– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens live from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tom Phillips welcomes us. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.
– We go right to the ring and out comes Shane McMahon to a pop. Tom leads us to a video package on Kofi Kingston’s performance in the WWE Title Elimination Chamber at Sunday’s pay-per-view, which saw Daniel Bryan retain his title.
Byron announces Kofi, AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy vs. Bryan, Samoa Joe and Randy Orton for tonight. We will also find out the next challenger for Bryan. Back in the ring, fans chant some for Shane as his music stops. Shane mentions how impressive the RAW debuts were for Ricochet, Aleister Black, NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa and NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano. Shane says they impressed so much that he’s having them on SmackDown tonight. Shane says we have much more… the music interrupts and out comes The Miz.
Miz takes the mic and apologizes for losing the SmackDown Tag Team Titles to The Usos on Sunday, taking the blame for it. Miz goes on about how Shane took a risk by teaming with him. Miz says he has a confession to make. Miz says he used Shane. Miz knew Shane could relate to how he felt about his dad. A “dad!” chant starts up now. Miz talks about how Shane stepped in at Crown Jewel to win the World Cup tournament when Miz went down with an injury. He goes on about how Shane teamed with him to win the SmackDown Tag Team Titles and they did it together. Miz goes on and recalls how Shane surprised him with his dad for their post-match celebration. Miz gets choked up some when recalling the “Mr. Miz!” chant from the post-title win segment. Fans chant it again. Miz says his dad told him he loved him and was proud of him after the title win. That was the first time in Miz’s life that he heard his dad say that. Miz says that was the best moment of his career and one of the greatest moments of his life, and it’s all thanks to Shane. Miz thanks Shane again. Miz says he let Shane down two days ago in their first title defense and he’s sorry. Miz can’t change the past but he can control the future. Miz says if there’s anyone that can make the rematch, it’s Shane. Miz tells Shane to listen to the crowd because they want it, Miz wants it, Miz knows Shane wants it. Miz gets a “rematch!” chant going. The music interrupts and out come the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos.
The Usos are fired up. They say it sounds like the WWE Universe wants a rematch. They raise the titles to a pop. The Usos remind us that there are no more automatic championship rematches. However, The Usos are going to give Shane and Miz one more chance to prove they are the best. This leads to The Usos calling Miz a joke, a loser, a failure and a fraud. The Usos say Shane needs to find a new tag team partner. Shane tells them to watch the disrespect aimed at Miz. Shane thinks about it and makes the rematch for the WWE Fastlane pay-per-view on March 10 in Miz’s hometown of Cleveland.
Aleister Black vs. Andrade
The music quickly hits and out comes NXT Superstar Aleister Black to a pop. Black marches to the ring and we go to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a video promo on Black as he makes his entrance. Andrade is out next with Zelina Vega. The bell rings and they go at it. We see Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa backstage watching the match. Andrade takes control in the corner and delivers a knee to the chin for a 2 count. Vega looks on as Andrade keeps control of her real-life husband, taking him to the corner with a chop. Andrade gets knocked out to the floor. Black runs the ropes and hits the ropes, then puts on the brakes to take a seat in the middle of the ring. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Black mounts offense. Black with the running knee to the face. Andrade ends up sending Black out of the ring. Andrade brings it back in but can’t hit the Hammerlock DDT. More back and forth between the two. Black hits a big German suplex as Vega screams out at ringside.
Andrade counters a suplex attempt and Black runs into a boot. Black charges but Andrade launches him into the turnbuckles. Andrade with the running double knees into the corner. Black still kicks out at 2. Andrade goes for the Hammerlock again but Black drops him into the turnbuckles. Andrade turns around to Black Mass for the pin to win.
Winner: Aleister Black
– After the match, Black celebrates as his music hits. We go to replays as Andrade and Vega exit. Black takes a seat in the middle of the ring as fans pop.
– We see Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa backstage watching the match. Kayla Braxton approaches them for comments on last night’s RAW debut and tonight’s opportunity on SmackDown. Ciampa talks about how they have made careers off defying expectations and how he wasn’t just handed the NXT Title. He goes on and Gargano mentions how they did battle in this same arena last year but here they are together. Gargano says they are going to prove that they are the future. The Bar interrupts and takes shots at Gargano and Ciampa. Cesaro says no one knows who they are and no one cares. Cesaro tells them to go back to NXT or RAW, just stay away from SmackDown. They step up and Sheamus asks if they’re joking. Ciampa says they’re here to take over, not play games. Gargano says they’re not here to set the bar, they’re here to break the bar. The Bar just laughs in their faces and walks off.
