WWE SmackDown results, highlights (Nov. 8): Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa set stage for an all-Bloodline clash at War Games

Fresh off "WWE Crown Jewel" this past Saturday, we got a very story-heavy episode of "WWE SmackDown" on Friday night where the Word of the Day was apparently foreshadowing.

Bookended by Bloodline segments, we locked in the War Games match for "Survivor Series: War Games" later this month and saw significant — if not completely black-and-white — developments in several other ongoing WWE storylines. We also had the unveiling of a new Women's mid-card championship.

Anyway, enough foreshadowing (see what I did there?) and onto the recap!

🩸 Seeing Red 🩸

The show kicked off in a big way with Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso making their way to the ring to address the kick heard 'round the wrestling world at "Crown Jewel."

The beauty of the seemingly never-ending Bloodline story (not a complaint!) is how deliberate everything has become. As Reigns himself said in his actual tribal chief days, there are levels to this, and everyone involved is on a different one right now, even the fans/viewers.

At first glance, Reigns' "OTC" shirt looks almost the same as his previous iterations, but as the camera zoomed in we noticed the newest edition to his attire — a "Yeet" in the upper left-hand corner. Never pass up a chance to cash in on more merch!

Reigns does such a good job of building anticipation for everything he does. From his entrance — featuring pyro and multiple "1" points — to his calculated timing even just raising the mic to his mouth to speak, this is a level that was inconceivable during the Big Dog days.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.

Even Jey Uso has some new gear — red "Yeet" shades and a red "Yeet" shirt. If WWE Shop is calling the shots, it would appear that the OG Bloodline is finally united. It's worth noting that in addition to adopting the Bloodline's traditional colors, Jey didn't enter through the crowd, perhaps not to show up his cousin. Subtext!

Once it was time to finally confront the elephant in the room, we got a cinema-quality camera shot of Sami Zayn — just days after another re-created iconic shot.

Then, Zayn cut one hell of a promo.

Despite the pop from the crowd, Reigns didn't buy what Zayn was sayin' and the wheels were officially falling off the Bloodline bandwagon — but not before we got THIS moment between Jey and Roman.

We'll be checking in with both Bloodlines, new and old, later on in the show.

[Pile]driving home the point

I wasn't sure how I felt about Randy Orton being back so soon after being beaten down by Kevin Owens at Crown Jewel, but boy was I wrong to have any doubts.

An all-business Orton stormed to the ring and called out Owens, they brawled a bit and then KEVIN OWENS BROKE OUT A (completely safe) PILEDRIVER ON WWE TELEVISION!

Unreal.

Maybe I'm losing it, but I couldn't tell you the last time we saw a non-Tombstone piledriver on WWE programming. Too much can — and has — gone wrong with piledrivers so we don't see them anymore, so this was a really rare and unique way to up the ante and drive home Owens' newly rediscovered violent streak.

WWE and Orton did a great job selling the injury after the fact, bringing out a backboard and stretcher for the Viper, Cody Rhodes rushing to check on his friend, and then the camera following the entire trip to the ambulance.

(Yes, I did criticize a backboard/stretcher segment from AEW WrestleDream last month, but Bryan Danielson getting suffocated with a plastic bag on back-to-back pay-per-views and what we saw on "SmackDown" are fundamentally different ... anyway the comments section is below)

We have to be getting Rhodes and KO at "Survivor Series."

Thanos Ciampa

Does Tommaso Ciampa have dreams of utilizing the Infinity Stones and eliminating half of the universe? I doubt it, only because I think he'd use the stones to get Goldy back.

(Noted Marvel aficionado Johnny Gargano would probably appreciate that reference.)

The reason I'm referencing the Avengers' big bad from a half-decade ago is because Ciampa essentially said "Fine, I'll do it myself," when it came to DIY's match against Pretty Deadly.

