The November 13th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live tookplace at the Enterprise Center St. Louis, MO.
– SmackDown opens up with a video package looking at the final segment of last night’s RAW, when the women of SmackDown invaded.
– Tom Phillips at the commentary table informs us that Becky Lynch suffered a “broken face” at the hands of Nia Jax on RAW, so she has been pulled from Survivor Series. We will find out later who will take her place.
– WWE Champion AJ Styles comes out to the ring next. AJ steps in the ring and gets on the mic. Styles talks about defeating everyone in his path so far – except Brock Lesnar. AJ talks about what he plans to do to Lesnar, but then he gets distracted by something off-screen. Paul Heyman has made his way through the crowd to the timekeeper’s area. AJ tells them to let Paul through, and Paul gets on the mic. Paul says there’s no one on the roster who Brock wants to face as bad as AJ, or Daniel Bryan. AJ points out that he tapped out Bryan, and he’s the Champion. AJ says he’s better at tapping people out now than the last time he faced Lesnar, and he says Lesnar has gotten older and more vulnerable since they last fought. Daniel Bryan comes out to interrupt. Bryan steps in the ring and gets on the mic, and he tells AJ stop mentioning his name without reason or he’s going to punch him in the face. AJ says Heyman brought up Bryan, not him. They exchange words and then Bryan jumps AJ and they start brawling. Shane McMahon runs out and tries to separate them. Jamie Noble and some referees come out to help separate them.
– Back from the break, Shane and Daniel are having a heating argument in the back. AJ walks in and they have to be pulled apart again by referees. AJ says he wants Bryan, so Shane books a match for the WWE Title between the two tonight.
– Jeff Hardy vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas: Zelina Vega is at ringside. Andrade immediately brings the fight to Jeff with strikes off the opening bell. Jeff comes back with a jawbreaker and he throws Almas into the ropes. Almas lays on the ropes and Jeff kicks him out to the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Jeff takes Cien down and hits a leg drop then a dropkick for a two count. Jeff looks for the Twist of Fate, but Almas fights out and ties up Jeff in the corner. Almas follows up with a double stomp on Hardy for a two count. Almas hits the running double knee strike, then he pulls Jeff out to the middle of the ring. Hardy tries to fight back, but Almas shuts him down with a knee to the face. Almas hits a spinning back elbow for a two count. Almas looks for the DDT, but Jeff fights him off and hits the Twist of Fate. Jeff follows up with the Swanton Bomb for the three count.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
– The Miz is backstage talking with SmackDown GM Paige. Miz plugs his new Marine 6 DVD, and then talks about who he might pick for Team SmackDown at Survivor Series. Miz picks Jeff Hardy for his fifth spot. The camera pans out to show Rey Mysterio and Samoa Joe standing next to Paige. Miz informs Rey that he’s kicking him off the team. Paige says if Miz wants Rey off the team, Miz has to beat him in a match tonight. Paige says that match is happening next. Rey heads to the Gorilla position, and Miz doesn’t look happy.
– Shinsuke Nakamura is backstage for a brief interview about his match with Seth Rollins on Sunday.
– The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio: If Rey loses this match, he’s kicked off Team SmackDown at Survivor Series. Miz rolls up Rey early on for a one count. Rey evades Miz’s offense early on and Miz claps for him. Miz misses another shot and Rey answers with an elbow to the face and a bulldog for a two count. Rey connects with a kick, but Miz comes back with a clothesline and a side headlock. Rey dumps Miz outside and dropkicks him through the ropes. Miz is down on the floor and Rey goes for a sliding splash under the ropes, but Miz blocks it with his knees. Back in the ring, Rey comes back with a seated senton. Miz comes back and drops Rey. Miz misses a running knee to the face. He looks for a Skull Crushing Finale, but Rey escapes and drops Miz on the middle rope. Rey follows up with the 619 and connects. Rey looks for a frogsplash off the top, but Miz blocks it with his knees. Miz wastes some time and Rey rolls up Miz from behind for the three count.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
– Rey will still be on the SmackDown team at Survivor Series. He celebrates on the turnbuckle after the match, and then Randy Orton runs in. Orton tries to sneak-attack Rey, but Rey dodges him and Orton runs into Miz. Orton hits the RKO on Miz, as Rey splits from the ring and heads up the ramp.
