Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for December 2, 2022

The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Solo Sikoa) head to the ring to start tonight's show. Before the next match, Sami Zayn declares that The Bloodline levelled up at Survivor Series, but Jey Uso reminds Sami Zayn that tonight is about him, as he was the MVP and the fans were chanting for "Sami Uso." Jimmy, Jey and Sami all do the handshake before The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch) show up. Sheamus says he hates to beat the bollocks out of a fellow ginger, then says it is fight night.

Sami Zayn beats Sheamus after Jimmy Uso tries to get in the ring, allowing Jey Uso to hit a Superkick on Sheamus in the midst of a three-on-two brawl between the rest of The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa) and the rest of The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland and Butch).

We hear from Santos Escobar, who says that Legado del Fantasma (Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz del Toro, Zelina Vega) has thrived since entering SmackDown and that he will make sure the World Cup is in the hands of a perfect enterprise, as it will shine a light on Mexico and lucha libre. Zelina Vega says that this will prove that Santos Escobar is the best that the business has to offer, and that when Escobar is Intercontinental Champion, it will give Legado del Fantasma a position of power in WWE. Escobar then says that it is time for Ricochet's fairy tale story to come to an end.

Backstage, Megan Morant interviews Kofi Kingston. Kofi Kingston declares for the men's Royal Rumble match, then predicts that Ricochet will win the World Cup tonight. Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser then show up and says Kofi's opinion doesn't matter and that he and Xavier Woods are online more than in the ring. Kofi cuts to the chase and says he is ready to take any member of Imperium (Gunther, Kaiser, Vinci) on, then Gunther shows up and says he will take him on tonight.

We hear from Bray Wyatt, who says that these days, everyone is sophisticated and has manners, but once upon a time, we were all animals. He then says nobody wants to talk about the primal instincts everyone has so as not to be labelled as freaks. Bray Wyatt says he did not attack LA Knight, then says that if he did do it, everyone would know, because there would have been nothing of LA Knight left.

Before the next match, Emma is met by Madcap Moss. Emma admits that five years is a long time to be gone from WWE, but Madcap Moss says it does not matter how long she has been gone and that she helped make the change that changed the game. He then tells Emma that she belongs here, then Emma kisses Moss before heading to the ring.

"The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler beats Emma with the Kirifuda Clutch after knocking her off the top rope. After the match, Baszler attacks Emma again, but as she is about to stomp Emma's elbow, Shotzi runs into the ring and fights Baszler. Baszler gets the upper hand, then prepares to stomp Shotzi's arm before Raquel Rodriguez shows up. Baszler leaves the ring as Raquel gets in.

We see a vignette of Lacey Evans training with fellow Marines in an attempt to go back to basics. (WWE thanks the U.S. Department of Defense in the lower-left corner.)

We hear from Ricochet, who says that winning the World Cup means everything, and if this is the route that he has to take for his rematch against Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship, then he will be the winner of the World Cup.

Gunther beats Kofi Kingston. During the match, Braun Strowman shows up and takes out Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.

Backstage, as The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn) head out for the night, Jimmy Uso tells Sami Zayn to take Solo Sikoa with him as he has made enemies. After Sami and Solo leave, Jimmy and Jey Uso agree that they can trust Sami, then Sheamus shows up and attacks them with a shillelagh.

Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky) head to the ring. Bayley talks about how the three of them were in the WarGames cage for 95 minutes and 19 seconds and that it does not matter to the fans who cheered for Becky Lynch, who won after being in the cage for "a cup of coffee." Bayley then says nobody in the SmackDown roster wanted to step up to them, and as the longest-reigning women's champion in SmackDown history, that disappointed her. As Bayley says Damage CTRL are here to be role models, Liv Morgan shows up and says Bayley has a problem with the SmackDown women's division and that she is here to address it by fighting a three-on-one brawl. Liv gets past Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky to get to Bayley, but the numbers game takes over. Suddenly, Tegan Nox makes a sudden return to WWE and fights off Damage CTRL until the numbers game takes over once again. Suddenly, Liv Morgan strikes back with a Kendo stick, and Tegan Nox hits Bayley with the Shiniest Wizard.

We hear from Karrion Kross and Scarlott. Kross says the universe is one giant storm of chaos and randomness, and that he has embraced this truth while others struggle with it. He says that this puts others in places they do not want to be, and that he had to teach Drew McIntyre and Madcap Moss not to walk against the wind. He then says it is time to take someone else into the eye of the storm: Rey Mysterio.

We hear from Uncle Howdy, who says that he knows Bray Wyatt and how he feels, and that it is all fiction. He then says "Revel in what you are."

Zelina Vega guests on commentary for the next match (which lasts until she gets ejected for arguing with the referee after Joaquin Wilde and Cruz del Toro get ejected for interfering in the match).

Ricochet beats Santos Escobar to win the World Cup Tournament and win the World Cup. After the match, Ricochet holds up the World Cup, then Gunther shows up to end the show.

This week on The SmackDown LowDown: The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch)! Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez! Ricochet!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!