Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include Kit Wilson taking on Jelly Roll, Women’s United States Champion Giulia going one-on-one with Tiffany Stratton, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair clashing with The Bella Twins, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis to providing an update on Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes set to appear, and who will “The Viper” Randy Orton assault next? Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- Women’s United States Champion Giulia vs. Tiffany Stratton
- Kit Wilson vs. Jelly Roll
- Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair vs. The Bella Twins
- Who will “The Viper” Randy Orton assault next?
- Cody Rhodes set to appear
- SmackDown GM Nick Aldis to provide an update on Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre
WWE SmackDown Results:
Highlights from last week show Randy Orton’s heinous attack on Matt Cardona.
He Hears Voices…
“The Viper,” Randy Orton, reminds us that Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes stood in the ring and told him that he wanted Orton to be the best Orton he can be. Rhodes said the WWE Universe wants Orton to be the best that he can be. They all want him to be the Viper. They want him to listen to the voices in his head. Orton admits he stopped listening to the voices years ago. Rhodes, out of nowhere, gave Orton his blessing to listen to the voices. Orton can’t be held responsible for what happens next.
The voices aren’t the problem. The WWE Universe is the problem. The voices outside his head are the problem. There is one voice that Orton IS listening to. Matt Cardona‘s music hits. Cardona powerwalks to the ring. Orton berates Cardona. Orton asks if Cardona wants him to break his other arm. Cardona bops Orton on the head with the microphone. Orton falls out of the ring. Cardona yells for Orton to hit him now.
Grade: C+
This was a ok opener. Orton’s promo was solid, as always. That said… Yes, Cardona needs to get some sort of revenge, but this wasn’t it. Cardona should have been all over Orton. This is going to lead to a match, but after last week, this wasn’t anywhere near as intense as it needed to be. Cardona looks weak as all get out right now, despite standing tall after this segment.
Before the match starts, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Lash Legend and Nia Jax walk to the ring and dump on the wannabe contenders in the ring.
Randy Orton finds SmackDown GM Nick Aldis backstage and demands a match against Matt Cardona later tonight. Aldis reminds Orton that Cardona has a broken arm. Orton screams that he broke the damn arm, and if he doesn’t get his way, Aldis will regret it. Aldis agrees to the match, but tells Orton to go cool off.
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair vs. The Bella Twins
Flair knocks down Nikki and mocks Nikki’s taunt. Bliss tags in and gets caught in the apron, but Brie. Brie and Nikki beat down Bliss while she’s trapped. While the tag team champs look on from the commentary desk, Bliss manages to tag in Flair. Flair clears the ring. The Bellas take Bliss down with a Hart Attack. Flair breaks up the pin. Brie and Bliss trade pin attempts. Brie kicks out of a roll up, which sends Bliss flying into the ropes. Lash Legend obliterates Brie with a right hand while the referee is distracted. Bliss stumbles into a schoolboy from Brie, which nets a three count.
Winners- The Bella Twins
After the match, Jax and Legend beat the tar out of the four women in the ring. As Legend and Jax set up the Vegomatic, but Lyra Valkyria’s music hits, and for some reason, that’s enough for Jax and Legend to stomp their attempted murder attempt. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria make the save. Everyone stands tall. Flair pushes Brie just because.
Grade: C
The match here was fine, but this whole affair is losing half a grade because it’s asinine for Lash Legend and Nia Jax to not take Bliss’ head off with the Vegomatic just because Valkyrie’s music hit. What are we even doing here?
Mami is Always on Top
Rhea Ripley didn’t see B-Fab and Michin stooping to WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill‘s level. It doesn’t matter; Ripley will go through whoever she has to to get to WrestleMania. Ripley wants a fight and demands one of them show up right here, right now. Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab walk out on the ramp. Cargill says Michin and B-Fab didn’t join him; they came to power. This leads to a match against B-Fab.
Grade: C
This whole thing just isn’t working. No one involved really seems into it, and even with the presumed heat between the two, this all just seems lifeless.
Rhea Ripley vs. B-Fab w/Jade Cargill and Michin
A few seconds into this one, Cargill attacks Ripley, causing a disqualification.
Winner- Rhea Ripley
Ripley surprises Cargill with a head kick and sets up Riptide. B-Fab and Michin make the save. Cargill drops Ripley with Jaded.
Grade: C
… Not much can be said about this. At least Ripley didn’t beat up all three of the New Baddies and stand tall. Ripley needs to lose at WrestleMania. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
Kit Wilson vs. Jelly Roll
Wilson grabs a mic and says he has to defend the honor of his mother before this match happens. Willson says a bunch of stuff that ends with Wilson’s mother saying Jelly is toxic. Jelly says enough talk and pushes Wilson. The bell rings, and Wilson attacks Jelly. Wilson misses a splash. Jelly lands a flurry of offense before tossing Wilson over the top. Wilson tries to skin the cat, but Jelly clotheslines Wilson back over the top. Wilson goes nuts and grabs his poetry book.
Jelly takes it from Wilson. The referee takes it from Jelly. Wilson clobbers Jelly from behind. Leaping elbow by Wilson. Wilson works over Jelly. Jelly fires up. Wilson lands a boot. Jelly is rocked. Wilson dives off the top into a powerslam from Jelly! Wilson kicks out! Jelly tries to hit Wilson with the poetry book. Wilson ducks and hits his finish. Jelly… kicks out? Hmm ok. Anyway, Wilson tries it again. Jelly escapes. Wilson walks into a chokeslam from Jelly. Jelly pins Wilson.
