SmackDown Live opens with a look back at last week’s row between Styles and McMahon.
We see Daniel Bryan on the phone backstage, and he’s giving a rundown of what’s to come on tonight’s show. AJ Styles walks in demands to see Shane. Bryan tells him to calm down and Styles says the next person who tells him to calm down, he’s going to slap. He and Bryan stare at each other and Styles says he can’t touch Bryan because he’s so delicate. Bryan tells him Shane isn’t here yet and he should cool down, not do something stupid. Bryan tells AJ to think about his career and Styles says that’s exactly what he’s doing.
AJ makes his way to the ring and the fans in Pittsburgh cheer. Styles grabs a mic and he’s visibly angry. The fans chant his name as he stares into the camera. AJ says he is sick of being screwed-with by Shane and Bryan. He says you would think the red carpet would be rolled out for the best superstar in WWE. He says instead, he had to jump through hoop after hoop. Do you think John Cena had to jump through hoops? No, he just gets everything he asks for. Styles says he accepts that he was beaten clean by Cena but he never got a rematch.
He did get a Triple Threat match for the title but he didn’t get pinned. Then he was thrust into Elimination Chamber with 5 other guys. Next he won a Battle Royale and it was contested. So then he beat Luke Harper in the middle of the ring to cement his place in WrestleMania. He says nobody can deny he has had the best 2016 of anyone on the roster. He says he is the reason fans watch SmackDown, and the fans cheer, he is the reason they are here tonight, he’s the reason they watch the Network. And yet, he doesn’t have a match at WrestleMania.
The #Phenomenal @AJStylesOrg is FUMING about the fact that he hasn’t been invited on the #UltimateThrillRide… #WrestleMania 33! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/uHrTCxnF9o
— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2017
Styles says he could have walked back there last week and slapped the Kettle Chips out of Daniel Bryan’s hand but we all know Bryan is just a puppet. Shane McMahon however, that’s a different story. He says he will talk to Shane later tonight about his career, if he even has one. AJ throws the microphone and walks off.
We have a two-man announce team tonight, JBL & Tom Phillips, because David Otunga is filming a movie and Mauro Ranallo got held back by the blizzard in the northeast. Later tonight, Randy Orton addresses Bray Wyatt. Up next, Becky Lynch takes on Natalya!
*Commercial Break*
Becky Lynch Vs. Natalya
The bell rings and the two former Champions pace around. Becky with a shove and dropkick early on Natalya. Becky with a kick to Natalya in the corner. Becky with a big slap and corner kick to Natalya. Becky gets Natalya down in an STF. Natalya gets to the bottom rope to break it up as we head to a break.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back live, Becky drops a quick leg over Natalya. Natalya quickly rolls out. Becky runs out and Natalya blocks a clothesline and drops Becky on the floor with a Michinoku Driver.
Back inside, Natalya wraps up Becky in the ropes. Natalya with a dropkick to the lower back of Becky for a two count off the pinfall attempt. Natalya with a big slap to Becky. Becky fires back with a series of clotheslines and a dropkick combo. Becky with an overhead suplex. Becky gets the armbar applied on Natalya. Natalya quickly taps out.
Winner: Becky Lynch
After the match Carmella appears out of nowhere and kicks Becky, then Natalya. Carmella poses with Ellsworth before skipping back up the ramp.
.@BeckyLynchWWE‘s victory is short-lived as @CarmellaWWE emerges to make a statement against The #IrishLassKicker AND @NatbyNature! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/dFZ6VIFmPa
— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2017
AJ Styles is shown pacing around in the parking lot, awaiting Shane’s arrival. We see footage of John Cena hosting the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards.
*Commercial Break*
Carmella is interviewed backstage by Dasha, and she says she plans on beating Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania.
The Miz is in the ring for Miz TV. He introduces his guests this week: the IT couple, Miz and Maryse. He says everyone has been talking about how they have been revealing the true personalities of John Cena and Nikki Bella but they haven’t even started yet.
The Miz says Nikki will never get a wedding ring because John Cena only loves John Cena. Maryse says they used to be best friends until Nikki stabbed her in the back. Maryse says she was offered a contract to come back for the first season of Total Diva’s, along with The Bella Twins and Kelly Kelly, but Nikki told her not to sign it, they can get a better contract with more money. So she trusted Nikki and did that, and WWE said no deal.
What do @mikethemiz and @MaryseMizanin have to reveal on a very special edition of #MizTV on #SDLive? @JohnCena @BellaTwins pic.twitter.com/uIwCM9OjWk
— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2017
Nikki told Maryse that she would help her get the contract she wanted because she’s dating John Cena and she is untouchable. Then she didn’t hear from Nikki until one Monday night, Nikki text her telling her she would be coming back to Raw and on the first season Total Diva’s. Maryse looks dead into the camera and says Nikki stole a contract, money, and 3 years of her life. And then calls her a bitch.
John Cena and Nikki Bella come out and storm the ring. Miz and Maryse quickly leave the ring as John and Nikki slide in. Cena grabs a mic but Nikki takes it. Nikki asks Maryse if she is crazy. She asks if she had the power to block her job, would she be here now. Nikki says they were never friends. Nikki says she didn’t steal her money, Maryse steals the money of the fans because all she does is stand beside a poor excuse for a man like a brainless doll. She says she will give her an opportunity to prove herself, and invites her into the ring.
The Miz says Nikki doesn’t get to create matches she wants, she isn’t John Cena. He says Maryse has nothing to prove and they ready to leave but out comes Daniel Bryan. Bryan asks Miz if he thinks he is the General Manager. Bryan says he is upset because Miz promised this would be a special edition of Miz TV but he ran his mouth and turned tail, just like he always does. Bryan says everytime Miz interrupts him on Talking Smack, or steals his moves and does them worse, he really wants to punch him in the face. He says it makes him want to punch him even harder because he can’t and Miz knows that. But there are two people who can, so, at WrestleMania, it will be John Cena and Nikki Bella Vs. The Miz and Maryse!
AJ Styles is shown still waiting in the parking lot. Up next is Mickie James Vs. Alexa Bliss.
*Commercial Break*
Alexa Bliss Vs. Mickie James
Bliss and James shove each other and then lock up. James tosses Bliss down still locked up. They stand back up and the referee breaks it up. Bliss works over James in the corner. Bliss pulls James out by her legs and plants her hard on the floor on the outside.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, Bliss is tossed down face first by James who gets a single leg Boston Crab applied. Bliss crawls and gets to the bottom rope to break it up. James with a clothesline, snapmare and dropkick to the face combo on Bliss resulting in a two count.
Alexa tosses James hard down on her head and then throws her aside for a second time. Bliss with a roll up from the corner resulting in two count on James. James with a kick to Bliss.
Bliss with a roll up for two. James with a roll up of her own for two. Bliss with a huge right hand that drops James. Bliss with knees and misses her standing moonsault. James catches Bliss with a kick to the head and gets the pinfall victory.
