Smackdown – November 13, 2026: A Good Luck Night
Smackdown
Date: November 13, 2026
Location: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole
We’re done with Crown Jewel and the big story coming out of the show is Tiffany Stratton cashing in her Money In The Bank briefcase to take the Women’s Title from Chelsea Green. That’s going to need some resolution, but we’re also just a few weeks away from Survivor Series. That should be more than big enough of a focus going forward so let’s get to it.
Here is Crown Jewel if you need a recap.
The opening recap is a bit different this time, as it’s a mixture of Michael Cole recapping Crown Jewel, along with clips from the event and wrestlers arriving.
Here is John Cena to get things going. Cena acknowledges the hyped up crown and gives a quick chat about the John Cena Classic. With that out of the way, Cena introduces the next entrant: Charlotte. She’s rather pleased and talks about how she’s wanted to be involved with Cena in a storyline for the last ten years.
Charlotte knows her dad is at home in Tampa “at that bar” and crying his eyes out. She’s trying not to do the same because her makeup is fabulous tonight but tells a story about Cena giving her a pep talk when she was really depressed and down on her career. She starts crying and the fans tell her that she deserves it but she has to hit her punchline, which is about going to win the John Cena Classic.
Cena says he’s going to go over his time but he doesn’t care. Charlotte has worked a long time to overcome a bunch of extra things that no one else has to face. He has always said that he wanted to win #17 so he could shake the hand of the person who won #18. That was always about her. That was an outstanding speech from Charlotte and you could tell she meant every word. As has been the case, Charlotte acting like a human is a lot easier to support than whatever else she was for so long.
Rey Mysterio comes in to see Nick Aldis about the Survivor Series match but Cody Rhodes comes in before he can say a name. Mysterio will be back later and Aldis asks if Rhodes is good after Crown Jewel. Rhodes is ok with what happened and might be using the Punt going forward, but for now he’s focused on Survivor Series. After that’s over, he wants back in the #1 contender discussion. Works for Aldis.
Tag Team Titles: MFTs vs. Bakusai
The MFTs, with Haku, are defending. Kyoki charges at Tama to start and gets in a crossbody so it’s off to Talla. The chops just wake Kyoki up a bit but he gets knocked to the apron, with Haku breaking the walking stick over Kyoki’s knee. We take a break and come back with Kyoki twisting Tama’s knee, allowing the tag off to Nakamura. The running knee to the back of the head hits Tama as everything breaks down. Kinshasa connects but the War Raiders run in to jump Nakamura for the DQ at 8:49.
Rating: C+. The match didn’t do much here, but the interesting part is the fact that they’re doing SOMETHING with the titles. You have three teams fighting here and if you add in some more, the division might be able to come back to life. Now I have no reason to believe that’s going to be the case, but at least it’s some hope.
Post match the Raiders take out both teams without much trouble.
Finn Balor is ready to be his real self against Gunther tonight. This was “talk to the camera and say your point” style.
Damian Priest vs. Axiom
Priest elbows him in the corner to start but Axiom is back up with some dropkicks to the leg. Another dropkick to the back sends Priest outside and a moonsault takes him down again. Back in and Priest hits a top rope dropkick but the Golden Ratio is blocked. Instead Priest punches him in the face but the Razor’s Edge is reversed into a hurricanrana. That just ticks Priest off and he hits the Razor’s Edge for the pin at 2:53.
Post match Nathan Frazer comes out to check on Axiom and gets chokeslammed.
Fatal Influence meets John Cena and aren’t impressed with Charlotte getting the John Cena Classic spot. Cena likes their RUTHLESS AGGRESSION and puts them in too. Well that worked.
Video on 946 vs. Bloodline going to WarGames.
Here is Sami Zayn, with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae, for a chat. Zayn tells the fans to bring it and asks how many are here to ride or die with him. He brings up what happened after the match against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, because he got the respect he commanded. This brings out Kevin Owens, who says Zayn is talking to someone who knows him rather well.
Last week, Owens got to right a wrong by punching CM Punk in the face with a chain. No matter what has happened, for the last twenty five years, Owens has praised Zayn as one of the best in the world. Owens is proud of him, but there is a wrong that he needs to right. He lost seventeen months of his career and he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. All he wanted to do was show his ride or die fans and there is only one way to right that wrong. He needs to take the title from Zayn but Gargano cuts Owens off.
