Jack Waynick on March 24, 2023
Coming to you live on Friday Nights, it’s WWE SmackDown and Ringside News has got you covered with live results.
Start time for SmackDown is 8:00 PM EST Match-by-match highlights and results from the show will take place on this very page. Feel free to leave any reactions in the comment section below.
SmackDown tonight will see Cody Rhodes making his in-ring return to SmackDown as he takes on Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser.
Also scheduled for SmackDown tonight is Rey Mysterio vs LA Knight as well as Sami Zayn being the special guest on “The KO Show” with host Kevin Owens.
It should be interesting to see how things play out on tonight’s show.
SmackDown kicks off for the second week in a row with The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes making his entrance for our opening match.
Cody Rhodes vs Ludwig Kaiser
Our opening match begins with a lock up. Kaiser drives Cody to the corner and hits a punch to the stomach. Cody powers out of the corner and hits a delayed vertical suplex. Paul Heyman makes his way out to cause a distraction as Cody looks on in suspicion of what Hemyan’s presence means.
*Commercial break*
The match resumes live with Kaiser slamming Cody face-first to the mat as Heyman looks on still. The action spills outside the ring as Cody slams Kaiser of the announce table before throwing him back in the ring. Kaiser hits a knee strike to the face and Kaiser covers for a two count. Cody mounts a comeback with a series of strikes but Kaiser counters with a jab to the throat, as the ref is distracted Giovanni Vinci takes a cheap shot from the outside. Kaiser hits a stomp to the head and follows with a sliding uppercut. Cody launches Kaiser over the top rope to the apron and Cody then hits the disaster kick. Cody picks Kaiser up but is distracted by Solo Sikoa coming out to join Heyman as the two now walk to the ringside area. Off the distraction Kaiser is able to Irish whip Cody into the steel stairs.
*Commercial break*
Back live with Kaiser and Cody colliding with a double lariat to knock them both down. Cody hits a forearm strike and then the drop down uppercut. Vinci throws his jacket in the ring and as the ref tosses it away Vinci and Kaiser hit a leg sweep and lariat combo, Kaiser covers for a close two count. Cody hits a cutter to Kaiser and follows with the Cross Rhodes, Cody covers for the three count.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
After the bell Heyman and Sikoa get on the apron, Heyman holds Sikoa off while getting on the mic to offer Cody an apology on behalf of the Bloodline. Heyman announces Cody as “your winner and still the challenger, Cody Rhodes”. Heyman then said he’s the same Cody Rhodes whose road to WrestleMania has a giant pothole in the form of a one on one match against Solo Sikoa, and IF he survives, the road leads to Roman Reigns who will be here….next week on SmackDown, which draws great heat from the crowd.
Cody grabs the mic and say Heyman wants to move the goal posts on him again, Cody accepts the match against Sikoa and then says that Sikoa will find out he’s not ready for Cody Rhodes, and at WrestleMania, Reigns will find out the same thing.
*Commercial break*
SmackDown returns live with SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair making her entrance. Charlotte says she has become a 14-time champion by respecting the women that she has faced off with, going as far as to list names including “Nikki and Brie”, and by building this house with the bricks the fans have thrown at her. Charlotte says that she plans on continuing the greatest legacy in the history of sports entertainment.
Rey Mysterio makes his entrance for his upcoming match, on his way to the ring he hugs his wife and daughter who are sitting at ringside.
*Commercial break*
Rey Mysterio vs LA Knight
The match kicks off with Knight charging at Mysterio in the corner but Mysterio is able to evade Knight and hit a drop kick. Mysterio hits a monkey flip out of the corner and hits a series of punches on the top rope and Rey shows tribute to Eddie Guerrero in the process. Knight hits a neckbreaker on Mysterio and covers for a one count. Mysterio ducks a lariat and hits a head-scissors take down. Mysterio drop kicks Knight to the outside and hits a baseball slide splash to Knight outside the ring. Mysterio tosses Knight back in the ring and goes to the top rope when Dominik Mysterio’s music hits and off the distraction of the sight of Dominik coming out to the ring, Knight shoves Mysterio off the top rope.
*Commercial break*
Back live with Mysterio hitting a drop kick. Mysterio springs off the ropes into a huge big boot from Knight. Knight hits a back suplex and then goes for an elbow drop but Mysterio rolls out of the way. Mysterio springs off the top rope and hits Knight with a bulldog. Mysterio goes up top and hits a seated senton and then a springboard cross body, Mysterio then covers for two. Mysterio counters an attempted suplex into a DDT. Mysterio goes for the 619 but Knight catches Mysterio’s legs. Mysterio rolls Knight into the ropes again and goes for another 619 but Dominik trips his father up and off the distraction Knight is able to get a roll up for the three count.
