SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with Charlotte Flair making her way to the ring

Charlotte talks a bunch of trash about Trish Stratus and says the athletes of today are superior to yesterday. She shows a video of her own career highlights. The video changes to highlights of Trish's career and Charlotte looks pissed.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Rey Mysterio

Dolph Ziggler does Goldberg's signature entrance for his upcoming match.

Ziggler attacks Rey Mysterio during his entrance. He takes out the luchador with a superkick at ringside before grabbing a mic to brag about putting down a legend. He says SummerSlam will be Goldberg's last match.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Ali

Dolph Ziggler won

We get a recap of how someone has had it out for Roman Reigns in recent weeks. We'll hear from Roman himself after the next commercial break.

Roman Reigns says that he's always known who's been after him but the incidents of the past two weeks have left him shaken because now he has to constantly look over his shoulder. He says that WWE has offered him security but he's used to rolling on his own.

Reigns says he is sorry for Samoa Joe's name being dragged into his drama but also says he has no idea who attacked him.

We get a touching tribute from WWE for the legendary Harley Race who passed away earlier this week.

Ember Moon vs. Natalya 

Natalya takes her down with a clothesline and locks in the Sharpshooter at ringside. The ref counts them both out as she refuses to break the hold. Bayley runs down to make the save for her SummerSlam opponent. Natalya shoves her and walks away.

Kevin Owens is out next for the KO show with special guest Shane McMahon. Owens stops Greg Hamilton from giving Shane a long intro so he can get his show started. KO says he thinks Shane should put his career on the line at SummerSlam. Shane, obviously, disagrees. 

KO tries to goad McMahon, but it doesn't seem to be working. Elias comes in and helps Shane attack Owens. KO gets the upper hand and throws Shane over the announce table. He cleans the table off and prepares for a powerbomb. Elias stops him but Owens hits him with a Stunner on the table. Shane trips Owens and unloads on him with punches. He tips the table onto Kevin and dropkicks a chair into his face.





Zayn comes out and says he challenged Aleister Black to a match at SummerSlam. Black comes out and says the match is happening now instead.



Sami Zayn vs. Aleister Black

Aleister Black won





The New Day vs. Daniel Bryan and Rowan

Rowan uses a set of steps on Woods to cause a DQ.



Reigns is shown asking Murphy about who attacked him. After some coercion, Murphy reveals he saw Rowan at the sight of the first accident. The show goes off the air with Bryan and Rowan seeing all of this from the tron.



Rating: 80/80

Great show and matches as we get closer to SummerSlam.



 

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with The Miz coming out. He looks less happy than usual but he still poses for the crowd on the stage. Miz plays a video showing what Shane did at Fastlane and said on SmackDown the following week. The A-Lister says he has always been focused on the Road to WrestleMania and it has cost him. He admits he has used everyone he has ever known to get ahead because this business means the world to him, and so did his friendship with Shane.

Miz says people tried to warn him about Shane and he didn't listen. He does a good job selling the emotion he is feeling as he talks about how it felt for his dad to have to watch his son get beaten up. He says the McMahons don't own him or Kofi. He talks about having to earn the respect of everyone for the past 13 years and the crowd chants his name.

Miz ends his promo by promising to beat Shane at WrestleMania. After he leaves, Sasha and Bayley head to the ring to address The IIconics.

Billie Kay and Peyton Royce come out and mock Bayley and Banks. They even make a joke about the college admissions scandal going on. The Boss and The Hugger don't look impressed.

The IIconics vs. Boss N Hug Connection

The IIconics won 
Kevin Owens is back to host the new and improved Kevin Owens show. He says it's usually KOMania, but this year is all about Kofi Kingston and Becky Lynch. He brings out The Man as his first guest. Owens also brings out Charlotte and talks about how friendships can sour in this business. He makes some jokes before suggesting Becky and Charlotte have a match tonight. Things get heated and Becky slaps Charlotte. The Queen tackles her over the table as they brawl around the ring.

