Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Jelly Roll appearing on a special edition of Miz TV, WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill battling Michin, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga taking on Uncle Howdy and Rowan, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Irresistible Forces defending against Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, and the WrestleMania contract signing between Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Mortgage Matchup Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- Jelly Roll to appear on a special edition of Miz TV
- Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga vs. Uncle Howdy and Rowan
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match | The Irresistible Forces vs. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair
- WrestleMania contract signing between Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton
- Jade Cargill vs. Michin
WWE SmackDown Results:
Backstage, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis is going over the WrestleMania main event contract. Former Champion, Drew McIntyre, storms the ring and blames Aldis for losing the championship. McIntyre demands Aldis make this right. Aldis and McIntyre go back and forth. Aldis notes that he finally understands why McIntyre didn’t want Cody Rhodes to have a fair shot; the first time he did, he beat McIntyre. McIntyre rushes the ring and gets in Aldis’ face. McIntyre tells Aldis he’s going to make this right or else.
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Jacob Fatu‘s music hits. Fatu says McIntyre would have never been champion if it weren’t for him. Fatu fixed that mistake last week. Now McIntyre is the champion. This isn’t about anyone else; McIntye should blame Fatu. Fatu proudly exclaims that he screwed McIntyre and asks what he’s going to do about it. McIntyre says he’s done with all of this. McIntyre walks up to Aldis and quits. The crowd lets out a hilarious gasp. McIntyre storms off through the crowd.
Grade: C+
This one started off a bit rough. Fatu, whom we all love, stumbled a bit here during his promo, but McIntyre’s quitting saved this. Haven’t we seen McIntyre quit what feels like seven times at this point?
Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga vs. Uncle Howdy and Rowan
The MFTs are in control early. Rowan gets the tag and clears the ring. Rowan gets his knees up on a splash from Sikoa. Chaos ensues outside the ring as everyone brawls. Sikoa rolls out and Samoan Spikes Lumis and Gacy. Sikoa rolls back in and calls for a Spike on Howdy. Nikki Cross appears and steals the lantern from Sikoa’s corner. Sikoa gets distracted. Howdy drops Sikoa with Sister Abigail for the win.
Winners- Wyatt Sicks
Cross gives Howdy the lantern. Tama Tonga teleports into the ring and attacks Howdy from behind and takes the lantern back.
Grade: C-
This match was just fine, but this angle is dead on arrival. They have run this same lantern bit what feels like 10 weeks in a row. The crowd no longer cares. This writer no longer cares. END THIS already.
Jade Cargill vs. Michin
Michin attacks before the bell rings. Jade eats a flurry of offense from Michin. Cargill surprises Michin with a running knee. Cargill beats down Michin. Michin fires up. Cargill slams Michin on the barricade. Cargill likes Michin’s face before landing a chokeslam. Jaded by Cargill. Cargill pins Michin.
Winner- Jade Cargill
After the match, Cargill grabs a mic and says she’s always on top and she’s not afraid of Rhea Ripley. Ripley’s music hits, and she stomps down to the ring. Cargill walks away. Ripley says after WrestleMania, Cargill will be her b*tch.
Grade: B-
This match was fun. Go watch it. It was a great palette cleanser after that tag match we just watched.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match | The Irresistible Forces vs. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair
Before the match starts, the Bella Twins interrupt after Flair and Bliss make their entrance. Nikki and Brie declare they are next in line for the Women’s Tag Championships. Legend and Jax attack as soon as the bell rings. Bliss tries a dive but gets slammed by Jax. Flair’s dive takes out Jax. Legend boots Flair’s head off her shoulders. Jax and Legend jaw with the Bellas, who are sitting at ringside.
Legend and Jax attack as soon as the bell rings. Bliss tries a dive but gets slammed by Jax. Flair’s dive takes out Jax. Legend boots Flair’s head off her shoulders. Jax and Legend jaw with the Bellas, who are sitting at ringside. After the break, The Bellas get involved after Flair accidentally boots one of them in the face. The referee throws the match out.
No Contest
After the match, Legend and Jax lay everyone out. Legend picks up one of the Bellas, and Jax dives off the second rope for a leg drop, Midnight Express-style.
Grade: B-
Fun match. Shoehorning in the Bellas was slightly nauseating. There was a more natural way to get to the eventual multi-team title match at WrestleMania. Also, if Jax and Legend are going to use the Midnight Express’ finish from here on out, someone should check on Jim Cornette.
R-Truth and Damian Priest vs. Los Garzas
Angel and Berto attack as soon as the bell rings. Priest and Truth are dumped out of the ring. Berto and Angel land stereo dives. After the break, Truth and Priest fire up and land stereo finishes for the win.
Winners- R-Truth and Damian Priest
Angel and Berto attack as soon as the bell rings. Priest and Truth are dumped out of the ring. Berto and Angel land stereo dives. After the break, Truth and Priest fire up and land stereo finishes for the win.
