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WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results: News, Notes After Brock Lesnar Squashes Kofi Kingston, Cain Velasquez Debuts

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WWE Friday Night SmackDown aired a historic broadcast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif. for the blue brand’s season premiere. A star-studded lineup co-opted months of aggressive marketing and cross-branding as a week full of new eras and sea changes saved its best for last.

Outside of The Rock, most legends were relegated to a curtain call, while Friday Night SmackDown ended with Brock Lesnar shockingly squashing Kofi Kingston to become a five-time WWE champion before even more shockingly being confronted by Rey Mysterio...and Cain Velasquez.

Lesnar vs. Velasquez figures to be a big-money feud as WWE on Fox looks to adopt a “real sports feel.” God, I hate that term.

WWE’s final edition of SmackDown Live last Tuesday on USA Network capped a hot streak of eight consecutive episodes to top the Cable 150 in the 18-49 demographic to end its run.

Though tonight’s number should easily be WWE’s biggest rating in years, it also faces stiff competition from the ALDS as the New York Yankees host the Minnesota Twins in a series that is sure to be an entertaining festival of home runs.

WWE SmackDown Viewership—Last Five Weeks:

  • September 24, 2019—2.099 million viewers
  • September 17, 2019—2.064 million viewers
  • September 10, 2019—2.061 million viewers
  • September 3, 2019—2.507 million viewers
  • August 27, 2019—2.088 million viewers

WWE Friday Night SmackDown Key Competition: 

  • Major League Baseball American League Divisional Series—Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees

From the Forbes WWE Vault:

WWE Total YouTube Viewership for SmackDown Live Last Tuesday: 5,526,169 views (down from 8,082,376)

  • Most-Viewed: Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan form an Alliance (1,668,260 views) 
  • Least-Viewed: Elias Strikes a Chord with Chad Gable (98,239 views)
  • Median Viewership: 376,733

Announced Attendance for Friday Night SmackDown: 17,588

Average WWE Friday Night SmackDown Ticket Price at the Staples Center$174

Estimated Live Gate for WWE Friday Night SmackDown: $3,060,312

WWE Friday Night SmackDown Results: Friday, October 4, 2019

Opening Segment featuring Becky Lynch, Baron Corbin and The Rock

I’d love to say WWE didn’t learn its lesson from having Steve Austin and The Undertaker kick off speciatly shows only for the audience to tune out once they left, but with Brock Lesnar headlining this already-loaded show, I don’t think that will be a concern.

I just realized I haven’t heard Michael Cole’s voice in 10 days, and what a glorious 10 days it was.

The Rock used the Rock Bottom, which also happens to be Becky Lynch’s new finisher but the move wasn’t passed down to her. Hopefully this means the end of the ill-fated Manhandle Slam.

The Rock did everything he could to make Becky Lynch appear on equal footing with The Great One, and she definitely hung in there, but by the end of this segment the people were chanting “Rocky,” not “Becky.”

Becky Lynch and Charlotte def. Bayley and Sasha Banks

Bayley continues to be described by announcers as “best friend of Sasha Banks and SmackDown women’s champion.” The disrespect for this woman is unacceptable.

There is a great story to be told of Charlotte and Becky Lynch’s reunion and WWE completely punted on it.

A lot of the Hall of Famers announced appear to be relegated to the "wave from the crowd" role, and I'm perfectly fine with that.

Firefly Fun House

This segment made me realize that the new red Hell in a Cell really does look like a hamster’s cage.

Bray Wyatt having to admonish Mercy the Buzzard for almost attacking him (”NO! No!”) was a brilliant touch.

This was one of the more entertaining episodes of Firefly Fun House and it still wasn’t as entertaining as any of Bray Wyatt’s interactions morning broadcasters.

Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura Battle to a No Contest

If, and hopefully when, The Fiend defeats Seth Rollins for the WWE Universal Championship, I’m not sure I can think of a more one-sided feud from start to finish.

Kevin Owens def. Shane McMahon

This match went to commercial on one insane high spot where Shane McMahon hit a diving elbow through a table and then returned with another where Kevin Owens hit a Frog Splash through a ladder. I submit it was far more efrective than picture in picture.

Kevin Owens won this match with a version of a Pop-up Powerbomb. Far more fitting than the Stone Cold Stunner, which he went on to hit post-match.

I’d like to officially start the hype train for the Shane-to-NXT speculation.

The Miz, Braun Strowman and Heavy Machinery vs. Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler.

This was a match filled with guys who didn’t get an entrance.

As canned as their interaction was, I never know how badly I wanted to see Braun Strowman and Tyson Fury fight in any capacity, real or scripted.

I don’t know if WWE knows it yet, but its 24/7 division has managed to morph into CHIKARA.

Roman Reigns vs. Erick Rowan—Lumberjack Match

If #WWE switched Lumberjack Matches to a backstage environment, like some gritty garage, and then had the surrounding wrestlers pound the mat, it would look less like a pep rally and more like a death match.

Despite being a newly minted babyface, Daniel Bryan on commentary was hanging on to every remnant of his heel persona for dear life.

Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston—WWE Championship

There will be around eight minutes left in in the SmackDown broadcast for the main event. That's like four Brock Lesnar matches.

Check that, it’s more like eight Brock Lesnar matches. Poor Kofi.

Cain Velazquez vs. Brock Lesnar will be far more entertaining in WWE than it evre was in UFC, and it was pretty damn entertaining in UFC.

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