WWE SmackDown Results (01/13) - Intercontinental Championship Match, Sami Zayn Vs. Kevin Owens And More
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE SmackDown" on January 13, 2023, coming to you live from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin!
Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER will be putting his title on the line against Braun Strowman. GUNTHER and his Imperium teammates, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, cost Strowman the "SmackDown" World Cup Tournament a few weeks ago, and "The Monster of All Monsters" has been out for revenge ever since. Imperium got the better of Strowman two weeks ago after blindsiding him with an attack and going after his arm. Will GUNTHER be able to hold on to his title, or will a new champion be crowned tonight?
Longtime rivals Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will battle it out in the squared circle. The two men have had a tumultuous relationship over the past two decades and most recently faced each other two weeks ago in a massive tag team bout. Owens and his partner, John Cena, ended up getting the better of Zayn and Reigns during the contest, and "The Tribal Chief" was displeased with the outcome of the match. Zayn will surely be looking to redeem himself tonight, as Reigns made his feelings crystal clear last week and told Zayn the loss was on him. Which man will come out on top?
Additionally, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, "SmackDown" Women's Champion Charlotte Flair, Liv Morgan, Ronda Rousey, and Drew McIntyre are all scheduled to appear on tonight's show, as per WWE's event page.
We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as Braun Strowman heads to the ring. Imperium follows.
GUNTHER (c) vs. Braun Strowman for the Intercontinental Championship
The bell rings and the two lock up. GUNTHER gets out of the ring for a breather, but gets back inside and locks up with Strowman again. Strowman tosses him to the outside, then goes after him and sends his head bouncing off the ring steps. He delivers an open palm strike, then delivers the Strowman Express that sends GUNTHER over the announce desk.
Back from the break, GUNTHER sends Strowman's arm bouncing off the ring apron. He goes to work targeting his arm, stomping on it several times and locking it in a variety of submission holds. He delivers a series of shoulders to his arm, then delivers a chop. Strowman fires back with forearms and a clothesline, then follows it up with a back body drop. Vinci and Kaiser try to take cheap shots at Strowman, but Strowman levels them. GUNTHER attempts to take advantage and delivers several chops, but Strowman manages to deliver a modified bodyslam.
Back from another break, Strowman hits a belly-to-back suplex. The two men go back and forth with chops before Strowman gains the upper hand and delivers a spinebuster. GUNTHER delivers a chop, but Strowman delivers a vicious clothesline. GUNTHER fires back with a dropkick and a clothesline of his own, then goes for a pin but Strowman kicks out. GUNTHER ascends to the top rope and delivers a splash, then goes for another pin. Strowman kicks out once again, and GUNTHER climbs back up to the top. Strowman meets him there, but GUNTHER escapes and delivers a powerbomb for the win.
Winner (and still): GUNTHER
We then head to a video of Roman Reigns chewing out Sami Zayn last week and the events that led to the match between Zaynand Owens later tonight.
We then see Zayn knocking on The Bloodline's dressing room door. Paul Heyman emerges and informs Zayn he's the only one in there. Zayn says he's confused and Heyman explains that Reigns told him he wouldn't be showing him any love if he were in the arena. Heyman tells Zayn that Reigns wants him to do this all on his own. Zayn asks Heyman to contact Reigns in order to tell him that he will solve the problem of Kevin Owens once and for all tonight.
Back from the break, Rey Mysterio heads to the ring.
We Hear From Rey Mysterio
Mysterio says he's always said the holidays were an exciting time, especially being on the road so much. He says that he didn't have a very Merry Christmas and says Dominik tried ruining things once again when he trespassed on the Mysterio property. He says Dominik is acting like he's a hardened criminal, but he's "fed up with the b*******." He says in order to get back on the track, he's declaring himself as an entrant in the Royal Rumble.
Karrion Kross' music hits and he heads to the ring along with Scarlett. Kross says he was in the back listening to Mysterio talk about goals and says he needs them to roll out of bed everyday. He says everyone remembers when he won the Rumble seventeen years ago, and says it was a special moment for not only him, but his son as well. He says Dominik must have seen him as a superhero, but he wouldn't have known that because he wasn't around for him during his childhood. He then asks him if he hates Dominik or himself more.
Mysterio has heard enough. He begins firing off right hands, then sends him into the ropes and looks for the 619. Scarlett trips him, allowing Kross to lock in the Kross Jacket and puts him to sleep. Scarlett then holds up a tarot card.
We then head backstage to Emma, Maxxine Dupri, and Liv Morgan. Emma and Dupri question why Morgan wants to enter the Rumble as number one. Raquel Rodriguez walks in and agrees with them. She says her best strategy would be to enter last given her size. Morgan slaps Rodriguez and challenges her to a match in order to prove herself. An angered Rodriguez accepts her challenge.
Back at ringside, Xia Li heads down followed by Tegan Nox.
Tegan Nox vs. Xia Li
The bell rings and the two lock up. Nox delivers a pair of right hands and an uppercut, then sends Li into the mat face first. She follows it up with a senton, then ascends to the top. Li pulls her down and delivers a knee to her jaw. She then delivers a right hand to Nox's spine, then follows it up with a suplex and a spinning heel kick. Nox fires back with the Shiniest Wizard for the win.
Winner: Tegan Nox
We then head to a video of The Viking Raiders attacking Drew McIntyre and Sheamus following their Undisputed Tag Team Championship Match last week.
