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The show opens with Bray Wyatt cutting a video promo about his family’s recent attacks on Undertaker and Kane, with more talk of soul-consuming. He issues a challenge to any three superstars to face his family members later in the evening.
This is exactly the way Bray should've been booked all along. This gimmick works best when he's actually leading a flock, and his “New Face of Fear” nickname seems to apply now.
Roman Reigns comes out to a warm welcome from the crowd. He talks about overcoming adversity to get another world title shot, but Kevin Owens cuts him off. Owens’ claim is that Reigns didn't deserve his Fatal Fourway victory somehow, and that leads into the night’s first match.
Roman Reigns def. Kevin Owens by count out
The crowd really seemed to be on Roman’s side for this one, and Reigns got the upper hand on Owens. These two could be seeing a lot more of each other down the road if both are going to be near the top of the card, so it's good they work well together.
Roman hits Owens with a Superman punch that knocks him out of the ring, and Owens bails through the crowd for the countout.
Not a bad way for this one to end, as it continues a theme for Owens and builds for Reigns’ title shot.
Lucha Dragons def. The Ascension, Dudley Boyz and Sheamus/King Barrett
Lucha Dragons get the pin on The Ascension with the other two teams brawling to the back. With New Day on commentary, this seems to be working toward a No. 1 contender for the titles.
That would hopefully not continue a confusing trend for the tag division, where multiple teams appear for a title shot and then virtually disappear for weeks. Hard to get invested in teams like the Lucha Dragons when they're jobbing for Owens.
Dolph Ziggler def. The Miz (Trick or Treat Street Fight)
What is a Trick or Treat Street Fight? Well, it means there's Halloween decorations and orange Kendo sticks around the ring for a typical street fight. Why are Ziggler and Miz in such a hardcore themed match? That isn't 100 percent clear.
Ziggler wins the match with a roll-up, after which Tyler Breeze comes out to attack him. This scenario should lead to The Miz and Prince Pretty working together for a little while because their characters obviously make sense as a team.
Paige def. Natalya
In a match that throws further confusion into the increasingly frustrating Divas division, Paige knocks off Natalya with the help of a distraction by Team BAD. After the match, BAD attacks Natalya.
There’s really no story reason for this to happen, at least not a clear one. In fact, Paige would seem a more likely target since she's angling for the Divas title, but maybe there's more to it.
New United States champion Alberto Del Rio is out next with Zeb Colter, and the duo discusses their Mexamerica nation. This is a concept that neatly explains why a Mexican superstar would be working with a man who has been so critical of immigrants in the past, but it's somewhat uncomfortable to watch.
It would be better if they simply stuck with a “Zeb’s a changed man” angle, but perhaps WWE creative can make this work.
Alberto Del Rio def. R-Truth (non-title match)
A top-rope stomp is the finisher for a match that heavily favored Del Rio. It has been noted that he has yet to use his rolling armbreaker to win a match since his return, but he has called for it in every match. That will be an interesting story to follow in coming weeks.
Usual suspects from “Team Face” – Cesaro, Dean Ambrose and Ryback – accept the Wyatts’ challenge. Three crowd-pleasers are a solid choice for a thrown-together team on Smackdown.
Braun Strowman/Luke Harper/Erick Rowan def. Cesaro/Ambrose/Ryback
It wouldn't really be Smackdown without a six-man tag match like this one, and the Wyatt monsters are the logical main event for a Halloween-themed show. Cesaro sparks hot rally with a series of upper cuts, which never disappoint, but Harper gets the pin in the end.
After the match, things get wacky with Bray Wyatt at ringside. The Wyatts attempt to carry Ryback away the way they did Undertaker and Kane, but he battles out of it somehow. This is a confusing route to go, as his soul would seem considerably less powerful than the Brothers of Destruction, but the Wyatts almost had to carry someone off after Bray’s chilling speech on Monday.
There’s really no predicting how the WWE will edit the proceedings for television, so it may be that the carry-off was for the live crowd only. Something similar happened recently with a New Day beating of Roman Reigns. It happened, but the Smackdown TV show ended with Reigns standing tall in the ring.
