WWE Friday Night Smackdown results, recap and highlights: December 16, 2022

Bengaluru, Dec 17: A stacked episode of WWE Smackdown went down this week where Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns returned after a three-week hiatus to get booked in a mega match.

Uncle Howdy made a live-in-person appearance on WWE TV to terrorize LA Knight. Additionally, WWE Intercontinental Championship as well as WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships were also on the line.

Check out the recap and results from the December 16 episode of Friday Night Smackdown that took place at the All-State Arena in Chicago, Illinois:

– Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and IYO SKY) (c) defeated Liv Morgan and Tegan Nox to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in the opening contest of Smackdown.

When Nox was in control of the match, someone in a hoodie interfered and tried to interfere in the match. IYO took the opportunity to drop Nox and deliver a Moonsault to get the pinfall win.

– In a backstage segment, Xia Li was revealed to be the mystery person in the hoodie who cost Liv Morgan and Tegan Nox the Women’s Tag Team Title match opportunity.

– LA Knight stated in a promo that Bray Wyatt has been dressing and crying like a clown since returning and called him out to the ring. Bray came out and again, denied attacking LA, a few weeks ago.

LA then attacked Bray in the ring but he had to stop as Uncle Howdy appeared on the titantron and wanted to show him something scary. Howdy then also appeared on the entrance ramp, leaving LA in complete awe.

– GUNTHER (c) (without Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci) defeated World Cup winner Ricochet to retain the Intercontinental Championship.

GUNTHER kicked out of a Shooting Star Press and downed Ricochet with a Powerbomb. He got the pin-fall win after hitting The Last Symphony.



After the match, Imperium members Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci came out and tried to attack Ricochet, but Braun Strowman made the save.

– Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens and a partner of his own choosing was announced and made official for the final SmackDown episode of 2022.

– Hit Row (Top Dolla and Ashante Adonis with B-Fab) defeated The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar with Valhalla) and Legado Del Fantasma (Joquaine Wilde and Cruz Del Toro with Santos Escobar and Zelina Vega) in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match that also served as a Number-One Contenders Match for Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.

Top Dolla was dominating the contest when Zelina Vega tried to interfere, but B-Fab took her down before getting attacked by Valhalla. Adonis got the tag as he and Dolla connected with The Heavy Hitter on Erik for the pin to win.

It was announced that Hit Row will face The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships, next week.



– SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler again attacked Raquel Rodriguez in the backstage area to hurt her already injured elbow.


– In the main event segment of Smackdown, The Bloodline (Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman, The Usos, Sami Zayn, and Solo Sikoa) was out to have a big celebration for Zayn.



However, John Cena appeared on the titantron and confirmed that he will be the tag team partner of Kevin Owens against Reigns and Zayn on the December 30th episode of SmackDown to end the show.