Daniel Bryan is in the ring to talk about Kingston's upcoming Gauntlet match. He calls it an injustice because Kofi does not deserve the chance to fight for the title

Kofi Kingston's Gauntlet Match

Kofi Kingston won and is going to WrestleMania to face Bryan for the WWE Championship
Woods and Big E run to the ring to congratulate their teammate.

Vince comes out and says Kofi has one last opponent to go through before he earns his spot at WrestleMania. His final opponent is Daniel Bryan. The bell rings and Bryan immediately starts laying into Kingston with kicks to the body. Kofi is put in the tree of woe and hit with several kicks before Bryan sits him on the top turnbuckle. He hits a belly to back superplex for a two count. Bryan puts Kofi in the Labell Lock but he reaches the bottom rope. Bryan hits the Yes Kicks but Kofi ducks the last one and hits the SOS for a near fall. Bryan hits a couple of running dropkicks in the corner. Kofi rolls him up for another unsuccessful pin. Kingston misses a crossbody and Bryan stomps his head into the mat. He sets up for the running knee and hits it for the pin and the win.

The show ends with Woods and Big E running down to check on their friend and Bryan calling Kofi a B+ player.

I guess that whole opportunity was literally for nothing?



Rating 60/60:

I would rate it more but I am disappointed in this storyline or build up (if you well because it just looks dumb when you know they'll probably do this match at Mania in the end). It had some decent matches leading to Mania though.

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with a recap of The Royal Rumble.

Becky Lynch heads to the ring.

Lynch talks about about winning the Rumble and challenging Ronda Rousey on Raw the next night. She says she is proud of where she came from because she worked her way from last year's pre-show to this year's main event at WrestleMania. She talks about she is going to break Rousey’s arm and if she don’t believe that she’ll be carried out. Charlotte Flair’s music hits and she made her way out. Flair says she is actually proud of Becky for winning the Rumble and Lynch likely learned from her to get ahead. Becky decks her in the face and walks away like a freakin' boss. Flair chases her up the ramp and they start brawling.

Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. R- Truth for the USTitle

Truth counters a landslide and gets the pin and the win out of nowhere. It looks like Truth and Nakamura didn't know it was a three count at first. This was a title match, so Truth is the new champion.

Rusev comes out and says he deserves to be champion more than R-Truth. He challenges Truth to a title match right now. Carmella shoves Lana down and Truth blocks Rusev from getting to her. Truth agrees to the title match and the ref makes it official.

R- Truth (c) vs. Rusev for the USTitle

R- Truth retains the USTitle

Rusev and Nakamura take turns attacking R- Truth after the match.

Truth is shown refusing to be checked out by doctors before we head back to the ring for Rey Mysterio's match. Zelina Vega distracts Rey on the stage so Andrade can attack him from behind. He adds insult to injury by performing Eddie Guerrero's three amigos. Mysterio tries to fight back but he ends up taking a Hammerlock DDT.

Shane McMahon prepared a special video package for The Miz to thank him for pushing him to win the tag titles. He even brings out The Miz's dad to help celebrate.

The Miz's dad says he loves him and is very proud of him. The crowd and Shane cheer as Miz and his dad embrace. Shane says they will find out who their first challengers are after a Fatal 4-Way Elimination match.

 The Usos vs Heavy Machinery vs The Bar vs The New Day in a Four Corners Elimination Tag Team Match  - Winner faces Miz & McMahon at Elimination Chamber for the SDLive TagTeamTitles.  

The Usos won and will be facing The Miz and Shane McMahon at Elimination Chamber for the SDLive Tag Team Titles.

Daniel Bryan is out after the break to do something he says will change the landscape of WWE forever.

Bryan brings Rowan out and he is carrying a bag with something in it. Bryan says carrying around the WWE title makes him a hypocrite and asks for a trash can. He says the WWE title is a symbol of excess and is made from the skin of a cow.

Bryan throws away the WWE title and reveals he has paid for a new vegan belt to be made. It is made out of wood and vegan leather. We return from the break to see the ring filling up with Superstars who think they deserve a title shot. Orton, Ali, Hardy and Joe join Styles and Bryan. Samoa Joe gives a promo on his way to the ring.

