Ladies and gentlemen, it is Friday Night and that means another edition of WWE SmackDown! Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here to give you the live recap and results from the show as always! It begins in an hour from this posting, so watch this space!
We begin with the custom graphic, honoring the recently departed Rocky Johnson.
To open the show, out comes Kane in full gear, fire and all! Picks up the mic, calls the Royal Rumble his favorite event of the year. Says the match makes up the opportunity of a lifetime. Holding the record for career eliminations, he understands exactly how important this match is, during every elimination he looked his opponents in the eye as he tossed them from the top rope and watched as hope faded away when their feet hit the ground. A WestleMania dream turned into a nightmare all because of him. Says this was a lot of fun and cackles.
Firefly Funhouse tune hits and Bray’s on the screen!
He’s happy to see Kane but says it’s never nice to brag and take delight in other people’s misery. Gives him a chance to say he’s sorry, clock ticks for a moment. Moving on, Bray assures us that Ramblin’ Rabbit is alive, well and recovering nicely. Cut to Ramblin’ Rabbit on life support. Bray informs us that winning the Rumble isn’t a good idea… especially if they’re foolish enough to challenge for the Universal title! Bray points out Kane’s picture in the background and since it’s there, that means him and the Fiend got it on! But he’ll never forget you, Kane… flashes of the Wyatts attacking Kane in their debut.
In the arena, the lights fall! As they come up in red, Kane’s left the ring… Fiend pops out from under the mat! Crawls along and stares him down as Kane slowly turns around. Calmly asks “What took you so long?” Fiend turns around to a Buisaku Knee from Daniel Bryan! Bryan pummels Fiend back into the hole he crawled out of! Fiend escapes but Bryan grabs some of his hair on the way out! Chant of “Yes”!
After this, and a quick shot of Kane and Bryan arguing backstage over who was the tag team champions, Bryan is interviewed by one of the various interviewer girls and announces that since he’s so sick of the Fiend running he’s challenging him to a Strap match. Aight.
Big E vs. John Morrison
Morrison with a series of spin kicks to the head, rains down punches and pulls E out to the apron. High kick to the shoulders, neckbreaker off the apron to the floor! Commercial break. We come back with Morrison getting E down in a headlock, we see him hitting a Flying Chuck during the commercial. Morrison with a Running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall! Standing Moonsault but E catches him from the mat! Hoists him up but Morrison escapes to the apron, kicks him away. Springboard, E evades and Morrison lands on his feet, E nails a series of devastating Overhead Belly To Bellies! Claps along, crowd getting way into the New Day Rocks chant!
But Morrison with a kick to the gut, Moonlight Drive for a nearfall! Miz up on the apron to try and distract, a very blonde Kofi Kingston rips him off the apron and throws him into the steps! Morrison up top… has that “Eh, why not?” look, flips through the air right onto Kofi! Terrible heel, but lovely to see him do his thing anyway! Miz pulls Morrison out of the way as E wanted to go for his spear off the apron, Morrison catches him with a kick, up top for the Starship Pain and that’s that!
Winner: John Morrison
Good to have him back here on WWE SmackDown.
The Usos vs. The Revival
We start with Dawson and Jimmy. Lock-ups, Jimmy shoots him off, Dawson with a shoulderblock. Leap frog, Jimmy with a chop! Big uppercut, tag to Jey, drives him in the Uso corner for a charging forearm from Jimmy, snapmare to a cover for 1. Arm wringer. Dash with a cheap shot, Dawson with a Slinghshot Suplex as Dash tags in, hilo frog splash! They batter Jey in their corner, Dawson tags back in. Grinds Jey down against the mat. Dawson keeping hold of Jey to prevent a tag, wants a suplex but Jey escapes, Dragon Whip!