Winners- R-Truth and Damian
Grade: C+
Fun TV match. Guess this is Priest’s version of the RKBro runs Orton had.
Miz TV
The Miz’s mic cuts out, and he has to grab another… was that Danhausen’s curse? Miz introduces his guests, music “star” Jelly Roll. Miz wants Jelly to partner up with him. Jelly points out that Miz always turns on his partners. After a lot of screaming about stuff no one but the two guys in the ring cares about, Jelly threatens to beat Miz up (I’d like to see that, my money is on Miz).
Thankfully, Kit Willson’s music hits, and we get to hear a few bars of Willson’s banger of a theme. Wilson calls Jelly toxic. Jelly tries to explain that he’s a fan of Wilson, but Wilson still thinks he’s toxic. Wilson pushes Jelly. Jelly goes ot punch Wilsion and ends up punching Miz.
Grade: D
Everything about this stunk. If this ends with Miz getting to have a match at Mania, ‘suppose it’s worth it. If not, this writer wants those 10 minutes of his life back.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James w/Giulia
Stratton ends up getting driven into the barricade after a distraction from Giulia. After getting pushed into a crate by Stratton minutes ago, Chelsea Green resurfaces, being pushed to the ring by Alba Fyre in a wheelchair. Green tries to hit Stratton with what looks like a hammer. Giulia, who hates Green, stands in the way. Giulia tries to hold Stratton in place for James. James accidentally boots Giulia off the apron. Giulia lands on Green. Stratton crushes James with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.
Winner- Tiffany Stratton
Grade: C+
This one was fun, even with all the outside interference. Finding ways to keep Green on TV is just smart.
Trick Williams vs. Jacob Fatu
Williams lands the first shot but is quickly beaten back (giggity) by Fatu. Williams lands another shot, Fatu eats it, and bangs his own head into the turnbuckle. Williams clearly has no idea what to make of Fatu. Neckbreaker by Williams. Fatu pops back up to his feet. Williams looks terrified. Fatu runs over Williams and flattens him with a superstar press. After the break, Fatu lands a whisper in the hood.
Fatu runs into a cyclone boot form Williams. Ripcord Bookend by Williams. Fatu kicks out. Fatu lands a running hip attack Swanton by Fatu. Williams kicks out. Williams rolls out. Fatu lands a “dive.” While the referee is distracted, an unemployed Drew McIntyre attacks Fatu from behind. McIntyre sends Fatu into the ring post and tosses him back into the ring. Williams drops Fatu with a Trick Shot. Fatu gets up to his knee, and Williams lands another Trick Shot for the win.
Winner- Trick Williams
After the match, McIntyre sends Fatu to Claymore City.
Grade: B
Good match. Williams getting the biggest win of his main roster career was unexpected, but it was 1000% the right choice. Williams can crow about his big win, while McIntyre and Fatu’s issue gets deeper. Great piece of business right here.
WrestleMania Contract Signing
GM Aldis is in the ring for the contract signing. Aldis announces that since McIntyre seems to still be employed here, McIntyre will face Jacob Fatu next week. Aldis introduced the challenger, Randy Orton, first, and the champion, Cody Rhodes, next. Rhodes puts over Orton as a mentor and a friend. Rhodes signs the contract. Orton says he needs the WrestleMania main event. He needs the Undisputed WWE Championship, but it wasn’t supposed to be about this. It was supposed to be McIntyre.
Rhodes tells McIntyre he’ll make it easy for him. We all know who Orton is and what he’s in for at WrestleMania when the bell rings. When the final bell rings, Rhodes wants Orton to know that he’ll always love him. Orton signs the contract and shakes Rhodes’ hand. Orton slams Rhodes’ head into the table. The crowd is shocked (why? lol). Orton kicks Rhodes below the belt. Orton beats Rhodes up outside the ring, Rhodes is busted open and missing a show by the time Aldis and security show up.
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Jelly hops the barricade and tries to talk Orton down. Orton shoves Jelly. Aldis shows up and gets pushed by Orton as well. Orton stands the ring steps on its side and places Rhodes’ head on top of it. Orton walks off before he does something he regrets. As Aldis and others check on Rhodes, Orton hops the barricade with a. chair and crushes Rhodes’ head with it. Orton sits in the middle of the ring, clutching the championship.
Grade: A
Well, this took a heck of a turn. This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill contract signing. Orton whipped Rhodes like it was 2009. This segment put what was already on paper as one of the biggest matches ever; now, this is a blood feud, literally.
WWE SmackDown Review:
This show finished quite strongly, but the rest of it was quite uneven. The match of the night was Fatu vs. Williams, and the contract signing between Rhodes and Orton was a masterclass in how you get people to care about an angle.
Rating: C+
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