WWE SmackDown Results 12/15 - Roman Reigns Returns, Damage CTRL Vs. Michin & Zelina Vega

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on December 15, 2023, coming to you live from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin!

LA Knight has made it crystal clear that he wants a rematch against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, having previously come up short against him at WWE Crown Jewel last month. He isn't the only one who has been looking for another chance to get his hands on Reigns, as Randy Orton still has some unfinished business with The Bloodline and has been looking to change that since his arrival to "SmackDown". In light of such, Roman Reigns will be making his highly anticipated return. While on the subject of Orton, he will be going one-on-one with Jimmy Uso.

Last week, Michin and Zelina Vega surprised Kairi Sane and Women's Champion IYO SKY with an attack as the latter pair looked to join Asuka at ringside during her match with Charlotte Flair. Asuka and Sane have their chance to seek their retribution tonight as they go head-to-head with Michin and Vega

The United States Championship Tournament continues tonight, with Carmelo Hayes making his "SmackDown" debut against Grayson Waller, and Austin Theory facing longtime rival Kevin Owens in a pair of first round matches. Santos Escobar and Bobby Lashley defeated Dragon Lee and Karrion Kross respectively last week to both advance in the tournament and become one step closer to securing a shot at the title currently held by Logan Paul. 

Additionally, per WWE's event page, the aforementioned SKY, Belair, Knight, and Lashley are all advertised to be in town.

We are live! Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Kevin Patrick greet audiences at home as The Bloodline make their way down to the ring.

Reigns tells Green Bay to acknowledge him, then says it's both Christmas and promotion season. He declares himself as a fair Tribal Chief, then says it's about one man. He says this man has sacrificed everything imaginable over the past year, what representing his family means, and the man that will step up if anything happens to him. He calls on Jimmy to stand next to him in order to congratulate Solo Sikoa. Reigns then hugs Sikoa.

Randy Orton's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Orton says he's been thinking about what he'll do or say to Reigns for the past eighteen months, but all he needs to say is that he's coming for him. He says that starts tonight when he faces Jimmy Uso and it ends at the Royal Rumble when he challenges him for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Reigns says the fans seem to think Orton deserves a title shot based on fan support, and while Orton's been thinking about this for eighteen months, he hasn't thought about him at all. He tells Orton he's done nothing to deserve a title opportunity and he should go to the back of the line, then tells Orton that he's levels above him and everyone else. He says if Orton has a match with him, then it's retirement for him because he will never come back.

Orton says Reigns may be right, and he's right about having evolved. He calls him a legend, then says he's evolved too. Orton says the one thing he will always be is a "Legend Killer", then looks to hit Reigns with an RKO. Reigns flinches it and manages to avoid the maneuver. Orton tells Reigns that maybe he should start thinking about him, then says the voices in his head just told him that Reigns was scared.

Grayson Waller then makes his way down to the ring. Carmelo Hayes follows. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. Hayes connects with a dropkick and wears down Waller's arm with a submission hold, but Waller lands a right hand and looks for a chop in the corner. Hayes ducks out of the way and delivers a pair of chops of his own, then rolls up Waller. Waller kicks out and levels Hayes with a side kick, then delivers a few knees to his jaw. Hayes lands Fade Away and looks to fly to level Waller on the outside. Waller slides back in the ring and Hayes levels him with a springboard clothesline, then sends him crashing back out of the ring.

Back from the break, Hayes tweaks his knee as he goes flying off the ropes. Waller delivers a flatliner to Hayes, but Hayes responds with a series of left and right hands. He follows it up with a pump kick and a facebuster, but Waller sends Hayes crashing into the mat with a variation on a Blockbuster off the middle rope. Hayes plants Waller with a springboard DDT, then hits The First 48 and ascends to the top. He then lands Nothing But Net for the win.

Winner: Carmelo Hayes

We head backstage and see Randy Orton encounter LA Knight. Knight says Orton knows how the numbers game works with The Bloodline, and Orton warns Knight to stay out of the way.

Back at ringside, Kevin Owens makes his way down to the ring with his injured right hand in a cast. Austin Theory follows. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds on one another before Owens lands a senton and Theory slides out of the ring. He follows it up with a cannonball off the apron and dumps Theory back in the ring, then ascends to the top. Theory rolls onto the apron and Owens hops off the top. Theory then catches him with a jaw breaker off the top rope and follows it up with a rolling dropkick, then plants him spine first on the apron.

