source: WWE
In Smackdown’s last pay per view on the Road to Wrestlemania, feuds culminate in Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev and Charlotte vs. Ruby Riott, continue in Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode, and get shaken with the New Day vs. the Usos, and we see surprises from Shane McMahon, Sami Zayn, and even an appearance from Asuka.
source: WWE
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Before the match, Aiden English delivers another rendition of his Rusev day theme song, and boy, does he prove that his vocal cords are healed from his beat down by Nakamura two weeks ago. The match starts, Rusev gains the advantage, but when Nakamura taunts him in the center of the ring, he rolls out.
As Shinsuke finally meets with him again, he gives him a knee on the apron. Aiden English provides a distraction, though, and Rusev is able to attack outside of the ring, then sending him back into the ring and capturing him in a headlock.
Nakamura briefly gets a leg lock counter before Rusev picks him up and slams him on the ground. Shin stops more bodyslams with a kick, then giving him several kicks to the chest.
Rusev prepares for the Matchka kick, but nakamura counters, and when Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa, Rusev counters. Nakamura narrowly escapes the Accolade, failing when he gets a rollup pin.
When it looks like Shinsuke is finally going to get the Kinshasa, he is hit with a brutal Matchka kick, almost forced into a backflip before hitting the mat. Somehow, Nakamura turns the tables with a Kinshasa to the back of Rusev’s head before giving him a real Kinshasa, winning him the match.
This match was a fantastic showing from both (technically all 3, if you include English) men. I’m glad Rusev Day was able to find their way into this PPV, and they could have match this match entertaining if they faced a broom.
Shinsuke looks really good going into his match at WrestleMania, which I’m sure was the goal of this match.
source: WWE
Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode
United States Championship Match
Winner: Randy Orton
The men lock up, and neither are able to get an advantage for more than a second. Roode relents for a moment and meets an uppercut from Orton, but when Orton goes for the RKO, Bobby ducks out of the ring.
After a bit of back and forth, Roode attempts a Glorious DDT, but Randy escapes. Orton slams Roode against the top rope, and then hammers into him into the corner. Bobby bounces back with a couple strikes and a headlock.
Roode drops Orton with a clothesline off the top rope, and after a glorious taunt, he misses his attempt to hit a Glorious DDT. Orton counters with a quick power slam. Randy flips Roode’s attempt to hit him from the apron and Orton gives him his “vintage Orton” DDT.
Outside the ring, Randy slams Roode’s back onto the barricade. Both men climb to the top rope, and Roode is able to counter anything Orton was planning by slipping through to the mat and slamming Orton to the ground.
Back on the top rope, Orton delivers a superplex to Roode, but his pin after is unsuccessful. Orton goes for an RKO, but Roode counters with a spine buster and a two count. Bobby jumps into an RKO from the second rope, which counts him out and Orton wins the championship.
Jinder Mahal interrupts Orton’s celebration and attacks him, but Orton is saved by his previous opponent, as Roode delivers a Glorious DDT to Mahal and then one to Orton. Roode loses his title, but ends the match on top.
It makes me sad to see Bobby Roode lose his championship (and possibly his WrestleMania opportunity) so early on in his run. I believe this is his first title defense (at least his first PPV one), and it’s always difficult to see someone lose like that so early on.
It seems like Orton will take on both Mahal and Roode at WrestleMania—almost parallel to Raw’s Intercontinental Championship scene.
source: WWE
Naomi and Becky Lynch vs. Natalya and Carmella
Winners: Natalya and Carmella
Carmella goes up against Becky, but when Carmella taunts her and is met with an arm bar, she screams and tags in Natalya. Naomi is tagged in, too, and Naomi gives Nattie a hurricanrana and a modified stunner.
Naomi goes to the top rope, but when she’s distracted by Carmella, Natalya grabs her and slams her onto the mat. Nattie and Carmella double team Naomi, and then Carmella heels it up with smack talk, hair pulling, and slamming Naomi’s head into the mat repeatedly.