Ciampa brutalized the tag team in what essentially amounted to a squash, never tagging in Gargano and picking up the win solo. Ciampa has his sights set on the Motor City Machine Guns and the WWE Tag Team Championships. Gargano, friends with MCMG, sees things differently.

We got a reference to Ciampa's "Blackheart" persona as he exited. Gargano and Ciampa were the heart and soul of the NXT Black and Gold era, both becoming singles champions after a brutal rivalry in the wake of a DIY split.

Seems like we'll eventually see Ciampa "snap" and for history to repeat itself.

That's something I'd love 3000.

General Stratton's strategy tanks

We turned the clocks back last week but it's somehow still not Tiffy Time when it comes to the Money in the Bank briefcase.

We got a tag team match between WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair and Stratton and WWE Women's Champion Nia Jax. A backstage segment between Jax, Stratton, and Candice LeRae (who lost to Bayley earlier in the show) suggested that this was Stratton's idea.

With the two women in an inherently dangerous showdown with Cargill and Belair, would Stratton cash in?

Nope.

LeRae interfered to help Stratton and Jax, but Stratton got distracted by LeRae and Belair pinned her.

Post-credits scene

After MCMG took down A-Town Down Under in an entertaining but forgettable match, the WWE Tag Team Champions were confronted by Ciampa and Gargano. Ciampa seemed to think DIY was next in line for a title opportunity before being interrupted by the Street Profits, who basically told Ciampa he should have gone for the head. (Last "Avengers" reference, I swear.)

We'll see if that match comes to fruition or if we get a possible triple threat in the future.

Unintentional Uncrowned Synergy of the Night

As I'm sure you're aware, the crew here at Uncrowned LOVES Poatan. Well, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was in attendance at "SmackDown" on Friday night, and even got to meet the OTC.

Cool moment for all involved.

👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑

"SmackDown" GM Nick Aldis unveiled the Women's United States Championship, which is an incredible development for WWE and a long time coming. Details were scarce on how the first champion will be decided and/or if this will be "SmackDown" exclusive and "WWE Raw" will get a women's Intercontinental Championship.

Ready for War Games

All night the show advertised the Undisputed Tribal Chief Acknowledgment Ceremony for Solo Sikoa and the time had finally come. Anyone who has watched professional wrestling knows that any sort of major storyline ceremony, wedding, or contract signing is -1,000,000 betting odds to go off the rails.

Naturally, this one did. Reigns confronted Sikoa and his Bloodline and we saw a disparity in the mic skills for these two. In a lot of ways, Sikoa is where Roman was nearly a decade ago — solid, but a couple of hiccups cause the promos to lose luster. Sikoa being in this position right now is unreal, especially considering he was part of WWE's 2021 recruiting class, so this stuff will come with time. Friday's segment was just a little clunky.

Sikoa challenged Reigns to War Games and teased Zayn being with him, before the Honorary Uce delivered a Helluva Kick and helped Reigns and the Usos clear the ring and stand tall to close the show.

SmackDown Do-Overs

I'm not a television or WWE writer, but I do have some tweaks that might have added a crown to the show.

1. I'm sure they're waiting for either next week or War Games for this, but with Zayn reminiscing about his previous Bloodline stint, he should have been wearing the "Honorary Uce" shirt in the opening segment. Would I pay money for an "OHU" (Original Honorary Uce) shirt? I don't know but I bet a lot of people would.

2. I LOVE the camera angles when we get the wrestlers walking to and through Gorilla. I wish we would have gotten this for Jax and Stratton, with Jax telling Stratton to leave the MITB briefcase behind — really sell that paranoia!

3. I understand using Aldis to announce the Women's United States Championship, but WWE has a rolodex of past women's stars who could have made an already significant announcement just a bit more impactful.

4. We got a shot as Reigns was about to spear Sikoa of him standing over the Ula Fala. I can't help but imagine the pop if Sami would have picked it up, looked at Jey Uso (who nods) and handed it to Roman before they all raised their finger in the air.

👑 8.25/10 crowns 👑