Back from the break, Theory and Owens teeter on the top. Owens fights Theory off and delivers a frog splash, then climbs back to the top and looks for a Swanton Bomb. Theory gets his knees up and Owens lands a boot, then delivers a series of right hands and stomps. He follows it up with a kick to Theory's jaw and a flying shoulder tackle, then follows it up with an Atomic Drop and an inverted DDT. Owens connects with a superkick, but Theory plants Owens with a springboard Spanish Fly.

The action spills to the outside, and Theory sends Owens crashing into the ring post. He then sends him colliding with the barricade and slides back in the ring, ordering the referee to begin a ten count. Owens slides back into the ring before the count ends, and Theory catches him with a Blockbuster. Owens and Theory once again find themselves on the top, but Owens escapes and drapes Theory from his knees. He delivers a cannonball and a Swanton Bomb, then goes for a pin but Theory kicks out. Theory then sends Owens' hand bouncing off the ring post and stomps on it on the ring steps. Owens then delivers a right hand to Theory (cast and all) for the win.

Winner: Kevin Owens

Back from the break, we head over to a cryptic message from Karrion Kross and Scarlett.

We then head backstage and see Kevin Owens walking around backstage. He runs into Cameron Grimes, who congratulates him on his victory. He then encounters Carmelo Hayes, who tells Owens that he needs to win the United States Championship Tournament more than he does. He says he isn't like Grayson Waller or Austin Theory.

We head over to a message from Damage CTRL, who put the women's division on notice. Bayley officially announces that she will be entering the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble and says that The Kabuki Warriors are coming for the Women's Tag Team Championship.

Back at ringside, The Kabuki Warriors make their way down. Michin and Zelina Vega blindside them on the ramp.

Back from the break, the bell has rung and The Warriors are double teaming on Michin in the ring. Sane delivers a sliding knee to her in the corner, then ascends to the top and lands a flying forearm. Asuka tags in and delivers a sliding knee as Sane delivers a sliding right hand to Michin's back. Asuka fires off right hands on Michin, then looks for a kick. Michin ducks out of the way and pins Asuka, but Asuka kicks out.

Sane and Vega tag in, and Vega levels Sane with a pair of clotheslines. She delivers a kick to Sane's jaw, then follows it up with a jumping knee and a Hammerlock DDT. She dials it up for a 619, but Sane hits her with a spinning back fist. Asuka tags in and cinches in the Asuka Lock. Vega counters into a pinfall to escape, and Asuka is forced to relinquish the hold.

Michin tags in and delivers a headbutt to Asuka. On the outside, Sane sends Vega crashing into the announce desk spine first. She hops up on the apron, but Michin levels her with a boot and takes Asuka down with a kick before ascending to the top rope. Kai hops up on the apron, allowing for Bayley to run down and push Michin off the top. Sane tags back in and delivers the In-Sane elbow for the win.

Winners: The Kabuki Warriors

Back from the break, Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits have messages for Logan Paul and Santos Escobar.

Back at ringside, Randy Orton heads down. Jimmy Uso follows.

The bell rings and Orton wastes no time. He sends Jimmy crashing into the top turnbuckle face first, but Jimmy manages to slide out of the ring.

Back from the break, Orton sends Jimmy crashing into the announce desk spine first. He dumps him back inside the ring and rains down right hands on Jimmy in the corner, then stomps on his ankle. Jimmy responds with a series of right hands of his own on Orton in the corner and a Hip Attack, then fires off more right hands. Orton delivers a thumb to Jimmy's eye and sets up for a DDT off the ropes, but Jimmy escapes and dumps him out of the ring.

Back from another break, Orton catches Jimmy with a clothesline and a powerslam. Solo Sikoa makes his way down to the ring, but LA Knight is hot on his heels. He delivers a boot to his midsection at the top of the ramp, then sends him crashing into the barricade. This opens the door for Orton to hit an RKO on Jimmy in the ring for the win.

Winner: Randy Orton

Roman Reigns blindsides Knight on the ramp and stares down Orton in the ring as Paul Heyman holds up the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Reigns slides inside and exchanges right hands with Orton. Jimmy provides his cousin with a helping hand, and the pair fire off stomps on Orton. Knight slides in the ring to help Orton, but Sikoa joins in and helps the rest of The Bloodline beat down Knight and Orton. AJ Styles' music hits and he takes Reigns by surprise with a Phenomenal Forearm. The Bloodline retreats, leaving Styles, Orton, and Knight standing tall in the ring. Styles then delivers a clothesline to Knight as a stunned Orton looks on. He heads to the back, walking straight past The Bloodline. The Bloodline then stares down Orton and Knight in the ring as the show goes off the air.