Winner: LA Knight
After the bell Dominik get in the ring and again demands a WrestleMania match from Rey. Rey rolls away and out of the ring. Dominik then addresses his mom, asking her how it feels to be married to a coward. Dominik asks if she knew she married a deadbeat. Dominik answers his own question and says his mom was no better than Rey. Aliyah Dominik screams at his mother to shut up and this causes Rey to come around and finally strike Dominik to an absolutely deafening pop from the crowd. Rey screams at Dominik too never disrespect his wife like that, as Dominik cowers and crawls away on the ground, Rey Mysterio finally accepts Dominik’s WrestleMania challenge.
*Commercial break*
Xia Li & Lacey Evans vs Shotzi & Natalya
This WrestleMania showcase qualifying match begins with Evans and Shotzi in a lockup. Evans slams Shotzi to the mat by her hair and then hits a running spear in the corner before tagging Li in. Li hits a running knee in the corner and then hits a suplex. Li slams Shotzi’s head to the turnbuckle and tags Evans back in who bashes Shotzi’s head off the mat before covering for a one count. Evans takes a cheap shot to Natalya to knock her off the apron. Shotzi get a surprise enziguri but is unable to tag Natalya in as she is still off the apron. Li tags back in and Shotzi ducks the woman’s right from Evans causing Li to be hit with the move. Shotzi hits Evans with a tope suicida and Natalya tags in, Natalya locks in the sharpshooter and Li taps out.
Winners: Shotzi & Natalya
After the match Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler come out and the two run down the various injuries they have forced on the all of the women in the WrestleMania showcase match. Baszler goes to enter the ring but Rousey tells Baszler that they have already given this Vegas crowd more than they ever deserved and they didn’t appreciate them, and they will get nothing from them tonight. Baszler and Rousey announce that they have been added to the WrestleMania showcase match.
*Commercial break*
SmackDown returns with the contract signing for the Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania. Adam Pearce in the ring with Drew McIntyre, as Pearce introduces McIntyre, Sheamus comes out with Butch and Ridge Holland with him. Sheamus says McIntyre went behind his back to try and steal what Sheamus has been working 15 years to accomplish. McIntyre cuts off Sheamus and tells him that last week after they got done beating the hell out of each other, they should have been laughing it off at the bar like they used to. McIntyre says Sheamus had to make things personal, McIntyre then says he knows he can beat Gunther, and history shows Sheamus cannot. Pearce steps in to calm things down and Pearce gets McIntyre and Sheamus to both sign the match contract.
After McIntyre and Sheamus have signed, Intercontinental Champion Gunther makes his way out to the ring, alone. Gunther walks right up to Pearce and demands he explain to him how he can justify his decision to make this triple threat match. Gunther signs the contract and says he will do whatever he can to defend his title at WrestleMania. Butch jumps over the table and attacks Gunther as Holland and Sheamus pull him away. Gunther screams at Peace to make a match immediately.
*Commercial break*
Gunther vs Butch
The impromptu match familiar to those who watched NXT UK begins with Butch hitting a series of chops before being met with a big boot from Gunther. Gunther hits a double-underhook power slam and stomps on Butch’s face. Butch hits a few punches before being knocked right back down by a Gunther chop. Butch grabs Gunther’s arm and attempts to snap Gunther’s fingers but Gunther counters into a Boston crab before transitioning into a crossface. Gunther lifts Butch up and knocks him back down with a chop. Butch gets up and hits an enziguri but Gunther stays on his feet. Gunther avoids another enziguri and hits a suplex to Butch and throws him over the top rope where Butch hits the stairs on his way out.
*Commercial break*
The match continues live with Gunther going for a chop but Butch catches his hand and snaps Gunther’s fingers. Butch dives off the top rope to hit a double foot stomp to Gunther’s arm. Gunther locks a sleeper hold in and Butch is able to crawl to the ropes. Gunther goes for a German suplex but Butch flips out of it. Gunther rolls outside the ring and Butch goes for a moonsault but Gunther dodges, Butch lands on his feet before being hit with a brutal chop. Back in the ring Butch is distracted by McIntyre brawling with Sheamus and Holland which allows Gunther to hits a lariat. Gunther then hits the last symphony and covers for three.
Winner: Gunther
*Commercial break*
Back live with Kevin Owens in the ring to host The KO Show. Owens introduce his guest, his friend, his brother, Sami Zayn. Owens says Zayn insisted on having his own entrance so that the crowd can chant his name, which they of course do. Zayn says that the two of them are on the verge of winning the tag team titles after all they have been through together. Owens says WrestleMania this year is different, and that he has something for Zayn, Owens gives Zayn his own custom “KO-Mania” shirt and Owens reveals the front of the shirt that says “WrestleZaynia” which is something I’m sure we will hear nonstop for the next few weeks. Zayn gleefully puts on the shirt and Zayn and Owens embrace in a huge hug before the two are attacked from behind by The Usos. THe Usos hits a double superkick to Owens and then a 1D to Zayn. The Usos run away as Owens enters the ring with a chair. SmackDown ends with Owens and Zayn staring across the stage as their WrestleMania opponents taunt them with The Usos music playing in the background.
That’s it for this week’s SmackDown. Let us know what you thought and we’ll see you back here next Friday for more SmackDown coverage. Until then, stay safe!
March 24, 2023 7:00 pm
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