WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Highlights and Analysis from September 30 (2024)

On the road to Extreme Rules on Oct. 8, WWE rolled through Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the latest episode of SmackDown, headlined by Damage CTRL's continued attempts to dominate women's wrestling in the company.

Group leader Bayley battled newly minted babyface Shotzi in one of three announced matches.

Was the top contender to the Raw Women's Championship able to build momentum as she prepares to challenge Bianca Belair in a historic ladder match next weekend, or did Shotzi score one of the biggest wins of her young career?

Find out with this recap of a Fox broadcast that also featured the latest from the seemingly unstoppable Bloodline.

The product of a backstage confrontation a week ago that left the babyfaces lying, the match pitting Ricochet and Madcap Moss against The Bloodline's Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa kicked off the night's show.

The celebratory Zayn, officially the Honorary Uce, found himself overwhelmed and beaten down in the corner of the opposition early. The Bloodline halted the early momentum and seized control entering the break.

A battered Ricochet made the hot tag to Moss, who exploded into the match. He sparked a much-needed comeback and appeared to have the babyfaces in position to win but the juggernaut Sikoa, fresh off of depositing Ricochet in the timekeeper's area, rocked him with a spinning heel kick and a uranage for the win.

WWE does traditional and multi-man tag matches really well and this was no exception.

The energy was there and the heels are so over that even a thrown-together team like Ricochet and Moss had the fans rooting for a win. They did not get it, though, as The Bloodline continued to roll in a solid, fun match.

Result

Sikoa and Zayn defeated Ricochet and Moss

Grade

B-

Top Moments

Drew McIntyre, fresh off a nasty bout of food poisoning that kept him off of weekend house shows, battled Austin Theory in a match that was the result of a backstage confrontation. Mr. Money in the Bank did not come alone, though, as he was accompanied by Chad Gable and Otis of Alpha Academy.

The match was short-lived as a fired-up McIntyre dominated the action until Alpha Academy got involved, drawing a disqualification. Johnny Gargano rushed the ring but the numbers game proved too much, which brought Kevin Owens out to a thunderous pop.

The babyfaces cleared the heels to the delight of the fans.

This felt like the setup to a match later in the night and if that is the case, it was fine. Triple H has not relied as much on that trope as his father-in-law, making it less grating on the nerves of consistent viewers.

It is truly amazing, though, to see how much of a step back Theory has taken in terms of exposure since Triple H and Co. took over just prior to SummerSlam. Is it a case of the creative team not believing in him to the extent that its predecessors did or is the new head of creative simply looking for the right spot to execute the young star's cash-in?

We shall find out.

Result

McIntyre defeated Theory by disqualification

Grade

C

Top Moments

The match pitting Hit Row against Los Lotharios may have been built to over weeks but it was hardly a competitive match.

Angel was too preoccupied with B-Fab at ringside, leaving Humberto to suffer the wrath of Top Dolla and Ashante Thee Adonis, who rolled to victory in impressive fashion.

This was somewhat disappointing because neither team really looked great. Los Lotharios continue to be bottomfeeders in the tag division and Hit Row, after returning with momentum on their side, appears to have lost some of that steam.

Hopefully, that changes shortly after Extreme Rules as Triple H fleshes out what he wants the tag team division to look like moving forward but for now, this did not hit as hard as it probably should have given the talent involved.

Result

Hit Row defeated Los Lotharios

Grade

C-

Top Moments

Ronda Rousey returned to the squared circle Friday night, battling former friend and mentor, Natalya in singles competition.

A submission-heavy match, with each woman looking for a tapout, concluded with The Baddest Woman on the Planet applying an ankle lock and getting just that out of The Queen of Harts.

After the match, a baseball bat-wielding Liv Morgan appeared and insisted that they not wait until Extreme Rules. Instead, she sought a fight with Rousey tonight.

The No. 1 contender wanted no part of the bat but the two women did engage in a pull-apart brawl that added just enough heat to their upcoming Extreme Rules Match for Morgan's SmackDown Women's Championship to keep things interesting after three months of backstory.

Kudos to Morgan for toning down some of her over-the-top antics and ramping up the intensity, lending herself even the slightest hint of credibility heading into what may be the biggest match of her still young career.

Result

Rousey defeated Natalya

Grade

C+ for the match, B for the pull-apart afterward

Top Moments

Ahead of next week's rematch from Clash at the Castle between Intercontinental champion Gunther and Sheamus, The Ring General led Imperium to the ring for a promo. The Celtic Warrior predictably interrupted but was sans Butch and Ridge Holland due to Hurricane Ian.

The verbal back-and-forth gave way to a beatdown by the heels, who left Sheamus in a heap. Never one to be outdone, Sheamus asked if that was all they had.

It was not. Imperium left him lying once more to end the segment.

Sheamus getting over for being a double-tough babyface is the simplistic booking that has long been a staple of Triple H's creative efforts dating back to NXT and proof positive of its effect even amid a hugely successful social media experiment with the White Rabbit.

After the break, Shotzi looked to build on recent momentum following her babyface turn as she squared off with Bayley of Damage Ctrl.

A competitive match that saw Bayley work overtime to remind the WWE fans just how good her opponent actually is after a year of lackluster booking, it ended with the No. 1 contender to the Raw Women's Championship cut The Ballsy Badass off on the middle rope, then deliver the Rose Plant for the pinfall victory.

After the match, the heels beatdown Shotzi until Raw champ Bianca Belair made the save and cleared them out. She stood tall as the creative team continued to build to Extreme Rules and the Ladder Match between The EST and Bayley.

Bayley deserves kudos for working so hard to lend Shotzi credibility here and the green-haired babyface showed up and showed out in her latest opportunity to rebuild equity with fans. This was a solid match for as short as it was and made both women look good.

Result

Bayley defeated Shotzi

Grade

A- for the Imperium/Sheamus segment; B+ for Shotzi vs. Bayley

Top Moments

The main event of the night was the continuation of the battle pitting McIntyre, Gargano and Kevin Owens against Theory and Alpha Academy.

The heels beat down Gargano, cutting him off from the rest of his team. Johnny Wrestling created separation and tagged Owens in, who fired up his team and brought them back into the match.

Ultimately, the babyfaces withstood the onslaught of Gable and Otis late before McIntyre rocked Theory with the Claymore for the win.

As was the case at the top of the show, WWE really excels in these multi-man tag matches. They know the layout, the wrestlers execute the timing of everything to perfection and the result is a hot match that either jumpstarts a broadcast or sends fans home happy in the main event.

Gable is a marvel in that he continues to impress every time he gets television time and that is a trait that management very much looks for in talent. Do not be surprised to see him breakout at some point in the coming months if he continues to perform at the level he does, despite losing more than he wins.

Owens is a massive babyface and the moment he gets a shot at the main event once more, he is going to be a major piece of the WWE puzzle.

A fun way to kick off the show, even if it was largely meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Result

McIntyre, Gargano and Owens defeated Theory and Alpha Academy

Grade

B

Top Moments