WWE Smackdown Episode 1488 – Roman Reigns was defending his Universal Championship against Riddle in the main event. This was a highly anticipated match between two of SmackDown’s top superstars. Reigns has been dominating as champion for over a year now, but Riddle has been on a roll lately and really proved he deserved a title shot.
WWE Smackdown Episode 1488
The match started off back and forth with both guys getting in some good moves and counter moves. You could tell they both really wanted to prove themselves as the top guy on SmackDown. Riddle was able to ground Reigns with some slick submissions for a while. The champ was clearly getting frustrated as Riddle kept kicking out of his pin attempts.
About halfway through, Reigns finally started to gain control by brutalizing Riddle’s previously injured ribs. He kicked, stomped and punched the injured area over and over until Riddle could barely move. I was starting to think Reigns had it won for sure. But then Riddle somehow found the will to fight back! He caught Reigns with a surprise roll up for a near fall that had us all on our feet. What a battle this was!
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The finish
This is where things really got crazy. Just as it looked like Reigns was about to hit the Superman Punch, the lights suddenly went out in the arena! When they came back on, the Usos were assaulting Riddle in the ring while the ref was distracted. Reigns then smashed Riddle with a spear and scored the pin to retain.
Real classic heel tactic by Reigns there. After the match, the Bloodline continued the beat down on Riddle until Karrion Kross’ music hit. He sprinted to the ring and cleared house, sending Reigns and the Usos running for cover. This sets up a major new feud for Kross on the blue brand. What a way to cap off an epic title match and set the tone for the next chapter in the SmackDown main event scene.
Ricochet vs LA Knight
Before the main event, we had a very special singles match between Ricochet and LA Knight. These two have been going back and forth on social media for weeks, trading insults and challenging each other. It was awesome to finally see them settle it in the ring.
From the moment the bell rang, they tore into each other with a non-stop series of strikes, slams and high flying maneuvers. Both guys were determined to put the other away as fast as possible. Ricochet hit Knight with some insane kicks and hurricanranas, while Knight brutalized Ricochet with clubbing forearms and lariats.
The ending
It looked like Ricochet was setting Knight up for the 630 splash that would put him away. But as he leapt from the top rope, Knight got his knees up at the last second! Ricochet crashed and burned and Knight made the cover to score the upset pinfall victory.
A stunned Ricochet could only look on in disbelief as Knight’s music played and he celebrated his win. This really establishes Knight as a top player on SmackDown and sets up more great matches between these two down the line. What an excellent way to get both men over strong.
The Usos vs The New Day
In the tag team title scene, The Usos put their SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line against perennial contenders The New Day. These teams have had an incredible rivalry over the years and their matches never disappoint.
This one was back and forth from the start, with both teams hitting their signature double team maneuvers. Kofi and Big E worked great as a team, keeping one Uso in their corner while the other was isolated. But the champs used their experience to cut the ring in half and keep the action on their side.
Towards the end, all four men are in the ring trading big moves. Woods and Big E set Jey Uso up for Midnight Hour but Jimmy breaks it up. Then a big Superkick party ensues with everyone knocking each other out. Eventually it comes down to Kofi and Jey. After a Trouble in Paradise is countered, Jey rolls up Kofi to retain for The Usos in another awesome clash.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Angel
In other singles action, Shinsuke Nakamura took on the mysterious new SmackDown arrival known only as Angel. Not much is known about Angel, but he’s an incredible athlete with a martial arts background.
This match allowed both men to really show off their skills. Nakamura worked over Angel with knee strikes and kicks, while Angel displayed his agility evading attacks and countering with strikes and submissions of his own.
The end came when Angel went for a flying knee, but Nakamura side stepped it. He then crushed Angel with Kinshasa for the victory. A great showing for both, with Angel proving he can hang with one of SD’s top guys, while Nakamura notches another win as he pushes for a future title shot. Angel definitely looks like one to watch going forward.
The concluding segment
To wrap up the show, Maximum Male Models were in the ring cutting a promo about their success. They were quickly interrupted by Hit Row, who mocked them for being corny and out of touch. This led to a pretty funny back and forth between the two factions before things started to get heated.
That’s when Braun Strowman’s music hit and he came down to confront both groups. He demanded they get out of his ring so he could do a photoshoot of his own. Naturally, this led to a big brawl breaking out between all six superstars. Refs flooded the ring to pull them apart, leaving Strowman standing tall to close the show.
This was an awesome way to build new stories and feuds coming out of SmackDown. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out in the weeks to come!
Summary About WWE Smackdown Episode 1488
What an action packed episode overall! From the incredible Universal Title main event to Knight vs Ricochet and all the other wrestling and angles, SmackDown continues delivering top notch entertainment every week. It was so fun to see the shows stories evolve further.
The women’s division was noticeably absent this week, but I’m sure they have big plans coming for champions like Ronda Rousey and Liv Morgan. And the prospect of Kross now pursuing Reigns for the title has me hyped. This new phase of the blue brand looks very promising.
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FAQs
Who won the main event Universal Title match?
Roman Reigns retained the Universal Title by pinning Riddle after interference from The Usos.
What shocking return happened after the match?
Karrion Kross returned and cleared house, sending Reigns and The Usos scrambling from the ring.
Who picked up a big upset win over Ricochet?
LA Knight defeated Ricochet with a roll up, in what was billed as a dream match between the two.
Did The Usos retain the SmackDown Tag Team Titles?
Yes, The Usos retained over The New Day in another classic between the long time rivals.
What two new factions had a memorable interaction to close the show?
Maximum Male Models and Hit Row had words leading to Braun Strowman interrupting and causing a brawl between all six superstars.