Triple H reveals Ali, Orton, Hardy, Joe and Styles will face Bryan inside the Elimination Chamber for the title as a brawl breaks out to end the show.


Rating: 95/95

Awesome show and matches as we look onto Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania.

SmackDown Live

SmackDown Live opens up with a video package of what’s to expect tonight.

Daniel Bryan heads to the ring to battle Mustafa Ali in the opening match.

Ali comes out and Bryan says he knows The Heart of 205 Live is a great performer and the crowd doesn't deserve to see them perform together. Ali asks what happened to make Bryan this way. Bryan mocks him for driving an SUV and hits him a few times. Ali fires back and sends him out of the ring with a hurricanrana. He hits a huge senton from the top rope to the floor as we head to a break.

Daniel Bryan vs. Mustafa Ali

Daniel Bryan won

Bryan attacks Ali in the aisle and puts him back in the heel hook.

Rap Battle

Cesaro and Sheamus rap first to the melody from Ice Ice Baby. They think they do an amazing job but it's actually pretty awful. The Usos are up next and do this more like a standard rap battle.

The Usos clearly win the rap battle. Cesaro and Sheamus try to attack but end up being thrown out of the ring. They come back in and interrupt a standoff with The Usos and New Day. The Bar ends up being the last men standing.

The Miz is in the ring after the break and he begs Shane McMahon to come to the ring so they can talk. Shane eventually comes out as requested. Miz really wants this tag team to work.

The Vegas Boys vs. Shane McMahon and Miz

Shane McMahon and Miz won 

The Miz celebrates with Shane like they won they match together. Shane seems somewhat happy after the match.

Paige is shown yelling at the ref for officiating an unsanctioned match and the two jobbers try to give her invoices for $5000 each. She tells them all to get out of her office.

Back in the arena, Randy Orton heads to the ring.

As Orton gives a promo about how he will end Rey Mysterio's career at TLC, Rey comes out of nowhere and attacks him with a chair. He gets in several good shots and a 619 before Orton escapes the ring.

Jeff Hardy and Rusev vs. Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura

Jeff Hardy and Rusev won

Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair

The Queen grabs a kendo stick and attacks Asuka to get herself disqualified. Becky smiles and goes to walk away, but Charlotte hits her in the knee with the kendo stick. Lynch goes after her and drives her into the steel steps. Becky grabs the kendo stick and unloads on Charlotte. Asuka kicks Lynch in the stomach and throws her over the announce table. The Empress picks up the kendo stick and beats on both women as hard as she can. 

The show ends with her standing on the table holding up the kendo stick. 


Rating 80/80: 

Great show and matches as we look to WWE TLC.

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with Paige in the ring surrounded by ladders at ringside. She brings out Asuka first for the contract signing.

The SmackDown women's title hangs above the ring as Becky Lynch makes her way out to a big pop from the crowd. She smiles as the crowd chants her name. She says making history is just a normal Tuesday for her because she makes history every time she steps into the ring. The Man talks about how TLC will be nothing compared to what she had already gone through in her career.

Charlotte and Asuka give their two cents. The Queen talks up her accomplishments and reminds Asuka that she broke her undefeated streak. Lynch says neither of them can beat her before signing the contract and walking away. Paige gets between Flair and Asuka and makes them sign on the dotted line. Asuka challenges Flair to a match, but before she gets an answer, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville come out.

Rose rips Paige for giving Asuka and Flair a title shot. Deville says Asuka only won the Battle Royal due to a fluke and she promises it will never happen again. The crowd is giving them the What treatment. Paige books a tag match for right now.

Charlotte and Asuka vs. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose

Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose won

Cesaro vs. Xavier Woods vs. Jey Uso

Jey Uso won

The Miz is trying to get his show going when Truth and Mella interrupt him for a dance break. When they are done, Truth just says "As you were" and they walk away. The A-Lister moves on and welcomes Daniel Bryan.

