WWE SmackDown results, recap, ratings: Karrion Kross and Scarlett make surprise return, watch Roman Reigns

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Karrion Kross inserted himself into the rivalry between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre before Clash at the Castle. Kross (formerly Killer Kross) and Scarlett (formerly Scarlett Bordeaux) returned to the promotion on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown.

McIntyre earned the right to challenge Reigns after defeating Sheamus in a well-received “Irish Donnybrook” match on last week’s episode of SmackDown. McIntyre was ready to fight The Bloodline before an unprovoked attack by the Kross.

Elsewhere on SmackDown, Shayna Baszler was crowned the No. 1 contender for Liv Morgan’s SmackDown Women’s Championship. The two will collide in Clash at the Castle. Additionally, Shinsuke Nakamura earned himself a shot at Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship next week after knocking down Kaiser Ludwig.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC.

Karrion Kross and Scarlett make the killer return

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Reigns, flanked by The Usos, closed SmackDown by addressing his impending title defense at Clash at the Castle. McIntyre interrupted The Bloodline and offered to shout out to the entire collective.

Suddenly the screen went black and white. An unknown theme song echoed around the arena as a mysterious woman stood at the entrance ramp. McIntyre, distracted by the woman, was unprepared for an attack from behind. Kross emerged and made short work of McIntyre before turning to The Bloodline. SmackDown ended with a close-up of Kross’ doomsday clock in the ring.

Kross and Scarlett were among Triple H’s most promising projects during their NXT run in 2020 and 2021. Kross became a two-time NXT Champion before being called up to the main roster. Kross and Scarlett were separated when Kross made his main roster debut in July 2021, losing his Raw debut to Jeff Hardy. Kross has also been repackaged with a much-maligned new wardrobe. The pair were later released by WWE in November 2021. Their return to WWE comes just two weeks after Vince McMahon retired as Chairman and CEO amid an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. . Triple H has since taken a bigger lead on creative duties.

What a surprise to end SmackDown. Your mileage will vary on Kross, but this writer has high expectations. Kross and Scarlett had one of the best presentations during their NXT run. In an industry full of physically talented athletes, a memorable presentation goes a long way. The duo’s apocalyptic portrayal and Kross’ hard-hitting offense was a highlight of NXT during their tenure. The duo were expected to return under the creative direction of Triple H, but few predicted it would happen so soon. New faces, especially on the traditionally barren main event stage, are always welcome. More than anything, it will be exciting to see how Kross and Scarlett fare on the main roster with creative direction more true to their NXT run. Rating: A

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