WWE SmackDown
This is the first Smackdown since the start of the Road to Wrestlemania with the Royal Rumble now in the rear mirror. Key results from the Rumble for the Smackdown brand were Sheamus winning his first match back since Wrestlemania 35 vs Shorty G, Bayley and the Fiend retaining both of their Championships against Lacey Evans and a valiant Daniel Bryan. Roman Reigns also opened the show defeating King Corbin in a street fight before being the last man eliminated in the men’s Royal Rumble by RAW’s Drew McIntyre.
Announced for Smackdown is a 6-man tag between The Bloodline and King’s Court, Sheamus vs Shorty G, a four corners tag match to determine number one contenders and Shinsuke Nakamura defending the intercontinental Championship vs Braun Strowman. Smackdown takes lace from Tulsa, Ok.
Bloodline/Kings Court segment
Smackdown kicks off with ‘The Big Dog’ and the former multi time tag team Champions. Reigns celebrates over his win from Corbin and that tonight is all about “Beating some little bitches” before the focus turns to Wrestlemania. This brings out King Corbin who tells Reigns without his cousins he would be in the main event of Wrestlemania, Uso’s followed this up by telling Corbin about what really happened leading to a recap over the dog food. Reigns asks Corbin if that was “His greatest achievement” and calls him ‘Fetish boy’. This leads to the loser of tonight’s 6 man tag to be covered in dog food.
Number one contenders match
Heavy Machinery vs Lucha House Party vs The Revival vs The Miz and John Morrison
Tucker and Dash start the match with the powerful blue-collar worker tag team dominating early applying a bearhug on Dash and throwing Dash from one bearhug into another. Morrison and Metalik would both also get a time to showcase with the ‘King of the ropes’ gaining the upper hand before his partner Lince Dorado took out the Revival with a double crossbody. The match would then turn into a cluster with it being taken to the outside with LHP and Morrison doing dives to the outside. After a few minutes Otis would tag in clearing house delivering a T-bone suplex to Morrison and double caterpillar. This led to a finisher splurge by all sides involved with Miz and Morrison able to capitalise delivering a Skull Crushing Finale and Starship Pain to Dawson for the win.
Backstage, Mandy Rose consults Otis over helping her in the Royal Rumble. After some hesitation Otis asks Mandy for a date next week, Mandy Rose says she can’t do next week but is fine the next Friday which coincidentally is Valentine’s Day. Tucker congratulates Otis on getting a date with “His peach”.
BlissCross Applesauce vs Fire N’ Desire
The Women’s tag division really needs some work with this match happening again, though commentary does big this match up as a number one contenders match so who knows?
The match starts aggressively early on with Bliss and Cross flooring Mandy and trapping Sonya in the ring apron for a dropkick/forearm combination. Sonya and Bliss officially started the match with the former Tough Enough competitor in control keeping Alexa Bliss in the corner and applying a chinlock. Bliss would get some short relief with an STO but would be short lived until Nikki Cross ran riot taking out Sonya and following up with a crossbody to Mandy Rose. The finish saw Nikki Cross connect with a swinging neckbreaker before tagging in Alexa Bliss to bit a Twisted Bliss for the win.
The Intercontinental Championship match is hyped up.
Intercontinental Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura © w/ Sami Zayn and Cesaro vs Braun Strowman
Strowman started the match off in control throwing Nakamura around the ring until missing a big boot in the corner. This allowed Nakamura to ground Strowman for a short period connecting with a spin kick until Braun was able to clobber Nakamura down with a big fist and splash the Intercontinental Champion down, Nakamura connected with a Kinshasa which would not keep ‘The Monster Among Men’ down and after an exposed turnbuckle done by Zayn connected with Nakamura this led to a running powerslam and NEW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION!!!
Strowman celebrates with the fans post-match.
Backstage, Sami Zayn is interviewed over his thoughts on what just happened before being interrupted by Elias. The two would have a back and forth before Cesaro is sent out to deal with Elias. Elias beats up Cesaro who may have injured his knee after a back-body drop.
Shorty G vs Sheamus
This match starts during commercials, but once revisited G had gained advantage. This would be short lived with Sheamus delivering a rolling senton and Argentine backbreaker drop before Shorty G trapped Sheamus in the ropes being able to connect with a top rope dropkick and moonsault with a rollup for a two. However, just like the Royal Rumble kickoff show the result was the same with Sheamus connecting with a Brogue kick for the win.
Bayley promo
Bayley started the promo by claiming how “Damn, I’m good” she is before going onto mention how she’s beat everyone in the Smackdown Women’s division calling Lacey Evans,” A failure” and is expecting Charlotte Flair to challenge her. This brought out former 2x Smackdown Women’s Champion Naomi with a new headpiece to her attire to the ring. Naomi challenged Bayley by claiming “You haven’t beaten me” and that the Smackdown Women’s Championship could do with some glow. Bayley looked to cheap shot the returning Naomi but be left on the outside following a springboard kick.
Losers are covered in dog food
The Bloodline vs King’s Court
Corbin and Jimmy Uso started the match off with the Bloodline in early control until a Roode spinebuster, (Now wearing tights), to the outside on the former Smackdown Tag team Champion before being thrown over to the timekeeper. Following the commercial break King Corbin was in control isolating Jey Uso from tagging in Roman Reigns whilst making sure Roode and Ziggler mistakes were not capitalised on.
After a few minutes the Big Dog was tagged in clearing house of the 2019 king of the Ring winner delivering big clotheslines in the corner before a Ziggler distraction nearly saw a Reigns loss through a chokeslam. The finish saw Reigns schoolboy pin Corbin for the win following the Uso’s taking Roode and Ziggler out with the commentary table.
Post-match, the antithesis of last months’ actions occurred with the Uso’s handcuffing King Corbin before tying him around the ringpost. Roman Reigns would then give justice to Corbin covering him in dog food to close the show and seemingly the feud.
Overall, WWE SmackDown was a solid show with the reintroduction of Naomi as a threat, stakes in both the men’s and Women’s tag divisions, a title change and a fun main event.
