and they’ll take the gold in 2024. Bobby says next year will be All Mighty. OK then.
We get a brief recap of that truly great moment from the Royal Rumble when Sami saved Kevin and hit Roman with a chair. Eventually this leads to what we get of the night one main event from WrestleMania.
Match #2 – WWE Tag Team Title Match: (c) The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens from Night One of WrestleMania
We join as Sami is getting beaten down on the floor, and Jey hits a suplex out there. Back into the ring now Jey continues to unload on Sami then Jimmy tosses in a cheap shot for good measure. Sami fights back with a boot to Jey then sends him out of the ring, he goes to tag out and does tag in Owens. Owens climbs up top for a dive onto both Jimmy and Jey on the floor. Owens runs wild on the floor to both men then hits an apron Frog Splash to Jimmy, and a regular Frog Splash to Jey in the ring gets a 2 count. Jey staggers up but counters a Stunner into a neckbreaker for his own 2 count. Jey gets Owens on the top rope, Jimmy tags in but Owens fights them both off then tries a Swanton Bomb on Jey but Jey has the knees up and Jimmy comes in with a Splash for a near fall and we get a commercial break.
We come back to Sami taking a near 1D but he rolls up Jey as Owens starts bouncing Jimmy’s head off of the announce table. Owens wants to powerbomb Jimmy on the table but Jey saves Jimmy and now Owens is getting double teamed. Double slam through the announce table to Owens. Back in the ring Sami takes a 1D but only a near fall. The pop on that kick out was legit. Jey with a Helluva Kick to Sami, but Sami stops his trash talk with an exploder suplex into the corner and both men are down. Owens has crawled into the corner and wants the tag, which he gets. Pop up powerbomb to Jimmy, then one to Jey for good measure. Sami with a Helluva Kick to Jimmy, then Owens with a Stunner to Jey but again only a near fall. All four men stare down and we get a big brawl after confirming they were almost done with the match. Jimmy blind tags and superkicks Owens. They set for an avalanche 1D but Sami tosses Jimmy out of the ring as Owens with the avalanche Fisherman’s Buster because you can’t superplex Kevin Owens. Sami takes the tag and crushes Jey with a series of Helluva Kicks then finally gets the pin to end the historic Uso tag team run and provide the best and arguably only feel good moment from WrestleMania.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens won the titles
Rating: 3.5 stars
Thoughts: The full match is around the 5 star mark, even just some highlights are pretty darn good.
Cathy Kelly talks with Kevin Owens, that moment meant a lot to him and while he’s not happy about how that reign ended he’s looking ahead. Next week he’s going to win the tournament then take away the US title from Logan Paul and restore prestige to that title.
Another break.
Apparently CM Punk’s return at Survivor Series is the Most Social Moment in WWE history.
Austin Theory and Grayson Waller talk and the audience tunes out. They’re here to waste time with New Years resolutions. They want gold, winning big matches, Waller wants to headline Elimination Chamber in Perth. Kevin Owens has hacked the ticker across the bottom of this and he’s trolling them. Both men storm off. That was a waste of time.
Next, the surprise return of Pat McAfee, his confrontation with Austin Theory, then the return of The Rock. McAfee’s version of the People’s Elbow is still amusing.
Another break, but after this we’ll get highlights from the women’s War Games match.
Video from Bianca Belair, she calls 2023 a great year and making history as the longest reigning RAW women’s champion was the highlight. She doesn’t really make resolutions she wants to get back at Iyo Sky and claim the WWE Women’s Title. She’s not ready to put Damage Control in the rear view mirror yet. WrestleMania is another highlight for her. She plugs her new series with Montez Ford finally airing starting in February. Her big goal for 2024 is winning again at WrestleMania and getting the title back. To close she mentions the title match next week between Iyo Sky and Michin. That should have been structured better, it meandered and repeated a few times.
War Games highlights follow that. I still think they need to ban Charlotte attempting moonsaults, she almost seriously injured a few people on that one from the top of the cage.
Damage Control video, they don’t want to dwell on the past and focus on the good things. Like Iyo winning the title, Kairi Sane’s return, or Asuka joining Damage Control. Next week Iyo will defend her title, and the reformed Kabuki Warriors want the women’s tag team titles. That sends us to break.
Post break a highlight/celebration of the life of Windham Rotunda better known as Bray Wyatt who passed earlier this year. Per usual WWE does a good job with these kinds of videos, and heaven knows Bray gave them a ton of good material to work with. There was perhaps never a more poetic and accurate description than the one he provided for himself, “I am the color red in a world of black and white.” Never perfect, but always unique and fiercely committed to a vision, and never afraid to fail while challenging the conceptions of what professional wrestling can be. That sends us to break.
We come back to WWE putting themselves over with clips from their MSG house show earlier this week.
