WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Oct. 21, 2022) with a live show emanating from Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Crown Jewel event scheduled for early next month in Saudi Arabia.

Advertised for tonight: Logan Paul returns to SmackDown tonight, perhaps looking to create a bigger rift within The Bloodline and gain momentum leading into Crown Jewel.

Tonight’s card also features IYO SKY & Dakota Kai defending the WWE women’s tag team titles against Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan vs. Sonya Deville, and an appearance from Olmos. 

👉 The Entry of the White family has Created Panic all over the WWE SmackDown

Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn

SmackDown went on the air with breaking news: Carrion Kross and Scarlett were involved in a car accident backstage. Drew McIntyre attacked a staggered Kross and promised, “This is just the beginning!”

Back in the arena, Kofi Kingston and Sami Zayn kicked off the in-ring portion of the night’s broadcast. Xavier Woods and Jey Uso accompanied the competitors, respectively.

Zayn controlled the action, putting the former WWE champion on the defensive. Kingston fought back, showing some of that trademark resiliency, but a superkick from Uso to Woods on the floor provided enough of a distraction for The Honorary Use to deliver a Blue Thunder Bomb for two.

Kingston appeared poised to win the match via roll-up, but Uso slid in, reversed it in favor of Zayn, and watched as his budding rival scored the assisted victory.

This was a damn good match between two grizzled pros who know what it takes to deliver when given time.

Zayn’s attempts to further prove himself part of The Bloodline family were humorous and effective, but it was Uso helping him to win the match that was the biggest takeaway. Eager to please The Tribal Chief but infuriated over being placed under Zayn’s control, he put personal vendettas aside and did what was right for The Bloodline.

There will come a time when he does not, and what that means for him, Zayn, and their place in Reigns’ empire remains one of the most engaging stories in all of wrestling.

Braun Strowman is Back

Braun Strowman found himself confronted by two enhancement talents, Brian Thomas and James Maverick, in a handicap match Friday night.

The Monster Among Monsters destroyed the competition while staring down Omos and MVP, who watched from ringside.

After the match, the latter warned Strowman that “monsters fade into the shadows,” suggesting the former universal champion is no match for the giant competitor.

The idea of Strowman vs. Omos is hardly appealing, but as a spectacle, there are few matches that would be better. If Triple H does not have anything else better for them to do, there are far worse options for the upcoming Crown Jewel card than a battle of the Goliaths.

A week ago, LA Knight shed his “Max Dupri” moniker and returned to the name he made famous in NXT. His opponent? Former Maximum Male Models associate mån.sôör, who was accompanied to the squared circle by Maxxine Dupri and ma.çé.

A distraction from the latter allowed the heel to take control momentarily, but Knight fought back, fended off ma.çé and put mån.sôör down for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Knight put the WWE Superstars on notice, but not before turning heel on the fans by claiming he does not need them chanting his name.

Knight is always going to excel as a heel, but it was certainly interesting to see him turn so quickly after dumping the Maximum Male Models. It will benefit him in the long run, but it remains to be seen if such a quick turn after another just two weeks earlier was the right call.

Hit Row’s Ashante Thee Adonis and Top Dolla sought revenge Friday night as they battled Legado Del Fantasma’s Cruz del Toro and Joaquin Wilde in tag-team action. Santos Escobar and Zelina Vega accompanied the heels, while B-Fab seconded Hit Row.

The short-lived match saw Del Toro and Wilde score the win when Escobar pulled Adonis off the apron and Vega wiped out B-Fab, leaving Top Dolla to suffer Sacrificio.

This was a logical continuation of what we saw last week, but you could tell from the reaction (or lack thereof) from the WWE Universe that they are not sure what to make of the newcomers.

There was little explanation of who they are or what they are about, and while some of that is preserving the intrigue as to what Vega’s relationship is with the group, it is certainly something Triple H will have to examine to prevent fans from tuning the faction out early on.

A simple video package would suffice, and we know from its long and illustrious history on that front that few do those better than WWE.

A shot at Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship awaited the winner of the Fatal 4-Way Match pitting rival Sheamus against Ricochet, The Bloodline’s Solo Sikora, and Rey Mysterio.

Karin Kross was originally scheduled for the bout, but he was replaced by the future Hall of Famer Mysterio after the events at the top of the show.

The action was nonstop, with Sheamus teasing a fight with Sikora, only for Ricochet to wipe the second-generation star out at ringside. Sikora recovered and stood tall entering the commercial break.

He showed off his strength with a late tower of doom spot but left himself open for a beating at the hands of Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior had Sikoa poised to tap, but Jey Uso and Sami Zayn intervened. Butch and Ridge Holland joined the fray, leaving Mysterio and Ricochet to close out the match.

The Master of the 619 delivered his trademark move, then added a frog splash for the win.

Mysterio appears to be in the early moments of a push, his story being one of the most prominent of the show. After a low point Monday night following the disrespect and humiliation at the hands of his son, he recovered like greats do and earned a championship opportunity by defeating three of SmackDown’s best.

Beyond the surefire Hall of Famer, it now appears as though The Brawling Brutes may be on a collision course with The Bloodline. That should make for some damn good television and elevate the baby faces in the process.

During this match, a new form of Sheamus was seen, which was much more dangerous and was worth creating panic in the hearts of people, was very surprised to see the new form of society.

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Result

Mysterio defeated Ricochet, Sikora, and Sheamus

The hotly anticipated return of Bray Wyatt headlined this week’s show.

A new entrance theme guided The Eater of Worlds to the squared circle, where he stood in plain clothes and no mask. He cut a sincere, genuine promo, speaking from the heart to the fans.

Then, the cryptic Max Headroom-like figure appeared and warned that they don’t know who they are dealing with, but they will.

The show went off the air with the new Wyatt logo displayed on the screen.

This was a different Wyatt than we have seen before, one that was open and honest before giving way to the enigmatic theatricality that we expect from him. This did nothing to tell us what this new incarnation of the former world champion is all about, but it did intensify our interest in him.

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Grade

A