WWE SmackDown Results (12/16) - Two Championship Matches, Roman Reigns Returns, Triple Threat Tag Team Match And More

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE SmackDown" on December 16, 2022, coming to you live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois!

Two huge title matches are scheduled for tonight, as Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER will be putting his title on the line against "The One and Only" Ricochet. Ricochet earned his shot after taking home the "SmackDown" World Cup two weeks ago. The pair came face-to-face in six-man tag team action last week after Ricochet teamed up with"NXT" Tag Team Champions New Day to conquer GUNTHER and his Imperium teammates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. Will GUNTHER be able to hold on to his title, or will Ricochet be able to become a two time champion?

Damage CTRL's Dakota Kai and IYO SKY will also be in action, as they defend their Women's Tag Team Championships against new allies Liv Morgan and Tegan Nox. Even though Morgan and Nox may be less experienced as a team than Damage CTRL, they managed to beat "SmackDown" Women's Champion Ronda Rousey and "The Submission Magician" Shayna Baszler last week. Will new champions be crowned tonight?

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will be making his return to The Blue Brand tonight for the first time since he and the rest of The Bloodline defeated Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, and The Brawling Brutes in the Men's WarGames Match. While it is not currently known what Reigns is planning, whatever it is promises to be big, as Jey Uso nudged Sami Zayn last week to trim his hair and beard, and get himself dressed up for "a real, real big night." What does Reigns have in store?

A huge Triple Threat Number One Contender's Match for the Undisputed Tag Team Championships is also scheduled for tonight, as Legado Del Fantasma, Hit Row and The Viking Raiders go head-to-head. The three teams have been at odds with one another over the past several weeks and have launched a series of surprise attacks on one another. What will happen when they collide?

We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as we see Sami Zayn and The Usos pull up to the arena. Liv Morgan and Tegan Nox then head to the ring, followed by Damage CTRL.

Morgan and Kai begin the action. The bell rings and Morgan delivers a dropkick, followed by a back elbow. Nox tags in and delivers a running uppercut. Kai fires back with a Scorpion Kick, then tags in SKY. Nox delivers a modified facebuster, then tags in Morgan. The pair deliver a double suplex before Morgan delivers a snapmare and a basement dropkick. Morgan grabs a kendo stick from under the ring, but Nox stops her from using it. Damage CTRL takes advantage of the temporary distraction and attacks them, but Morgan and Nox fight back and toss them to the outside. Nox delivers a crossbody off the top rope.

Back from the break, Nox delivers a forearm to Kai. Kai fires back with a double stomp, then tags in SKY. SKY delivers a dropkick, but Nox fires back with a pair of elbows and a headbutt. Morgan and Kai tag in. Morgan delivers a step-up enziguri, then follows it up with a running knee and a missile dropkick. Kai manages to hit a running kick before SKY tags in and delivers a powerbomb. Morgan delivers a codebreaker, then tags in Nox. Nox delivers the Shiniest Wizard, then goes for a pin but SKY breaks it up. Nox delivers an uppercut, then hits a cannonball. SKY looks to go flying, but Nox pulls her down. Bayley pulls Nox down, but a hooded figure (later revealed to be Xia Li) attacks Nox before being taken away by security. SKY drags her back in the ring, then delivers Over the Moonsault for the win.

Winners (and still): Damage CTRL

We then head to a video hyping up the match between GUNTHER and Ricochet later tonight.

Back from the break, we head to a video recapping the events between Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn, Matt Riddle, and Kevin Owens on "Raw" this past Monday. We head backstage to The Usos and Zayn. Zayn asks them how he looks and The Usos hype him up. He asks where Sikoa is, and The Usos say he's with Roman Reigns. Zayn goes off to get some water and relax before Jey tells Jimmy that he thinks Reigns will make him a full blown Uce. Jimmy tells Jey he thinks they're setting Zayn up for disappointment, and Jey says it's going to be a good night.

We head to a video of LA Knight's encounter with Uncle Howdy next week. Commentary then throws it to a mysterious QR code from Uncle Howdy that shows Knight in a mask, tied up with his mouth taped. Knight then heads to the ring.

Back from the break, Knight is waiting in the ring. Knight addresses Uncle Howdy's attacks on him. He says Bray Wyatt has done nothing but dress up as a circus freak since returning and says he knows Bray Wyatt is the one attacking him. He tells him to put on whatever mask and costume on and use whatever name he needs to so he can come to the ring and get stomped out.

The lights go out and Bray Wyatt's music hits. He heads to the ring and says he's missed Chicago. He pays tribute to the late Brodie Lee, then says he's sick of the game they're playing. He says he knows Knight doesn't believe that Uncle Howdy is not him and says he's barking up the wrong tree. He says he hasn't touched him and they both know deep down how their story ends. He says he's decided to give him one more chance to deliver his message and make it worthwhile.

