SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with The Undertaker coming out.

The crowd chants Taker's name for a long time before he finally speaks. He says he wanted to take a minute to absorb the crowd's response. He talks about how he has considered MSG his home for 30 years and he doesn't know how many times he will be able to visit in the future. For some reason, Sami Zayn decides this is a good time to make an appearance.

Zayn puts over The Undertaker and says he has nothing but respect for him. However, he doesn't think Taker should have opened the show over him. He asks Taker when enough is enough after 30 years. Zayn says he is the future of WWE and the crowd tells him he sucks. He asks Taker to leave the ring, but he does it respectfully.

Taker acts like he is going to do what Zayn said but then he turns around and grabs him for a chokeslam. The segment ends with Taker leaving as his music plays.

The Miz vs. Andrade Almas

The Miz won

Shinsuke Nakamura attacks The Miz after the match.

Mandy Rose vs. Nikki Cross

Nikki Cross won

Heavy Machinery vs. Jobbers

Heavy Machinery won

Shane tells Owens he is thinking about getting rid of his 100K fine if he is willing to be the ref in his KOTR match against Gable tonight. Shane implies the fine will go away if he helps Shane win.

Rowan is in the ring and says nobody truly understands him and thinks someone else has been controlling him. He says everyone should look into his eyes to see what he is capable of. Reigns music hits and he marches his way to the ring. He hits a Superman Punch as soon as he gets into the ring. He runs around the ring for a Spear but Rowan kicks him in the face. They take the fight into the crowd.
Roman hits a second Superman Punch before a bunch of officials come down to separate them. Reigns nails one more. Rowan picks up a fan who was planted there and throws him into Reigns from over the barricade. Reigns and Rowan continue to fight up to the stage. Rowan grabs the camera crane and throws it into Reigns.

 

Bayley vs. Ember Moon

Bayley won

Kofi Kingston heads to the ring after the break. Kofi talks about his feud with Randy Orton before The Viper appears in the crowd to taunt him.
Kofi heads into the crowd and they get into a fight. Orton hits him with a chair and it is revealed to be a trap. He beats Kingston down with the chair before throwing him into the side of the stage. He puts Kofi on a table for a DDT but Kofi counters and starts pounding on him. Kofi grabs the chair and hits Randy a few times. The champ sets up a table. Orton tries to hit him with a chair but Kofi blocks. Kingston breaks the table on accident, so he grabs a second table and puts Orton on it. He climbs up into the crowd and leaps off to put Orton through the table just like he did 10 years ago.

Chad Gable vs. Shane McMahon (KOTR Semifinals) - w/ Owens as special guest referee.

Gable hits the rolling German suplex and Owens makes the count to give him the win. Shane grabs a mic and says the match is now two out of three falls.

Gable grabs Shane and puts him in an ankle lock. Shane taps and Gable gets the win to advance to the finals.

Shane attacks Owens after the match and then says he is fired.

Rating: 80/80

Great show and matches as we get closer to Clash of Champions.