– We see Jeff Hardy backstage with AJ Styles. Jeff wants to let bygones be bygones and focus on tonight’s match. They agree and we see The New Day. Kofi Kingston extends an olive branch but one with pancakes. AJ and Hardy take a bite of pancakes and they’re all on the same page for tonight’s big six-man match now.
The Bar vs. DIY
We go to the ring and out comes The Bar, Cesaro and Sheamus. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out first comes NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano. The Bar looks on smirking as NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa makes his way out next. We get some stalling as Ciampa and Sheamus start things off. Ciampa strikes first and drops Sheamus, running in with a kick to the head. Sheamus goes to the floor and re-groups with Cesaro. Cesaro and Gargano tag in now. Cesaro takes Gargano down and talks some trash while out-wrestling him on the mat.
Cesaro mocks the Johnny Wrestling nickname but Gargano turns it around and takes him down. Gargano with a 2 count. Cesaro drops Gargano with a big European uppercut. Sheamus tags in for some double teaming on Gargano. Ciampa tags in and clotheslines Cesaro over the top to the floor. Ciampa with a big knee to knock Sheamus to the floor. Gargano runs the ropes and nails a suicide dive on Sheamus. Cesaro catches Ciampa coming off the apron to the floor, dropping him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on the outside. Sheamus drops Gargano with a knee next to Ciampa and The Bar stands tall as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Cesaro has control of Ciampa on the mat. They get up and go at it but Cesaro knocks Ciampa out of the air with a big uppercut as he comes out of the corner. Sheamus tags in and knocks Gargano off the apron. Sheamus with offense to Ciampa now. Sheamus goes for a super White Noise from the corner but Ciampa resists and counters up top. That’s turned into a sunset flip powerbomb but Sheamus lands bad on Ciampa’s knee as they botch it a bit. Gargano eventually gets the tag and clears the ring of The Bar while Ciampa is still down from the corner move.
Gargano fights off both opponents on the outside. Cesaro gets sent into the LED board at ringside. Gargano brings it back in the ring with a big slingshot DDT on Cesaro for a 2 count. Gargano rolls in with a kick. They tangle and Gargano drops Cesaro into the Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring. It’s broken and this leads to a big double team by The Bar. Gargano still kicks out at 2 as Ciampa comes in from out of nowhere to make the save. Sheamus ends up hitting a big Irish Curse backbreaker on Gargano for a close 2 count. Sheamus can’t believe it. Sheamus grabs Gargano and talks trash in his face. Gargano responds with a big superkick for a close 2 count. Cesaro comes in and charges for a cheap shot to Ciampa but Gargano rolls him for a 2 count. The chaos leads to Ciampa coming in off a blind tag and backsliding Cesaro for the pin to win.
Winners: Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano
– After the match, DIY leaves with their titles as Ciampa’s music hits. The Bar can’t believe it.
– We see Samoa Joe backstage getting ready for the main event. Randy Orton appears and they seem friendly. WWE Champion Daniel Bryan appears next with Rowan and it looks like the heels are on the same page for the six-man match later tonight.
– The announcers lead us to a video package for Ricochet. He will face Eric Young later tonight.
– We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Asuka to a pop. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and the announcers talk about DX going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. We go to the ring and Asuka is in with Kayla Braxton. Braxton brings up Asuka’s success and says lately more people are talking about the RAW Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey. Kayla asks Asuka if she feels like she gets lost in the shuffle with the other Superstars in the divisions.
Asuka says what she really feels is she’s ready for a new challenge. Asuka says she beat both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair at TLC, she made Becky tap out at the Royal Rumble. She doesn’t want to talk about Becky and Charlotte, she just wants to know who is ready for Asuka right now. The music interrupts and out comes Mandy Rose with Sonya Deville.
Rose mocks Asuka for no one paying attention to her. Rose tells Asuka to take notes from God’s greatest creation. Rose talks herself up and says if anyone is ready for Asuka, it’s her.
Asuka vs. Mandy Rose
Mandy Rose enters the ring for this non-title match and we get the bell. Fans start chanting for Asuka.
They lock up and go at it. Asuka nails a big dropkick off the ropes. Asuka with a 1 count. Asuka goes to pick Rose up but the music interrupts and out comes Lacey Evans. Evans comes walking down the ramp as Sonya Deville stands guard at the bottom of the ramp. Asuka watches from the ring while Rose recovers on the mat. Deville approaches Evans and motions for her to walk back up the ramp, and she does. Roe takes advantage of the distraction and drops Asuka from behind with a side Russian leg sweep. Asuka kicks out at 2.