Miz says Bryan looks like he has finally seen the truth and chosen to be a winner like him. Bryan says everyone thought the old him was smart, but he couldn't have been if he catered to the fans. He says he realized he doesn't care 
about the fans anymore. He calls himself one of the great minds in history like Alexander Hamilton and calls the crowd fickle. He mocks everyone for continuing the What chants after 20 years and says this is the new Daniel Bryan.

The Miz says Bryan just did what he has been preaching for years. Bryan says all he did was kick one guy in the groin while everyone else keeps destroying the earth.

Bryan says everything about the old him is dead and holds up the WWE title. AJ Styles marches his way to the ring and Bryan shoves The Miz into him before AJ can get to him. Styles grabs Bryan and pulls him back over the barricade. Bryan and The Miz actually work together a bit to take him down. Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale on AJ as Bryan retreats up the ramp.

Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy

Randy Orton won thanks to the distraction from Samoa Joe.

The Miz vs. AJ Styles w/ Daniel Bryan on commentary.

AJ Styles won

Daniel Bryan immediately attacks AJ Styles after the match

from behind.

He grabs his belt and forced the announcer to say his name as The New Daniel Bryan. He poses on top of the announce desk with the WWE Championship and keeps calling the fans fickle.

Bryan goes back for more and the show ends with him putting AJ back in the heel hook.

Rating: 90/90

Great show and matches as we look toward WWE TLC.

Survivor Series

The kick-off panel consists of The Coach, Beth Phoenix, David Otunga, and Jerry Lawler. 

The panel is going through each match scheduled for tonight.

Natalya and Ruby Riott get into a fight backstage and Bliss threatens to throw them off the team if they can't get along. 

Noami names Mandy Rose as the last member of SmackDown Live Women’s Team.  

Tag Team Traditional 10-on-10 Survivor Series Elimination Match(

Team Raw): Bobby Roode and Chad Gable (captains), The B-Team, The Revival, The Lucha House Party & The Ascension vs. (Team SmackDown): The Usos (captains), The New Day, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, SAnitY & The Colóns)

The sole survivors are The Usos and the first win of the night goes to SDLive.

Alexa Bliss names Bayley and Sasha Banks as the replacements for Natalya and Ruby in the Women’s Survivor Series Team. 

Women’s Traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination MatchTeam Raw (Nia Jax, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mickie James, Tamina) vs. Team SmackDown (Asuka, Naomi, Carmella, Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose)

Nia Jax is the sole survivor and scores the win for Raw. And the commentary team said it is 1 - 0 even though we know SmackDown won in the kickoff but apparently, it doesn’t count.

Seth Rollins (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (United States Champion) 

Seth Rollins won and getting another win for RAW.

AOP (RAW Tag Team Champions) vs. The Bar (SDLive Tag Champions)

AOP won and gets another win for RAW 

Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali for the Cruiserweight Championship

Buddy Murphy retains the Cruiserweight Championship 

Men’s Traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination MatchTeam Raw (Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Finn Bálor & Bobby Lashley) vs. Team SmackDown (The Miz, Shane McMahon, Samoa Joe, Rey Mysterio & Jeff Hardy) 

Team RAW: Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre were the sole survivors and RAW wins again. Baron Corbin comes in the ring and hits Strowman from behind and Corbin escapes before Strowman can get him. 

Backstage: Charly Caruso informs Seth Rollins that WWE TLC he will defend his Intercontinental Championship against Dean Ambrose 

Ronda Rousey (RAW Women’s Champion) vs. Charlotte Flair 

Charlotte nails her with a kendo stick to cause a DQ. She drives Ronda into the steel steps as the ref calls for the bell. She nails Rousey with the kendo stick multiple times, breaking it into splinters. She grabs a second kendo stick and keeps going. The Queen has lost it.

Charlotte beats up a few officials who try to stop her from continuing her attack with a steel chair. She wraps the chair around Ronda's neck and stomps on it. 

Brock Lesnar (Universal Champion) vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Champion) 

Brock Lesnar won.  Raw sweeps SmackDown. Survivor Series ends with Lesnar limping away with his title. Rating 80/80: Survivor Series was seriously actually really great and had some great matches. RAW may have won in the end but SmackDown Live is still incredible.