Nick Aldis talks now, 2023 was great for Smackdown and he’s very proud to GM it into 2024 and make it even better. This leads to the predictable preview of next week which is looking like a darn good TV card. Pretty Deadly show up and give him a chance to change their match from against Butch and a mystery partner to a tag team title shot. Aldis considers, but says no. Wilson and Prince then huff away.
They start talking about Logan Paul, and frankly claiming Logan has knocked out anyone in the boxing ring is just erroneous.
Match #3 – US Title Match: (c) Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul from Sweet Sweet Saudi Blood Money
We join as Rey and Logan battle for position, Rey with some punches to the back then goes up top for a cross body but Logan rolls through and hits a Final Roll then a Lionsault for a 2 count. Some strikes from Logan but then he posts himself all the way to the floor which sets up Rey for a suicide dive which he hits and sends us to break.
We come back to Logan and Rey fighting on the top rope, Rey punches Logan down but Logan jumps back up there with him and hits a moonsault fall away slam for a 2 count. Cut forward to an Electric Chair on the ropes then Rey hits a Sunset bomb and a Code Red for 2. Logan’s stooge hands him some brass knuckles, Rey posts Logan and Logan loses the knux, then Santos Escobar comes down to chase away the toady but leaves the knux on the apron where Logan grabs them. Rey hits a 619 but when he tries the follow up splash Logan clocks him with the Power of the Punch to get the pin and the belt.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Logan Paul won the title
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Naturally this was gutted for highlights, but Logan is incredibly good at this pro wrestling thing. He’s got personality, athleticism, and is just really good at it.
This leads to a recap of Santos Escobar turning heel.
We get a Rey Mysterio video interview now. He’s recovering well from the knee surgery and he’s looking forward to coming back. He brings up being turned on a lot, and just like Sting he keeps piking the wrong partners. Seriously, Rey and Sting teaming would have created a singularity. Rey promises to take care of things with Santos and his new cronies. His Hall of Fame induction is brought up and he can’t be too upset as he’s used to betrayal. Dumb Dom is brought up and Rey hopes he eventually finds his way, and puts over his growth over the last year. Dragon Lee is brought up next and Rey calls him a superstar and thinks he’s the future of lucha libre. Next is Logan Paul for discussion, Rey puts Logan over for everything he’s done despite not liking him and knowing there’s unfinished business between them.
That sends us to break.
Post break we get some celebration for Roman Reigns and his incredibly long run with the belt. That sets up a recap of 2 weeks ago when AJ Styles returned to complicate the title picture on Smackdown.
Paul Heyman crashes the set, he admits Roman is starting to feel the heat from Randy, AJ, and Knight. Heyman says all three of them are tough challengers deserving of being the man, and he’s concerned. Asked about Solo being called Tribal Heir instead of Jimmy Uso Heyman calls Jimmy on his phone and Jannetty Uso himself shows up on the screen to yak. Jimmy says a lot of nothing, and his dog seems as bored by all of this as I am. well Jimmy continues to be a less than glorified clown.
They set up our Cody vs. Roman clips.
Match #4 – Undisputed WWE Universal Title Match: (c) Roman Reigns w/ Paul Heyman vs. Cody Rhodes from Night 2 of WrestleMania
We join with Cody working the arm of Roman but when he tries a Disaster Kick Roman counters with a powerbomb. They cut ahead to Roman and Cody on the announce table, Roman wants another powerbomb but Cody counters and back drops Roman through the table. Solo cheap shots Cody and that draws the refs attention who ejects Solo, not that that will actually carry weight given how this finishes. Solo leaves as we head to break.
We skip ahead to the finish, Cody is firing up but jumps into a Superman punch for a near fall. Cody heads to the apron and trades punches with Roman, then he snaps Roman over the ropes and follows by missing a flying nothing then turns into a Spear from Roman but again only a near fall. They start trading blows on their knees and fight up to their feet, I feel like they’ve messed with the crowd audio here but I could be wrong. they’re just trading haymakers then Cody unloads with jabs and the Bionic Elbow. Cross Rhodes, then another, but when he goes for the third Solo shows up to Spike him and set up the Roman Spear to retain the title.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Roman Reigns retained the title
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: Obviously the full match is different and a great emotional ride, but I’ll go to my grave thinking they had the wrong guy go over here. Nothing that Roman has done since needed the belt, and arguably his feud with the Usos would have made more sense if there were cracks in his throne.
To close our hosts run down the upcoming week in WWE programming.
Thank you again for reading and supporting myself and everyone else who puts in our time and effort here at 411mania. I know we don’t always agree, and I thank you all for the feedback you’ve always given me. Thank you for the year, and I hope you’ll all still be reading in the next one.
5.0
The final score: reviewNot So Good
The 411
I know this was a Best Of show, but I'd argue that even by those standards this one was pretty weak. The recorded interview segments didn't land, and while I appreciate clips of important matches I do find it a little odd that the only matches highlighted with actual time were either from Crown Jewel or WrestleMania. Again, even for a clip show this was imminently skippable, but on the plus side because it's a clip show it doesn't mean anything positive or negative.
