Announced for this week’s Smackdown from Phoenix, AZ are an 8 man tag team match involving the Uso’s teaming up with Smackdown Tag Team Champions the New Day against the Dirt Sheet and Ziggler & Roode as well as Naomi vs Carmella in a number one contender’s match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. A Moment of Bliss with special guests the Bella Twins has also been announced as well as an appearance by Goldberg before his WWE Universal Title opportunity at Super Showdown.
New Day/Uso Segment
Smackdown kicks off hot with the former 6x Tag team Champions in the Uso’s starting the show. The Uso’s claim tonight is going to be a superkick party before announcing their partners in the New Day. The 2 teams copy each other’s catchphrases before Big E gets serious telling their Uso’s that their 9 reigns make them better than their 6. Before this could go any further Miz and Morrison interrupt claiming they are the greatest team in the 21st century before bringing out Ziggler & Roode. This would lead to the standard 4 guys surrounding the ring but being cleared away before the 8-man tag begins.
New Day and The Uso’s vs The Dirt Sheet and Ziggler & Roode
The tag Champions and the Uso’s took control of the match early on with Ziggler being the recipient of much of this beatdown until a big boot by the Miz on the outside to Kofi Kingston swung control. This led to an extended period of control with Morrison and Miz delivering a springboard elbow drop and backbreaker combo before Big E finally got the tag after a double stomp on Robert Roode. Big E would clean hose before an attempted spear to the outside, (The OMG how did he not break his neck one), was stopped by Morrison. Big E and Morrison would go back and forth before a multitude of near false finishes by all 8 competitors took place. This led to Jimmy Uso getting the final blow connecting with the superkick for the second week in a row on Roode for the win.
New Day vs Miz and Morrison is promoted for Super Showdown.
Daniel Bryan is shown backstage and is challenged by Heath Slater for a rematch from last week where Heath looks to do better than being a crash test dummy.
Recap of the Otis/Mandy heartbreak is shown. (I’m going Tucker as the culprit behind all of this)
Renee Young interviews Lacey Evans who claims she needs to “Set the proper example” and that her eyes are set firmly on the Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania.
Symphony of Destruction match
Elias and Braun Strowman vs Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro w/ Sami Zayn
This is the second ever symphony of destruction match and actually similar to the first went down a lot better than most would expect. Elias and Nakamura started the match with the ‘Drifter’ taking control of the match with the use of a tambourine. This would be taken to the outside where Cesaro attempted to get involved with a drumstick only for Strowman to break the drum over the ‘Swiss Cyborg’. Nakamura and Cesaro took control of the match for a short period using a guitar to disable Strowman and putting Elias through a table. This would be short-lived as Strowman cleaned house throwing Cesaro across the announce table like a 90s movie before chokeslamming him in the apron. This led to a crazy last few minutes where a bass, gong, table and piano were used, (Which cut Nakamura’s head open), to finish the match and give the Intercontinental Champion and Elias an emphatic win. This is a recommended TV match just for the madness of the last few minutes.
Roman Reigns vs King Corbin video package is shown for Super Showdown. King Corbin is interviewed where he promises that Roman Reigns will be replaced by himself after the steel cage match is over.
A Moment of Bliss w/ The Bella Twins
No Nikki Cross by her side but no problem for the ‘Goddess of WWE’ on the second ‘A Moment of Bliss’ in 2020. This segment would be Alexa Bliss announcing in the Bella’s hometown of Phoenix that they ate going into the Hall of Fame. The Bella Twins come out to a massive applause feeling honoured to get the news in their hometown and praising Alexa Bliss’s progress and their pregnancies. Daniel Bryan comes down to hug his wife and sister-in-law before heading to the ring for his match.
Daniel Bryan vs Heath Slater
So, is Heath more than just a crash test dummy? Yes, Heath targets Bryan’s leg for a couple minutes with Drew Gulak making an appearance on commentary mentoring Slater. The Inaugural Smackdown Tag Team Champion lost this momentum after a failed top rope splash put Bryan in control who connected with the YES kicks and running knee for the win. Bryan vs Gulak seems set for next week.
Now this is a minor section of things going on throughout the show which haven’t yet been covered:
· A weird TV grey frazzled screen for the second week running appeared on the show.
· Tucker confronted Mandy over last week’s actions with Ziggler. Mandy had no idea of the message; Sonya would tell Mandy guys like Ziggler are more her type and she’d leave the arena with Dolph.
· Sheamus promo is shown with the Celtic Warrior targeting bigger prey now.
· Apollo Crews tells Shorty G he needs no prep talk after the last few weeks
Smackdown Women’s Championship Number One Contender’s match
Naomi vs Carmella
Who’s heading to Riyadh? Naomi or Carmella? The two took control for short periods showing off with neither getting a stronghold of the match even when Bayley was ejected from ringside. Both competitors connected with high risking manoeuvres before Carmella nearly won twice with a superkick for a two count as well as a Code of Silence. The finish saw Naomi connect with a second rope blockbuster and springboard split legged moonsault for the win and the right to face Bayley in Riyadh at Super Showdown.
John Cena vignette is shown for the return of the 6x Champion next week.
Goldberg/Fiend Segment
Its Main Event time with all the focus being on if Goldberg is the one that can defeat the Fiend? Before Goldberg can even say his catchphrase, he’s interrupted by the Firefly Fun House with Bray promising that Goldberg will not take anything from him. The Fiend then appears behind Bill Goldberg which the Hall of Famer acknowledges before striking down the Universal Champion with a spear having the unstoppable Fiend scamper away to close the show with Goldberg having all the momentum.
Overall, Smackdown was a solid show and you can tell Wrestlemania season is approaching with more stakes now finally being added with winter feuds ending.