This was the worst year of his life and the only person to stand by him was Zayn (LeRae’s glare is great). Owens shoves him away and gets in Zayn’s face, saying the title reign is on borrowed time. Gargano jumps Owens and hammers away as Zayn leaves. That’s shrugged off and Owens drops Gargano before threatening Zayn again. This was good stuff and Owens vs. Zayn for the title taking place is hardly a stretch.
Cody Rhodes and CM Punk are watching in the back when Rey Mysterio comes in. Mysterio introduces Rey Fenix as the next member of Team Mexico. Rhodes has a plan to retaliate but Punk gives him a list of suggestions. Rhodes takes it and seems interested.
Jacy Jayne vs. Charlotte
Non-title. Jayne takes her down to start but a charge into the corner is cut off. Charlotte is right back with the figure four necklock slams and a high crossbody gets two. A toss to the floor lets Charlotte hit a flip dive off the apron. The rest of Fatal Influence comes out to distract Charlotte so here are Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley to even things up as we take a break.
We come back with Charlotte hitting a fall away slam and a nice moonsault gets two. The Figure Eight attempt is cut off and Jayne misses the Rolling Encore, allowing Charlotte to hit a spear. Fallon Henley cuts Charlotte off on top so here are the Baddies to go after everyone on the floor. Bayley runs in with a kendo stick to wreck people but Jade Cargill kicks her in the face. Cue Stephanie Vaquer to go after Cargill, with the distraction allowing Charlotte to hit the Natural Selection for the pin at 11:50.
Rating: B-. Anytime they want to just announce this cobbled together WarGames, go ahead, as it would make things a bit more logical. It still doesn’t feel like it belongs in WarGames but this is what we’re getting. At the same time, it would be nice for the champion to not lose so much, though at least it was far from clean.
Post match Charlotte and company get together to say WARGAMES as a unit. Eh I’ve seen better.
Post break Charlotte and company seem ready.
Here is Tiffany Stratton for a chat, complete with her new Women’s Title. Stratton only needed a briefcase to get back where she belonged and she dedicates the win to Chelsea Green. Cue Green, who says they were never really friends. Stratton knew what Crown Jewel meant to her but Stratton had to steal her moment.
No matter what, Green knows she will always be the Crown Jewel Champion. Stratton holds out the ring and says enjoy the rest of your career in catering b****. The brawl is on and Stratton leaves her laying with a ring shot to the head. Well that made Green look like even more of a loser.
Post break Blake Monroe and Paige both come up to check on Green, with Monroe making it all about herself.
Gunther vs. Finn Balor
Gunther starts fast by knocking him into the corner for the running uppercuts. Balor rolls out and hits a basement dropkick, allowing him to send Gunther to the floor for the big running flip dive. We take a break and come back Balor kicking at the leg but getting slammed down.
A hard elbow to the face has Balor in more trouble so he spins around into a Russian legsweep. They go outside with Gunther blocking a kick from the apron and dropping him into the timekeeper’s area. We take another break and come back with Gunther chopping away, as he is known to do.
The sleeper is countered though and Balor grabs a Sling Blade. The powerbomb gives Gunther two and they’re both down again. Gunther is back up to miss his own top rope double stomp, allowing Balor to dropkick him into the corner. The Coup de Grace misses and the referee is bumped, allowing Gunther to kick Balor low. That and a powerbomb finish Balor for the pin at 15:52.
Rating: B. It was good, albeit without getting to that top level. The positive thing is that the ending guarantees that the feud will keep going, which should see Balor get a win of some kind. Gunther cheating to win when he was in trouble made sense, though now we get to see where they go from here. Solid main event here, as Balor is still one of the most naturally talented stars around.
Gunther does Balor’s pose to end the show.
Overall Rating: B. Much like Raw, it never ceases to amaze me how much easier it is to watch these shows after Crown Jewel. Building towards a traditional pay per view main event rather than the useless Crown Jewel Title matches helps so much and that was on display here. You also have Cena running around anointing people for his competition, which feels like kids getting picked for a pizza party at school. Solid stuff here and the road to Survivor Series should be a nice few weeks.
Results
Bakusai b. MFTs via DQ when the War Raiders interfered
Damian Priest b. Axiom – Razor’s Edge
Charlotte b. Jacy Jayne – Natural Selection
Gunther b. Finn Balor – Powerbomb
Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:
Recent Comments