Nattie captures Naomi in a headlock, and when Naomi goes for a tag to Becky, she is pulled away. Carmella works with Nattie and show some pretty goos teamwork, allowing Naomi to get in little offense before tagging themselves in.
When Lynch finally gets tagged in, she gains the advantage right away with a dropkick off the top rope and a jawbreaker. Becky and Naomi tag in frequently now that they have the advantage, getting rid of Natalya out of the ring to focus on Carmella.
While Naomi is down, Nattie provides a distraction to Becky, allowing Carmella to give her a superkick and win the match.
I’m glad we finally got to see something—other than backup for Charlotte—from these women. Carmella seems to have a lot of momentum after this match, and I wonder if she’ll cash in anytime before or during WrestleMania (probably not).
However, all four of these women are now in limbo. We know that none of them (and no one in the Riott Squad) will be in the Smackdown Women’s Championship match at Mania. It would be nothing short of a travesty if there was one Smackdown women’s match at the Grandest Show of them all, especially with the successful Raw women’s division at the moment.
source: WWE
New Day vs. Usos
Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match
Winners: New Day via DQ
The Usos take control of the beginning of the match, hammering into Xavier Woods in their corner. When Kofi gets the tag, he takes the advantage briefly with a Boom Drop, but is stopped by an energetic and recently tagged in Jimmy Uso.
The Usos deliver the Midnight Hour to Kingston, attempting to defeat each other with their own move. They don’t get the pin, and Jey and Woods go back in forth with super kicks and punches in the center of the ring.
Xavier tags in Kofi, super kicking Uso before Kingston delivers the Uso Splash. The New Day aren’t successful with their opponents move, and Jimmy saves Jey by learning the ring. The Usos hop over the top rope and floor the New Day.
While all of the men are on the floor outside the ring, the Bludgeon Brothers come out to the ring (rather slowly) and lay waste to both teams, slamming them into the ground, sending them into the post, and attacking them on the apron.
Harper and Rowan even use their mallets, and when Jimmy Use barely dodges a mallet to the skull, he is sent over the barricade with another one. They double team power slam Xavier Woods into the steel steps, then making their way to the back—not before scaring the paramedics who are on their way to the ring to tend to the broken men.
When Harper and Rowan made their entrance during this match, my initial reaction wasn’t pleasant. I didn’t want their interference because I felt like they weren’t ready for WrestleMania. Before this, all we had seen was interactions in passing with other teams and squash matches with jobbers.
Now, I know I was wrong. These men are legitimately intimidating, and I wouldn’t be disappointed if we just watched them beat up 20 random fans in the ring at WrestleMania. It’s unclear where the tag division will be at WrestleMania, but I have trust that the match will be good. I just hope it includes the Usos, because their WM match is long overdue.
source: WWE
Charlotte vs. Ruby Riott
Smackdown Women’s Championship Match
Winner: Charlotte
As Ruby comes out to the ring, it’s pointed out that she is alone and without Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan. Riott looks for the Riott Kick right away, but Charlotte dodges. Charlotte controls the match outside the ring, sending Riott into the barricade.
Out of nowhere, Logan and Morgan appear, providing a distraction and allowing for Riott to gain the advantage. Charlotte is sent out of the ring, Ruby pretends like she has something in her eye, seemingly to distract the ref and allow her friends to attack Charlotte. Instead, Naomi and Becky Lynch run out to the ring, stopping the Riott Squad from gaining an advantage.
Back in the ring, Ruby Riott seems to have an answer for everything Charlotte gives her. She captures her in a headlock with her own arms. Charlotte is able to counter and gain control, but Riott knocks her off the top rope and into the barricade outside.
In an attempted suicide dive, Riott is caught and dropped by Charlotte. Charlotte climbs onto the barricade and does a backflip onto Riott. Ruby gets Charlotte on the top rope, delivering a hurricanrana.
