WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops Results December 8, 2023

CM Punk WWE SmackDown December 8 — Credits – WWE

Welcome to the live results blog for WWE SmackDown December 8, 2023 e[isode which was also the Tribute to the Troops special show.

The show had a stacked line-up and featured the return of CM Punk on the blue brand after 10 years. Randy Orton, who returned last week, teamed up with LA Knight to take on Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso of the Bloodline.

Charlotte Flair and Asuka were set for a singles match to continue their rivalry. Two matches for United States Championship #1 contender tournament were also set with Bobby Lashley facing Karrion Kross, and Santos Escobar taking on Dragon Lee. Cody Rhodes made a special appearance.

Check below for the complete results and live updates from WWE Tribute to the Troops special SmackDown episode on December 8, 2023.

RESULTS

Santos Escobar defeated Dragon Lee in United States #1 Contender Tournament Quarterfinal Match via pinfall.
Bobby Lashley defeated Karrion Kross in United States #1 Contender Tournament Quarterfinal Match via pinfall.
Asuka defeated Charlotte Flair in a singles match via pinfall.
Randy Orton & LA Knight defeated Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso in a tag team match via pinfall.

LIVE UPDATES

The show opens with “American is Beautiful” from the War and Treaty. JBL is on the commentary for this Tribute to the Troops special.

Dragon Lee vs Santos Escobar – United States #1 Contender Tournament Quarterfinal Match

Dragon Lee comes out. Escobar follows him out. Dominik Mysterio, who Lee faces tomorrow, also comes out to be at ringside. Lee hits a clothesline to send Escobar out of the ring. Escobar gets back but Lee hits a hurricanrana to send him out again before hitting a suicide dive. Lee hits a springboard hurricanrana to send Escobar into the turnbuckle. Escobar trips Lee on the ropes to take over control. He drops Lee as he comes into the ring. Lee tries to fight back from the corner but Escobar counters him on the apron to hit a powerbomb. We cut to a break.

Lee is making comeback after the break. He hits a series of clothesline before a superkick when Escobar does a handstand on the top rope. He hits another superkick to get a two-count. Escobar hits a back elbow. Lee drops him again. Escobar cuts off a charge off the rope with a superkick. Lee counters Phantom Driver with an inside cradle. He hits a powerbomb to get a two-count. Lee hits a kick to the face from the apron. He gets to the top rope but Escobar trips him and hits Phantom Driver to get the pin and the win.

Winner – Santos Escobar

After the match, Dominik gets into the ring and kicks on the fallen Lee before going away, showing off North American Championship.

Randy Orton meets Nick Aldis backstage who has fined Orton for hitting him with an RKO for $50,000. Orton also takes offense on being team up with LA Knight tonight as he does not know him. Orton hands him a cheque. Aldis says the cheque is for $100,000 while the fined is just $50,000. Orton says he has paid his fine for the next time in advance.

Cody Rhodes comes out and once again starts with asking what do we wanna talk about. He says this is a special night with Tribute to the Troops. He sends us to a video package for the event series and it’s 21 years history. He thanks the armed forces for their services, and that is all for him tonight. He welcomes US Army Drill Team on the stage who perform a sequence.

Brad Nessler is with the commentary team now, who does commentary for Army Navy Football game.

Bobby Lashley makes his entrance for his match and gets an inset promo for being a US Army veteran.

Montez Ford gets a video package and tells us how he was part of Marine Troops from 2008 to 2012.

Bobby Lashley vs Karrion Kross – United States #1 Contender Tournament Quarterfinal Match

Kross starts with a knee in the corner. He keeps Lashley in the corner with kicks and punches. Lashley counters Kross when they get to the others side. Kross drops him with a big punch. Lashley turns it around on the floor as he jumps over the steel steps for a Thesz Press. Back to the ring, Lashley hits a German suplex. Kross rolls to the floor to take us to another break.

Kross hits a suplex as we return from the break. He creates some momenturm before landing a boot. He looks for Kross Hammer, but Lashley counters with a flatliner. Lashley follows up with a clothesline and a splash before hitting a slam and a vertical suplex. Lashley hits a Spear to get the pinfall.

Winner – Bobby Lashley

Damage CTRL are backstage. Bayley explains that she tried to help Kairi last week after the others were ejected but it backfired. She says she will volunteers to stay in the back during Asuka’s match against Charlotte Flair. Dakota Kai tells her that the rest of Damage CTRL will be at ringside though.