Rose goes to the floor to regroup. Asuka is furious. Deville joins Rose at ringside as Asuka sells an injury in the ring. Rose returns to the ring and drops Asuka, mocking her. Asuka with kicks from the mat. Rose turns it around in the corner and stomps on Asuka. Asuka counters and sends Rose over the top rope to the floor. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Rose has kept control through the commercial. Asuka drops Rose into the knee bar out of nowhere but Rose gets to the bottom rope to break it. Rose ends up luring Asuka to the floor and then leveling her with a big knee. The referee counts and Asuka makes it back in at the 9 count. Rose unloads on Asuka and stomps away as she comes back in.
Rose with more strikes and some trash talking about how Asuka will never look like her. Asuka fires back and unloads, hitting a Hip Attack and more strikes. Asuka comes back with a German suplex and a Shining Wizard but Rose still kicks out at 2. Rose ends up faking an eye injury as the referee checks on her in the corner. Rose pulls Asuka face-first into the ropes and takes advantage of the ploy, rolling her up for the non-title pin.
Winner: Mandy Rose
– After the match, Rose celebrates and makes her exit with Deville as the music hits. We go to replays as Asuka watches from the ring, clutching the title and yelling out.
– We go backstage to Sarah Schreiber briefly talking to Charlotte Flair about what just happened. Sarah then asks about Becky Lynch violating her 60 day suspension by attacking at Saturday’s WWE live event and then at Sunday’s. Schreiber asks if Becky will haunt her on the entire Road to WrestleMania 35. Flair says Becky doesn’t exist right now. She says Becky, in typical fashion, made things worse for herself by re-injuring her knee on Saturday night. Flair says Becky is now facing legal action if she violates the suspension again. Flair goes on and says whether we like it or not, it’s a singles match at WrestleMania – Flair vs. RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey. Flair says it will be the main event because she is in it.
– The Miz approaches Shane McMahon backstage and thanks him for believing in him again. Miz says he’s got some breaking news – he just got off the phone with his dad and his dad will be at ringside for their title match against The Usos at WWE Fastlane. Miz is all smiles as he walks off.
Ricochet vs. Eric Young
We go to the ring and out comes NXT Superstar Ricochet as Greg Hamilton does the introduction. Ricochet hits the ring and poses as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and the match is just getting underway as SAnitY leader Eric Young is in the ring. Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe look on from ringside. Young and Ricochet lock up, trading holds. Ricochet takes Young down and works on the arm. They go back and forth, then face off as Ricochet gets a pop. Ricochet mounts some offense as Young gets sent out to regroup with his partners. Ricochet puts on the brakes as they look on. Young comes back in and rocks Ricochet off the apron to the floor thanks to a distraction from Wolfe at ringside. Young brings Ricochet back into the ring. Young sits on the top and ragdolls Ricochet in the corner. Young with more offense and a 2 count coming out of the corner.
Young keeps Ricochet grounded in the middle of the ring now. Ricochet fights up and out but Young sends him to the corner. Young charges but Ricochet moves and he lands hard. Ricochet with clotheslines and more offense now. Ricochet springboards in with a big uppercut to Young to drop him back down. Ricochet with a standing moonsault for another pin attempt. Young escapes a move and rocks Ricochet. More back and forth between the two now. Ricochet dropkicks Young in the chest, sending him out to the floor. Wolfe tries to interfere but Ricochet knocks him off the apron. Ricochet runs the ropes and leaps out, taking Dain and Young down on the floor.
Fans chant for Ricochet as he brings Young back into the ring. Ricochet drops Young with a kick to the face from the apron. Ricochet goes to the top and hits the big 630 splash for the pin to win.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match, Ricochet stands tall and celebrates as his music hits. We go to replays. We come back to Ricochet posing in the corner.
– Kayla Braxton is backstage with The New Day’s Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods. We hear fans in the arena chanting for Kofi. Kayla brings up how Triple H praised Kofi on RAW and his performance. Woods interrupts her and says this didn’t happen overnight, Kofi has been doing this for 11 years. They go on and Kofi gets hyped up, pointing to how the WWE Universe has his back right now. Kofi says none of this would be possible if it weren’t for his brothers, Woods and Big E. Kofi says they pushed for him to represent The New Day in the Chamber. Kofi says he loves them. Kofi says it’s time to introduce us to his other friend – first name Mo, last name Mentum. Kofi says it’s time to ride the momentum as Big E does his usual introduction in front of the camera.
Kofi Kingston, AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe and Randy Orton
Big E’s intro continues as the music hits and The New Day makes their way out to the ring. Kofi Kingston tosses pancakes to the crowd as Big E and Xavier Woods play to the crowd. Tom leads us to a promo for the new “Fighting with My Family” movie based on Paige.