Chops and a backbreaker sends Riott into the middle rope. Logan and Morgan get onto the apron to bait Naomi and Becky into the ring, and the referee ejects them from ringside. While the ref is distracted by Charlotte’s friends, Liv and Sarah attack Charlotte in the opposite corner with punches and hair pulling.
The referee doesn’t catch them in the ring, but prevents them from any further distraction by ejecting them as well. After Liv Morgan throws a hissy fit upon being kicked out, Charlotte capitalizes by launching Riott face first into the top rope. Charlotte gives her spear, then forcing Ruby to tap in her patented Figure Eight.
Charlotte celebrates her hard fought victory, but it isn’t long until Asuka interrupts. The Empress of Tomorrow dances out to the ring and comes face to face with Charlotte, pointing at the WrestleMania sign.
Ruby Riott brought a lot to the table in this match. I think she really established herself as a threat in the Smackdown Women’s division. Logan, Morgan, Lynch and Naomi were all entertaining as well—I’m hoping that Liv Morgan is the breakout star of her faction.
Putting Asuka against Charlotte at WrestleMania was a good move in my opinion. While the SD women’s division is a mess, it makes a lot more sense to have this dream match rather than throw something together a month before Wrestlemania.
source: WWE
AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
WWE Championship Six Pack Challenge Match
Winner: AJ Styles
Before the match begins, Shane McMahon comes out. He’s not on commentary, he doesn’t sit ringside, he just stands there.
The match kicks off with John Cena delivering an AA to every man—except AJ Styles. Following a face to face in the center of the ring, Styles counters the AA and stays outside on the apron as the other 4 men meet him on different sides on the apron.
At the same time, the five men attack John Cena, eliminating him from the matchup for now. It’s every man for themselves, though, and once Cena is gone, they attack each other. Styles eventually clears the ring, eliminating each man as they come into the ring.
Each man takes turns with the advantage, and everyone gets at least one finisher in. Dolph Ziggler DDTs John Cena, and Kevin Owens falls from the sky and jumps on Ziggler. Cena delivers a double Five Knuckle Shuffle to both Dolph Ziggler and Sami Zayn. Ziggler counters an AA into a Famouser, but misses a Sweet Chin Music and is trapped in Cena’s STF.
AJ gives Cena a Styles Clash, and Cena later gets his revenge on AJ by giving him an AA through the announce table. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens meet face to face in the center of the ring, and even though Kevin doesn’t trust his best friend, Sami lays down for him.
However, Zayn capitalizes on Owens’ distrust and tries to roll him up to get the victory. He was unsuccessful, leading to a quick back and forth of punches between the two. Zayn and KO take the action outside the ring when Zayn argues with Shane McMahon. In an attempt to super kick Sami, Kevin hits Shane and floors him.
Zayn capitalizes on his mistake and delivers a DDT through the bottom rope and mat. KO super kicks both Sami and Dolph Ziggler, but when he goes for the pin, Shane pulls him out of the ring. Angry, Owens goes back into the ring and runs into a Helluva Kick from Zayn. Zayn pins Owens, but Shane pulls him out of the ring as well.
Baron Corbin cleans house with the steel steps in the ring until John Cena takes the stops and lays Corbin out. He gives him an AA on the steps, but Ziggler breaks up that pin. Cena gives Ziggler an AA as well, and Owens gives Cena a pop-up powerbomb. AJ comes out of nowhere with a Phenomenal Forearm to KO, earning himself the victory.
This was a fantastic match, even if it was a spotfest. Everyone looked good, and there was tons of storytelling between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn as well as storytelling between those two and Shane McMahon. Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler fought like they had history, even though their history was several matches that no one really cared about.
John Cena is coming off as a bit of a sore loser by shoving the camera away when AJ gets the victory, but honestly, I would be too. Cena has no path to WrestleMania and theres NO chance he will make the card!! No chance at all. Definitely not.
It’ll be interesting to see where KO and Sami go next in their rivalry—hopefully an amazing Mania match (and maybe even more matches after that). Shane’s possible match against Daniel Bryan is building up even more so with his involvement in this match.
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