{"id":64649,"date":"2022-09-03T07:59:04","date_gmt":"2022-09-03T07:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wwe-smackdown-results-winners-grades-reaction-and-highlights-from-september-2-news-scores-highlights-stats-and-rumors\/"},"modified":"2022-09-03T07:59:04","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T07:59:04","slug":"wwe-smackdown-results-winners-grades-reaction-and-highlights-from-september-2-news-scores-highlights-stats-and-rumors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wwe-smackdown-results-winners-grades-reaction-and-highlights-from-september-2-news-scores-highlights-stats-and-rumors\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from September 2 | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors"},"content":{"rendered":"
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0 of 8<\/p>\n

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    Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

    Just under 24 hours before he defends his status as the top star in all of professional wrestling against Drew McIntyre at Clash at the Castle, Roman Reigns celebrated two years atop the WWE mountain as Universal Champion.<\/p>\n

    What did The Tribal Chief have to say about his monumental feat and would McIntyre find a way to make his presence felt following a beatdown at the hands of The Bloodline a week ago?<\/p>\n

    Find out now with this recap of the go-home edition of SmackDown on Fox.<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

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    2 of 8<\/p>\n

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      Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

      The rivalry between The New Day and The Viking Raiders culminated Friday in a Viking Rules Match to kick off this week’s episode of SmackDown, won by the latter tandem following their Ragnarok finisher to Woods, through two stacked tables.<\/p>\n

      The match was incredibly physical and featured some great spots that allowed New Day to express their creativity and Erik and Ivar to be the dominant, badass big men that they are. Taking up nearly a quarter of the two-hour show, it was an appropriate blowoff to the feud and should serve to propel the Viking Raiders forward.<\/p>\n

      Where this leaves New Day and what it means for them moving forward is anyone’s guess. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have spent most of the year on a creative treadmill, regularly appearing on television but working the same handful of wrestlers and losing more times than not.<\/p>\n

      If any all-time great act could desperately use some freshening up, it is New Day.<\/p>\n

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      result<\/b><\/p>\n

      The Viking Raiders defeated New Day<\/p>\n

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      grade<\/b><\/p>\n

      B+<\/p>\n

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      Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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      • Michael Cole appeared to be having the time of his life calling the match early, even feigning dizziness as cameras played up the long boat fixture attached to the ring. <\/li>\n
      • New day channeled Thor and Loki for the match, their gear paying tribute to the Marvel characters.<\/li>\n
      • Ivar delivered a running crossbody to Woods, into the guardrail.<\/li>\n
      • “Unicorn horn sledgehammers!” Pat McAfee exclaimed with all of the glee of a comic-reading child.<\/li>\n
      • Kingston broke up a near-fall with a double stomp from the top rope to the back of Ivar.<\/li>\n
      • New Day sent Erik face-first into a steel chair, only for Ivar to break up that<\/i> near fall.<\/li>\n
      • Ivar broke out a moonsault but missed, crashing and burning in a display of incredible big-man athleticism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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        3 of 8<\/p>\n

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          Credits: WWE on Fox<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

          Karrion Kross returned to the squared circle for the first time since his comeback to WWE, battling Drew Gulak one-on-one.<\/p>\n

          The former two-time NXT champion dominated the celebrated mat magician, overpowering him and putting him away with the Kross Jacket submission.<\/p>\n

          This was an effective reintroduction to Kross, who instantly looks like a big deal and should be a major player in the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship picture. He was intense, brutalizing and emphatic in his beatdown of his opponent.<\/p>\n

          Add in Scarlett’s presence and the theatricality of his persona and you have a guy seemingly made for the WWE stage and finally, he will have a real chance to succeed, which is something he did not have in his last run with the company.<\/p>\n

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          result<\/b><\/p>\n

          Kross defeated Gulak<\/p>\n

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          grade<\/b><\/p>\n

          B<\/p>\n

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          Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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          • Sami Zayn and The Usos met backstage, where the former promised to have everything set for Roman Reigns’ two-year championship celebration later tonight.<\/li>\n
          • Shayna Baszler and SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan engaged in an intense backstage staredown to hype their Clash at the Castle match.<\/li>\n
          • The full Karrion Kross NXT entrance is back and the guy instantly feels like a bigger star again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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            4 of 8<\/p>\n

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              Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

              Ronda Rousey hit the ring, determined to have her suspension overturned. WWE official Adam Pearce interrupted and was given a letter by The Baddest Woman on the Planet to read out loud to the WWE Universe.<\/p>\n

              Within it was the official ruling that Rousey’s suspension has been lifted. Pearce, unhappy with the decision, revealed that if he had his way, he would have fired the former SmackDown Women’s champion.<\/p>\n

              He went on a rant, complaining about the stress of his job among other things, and insulted Rousey to put an exclamation point on it. The UFC Hall of Famer responded with an armbar that left ol’ Scrap Iron writhing in pain.<\/p>\n

              Rousey is one of the most over babyfaces on the roster suddenly, thanks to WWE’s willingness to let her be an ass-kicker rather than stubbornly shoving her into the role of sports entertainer. She is thriving and while her promos are still far from great, they are a hell of a lot more natural than they were during her first few months back.<\/p>\n

              If she continues this storyline as the anti-authority, independent, badass woman, she will be among the most popular in the industry sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

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              grade<\/b><\/p>\n

              A<\/p>\n

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              Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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              • Pearce said of Rousey, “you are the single biggest bitch I’ve ever met.” <\/li>\n
              • Cole wisely pointed out that Rousey, fresh off a suspension, just put her hands on a WWE official. It insinuated that she will face repercussions for her actions.<\/li>\n
              • Backstage, a flower deliveryman handed over a dose of black roses to Sami Zayn. He opened the card attached, which he simply said, “tick tock.” It was a great tease of Kross’ involvement in the Clash at the Castle main event.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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                5 of 8<\/p>\n