Back from the break and we see the video from RAW where Kevin Owens was at the movie theater with his son. Owens is about one month away from returning and he’s hungrier than ever. We go back to the ring and out next comes Jeff Hardy, followed by AJ Styles. Samoa Joe is out first for his team, followed by Randy Orton. WWE Champion Daniel Bryan is out last with Rowan by his side.
Bryan takes shots at fans for following celebrities and then brags on how he retained the WWE Title in the Elimination Chamber on Sunday. Bryan raises the title. Bryan goes on and says he won because serves a higher purpose – to enlighten and educate, even if the fans don’t want to be, he’s here to do it. Bryan says he will educate us once more, about his opponent at WWE Fastlane. But he’s not going to tell us who it is, he’s going to tell us who it’s not. Bryan says his Fastlane opponent will be none of the other 5 Superstars in the match tonight, because he already defeated them inside the Elimination Chamber. Bryan raises the title as his music starts back up. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Bryan immediately tags Joe in while Kofi waits. Joe and Kofi go at it. Kofi with a missile dropkick from the corner for a 2 count. Kofi takes Joe to the corner and tags in Hardy for a quick double team. Joe tries to counter but Hardy drops him with a shoulder. Hardy with a few signature moves for a 2 count. Hardy tries to get a “delete!” chant going. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate but Joe plants him into the mat. Joe tags in Orton, who drags Jeff to their corner and works him over while he’s down.
Bryan tags in and unloads on Hardy with kicks. Bryan levels Hardy with a roundhouse kick and covers for a close 2 count. Orton comes back in and keeps Hardy grounded now as Hardy tries to rally. Hardy fights up and out. Kofi tags in and comes off the top, taking Orton down. Kofi unloads on Orton now. Kofi with a big dropkick and more offense. Kofi hits the ropes and nails the Boom Drop on Orton in the middle of the ring. Bryan charges but Kofi sends him out of the ring to the floor. Kofi sends Orton out to the announce tables now. Kofi goes to the top rope to leap down at Orton but Bryan comes from behind, shoving Kofi down from the top to the floor. Orton takes advantage and slams Kofi on top of the announce table as Bryan nails AJ in the ring. Kofi lands hard on his back and yells in pain after the announce table spot. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Bryan unloads on Kofi with strikes while talking trash in his face. Fans chant for Kofi. Bryan tosses Kofi out of the ring to the floor. Orton grabs Kofi and slams him on top of the announce table once again. Orton rolls Kofi back into the ring and covers him for a 2 count. Orton keeps Kofi grounded in the middle of the ring now.
Orton whips Kofi into the corner and charges but Kofi moves. Orton hits the ring post and goes down. The New Day rallies for Kofi now. Bryan and AJ tag in at the same time. AJ decks Joe on the apron and then Bryan, then Orton. AJ with a backbreaker to Bryan as the crowd pops. AJ keeps control of Bryan and drops his neck over the knee. AJ with a close 2 count. AJ calls for the Styles Clash but Bryan escapes as Orton charges in. AJ avoids the RKO and delivers a kick. More back and forth now. AJ ends up rolling Bryan into the Calf Crusher but Joe breaks it up. Jeff with a Twist of Fate to Joe. Orton sends Hardy out of the ring. AJ sends Orton out of the ring. Bryan rolls AJ up from behind as they go back and forth. Bryan with the LeBell Lock on AJ but he gets to the bottom rope. Bryan charges with the running knee but misses as AJ moves. AJ drops Bryan with a pele kick.
Kofi has returned to the apron now as AJ tags him. Kofi flies in and takes Bryan down. Kofi gets dumped to the floor by Bryan but he takes everyone else down on the outside. Bryan charges but Kofi catches him in the face with a big forearm. Kofi flies back in with a big dropkick to Bryan. Bryan goes to regroup with Rowan at ringside. Kofi goes to the top and leaps out, taking Bryan and Rowan down on the outside. Bryan comes back in as fans chant for The New Day. Kofi nails Bryan with Trouble In Paradise for the pin to win.
Winners: Kofi Kingston, AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy
– After the match, The New Day enters the ring and raises Kofi up on their shoulders as the celebration begins. Shane McMahon comes out to the stage and announces Kofi vs. Bryan for the WWE Title at the March 10 Fastlane pay-per-view. Bryan looks on, still down, and he’s not happy. The New Day begins celebrating as their music starts back up. SmackDown goes off the air with The New Day celebrating.
