Friday Night Smackdown – Jan 6th 2023: Results & Review
Welcome to this review of this past Friday’s episode of Friday Night Smackdown – the first Smackdown of 2023, right here on Nerdly. Let’s see what went down on the show!
Match #1: Santos Escobar def. Kofi Kingston
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Kofi Kingston and Santos Escobar delivered a hard-hitting and athletic showcase during their impressive match. Despite having Xavier Woods in his corner and the crowd firmly behind him, Kingston fell victim to the numbers game, and a distraction on the outside allowed Escobar to hit the Phantom Driver and pick up the major victory.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Karrion Kross & Scarlett def. Madcap Moss & Emma
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The dangerous duo of Karrion Kross & Scarlett teamed up in the ring for the first time ever as they battled Madcap Moss & Emma in a Mixed Tag Team Match. Madcap became enraged when Kross confronted Emma after a pinfall attempt, but the wicked duo neutralized both of their opponents. Scarlett threw Emma into the ring post and over the announce table while Kross hit a Kross Hammer and locked in the Kross Jacket, which put Madcap to sleep. After the match, Kross put a Rey Mysterio mask and a tarot card on the fallen Madcap, seemingly signifying his desire to face Mysterio.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: SmackDown Women’s Championship Match – Charlotte Flair def. Sonya Deville
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Fresh off winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship last week, Charlotte Flair accepted a challenge for the title from the deadly Sonya Deville. The challenger proved a worthy competitor, but Flair’s championship mettle shined bright as The Queen hit a devastating Spear and locked in her signature Figure-Eight Leglock, which forced a very tough Deville to submit.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: Royal Rumble Qualifying Match – Ricochet def. Top Dolla
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
With a spot in the 2023 Royal Rumble on the line, the high-flying Ricochet took on the bruising Top Dolla in what turned out to be a heated affair. Ricochet’s speed and agility proved to be the difference as The One and Only used Top Dolla’s momentum against him, allowing him enough time to hit a picture-perfect Shooting Star Press to pick up the pinfall victory.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #5: Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match – The Usos def. Drew McIntyre & Sheamus
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The red-hot rivalry between the team of Sheamus & Drew McIntyre and The Bloodline continued as Jimmy and Jey Uso put the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship on the line in an instant classic. All four competitors left it all in the ring with Claymores, Brogue Kicks, a 1D, and Superkicks, and the chaos forced The Brawling Brutes to scuffle on the outside with Solo Sikoa. When the action spilled to the ringside area, The Usos trapped Sheamus in the ring, rolled him up and used the ropes as leverage to get the pinfall and walk away with their historic title reign intact.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
Turns out 2023 is not the best start for the WWE’s main shows, with Raw and Smackdown both delivering duds. This week’s Smackdown delivered some particularly bad matches and was really only saved by the main event tag team match. And surprise, surprise, Charlotte Flair’s big return was for nought with the terrible title match on this week’s show!