See ya'll for RAW tomorrow. 

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with a recap of the Styles vs. Nakamura up to this point. Renee Young is in the ring and welcomes Daniel Bryan to the ring to loud Yes chants. Daniel Bryan talks about wanting to win the WWE Title but he’s interrupted by Big Cass. He brags about beating up Bryan at Backlash and conveniently leaves out how he tapped out to Bryan. He says it is his goal to make sure Bryan never achieves anything in WWE ever again. This leads to a brawl and takes out the knee of Cass. Bryan applies a submission and tightens it as officials and referees break it up and fans chant "yes!" as Cass is helped to the back.

The New Day vs The Bar w/ The Miz on commentary 

The New Day won

The New Day will now get to select a member to enter the men's Money In the Bank Ladder Match. (My money is on Big E) 

Backstage promo with SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers inviting teams to come and play.

Backstage segment with Paige making Sonya Deville vs. Mandy Rose vs. Becky Lynch in a Money In the Bank qualifying match.

Renee Young interviews backstage about his match again Shinsuke Nakamura tonight. 

Andrade "Cien" Almas Vs. A Jobber 

Andrade “Cien” Almas won

SmackDown Women's Champion Carmella comes out for her big Royal Mellabration and it's a grand spectacle. She is interrupted by SmackDown General Manager Paige, who announces Asuka vs. Carmella at Money In the Bank.

Becky Lynch vs. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose - Triple Threat MITB Qualifying Match

Becky Lynch won and qualifies for the Women’s MITB Match.

Samoa Joe vs. Big Cass & Lana vs. Billie Kay will take place next week as MITB Qualifying Matches

AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura  (Winner chooses the stipulation for their WWE Championship Match at MITB) 

Shinsuke Nakamura wins and will now get to choose the stipulation for their title match at MITB. 

The show ends with Nakamura celebrating his win over a fallen AJ Styles.

Rating 80/80

It was a great show and matches leading us to MITB. 

 

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with a title card honoring Bruno Sammartino before the show goes live to the arena. 
The Miz's music hits and he comes out to open the show with MizTV and Daniel Bryan.

The Miz does not seem too happy to be back on SmackDown, especially with the way the crowd is treating him. He brings up Bryan threatening to punch him in the face and the crowd goes wild. He says all his anger toward Bryan went away when his child was born and he is surprised Bryan didn't experience the same thing when Birdie was born. 

The Miz finally invites Bryan to the ring, but Big Cass comes out instead.

Big Cass makes The Miz interview him instead of Bryan. He talks about being on the shelf with an injury for seven months and how nobody talked about him being cleared because it happened the same day Bryan was cleared to return. The Miz insults Cass and the big man threatens him.

Big Cass gets heated talking about how much he despises what Bryan stands for. He brags about getting to WWE in a shorter amount of time than Bryan. He ends his promo promising to retire Bryan once and for all.

We see Becky Lynch and Asuka walking backstage when they come across an injured Daniel Bryan on the ground. It appears Big Cass took him out before heading to the ring. 

Becky Lynch and Asuka vs. The IIconics 

The IIconics won 

Jimmy Uso is shown telling Naomi not to come to the ring tonight like she did last week during his fight with Harper and Rowan.

Erick Rowan vs. Jimmy Uso 

Jimmy Uso won thanks to the distraction of Naomi coming out.

Carmella is out first for her contract signing with Charlotte. 

Carmella comes out and demands to be respect as champion. She says she should have been brought out last instead of first and plays her own highlight reel twice.

She plays the video a third time just to get a little more heat. Charlotte finally comes out to stop the replays. Carmella mocks Charlotte with the belt as she sits down. Flair signs the contract and then she slams Carmella's head into the table and flips it over on top of her. 

Shelton Benjamin is in the ring when we return. He will face Jeff Hardy in a rematch from last week. Randy Orton comes out to pay Jeff Hardy back for last week and walks right past him to the ring.

Randy Orton vs. Shelton Benjamin w/ Jeff Hardy on commentary.