Wyatt goes to get in the ring but Knight attacks him before he can get inside and delivers several stomps in the corner. Uncle Howdy then appears on the Titan Tron and asks him what he's done. He asks Knight if he wants to see something really scary. Knight gets in a couple more stomps before Uncle Howdy comes to the ring as Wyatt laughs in the corner. He tips his hat to Knight, then laughs manically.

Back from the break, we see Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman arrive at the arena. Ricochet then heads to the ring, followed by Imperium. Adam Pearce waits in the ring and ejects Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci from ringside. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. They exchange submission before Ricochet delivers a kick to GUNTHER. GUNTHER sends him to the outside, but Ricochet gets back in the ring and delivers a kick to his head. He follows it up with a dropkick, but GUNTHER delivers a big boot that sends him to the outside. He sends him into the apron, then delivers a chop.

Back from the break, Ricochet delivers a series of right hands, GUNTHER delivers a chop, then whips him into the corner and hits a bodyslam. He locks in a Boston Crab, but Ricochet escapes and delivers a boot. He delivers a kick to his chest, followed by a forearm. GUNTHER fires back with a backbreaker, then locks in a Boston Crab once again. Ricochet escapes. GUNTHER delivers a chop, then locks in a sleeper. Ricochet escapes and GUNTHER delivers an underhook suplex. He follows it up with a series of chops, but Ricochet manages to hit an enziguri and a series of forearms. He delivers a pair of dropkick before GUNTHER chops him and gets him up for a powerbomb. Ricochet delivers a knee off the apron, then delivers a springboard moonsault.

Back from another break, Ricochet goes flying and takes GUNTHER down on the outside. The pair get back in the ring before Ricochet delivers a right hand. GUNTHER delivers a boot and a clothesline, then looks to go flying but Ricochet gets his boots up and delivers a vertical suplex. Ricochet climbs to the top rope and delivers a Shooting Star Press, then goes for a pin but GUNTHER kicks out. Ricochet fires off several chops, Ricochet delivers a superkick, but GUNTHER delivers a chop and a powerbomb. He follows it up with The Last Symphony for the win.

Winner (and still): GUNTHER

After the match, Imperium attack Ricochet, but Braun Strowman makes the save. He helps Ricochet up, then stares Imperium down.

We head backstage to Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman and Jimmy Uso. Jimmy asks what they're planning and says he's with him if he officially makes Sami Zayn an Uso, but they're family and he's got his back even if he doesn't. Jimmy walks off and Reigns tells Heyman to call Adam Pearce.

Back from the break, Pearce joins Reigns, Sikoa, and Heyman. Heyman tells him to imagine a match between Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens and a partner of Owens' choice. Pearce asks where they want to hold the match and Heyman suggests they hold it on the December 30 "SmackDown". Heyman says he just scored himself the biggest tag team match of 2022.

We then head to a video recounting the history of Tribute To The Troops.

Back at ringside, Legado Del Fantasma heads to the ring, followed by Hit Row and The Viking Raiders.

Wilde, Adonis, and Ivar begin the action. The bell rings and Adonis goes straight after Ivar. He delivers a drop kick that sends him out of the ring before Erik knocks him out of the ring. Top Dolla tosses him to the outside, then clotheslines Legado Del Fantasma over the top rope. Wilde and Del Toro deliver a double drop kick to his back, then deliver a Tornado Spin off the top to take everyone else out.

Back from the break, Top Dolla and Erik tag in. Top Dolla delivers a shoulder tackle to Erik before Wilde delivers a crossbody to both men. Del Toro tags in and delivers a crossbody of his own, followed by a 450 Splash. Wilde tags in and delivers a kick to Erik. Top Dolla hits a big boot, then delivers a cannonball over the top rope. Vega tries to interfere, but B-Fab takes her down before getting attacked by Valhalla. Adonis tags in and Hit Row delivers Heavy Hitter for the win.

Winners: Hit Row

We head backstage to Raquel Rodriguez and Kayla Braxton. Braxton asks Rodriguez how she's feeling and Rodriguez says she will stop at nothing to get revenge on Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler. Baszler and Rousey come in out of nowhere and attack her.

Back from the break, The Bloodline heads to the ring.

Reigns tells Chicago to acknowledge him, then says The Bloodline dominated WarGames. He says tonight was going to be a good night for Zayn, but they have a Kevin Owens problem. He says Owens has been stalking Zayn, but he has a solution: to have a tag team match. Zayn says Owens is a cancer and continues to drag him down. He says he is his only friend, but corrects himself by saying he misspoke and meant to say he was his only friend. He says it would be an honor to tag with him.

John Cena then appears on the Titan Tron. He says he was surprised to get a text from Owens saying he's had a match every year in WWE for the last twenty years, but he hasn't had one this year. He says Owens then asks if he wants to be his tag team partner and Cena says since he hasn't had a match this year, he's 100% in. He tells him to make his list and check it twice because The Bloodline has been naughty and it would be nice to beat them.