We head to a video from The Raiders and Valhalla. The trio state that they obey their Gods, and tell McIntyre and Sheamus that suffering awaits them.
We then head backstage to McIntyre, Sheamus, and Adam Pearce. McIntyre tells Pearce they want The Raiders tonight, but Sheamus tries talking him out of it. Pearce says there will be a tournament next week to determine the new number one contenders for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship, and informs them they will be facing The Raiders in a first round match next week.
Back from the break, Bray Wyatt heads to the ring.
We Hear From Bray Wyatt
In the center of the ring lies a rocking chair. Wyatt sits in it and tells Green Bay "we're here". He says that it's wild how sometimes one forgets who they are and where they came from, but all it takes is someone to send them in the right direction. He says all one has to do is revel in what they are and says he is the color red in a black and white world. He says he that he now he knows who he is: "The Eater of Worlds" and Uncle Howdy. He says his rebirth will come at the "Royal Rumble", then tells LA Knight that when the lights go out, he should run. His old logo from his Wyatt Family days then flashes on screen.
We then head backstage to Kevin Owens and Kayla Braxton. Before Braxton can ask her question, Sami Zayn walks in and asks Owens if he's happy. Zayn says he interfered in his business, but Owens cuts him off and says he only interfered to dismantle The Bloodline. He says he didn't ask for this. Zayn says Owens doesn't understand, but he has to take care of business and he's proud to do so.
Back at ringside, Liv Morgan heads to the ring followed by Raquel Rodriguez.
Back from the break, we head backstage to Imperium. GUNTHER is being checked on in the medial office as Kayla Braxton enters. Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci compliment GUNTHER on his match before GUNTHER gloats about his win. He says now that he's overcome Strowman, he has his sights set on the Royal Rumble and main-eventing WrestleMania.
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Liv Morgan
The bell rings and the two lock up. Rodriguez delivers a big boot, then tosses Morgan to the outside Morgan gets back inside and delivers a hurricanrana, followed by a running back elbow. Rodriguez fires back with a running lariat, then whips her into the corner. Morgan gets fired up and delivers a step-up knee, then ascends to the middle rope and delivers a codebreaker. She clotheslines Rodriguez to the outside before Rodriguez drags her to the outside and attempts to send her into the ring post. Morgan manages to reverse the momentum and do such, then sends her into the ring steps. She grabs a table from under the ring, then lays Rodriguez on top of it and climbs to the top rope. Rodriguez rolls off the table, then gets back in the ring.
Morgan looks for a crossbody on her, but Rodriguez catches her with a chokeslam and follows it up with the Texana Bomb for the win.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez
We then head to a video recapping the match between Charlotte Flair and Sonya Deville last week.
We head backstage and see Deville complaining to Adam Pearce about the match. Deville demands a match, but Pearce says he can't just give her a match. Deville says he's being unreasonable, then says she will find a way to make the re-match happen.
Back from the break, we head backstage and see Charlotte Flair brawling with Sonya Deville. Officials break them apart as a referee tells Flair to "leave it." Flair says she didn't start it before Deville jumps her. Flair sends her over a road case, then tells officials she's done. Deville jumps her once again, but Flair levels her.
We then head to a video of Cody Rhodes discussing his recovery from the pectoral injury in June.
Back at ringside, Sami Zayn heads down followed by Kevin Owens.
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
The bell rings and Owens offers his hand to Zayn. Zayn shoves him in response and the two lock up. Owens delivers a shoulder tackle, then trips Zayn and rains down right hands. Zayn rolls to the outside and Owens delivers a clothesline, then delivers a vicious chop and tosses him back in the ring. Zayn delivers a series of stomps, then sends Owens to the outside and goes flying over the top. Owens sends Zayn into the barricade, then gets Zayn inside. Zayn slides back out, then delivers a Brainbuster to Owens on the apron.
Back from the break, Zayn delivers an elbow drop off the middle rope. Owens rains down right hands, but Zayn then stomps on Owens' neck. He delivers several shoulders to Owens' midsection, then sits him on the top turnbuckle. He delivers a series of forearms, then climbs to the middle rope. Owens knocks Zayn off, then delivers a Frog Splash and goes for a pin but Zayn kicks out. Zayn delivers a Blue Thunderbomb, then goes for a pin of his own. Owens kicks out and the two begin exchanging right hands. Zayn delivers an underhook suplex, but Owens immediately fires back with a clothesline.
Back from another break, Owens ascends to the top and looks for a Swanton Bomb but Zayn manages to get his knees up. Zayn sits Owens on the top rope and follows him up there, but Owens manages to reverse the weight and deliver a Brainbuster. He goes for a pin, but Zayn kicks out. The two men then exchange right hands before Zayn delivers a pair of Exploders, but The Usos and Solo Sikoa suddenly run in and beat down Owens, causing the disqualification.
Winner: N/A (disqualification)
A shocked Zayn watches on as The Usos deliver 1-D. They then encourage Zayn to deliver the Helluva Kick before clearing the announce desk. Zayn hesitates, and Sikoa takes charge. He delivers a pair of Samoan Spikes, and Owens ends up layed out on the announce desk. The Usos hype up Zayn as Sikoa stands on the barricade. He delivers a running Frog Splash while a conflicted Zayn looks on, questioning why they're out there. The Usos, Zayn, and Sikoa are left standing tall.