Welcome to Ringside News’ live coverage of SmackDown Live. It is going to be a big show so keep refreshing after everything kicks off at 8:00 PM EST.
This is the final chance WWE has to make any WrestleMania changes on television. It looks like the show of shows is going to be stacked and they have a lot to get to on the blue brand this week.
Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston are set to make things official with a contract signing. If you know anything about WWE contracts they can be anything but simple.
AJ Styles and Randy Orton will collide in MetLife Stadium, but they will appear on the Kevin Owens Show this week to hash things out. We will just have to see what happens there, but KO is not advertised for a Mania match… yet.
Rey Mysterio and Andrade are set to rekindle their feud. They were supposed to face each other at WrestleMania, but that plan was obviously scrapped. At least they get a chance to perform on the go-home episode.
Charlotte Flair is the SmackDown Women’s Champion and she was arrested last night. If those charges were real she’d be facing a lot of jail time. However, this is WWE so she will likely carry on her rivalry with Becky Lynch.
The Miz is also prepared for anything on SmackDown Live. Miz & Mrs season 2 actually debuts after SmackDown tonight so we’re likely to get plenty of cheap plugs for that. He is also facing Shane McMahon in a falls count anywhere match at WrestleMania so that has to get some of his attention as well.
All of that and so much more is planned for SmackDown Live. We’re also likely to get another match (yes, another) added to the WrestleMania card as well.
Check back when things kick off at 8:00 PM and we will bring it all to you right here at Ringside News.
Kevin Owens Show
KO hyped Mania and then he brought out AJ Styles and Randy Orton.
Owens brought up how RKO ruins Kurt Angle’s last match on SD Live. He said that he was proud because he got to save everyone from watching a match with a washed out former Olympian and a guy who thinks he’s on top of his game.
AJ Styles said Randy has learned only one move in his entire career. Orton said Styles would never get it. Then he made it about being an indie guy again. Talking about going from HS gym to HS gym for fifty bucks for dozens of fans. Then Orton said he’s been wrestling in front of 10’s and 10’s and 10’s of thousands of people at WrestleMania for his career.
AJ said he was in HS gyms when Orton was in WWE… getting suspended for failing drug tests! WOW.
Orton came at AJ for not being in WWE a long time ago if he was that good and he said now that Cena has left to Hollywood Styles has “assumed the role of corporate bitch.” Then KO got up and left. That was great.
Randy and AJ brawled and Styles went for his Phenomenal Forearm, but Orton hit an RKO.
Aleister Black & Ricochet and The Usos vs The Bar and Rusev & Shinsuke Nakamura
Ricochet and Sheamus got things started and then Black took the tag to take down the Celtic Warrior, but Sheamus kicked out at two. Then Uce and Nakamura took the tags and Rusev got a blind tag to lower the top rope and send Uce to the floor and then Jey took a shoulder bump into the steps and smashing into the barricade.
The heels continued and Uce kept taking even more damage. Rusev took out the heels so he could keep hammering at Jey then Nakamura got the tag, but Jey wouldn’t stay down for the three count.
Jimmy got a hot tag and took out the heels, hit a superkick on Rusev, but Nakamura broke up the pin. Then Ricochet came in, but Cesaro took him out. Then everyone took a superkick from Jimmy. Usos hit a double kick to Rusev’s face and a double superkick to win the match.
Winners: The Usos and Ricochet & Aleister Black
Then Alexa Bliss came out and booked a fatal four-way match between all of those teams for WrestleMania. So we’ve got a fatal four-way match.
The IIconics Promo
Peyton and Billie were in the ring already. Then they cut a highly entertaining heel promo about their WWE Women’s Tag Team Title match at WrestleMania. They will make WrestleMania… IIconic.
The Miz vs SaNITy (3-1 Handicap Match)
They made a point to say that Shane McMahon booked this match. The Miz cut a promo about Mania and he was still able to work in a cheap plug for Miz & Mrs, but he was able to work it into his promo pretty well while saying he is giving us the best version of The Miz.
Then SaNITy came down to face The Miz. They used to be NXT Tag Team Champions. Eric Young was a big deal in Impact too.
The Miz was doing pretty well and then Shane McMahon interrupted them and said this is a falls count anywhere match now. McMahon also put a picture of him grabbing The Miz’s face before leaving.
Then SaNITy beat The Miz down in a big way until Miz sidestepped Killian and he went into the barricade. The Miz threw Eric and Alexander in the crowd and they brawled.