Jimmy tags in, Dash in as well, Uce is a House of Fire! Uppercut, Samoan Drop on Dash! Charge, taken to the apron, right hand drops him! Top rope crossbody for a nearfall! Dawson with a cheap shot, inside cradle from Dash! Tornado DDT but he gets thrown off, Jey tags in, Stereo Superkicks for both men! Jimmy with a suicide dive on Dawson, Jey with a Frog Splash on Dash and that is that!
Winner: The Usos
Sad it was so short really, but always nice to see these two tandems square off. WWE SmackDown tag team division is actually looking pretty good now.
Interviewer Girl #2 catches up with the Revival. Quotes Bret Hart, “Frustrated isn’t the damn word for it!” They say it’s time to make a change as clearly WWE cares about them about as much as they do the whole tag division. But this is interrupted with WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and Sasha Banks brawling with Lacey backstage! Sasha is favoring her leg as Lacey is pulled away by officials.
Fire & Desire backstage, Sonya wants to know if Otis will be at ringside for them. Mandy isn’t sure on it, Sonya figures it’s why she’s being nice to him at all. Mandy explains that he’s just a sweet guy but Sonya isn’t really listening. Says if she asks him, he’ll say yes.
Sasha icing her shin at the doctor’s table as they complain about Lacey. Official comes up and says since Sasha keeps on missing her matches, instead tonight, Bayley will face Lacey Evans! Bayley is upset, demands that it be non-title. Match is happening though and it’s next!
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. Lacey Evans (Non-title)
Bell rings and Bayley immediately bails! Lacey pursues, chases her back into the ring and Bayley baits her in, stomps her into the mat! Forearms in the ropes. Whip to the corner, but Lacey bounces back for a lariat! Flying headscissors! Baseball slide wipes Bayley out, slams Bayley’s face into the apron and throws her into the ring. Chant of “Lacey”, Springboard Sunset Flip, Bayley rolls through and stacks her up and gets the feet on the ropes but ref sees it, stops the count. Bayley clobbering Lacey with forearms, rips at her hair. Trip, cover for 2. Arm wringer. Bayley keeps a-pounding, lengthy heat segment. Throws her to the apron and keeps a hold of her hair.
Lacey chant intensifies, Lacey shoves Bayley away, slams her face into the top buckle! Spin kick to the gut, springs in, series of running clotheslines! Arm wringer takedown! Whip, Lacey with a floatover, Biel Throw! Running Roundhouse Kick to the chest sends Bayley flying into the bottom buckle! Springing Bronco Buster! Up top, salutes, Double Jump Moonsault but Bayley gets the boot up!
Lacey rolls to the floor, Bayley pursues, running knee to the head against the barrier!
Commercial break.
We come back to see Bayley with shoulder thrusts in the corner! Backwards roll, mocking pose, charge, Lacey with a drop toe hold takes Bayley to the second rope! Wants the Springing Bronco again, Bayley escapes to the floor but is kicked away. Lacey forces her back in, but Bayley with a Draping Spinning Neckbreaker! Rains down punches. Bayley with a Second Rope Spinning Back Elbow for a nearfall! More Lacey chants, Bayley up top, wants a splash but Lacey rolls out of the way! Charges, Bayley with a hot shot, hits the ropes… WOMAN’S RIGHT! Lacey with the win!
Winner: Lacey Evans
Not bad at all, I like playing the Woman’s Right up as an out of nowhere finish.
Backstage, Shorty G is being interviewed about the situation with Sheamus. He puts Sheamus down for projecting his insecurities on him. Won’t be intimidated by Sheamus’ spooky videos with his orange light. Sheamus emerges and does the same “Didn’t see you there you’re so short” joke that I swear we’ve seen twice before… he gives him a condescending pat on the head and Gable up and double legs him! Officials have to break ’em up, Sheamus is furious as he just got schooled!
Interviewer Girl #2 is backstage with Braun Strowman who quickly declares himself for the Men’s Rumble match before moving right along to Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn. He pinned Nak twice already and if that hasn’t earned him a shot he doesn’t know what will. He doesn’t care if it’s here tonight, next week or at the Rumble itself, he wants his title match any time, any place.