Sunil Singh comes out in a Deadpool mask and takes out Hardy at the knee. Orton hits him with an RKO, but then he turns around and gets hit with Paydirt to give Benjamin the win.

After a quick video for Sanity, Daniel Bryan is interviewed by Renee Young. His shoulder is wrapped up with ice but he says he will be ready for the Greatest Royal Rumble. He says Big Cass attacked him from behind so he requested a match at Backlash.

The Club Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev and Aiden English 

Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev and Aiden English won

Styles tackles Nakamura and beats on him until The Rockstar hits another low blow.Anderson runs in and takes the Kinshasa to block for AJ like the good friend  he is. Nakamura taunts Styles before lining up for another Kinshasa to Anderson right in front of Styles. 

The show ends with Styles tending to his fallen friend while Nakamura watches from the stage with a smile.

Rating 80/80

Great show and matches as we look on to Greatest Royal Rumble and WWE Backlash. 

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with Tom Philips immediately throwing to a video package recapping Daniel Bryan's announcement last week.

After the recap video, Bobby Roode's music hits and he makes his way to the ring for his tag match with Randy Orton against Jinder Mahal and Sunil Singh. 

Mahal says Singh is too injured to compete after being attacked last week, so he introduces Rusev as his new partner. 

Randy Orton and Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal and Rusev

Jinder Mahal and Rusev won

Mahal is shown reveling in his win backstage and he offers Rusev front row tickets to his U.S. title match at WrestleMania. Rusev says he has other plans to find Daniel Bryan and request to be added to the match to make it a Fatal 4-Way. Then we see Nakamura asking Styles to be in his corner for his match tonight so they can ensure they get each other at their best at WrestleMania. AJ agrees, but only so he can prove he is better at WrestleMania. 

Becky Lynch vs. Ruby Riott 

Becky Lynch won

Daniel Bryan makes his way out looking a lot less enthusiastic than he was last week after the break. He can't help but smile at all the Yes chants, but he quickly goes back to a somber expression. After the fans chant his name for a little while, Bryan says he loves being in Pittsburgh.

Bryan says he has a job to do as the GM of SmackDown. He proposes to give Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens once more chance, but just one. He offers them the chance to face Shane McMahon and himself at WrestleMania. He believes Shane will be ready to go by WrestleMania. If KO and Zayn win, they will be reinstated to SmackDown, but they will remain fired if they lose.

Bryan says he thinks Zayn and Owens are two of the greatest performers of this generation and they came up through the indys together. He says he continues to give them opportunities because they went through the same journey, but also because it's his job to give people chances. Bryan says he has a lot of duties as the GM and he is sick of it. He fought for three years to return to the ring and Owens and Zayn tried to take that away from him. He says he is back and he will fight at WrestleMania.

Bryan says there are a lot of reasons he shouldn't say some of the things on his mind, but this is not that Daniel Bryan. He says this is the Daniel Bryan who is going to beat KO and Zayn ass at WrestleMania.

New Day vs. Bludgeon Brothers
The ref calls for the bell while New Day go after Harper and The Usos continue to assault Rowan. For some reason, The Usos and New Day get into an argument and have to go running when Harper and Rowan return with the mallets.


The announcers reveal Shane was discharged from the hospital earlier today.


Dolph Ziggler vs. Tyler Breeze 
Dolph Ziggler won
After the match is over, Ziggler superkicks Fandango and looks at the Andre trophy at ringside.


Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Shelton Benjamin 
Shinsuke Nakamura won
Nakamura thanks AJ but says he only invited him out here so he could see how he was going to win the WWE Title  at WrestleMania. Styles vows to defeat him and prove he is the best. Shinsuke says AJ is too emotional to win at Mania and his music hits. Gable and Benjamin attack Styles, but Shinsuke comes in and cleans house. Then he sees Styles and lines up for the Kinshasa. He stops short and laughs in AJ's face just to prove he could have done it if he wanted to. He pats AJ on the head and leaves the ring to end the show.

Rating: 70/70
Great show and matches as we look on to WrestleMania and I can’t wait tell next week it’s going to be insane as we get even closer to WrestleMania.