The Miz put Wolfe through a table, but Young broke up the pinfall. Then they went backstage in the tech area and kept brawling. Young took a couple of bumps into the wall and then they moved outside where it was raining a little bit.
The Miz beat Young down and drove a knee into his face before grabbing a rolling crate and smashing Young’s head. 1-2-3.
Winner: The Miz
Suddenly, a police car pulled up with its lights and siren going. Becky Lynch got out of the back seat and thanked the cop before leaving. Like the DC police dropped her off? What? Okay.
The Man Speaks
Corey Graves introduced Becky Lynch who went right out of the ring and stood on the announce table. She said that she answers to the fans and not Graves.
She got the crowd going and said what a difference a year makes. Things were much different and talked about how the stars were aligned to make the Mania main event Flair vs Rousey until Lynch smacked the smug look off their faces.
She was very over and got the crowd going. It is so obvious at this point that she is the chosen one. This means that she’s going to get messed with a lot as a top babyface.
She hyped the Mania main event and said the real revolution is going to explode this Sunday when winner takes all and she “makes one of those dopes tap.” So she’s going to be the double champ the next time we see her.
Mic drop.
18 Person Mixed Tag Team Match (Largest match ever of its kind)
There were tons of people in this match. The best part: EC3 is wrestling on television and he got part of his entrance on television.
Nikki Cross started things off for the babyfaces against Zelina Vega. Nikki was crazy… then Lacy Evans walked out to wave hello before leaving. She’s just great.
Vega finally got away from Cross and tagged in EC3 who got to wrestle against Jeff Hardy. Big pop. Then Matt soon got the tag. Huge delete chants.
Hardy hit a side effect after coming off an Irish whip to the corner and EC3 kicked out at 2. Otis took a tag and Tucker did a splash on EC3 off of Otis on his knees. Then Otis did the caterpillar because Vince loves them.
Naomi and Mandy Rose wrestled for a bit and then Carmella and R-Truth had a Dance Break. Karl Anderson stopped the dancing and then a brawl broke out and the bell rang.
Winner: Nobody
People started flying all around the ring and over the top rope. This is all about the battle royals at Mania. Asuka fought off Mandy and Sonya and then people kept flying over the ropes. Otis and Mandy had an awkward moment and Shelton Benjamin hit Otis over the rope. Nikki Cross squared up with Shelty and he wouldn’t fight her so she jumped on him and they both went toppling over the top rope.
EC3 took a Twist Of Fate and a kick from Asuka before he went over the top rope. Jeff and Asuka were alone in the ring and hugged. Then Asuka threw Jeff over the top rope. At least it looks like Asuka is still looking somewhat strong after losing the title last week
Samoa Joe vs ALI
ALI got his first entrance on SD Live without Mustafa.
Joe chopped ALI and then ALI came back with a kick that sent him out of the ring followed by a suicide dive. ALI hit a tornado DDT for a two count. ALI came back with a kick from the apron and took Joe down again before missing a 450 splash.
Then Joe latched on the Coquina Clutch and ALI passed out.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Daniel Bryan & Kofi Kingston Contract Signing
Michael Cole was out for a rare SD appearance. He introduced Kofi as Daniel and Rowan were already out there.
Plenty of people had paper KofiMania signs that were obviously handed out to the crowd. The New Day came out and threw pancakes. Hopefully the contain no gluten in case someone is allergic.
The crowd wouldn’t stop chanting “Kofi” as he just sat there. Bryan signed the contract and the crowd broke into “Kofi Rocks” chants. Daniel tried to “Educate” people, but they just started chanting “KofiMania.” It was quite loud and they didn’t stop.
Daniel said not to be complacent like Kofi has been for 11 years. The crowd was pretty hot. Then he said Kofi has been a bystander in his own life waiting for other people to push him to the top just like Kofi did.
It’s great how Bryan is giving great advice while getting heat. Then he said…Kofi chants… Bryan continued saying “don’t mistake a fad for reality.”
Bryan made mention of the Yes Movement and how it didn’t last. Kofi didn’t say a word as Bryan said the fans are parasites.
Finally, Kofi stood up and said it is time to educate Bryan. He said the more Bryan talks the more he realizes that he doesn’t know a damn thing about that. He said he watched Bryan become a World Champion within 2 years of being in WWE and he stood there and watched it. He said he watched it and all of that 11 year struggle has led to this. He said Daniel knows that he is ready and Bryan looked almost impressed with Kofi.
Kofi said Bryan knows what “all this” feels like and he knows what comes next and that scares him. Then Kofi signed the contract and handed it to Michael Cole.
