Here is what’s in store for tonight:
* Rowan and Harper vs. Big E and Jimmy Uso
* Shane McMahon makes a WrestleMania 34 announcement
* Asuka makes her blue brand debut
Styles goes to take the mic but fans start chanting his name. Styles welcomes us to the house that he built and fans pop. Styles says the odds were stacked against him at Fastlane. He admits he was in trouble and got worried when John Cena put him through the announce table. Fans boo. Styles goes on about how he found a way and is still WWE Champion but even better than that, he’s going on to WrestleMania 34. Styles says he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. He talks about the journey to get where he’s at now and says it’s unbelievable but not impossible. Styles says his road to New Orleans has been a tough one. Fans chant “you deserve it” now.
Styles interrupts and says he earned it. He mentions the WrestleMania 34 match with Shinsuke Nakamura and calls it a dream match. Styles gives props to Nakamura and says they had similar paths to get to WWE but when it comes to the WWE Title, those comparisons stop. Styles talks about how he’s phenomenal when he’s out in front of the fans but the music interrupts and out comes Nakamura.
Nakamura says everyone likes AJ and him too. Nakamura says he respects AJ but at WrestleMania, dreams come true. Nakamura says his dream… knee to face, and he will become champion. The music hits and out comes Rusev with Aiden English. We go to commercial.
AJ Styles vs. Rusev
Back from the break and we have a non-title match. Nakamura watches from a chair near the announcers while English cheers Rusev on. Back and forth to start the match. AJ works on the leg but Rusev comes back and sends him down.
They trade offense. Rusev floors AJ with a big clothesline. AJ looks to make a comeback and nails a dropkick. AJ sends Rusev out to the floor and flies out onto him. AJ brings Rusev back into the ring as fans chant for him. AJ with more offense. Rusev lands a cheap shot to the eyes and hits a spinebuster for a 2 count. We go to commercial.
– The announcers lead us to a promo for the first-ever Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34.
Naomi vs. Carmella
We go to the ring and out comes Naomi. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Carmella with her Money In the Bank briefcase. We get an Instagram video from Carmella to tease a possibly win in the Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal. Carmella says she is the modern day Moolah. She also teases a cash-in at WrestleMania.
The bell rings and they go at it. Carmella gets aggressive and takes control early on. Carmella talks trash while keeping Naomi down. Carmella with a running knee in the corner and a boot to the back before kicking Naomi’s face into the turnbuckle. Carmella wraps Naomi’s h air around the rope and Naomi yells at her for it. Carmella yells right back and does it again.
Carmella wastes some time and turns around to Naomi coming out of the corner. Naomi looks to turn it around now. Carmella slaps her. Naomi takes it and comes back unloading. Naomi with clotheslines now. Carmella ducks two kicks but Naomi drops her with a big knee to the face. Fans pop as Naomi stands tall. Naomi goes to springboard back off the rope but Carmella cuts her off and yanks her to the mat, covering for the pin.
Winner: Carmella
– After the match, Carmella stands tall as her music hits. We go to replays and come back to Carmella raising the briefcase.
– Shane McMahon is backstage walking. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a promo from Rusev and Lana to promote tonight’s Mixed Match Challenge episode.
– We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon. The announcers show us stills from Shane’s involvement in the Fastlane main event on Sunday.
Shane says he’s had a number of issues with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens as of late but he’s not here to apologize because they have crossed the line. Shane talks about how it all started with Owens beating up his dad Vince McMahon months ago. Shane also talks about how Sami interfered in his Hell In a Cell match with Owens. Shane says that led to months of him going bonkers every time he looked at them and maybe he went too far. He mentions having a conversation with SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan today, and that Bryan will be returning to TV next week. Some fans boo this. Shane announces that he will be taking an indefinite leave of absence as SmackDown Commissioner after tonight’s show but before he does, he’s here to make one special match.
Shane announces Owens vs. Sami for WrestleMania 34. Shane’s music hits and he goes to leave but Owens comes out as his music interrupts. Owens knocks Shane and mentions how he can beat the hell out of Sami any time, he doesn’t have to wait until WrestleMania. Sami’s music interrupts Owens and out he comes next. Sami stops and looks at Owens on the ramp, then enters the ring with Shane. Sami is glad Shane is leaving because he makes all of his decisions based on what fans react to, as they reacted to Sami and Owens beating on each other at Fastlane. Owens is in the ring now. Shane points to how he just gave them a WrestleMania match and they are ungrateful. Owens says then Shane will appreciate this as well. Sami attacks Shane from behind and beats him down. Owens joins in and they double team Shane now. Shane tries to fight back but they drop him again. Owens holds Shane in the corner, allowing for Sami to deliver a Helluva Kick. Sami pushes Shane into a Pop-Up powerbomb from Owens. Referees hit the ring but Owens and Sami fight them off as well. Owens brings Shane to the floor and keeps up the attack. Sami brings a steel chair over.
Sami stands the chair up and Owens puts Shane’s neck through it. They both ram Shane into the ring post with the chair around his neck. Sami and Owens drag Shane up to the stage now. They talk trash while dragging Shane to the backstage area. Shane sounds like he’s dying after a powerbomb on top of steel production structure pieces. A referee come over and calls for paramedics, telling Owens and Sami to leave. Shane sounds really bad, grasping for air. The referee tells him to hang on and that he’s going to make it. The paramedics grab a mask and prepare to load Shane on a stretcher as SmackDown goes off the air.