CM Punk Talks

CM Punk comes out to a great ovation. Punk says he is not at the end of the show and he can’t get his time cut. So, the fans can continue to chant as much as they can. Punk says Pearce is trying to sign him to RAW and the crowd at RAW was a bit louder. The fans boo him. He says he is leaving it up to the fans to decide where he ends up. He asks for the roar when he says RAW or SmackDown. Punk then goes on and asks the crowd if they want him to throw over 29 other people, win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania.

Punk says one of his friend who comes out and asks what he should talk about, but he wants to ask about whom do the crowd want to talk about. He says he could talk about Cody Rhodes and has stories to tell about him. Or they could talk about someone who is never here: Roman Reigns. Punk acknowledges Reigns, but wants to remind him who the original Paul Heyman guy is. He talks about the rest of the Bloodline and admist he doesn’t know Solo Sikoa well, but he’s quite familiar with Jimmy Uso and “Main Event” Jey Uso. He says he has to consider factors such as whether he wants to fight Jimmy on SmackDown or be friends with Jey on Raw. He then bring up Randy Orton and wonders if he can trust him or LA Knight.

Punk then adds maybe he could fight Kevin Owens and says they are too much alike. Punk then brings up one bad apple Seth Rollins, who is the only one not happy with his return. Punk then says he is hear to listen to fans and to hear Nick Aldis, Shawn Michaels, and Adam Pearce out. He says he is the monkey wrench in everyone’s plans and future goals, then says he’s back to finish what he started. He says he begins his journey to finish his story on Monday, and that means main eventing WrestleMania.

Charlotte Flair vs Asuka

Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai and Kairi Sane accompany Asuka out. Mia Yim and Zelina Vega confront Sky and Sane to back them up the stage where Bianca Belair and Shotzi come out. A brawl breaks out which forces Sky and Sane to go backstage. The match starts and Asuka hits quick shots but Flair hits her with a backdrop driver. Asuka tries to counter in the corner but Flair maintains control. Flair hits a handspring clothesline. A kick sends Asuka to the floor. Flair hits chops on the floor. Asuka ducks a chop against the ring post. She hits some kicks. Flair counters with a back drop driver on the barricade. Flair then hits a moonsault from the top rope to the floor, but barely catches Asuka with it. We cut to a break.

Asuka is in control after the break after dropping Flair on her neck. Asuka hits sidekicks. Flair slams her face into the turnbuckle. Flair goes for figure four and bridges to figure eight. Bayley is out to the ringside though and breaks the submission by pulling off Flair. Flair tries to confront Bayley, but she is aware to Asuka trying to attack her from behind. Asuka and Bayley avoid colliding. Flair tries to roll up Asuka, but gets decked by Bayley from behind. Asuka rolls up Flair to get the pinfall.

Winner – Asuka

CM Punk is with Nick Aldis in his office. Aldis hands Punk an envelope with SmackDown contract in it and wants him to over it carefully. Cody Rhodes walks in and tells Punk it sounds like he needs to win the Royal Rumble to finish his story. He calls it interesting before shaking Punk’s hand.

Randy Orton & LA Knight vs Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso

Randy starts with big punches on Jimmy to corner him and follows them up with stomps. Knight tags in and continues to beat up Jimmy. Randy takes a blind tag. Knight argues with him a bit which allows Jimmy to tag in Solo. Randy and Solo circle the ring. Jimmy comes from behind to drop Randy. We cut to a break.

Orton hits a back drop driver on Jimmy as we return. Tags to Knight and Solo. Knight comes in hot to hit several punches. He stomps on Solo in the corner. Knight whips him to the ropes. Jimmy hits Knight from behind. Knight knocks him off. Solo hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Solo takes control of the match and keeps Knight grounded with strikes. Knight fires back with punches but Solo hits a big uppercut. Solo hits a hip attack in the corner. Jimmy tags in to hit a big chop. Solo comes in again for a double team Irish Whip. Solo goes for the hip attack again, but Knight gets away from the harm quickly. Knight hits a bulldog from the second rope.

Orton and Jimmy tag in. Orton lands quick punches. He sends Solo to the floor. Knight hits Solo with a dive on the outside. Orton and Jimmy also get to the floor where Orton slams Jimmy’s face into the announce table. Orton hits a draping DDT back in the ring. He gets ready for RKO, but Solo attacks him from behind. Knight comes in and hits a DDT on Solo. Knight goes for BFT on Jimmy, but Orton intervenes to hit RKO on Jimmy instead to get the pinfall.

Winner – Randy Orton & LA Knight