– We see security backstage preparing for a possible invasion from RAW wrestlers.
– Women’s Champion Becky Lynch is backstage arriving at the arena. She appears to have bruising around her eye.
– Paige comes out to the ring and she introduces the entire Women’s SmackDown roster one by one. She introduces Becky Lynch last, and says Becky will be picking her replacement to face Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series. Becky gets on the mic and says she took a beating last night and that never stopped her before — but this time the medical team won’t clear her to wrestle on Sunday. Becky says she could still kick Ronda’s ass even with her injury, and that Ronda isn’t tough she’s lucky. Becky says now she has to pick her replacement for Survivor Series, and she chooses Charlotte. Becky and Charlotte shake hands and hug, then Becky heads to the back.
– Charlotte does an interview backstage where she talks about fighting against Becky, and now fighting for her at Survivor Series.
– The Bar & Big Show vs. The New Day: Sheamus and Kofi start this one off, and Kofi connects with some kicks. Woods tags in for the double team on Sheamus. Woods hits a flying elbow drop, then Big E tags in for another double team for a two count on Sheamus. Woods and Big Show tag in, and Big Show takes control of the match with big chops to the chest of Woods. Sheamus tags in and continues the beat-down on Woods in The Bar’s corner. Sheamus and Woods fight up to the top rope and Woods shoves him down. Woods follows up with a missile dropkick off the top on Sheamus and both men are down. Cesaro and Kofi come in and trade shots until Kofi hits a cross body. The aprons clear now and Big E gets kicked down to ringside, then Big Show pulls Woods out to ringside. Kofi hits the Trouble In Paradise on Sheamus, but Cesaro is the legal man. Kofi hits the SOS on Cesaro for a two count. Kofi goes back up top, and Big Show tags in. Kofi goes flying off the top, but Big Show punches him out of mid-air for the three count.
Winners: The Bar & The Big Show
– We see several RAW tag teams backstage, and The Usos give them a motivational speech about putting their differences aside to win their 10-man Survivor Series match on Sunday.
– Still to come: AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship.
– The broadcast team runs down the card for this Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
– AJ Styles (c) vs. Daniel Bryan: AJ’s WWE Championship is on the line in this one. AJ starts off strong and dumps Bryan outside, and he follows up with a sling shot suicide dive. Back in the ring, Bryan goes after Styles’ leg and they fight in the corner. Bryan cranks AJ’s shoulder and twists his arm around now. Bryan drops him and lays into him with kicks now. AJ fights up to his feet and hits a flurry of strikes, then he hits a splash in the corner. They run the ropes and collide in the middle of the ring, and both men are down. Bryan is selling a knee injury. Bryan and AJ fight up to the top turnbuckle and Bryan hits a Frankensteiner. Bryan takes AJ into the opposite corner, but AJ connects with a kick and stuns Bryan. Bryan comes back with a strike of his own and he hits a series of kicks. Bryan follows up with a dropkick, and a back superplex off the middle rope for a two count. Bryan misses a kick and Styles looks for the Styles Clash, but Bryan fights out. They grapple in the corner and AJ connects with a kick. Bryan comes back with the Yes Lock, but AJ reaches the ropes to break the hold. AJ comes back with the Calf Crusher, but Bryan fights out and applies the Yes Lock. AJ fights out and slingshots Bryan into the corner. AJ goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Bryan dodges and AJ crashes into senior official Charles Robinson. Bryan hits a strike to the groin on AJ, and waits for AJ to get up. The ref gets to his feet, and Bryan hits the running knee to the face for the three count.
Winner & new WWE Champion: Daniel Bryan
– After the match, Bryan picks up his new WWE Title belt. Bryan turns his attention to Styles and kicks him in the head while he’s still on his knees. Charles Robinson pleads with Bryan to stop, but Bryan grabs AJ’s hands and repeatedly stomps on his head. Bryan continues stomping on AJ’s head, then he goes back to admiring his WWE Title Belt.
