WWE SmackDown Live Results – January 22, 2019

03:01am

As we come back from commercial it’s Rey on the offensive who hits an innovative Powerbomb on the outside and a West Coast Pop for a nearfall.

Andrade manages to turn things around and mocks the late great Eddie Guerrero, Rey’s best friend. After chucking Rey into the ringpost on the outside, Andrade slides him into the ring and hits the Hammerlock DDT, but Mysterio gets his foot on the rope at two for another nearfall.

There was a slight botch where the two collapsed when Rey attempted a Crucifix Bomb, but I personally don’t mind that in a match like this – it actually helps tell the story that they both running on empty and not 100% at their best.

An inverted Hurricanrana from Rey and a 619 looks to have the match won, but Samoa Joe appears and attacks them both, locking Rey in the Coquina Clutch.

What is HE doing out here?!? @SamoaJoe @ReyMysterio #SDLive #2OutOf3Falls pic.twitter.com/hOf0nmc8Pk

— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2019

I have a feeling people might moan about this finish, but I actually thought it was fine…. RKO OUTTA NOWHERE TO JOE!

As I was saying… I have a feeling people might moan about this finish, but I actually thought it was fine. Raw did a dreadful job of building credible threats for the Rumble, but this show rebounded that with the likes of Joe, Rey, Almas, Orton all now genuine contenders to win the thing.

I thought that was quite a good show. Maybe not as good as recent SmackDowns, but that’s a high standard to maintain.

02:43am

To put in easily understandable terms, this is some dead good wrestling.

The first fall goes the way of Andrade after a beautiful top rope Powerbomb. Yes, that’s TOP rope. Rey looks to be hurt and the ref questions if he can continue but, of course, he does.

The second fall comes just a couple of minutes after, when Rey counters a Powerbomb into a third Canadian Destroyer in as many weeks.

We go to commercial level at 1-1.

This match is already a classic.

@AndradeCienWWE: 1@ReyMysterio: 0#2OutOf3Falls #SDLive pic.twitter.com/r3unDTAsOD

— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2019

02:35am

New Day are backstage when Kayla Braxton walks up and asks them if they’re willing to eliminate each other in the Rumble.

New Day jokingly complain that they get asked the same question every year:

“First it was Tom Phillips, then it was Renee Young, then it was Mike Rome, and now it’s you. Is Tony Chimel going ask us next?”

And then Tony Chimel came in and asked them next, which I did genuinely enjoy. Kofi goes on to say that he has a plan for this year’s innovtative elimination evasion moment, but he isn’t willing to disclose it yet.

"Is @EdgeRatedR here? OH NO, HE IS NOT!" – @WWEBigE

No dice, @TonyChimelWWE. #SDLive pic.twitter.com/CCKtNsXgtO

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 23, 2019

Up next, it’s the main event. The one we’ve all been waiting for. Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade in a 2-out-of-3 falls match. And again – Zelina Vega is banned from ringside.

02:25am

Joe dominated this one for the first few minutes until some explosive offense from Ali turned the tables.

After his comeback sequence, Ali goes for the 054 for but Joe recovers and pulls Ali down from the top rope into the Coquina Clutch for the win.

Up next, it’s time for the highly anticipated 2-out-of-3-falls match between Andrade and Rey Mysterio.

This should be a corker.

.@SamoaJoe's eyes tell the story…

The #SamoanSubmissionMachine takes out @MustafaAliWWE. Next is 29 other competitors in the Men's #RoyalRumble Match. #SDLive pic.twitter.com/UKWPJzs8XJ

— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2019

Now that is terrifying.

02:12am

Carmella and R-Truth are backstage when Carmella stumbles upon Charlotte Flair backstage.

They basically both do the generic “I’m going to win the Rumble thing”, and then we cut to the arena for Samoa Joe vs. Mustafa Ali which is up next, despite it being pulled from wwe.com.

Which means my creation of the ‘Weekly SmackDown Match That Was Announced But Didn’t Happen For Some Reason Probably Something To Do With Vince’ was pointless. Marvelous.

This could be a really good match but it’ll probably only go about five minutes, which is a shame.

.@SamoaJoe battles @MustafaAliWWE NEXT on #SDLive! Ready? pic.twitter.com/OOqmCxHQKB

— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2019

02:07am

Vince welcomes AJ and Bryan to the ring, but Bryan declines to get into the ring with AJ after he threw him into some hot dogs last week.

Bryan says that he uses his fame to spread the word for the greater good of the world, whereas AJ just uses it for fame and money.

Styles calls Bryan fickle for getting in a plane to the arena despite throwing a hissy fit every time someone drives a car.

"I don't care about their feelings, because I am NOT the #PeoplesChampion. @WWEDanielBryan is the #PlanetsChampion!" 🌎 #SDLive pic.twitter.com/hhIjoZivmn

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 23, 2019

Bryan is about to deliver yet another speech but Vince just cuts him off and orders him into the ring. Bryan says Vince’s generation are the problem with the world as they just take and take and take.

Vinnie again orders Bryan into the ring, but instead, AJ gets out the ring and meets Bryan on the outside.