Elias in the ring now.
Says over the past year he realized that though he is the embodiment of the WWE, he can’t do this alone. He needs you. Does the Walk With Elias bit. Wrote a song about Greensboro. But two lines in, Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme hits to interrupt him. Sami Zayn out with Shinsuke and Cesaro. Sami mocks everyone for wanting to sing along, has something more important to say. Mentions Braun Strowman. Says Shinsuke doesn’t back down from a fight, not from anyone, so you won’t have to wait for an answer, the answer is absolutely not! Big heat. Says Braun is in no position to demand anything, they call the shots around here on WWE SmackDown!
Elias with a strum, says he has a new song that’s called Sami Zayn Needs To Shut His Damn Mouth and if people wanna sing along, the chorus is Shinsuke Sucks. Big pop, starts to strum but Sami stops him and tells Cesaro to show him what they do to funny guys around here! Cesaro dashes into the ring and a brawl kicks off! Shinsuke in the ring to attack from behind and turn it into 2-on-1, they hold him as Sami attacks as well! But as they beat him down, out comes Braun Strowman! Sami bails, Strowman with a double clothesline on Cesaro and Shinsuke! They’re thrown from the ring as Strowman celebrates! WWE SmackDown continues.
Sonya Deville vs. Alexa Bliss
Heavy Machinery indeed make their way out to ringside for this match. Alexa swings at Mandy but she dodges it, Sonya with some roundhouse kicks. Cover for a nearfall, chinlock. Alexa elbows her way free, big slaps take her down, basement dropkick. Mandy goes up on the second rope in high heels, Nikki Cross knocks her to the floor but Otis catches her in the honeymoon pose! She smiles and Otis is way into it! But Sonya is distracted and Alexa rolls her up for the win.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Only the main event left here for WWE SmackDown.
Tables Match: Roman Reigns vs. Robert Roode
Before the bell, Roode jumps Roman on the rampway! Throws him into the ring, Roman blocks a shot, uppercuts commence! Whip reversed, Reigns with a leaping clothesline! Roode takes him outside, grabs the hair but Roman quells him with another uppercut! Roman grabs a table, starts to set it up but Roode stops him, smashes his face into the steps. Wants to do it to another set but Roman stops him and reverses it. Roman strips the announce table, Roode with a rake of the eyes stops him. Whips him gently into the steps, Romans’ shoulder kisses the steel. Roode slides a table into the ring, Reigns surprises him with a Drive-By!
Chant of Roman’s name, crowd comes alive as he does his signature guttural yell, runs all the way across ringside for a gigantic spear – but Roode sidesteps and Reigns flies right through a piece of the barrier! Corbin’s music hits as we go to commercial. We come back, table set up in the center of the ring as Roode wants to superplex Roman through it! Reigns blocks, headbutt! And another! Slips between his legs and hooks him for a powerbomb! Roode escapes though, kick to the gut, hooks for a suplex but Roman counters with a powerslam attempt, Roode slips out and just tips the table over. Roman posts him! Roode bails, Roman leans a table on the corner.
Roman slips outside, runs across for a Superman Punch! Throws him in the ring, sets up for a spear through the table! Corbin up on the apron to distract Reigns, Ziggler rushes into the ring for the Superkick to Reigns! Reigns sent to the outside as Ziggler strips another announce table! Corbin and Ziggler hold Roman down on the table as Roode goes up top! But the Usos are in the ring now, Stereo Superkicks to Roode, Corbin and Ziggler! Simultaneous suicide dives take out Ziggler and Corbin! Ziggler laid up on the table! Usos walk the barrier… double frog splash puts Ziggler right through the table!!! In the ring, Reigns spears Roode through the corner table and that’s that!
Winner: Roman Reigns
Huh, little surprised. Honestly thought that Roode would win and Corbin would pick a Loser Eats Dogfood stipulation.
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Previews for tonight’s edition of WWE SmackDown below:
Kane to make a special appearance