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                  Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

                  ma.c\u00e9 and m\u00e5n.s\u00f4\u00f6r of Maximum Male Models made their official in-ring debut as a team Friday as they battled Hit Row’s Ashante Thee Adonis and Top Dolla in the result of a few backstage vignettes a week ago.<\/p>\n

                  Los Lotharios’ Angel and Humberto attempted to interfere, continuing their flirtation with Maxxine Dupri, only to eat a baseball slide dropkick from Hit Row’s B-Fab.<\/p>\n

                  Back inside the ring, the action continued before the babyfaces scored the win.<\/p>\n

                  A four-on-two beatdown ensued but The Street Profits’ Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins hit the ring to make the save and clear the heels out.<\/p>\n

                  This is clearly heading toward an Eight-Man Tag Team Match and given there is not much else for any of the four teams to do, that is perfectly acceptable booking. As for the match itself, it was overshadowed by the incessant interference but it was still a nice showcase for two teams still working to create equity with the audience.<\/p>\n

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                  result<\/b><\/p>\n

                  Hit Row defeated Maximum Male Models<\/p>\n

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                  grade<\/b><\/p>\n

                  C<\/p>\n

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                  Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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                  • Happy Corbin cut a promo backstage about his recent losing record and vowed to turn things around with an open challenge.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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                      Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

                      In an attempt to reverse his fortune as of late, Happy Corbin issued an open challenge that was accepted by former Intercontinental champion, Shinsuke Nakamura.<\/p>\n

                      The Artist dominated the action throughout the match and, when the fans distracted the insufferable heel with chants of “Corbin sucks,” he left himself open to a Nakamura comeback and the Kinshasa finished him off.<\/p>\n

                      This was little more than the continuation of Corbin’s downward spiral which, hopefully, brings about the return of Bum Ass Corbin, arguably his greatest incarnation.<\/p>\n

                      Taking that into consideration, this gets a passing grade if nothing else.<\/p>\n

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                      result<\/b><\/p>\n

                      Nakamura defeated Corbin<\/p>\n

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                      grade<\/b><\/p>\n

                      C<\/p>\n

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                      Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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                      • Pat McAfee’s antics when Nakamura enters the arena will never get old. Imagine his reaction when Rick Boogs returns from injury.<\/li>\n
                      • Backstage, WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield asked Corbin what happened to him and invited him to join him in his limo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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                        7 of 8<\/p>\n

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                          Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

                          Sheamus will challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at Clash at the Castle Saturday afternoon but Friday night, Butch battled The Ring General’s right-hand man, Ludwig Kaiser, one-on-one.<\/p>\n

                          Butch repeatedly targeted the left arm of Kaiser but the former NXT Tag Team champion showed considerable toughness in fighting through it and scoring several near-falls.<\/p>\n

                          The back-and-forth action resulted when Butch used joint manipulation to escape the clutches of Kaiser and deliver the Bitter End for the pinfall victory.<\/p>\n

                          This was an uber-competitive match with considerable physicality and great psychology from Butch, who repeatedly found ways to manipulate the joints of Kaiser, leading to a hard-fought victory.<\/p>\n

                          Sheamus and Gunther are going to steal the show Saturday afternoon but Butch and Kaiser proved here that they are anything but the background act.<\/p>\n

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                          result<\/b><\/p>\n

                          Butch defeated Kaiser<\/p>\n

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                          grade<\/b><\/p>\n

                          B+<\/p>\n

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                          Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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                          • Butch emerged from the locker room wearing the same tights worn under his previous persona, Pete Dunne. Later, Michael Cole stopped short of calling him by that name, teasing a potential change coming for the artist formerly known as The Bruiserweight.<\/li>\n
                          • Kaiser saved Gunther from an early preview with Sheamus. It will be interesting to see if that spares him punishment for his loss at the hands of the chest-chopping Ring General. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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                            8 of 8<\/p>\n

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                              Credits: WWE.com<\/span><\/small><\/div>\n

                              The Usos and Sami Zayn hit the ring to celebrate Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns and his two-year run as the top dog in the industry. Instead of The Head of the Table, they were graced with the presence of Drew McIntyre, who leveled the champion with a Claymore backstage and marched to the ring to avenge the beatdown that left him lying a week ago.<\/p>\n

                              The No. 1 contender laid waste to his rivals by kicking a chair in Zayn’s face, driving Jimmy through the announce table and spearing Jey through the timekeeper’s position. The Scottish Warrior, ahead of what is arguably the biggest match of his career, stood tall to close out the show.<\/p>\n

                              This was a great segment that showed off the ass-kicking side of McIntyre, who was brutalized and disgraced by The Bloodline to close last week’s broadcast. By attacking Reigns and laying out his associates, McIntyre proved that he can withstand and absolutely leave Cardiff, Wales as the new champion.<\/p>\n

                              The question is whether he will payoff his journey back to the world title and become the man to knock Reigns off the mountaintop. Many have tried, none have succeeded, but few were hotter than McIntyre entering Saturday’s main event.<\/p>\n

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                              grade<\/b><\/p>\n

                              A<\/p>\n

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                              Top Moments<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

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                              • Zayn responded to Jey Uso rallying off Reigns’ finishers with “100,” “yeet” and “word,” delivering more hilarity in what is easily his best run to date.<\/li>\n
                              • McIntyre mocked Reigns’ primal scream before the spear through the timekeeper’s area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n