The two brawl at ringside until Bryan uses Vince to block a Phenomenal Forearm. Styles managed to stop before he hit Vince, but the moment of contemplation led to Bryan being able to land the knee.

01:51am

Despite WWE pulling Joe vs. Ali from the wwe.com preview of SmackDown, an excellent Mustafa Ali promo video is played.

Up next, Vince McMahon officiates a ‘face-to-face’ between WWE Champion Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles ahead of their match at Royal Rumble.

Here’s a replay of what the Bar did to Miz and Shane? Does this mean the match is off, or just that Shane will defy the odds and prove once again he is best in the world? Probably the latter.

#TheBar doesn't play nice. #SDLive @ShaneMcMahon @WWECesaro @WWESheamus pic.twitter.com/ptc8ml0XZE

— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2019

01:45am

Up next, we’ve got Miz vs. Cesaro ahead of the SmackDown Tag Title match at the Rumble on Sunday.

The crowd were firmly behind Miz in this one, and we have yet another match that finished with an outside interference after Sheamus kicked Miz when the ref wasn’t looking into a Neutralizer from Cesaro.

.@ShaneMcMahon isn't taking @mikethemiz's loss to @WWECesaro lightly! #SDLive @WWESheamus pic.twitter.com/cnobyTfQBY

— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2019

Shane isn’t happy about this and attacks them both, clearing the commentary table. He lays Cesaro on it and climbs to the top rope for an elbow drop, but Sheamus pushes him off.

The Bar then continue their attack at ringside and put both Miz and Shane through the table Shane cleared earlier.

01:29am

Naomi attacks Mandy before she can even finish her entrance… and then we just go straight back to commercials again. Yay.

Fun fact, this is Mandy’s first singles match since July…

Only a coule of minutes in and a Sonya Deville distraction led to Mandy getting the win. Typical WWE. Weeks of animosity. Weeks of build to a massive grudge match. Over in three minutes because of outside distraction.

Keep up with the GLOW! #SDLive @NaomiWWE @WWE_MandyRose pic.twitter.com/GxCIFapXVX

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 23, 2019

That was pretty much the only move that happened.

On the plus side, it means more minutes for Rey vs. Almas later. And a little note on that, Zelina Vega has been banned from ringside, in what I would say is a great move.

01:18am

As we come back from commercial, Becky and Asuka are still brawling backstage. I blame Jamie Noble’s bald pal that isn’t Joey Mercury (yes, I know it’s Adam Pearce, but I want to make this a running joke, okay?).

#RoyalRumble can't come soon enough for @WWEAsuka & @BeckyLynchWWE! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/eyarn0275G

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 23, 2019

We then go to one of the worst promo videos I have ever seen in my entire life recapping the Naomi/Mandy feud.

And that very match is up next!

01:12am

SmackDown opens once again with the excellent Becky Lynch, who is set to take on Asuka for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Royal Rumble this Sunday.

After saying she is going to beat Asuka to regain the title and become the first ever three-time SD Women’s Champion, the ‘Empress’ makes her entrance and joins Becky in the ring.

She proceeds to shout in Japanese for a bit, until Charlotte Flair comes out. Charlotte will be in the Rumble match on Sunday. She says that is doesn’t matter if she chooses Sasha, Ronda, Asuka or Becky – she can beat any of them at WrestleMania.

Where there's an #Empress and #TheMan… there's a QUEEEN right behind! @MsCharlotteWWE has ARRIVED! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/cchcgVLBaZ

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 23, 2019

Asuka then ambushes Becky in the ring while Charlotte just stands there on the outside watching. Asuka and Becky brawl at ringside for a short while after Flair leaves, and Jamie Noble and his bald pal that isn’t Joey Mercury.

The brawl broke the Sky cameras for a couple of seconds which was fun, and the pair continue to brawl until Becky is finally persuaded to walk to the back.

Up next, we’ve got Naomi vs. Mandy Rose in a match that has been building for weeks.

Stacked. Tonight’s SmackDown Live card is absolutely stacked.

Welcome in to WrestleTalk.com’s live coverage of the January 22, 2019 edition of SmackDown in what will be the final show before the Royal Rumble this Sunday.

Here’s what’s in store for us on what, on paper, looks like it should be an excellent show:

• Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade – 2-out-of-3 Falls Match
• The Miz w/ Shane McMahon vs. Cesaro w/ Sheamus
• Naomi vs. Mandy Rose w/ Sonya Deville
• Mr McMahon to moderate ‘face-to-face’ between WWE Champion Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles

Wowzers.

I was about to say we’ve also got Samoa Joe vs. Mustafa Ali tonight, but that appears to have been pulled, making it this week’s winner of the ‘Weekly SmackDown Match That Was Announced But Didn’t Happen For Some Reason Probably Something To Do With Vince’ award that I just made up. Last week’s award goes to Carmella vs. Sonya Deville, which there is still no sign of.

Still, we should be in for a very fun show tonight. I, for one, am quite looking forward to it.

You can join the discussion throughout tonight’s SmackDown Live by following us on Twitter and joining our Discord server.

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