Winner- Jelly Roll
Grade: C+
Jelly did just fine out there, but… just the idea that he pinned an actual wrestler is somewhat nauseating, even if it’s Wilson, who isn’t escatle positioned as the biggest deal on the card. Happy for Wilson for being featured here, but stuff like this will always make me slightly squint.
United States Championship Open Challenge: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Before the match starts, the lights go out, and Trick Williams’ music hits. Williams joins the commentary desk. Zayn and Hayes trade shots. Zayn gets hung up in the ropes. Fadaway by Hayes. Zayn sends Hayes over the top. Tope by Zayn. Zayn dives off the top. Hayes meets Zayn with a dropkick. Dirty Diana by Hayes. After the break, Hayes counters the Helluva Kick with the First 48! Zayn kicks out!
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Zayn reverses Nothing but Net into the Blue Thunder Bomb! Hayes kicks out! Williams gets up and grabs the United States Championship. Zayn and Hayes are both down in the ring. Williams tosses the championship in the ring. Zayn picks it up. Williams tries to hit Zayn, but Zayn ducks and decks Hayes! Zayn lands the Helluva Kick and pins Hayes.
Winner and NEW United States Champion, Sami Zayn!
After the match, Williams looks verklempt because of what he just did. That was NOT the result Williams wanted here.
Grade: B+
Hayes is the Best Bout Machine on SmackDown. This was another banger from Hayes. At first, this writer wasn’t thrilled with Zayn winning here, but if the wrestling Gods are worth anything, Zayn will defend the United States Championship at WrestleMania against Williams and Hayes. If Hayes gets dropped from the title picture, we should all riot.
FA-TU!
Jacob Fatu notes that he’s hurting. It’s all because of Drew McIntyre. Kicking Fatu’s teeth in isn’t going to keep him down. Nothing is going to hold him down. Not hitting him with a car or pulling him off the side of a building. Hell nah. Nothing. Fatu is still standing. As long as Fatu has breath in his lungs, every week, he’s going to dog walk McIntyre. McIntyre walks out on the ramp. McIntyre says Fatu is playing the victim. The crowd boos.
McIntyre says he’s the victim. Fatu is blaming McIntyre for a crime he didn’t commit. Fatu is the criminal here. McIntyre doesn’t care about food being taken out of Fatu’s kids’ mouths. That’s McIntyre’s damn food. McIntyre doesn’t give a damn about Fatu’s kids. Fatu bows up. GM Aldis runs out on the stage and tells them both to stop. Neither man is cleared to compete today, but they will be by WrestleMania. Aldis books an Unsanctioned Match between Fatu and McIntyre at WrestleMania.
Grade: C+
Fatu hasn’t been clicking as much on the mic the last few weeks. It’s odd. Fatu is a strong promo, but the crowd isn’t getting with it for reasons this writer can’t clock. Also, was kinda hoping for a Hell in a Cell match. Yeah, yeah, it’s still too early for that, but still.
Backstage, for what seems like the seventh time tonight, Jelly Roll gives another pep talk, this time to Matt Cardona, before his match tonight with Randy Orton. Jelly notes that he spoke to Cody Rhodes, and he’s on his way. Cardona tells Jelly that Jelly and Rhodes can sit this one out; he doesn’t want anyone’s help.
Women’s United States Champion Giulia w/Kiana James vs. Tiffany Stratton
Giulia tosses Stratton all over the ring. Stratton manages to land a dropkick. After the break, Stratton fires up after Giulia’s assault. Giulia sets up a superplex. Stratton drops Giulia off the top with a Gordbuster. Stratton hits a stiff swanton, where she lands flat on Giulia’s sternum. Yikes, that was rough. Giulia kicks out. Stratton goes up for her finish. After a distraction from James, Stratton tries her moonsault, but Giulia gets her knees up. Giulia pins Stratton.
Winner- Giulia
Grade: C-
This one was seemingly dead on arrival. The crowd didn’t care, and this writer tried to, but they didn’t make it easy. Stratton stiffed the heck out of Giulia on that swanton. That almost seemed intentional. Giulia clearly didn’t feel that way, since there was no receipt after the fact. Giulia winning here is a nice twist, since everyone assumed Stratton would win here… but if they do face off at WrestleMania, Giulia’s chances are slim to none.
Randy Orton vs. Matt Cardona
Cardona Orton trade shots. Cardona hits Orton with his cast, which rocks Orton. The fight spills out of the ring. Orton slams Cardona’s broken arm on the commentary desk. Orton slams Cardona’s injured arm into every structure he can find. Cardona’s good arm is placed between the commentary desk and the hood. Orton stomps on Cardona’s good arm. Cardona surprises Orton with the Rough Ryder.
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Orton kicks out. Orton rolls out and starts walking up the ramp. Cardona pursues Orton, but hilariously dives into a poke in the eye from the Viper. Orton continues working over Cardona’s broken arm. Orton tries to snap Cardona’s arm using the ring post and top turnbuckle. The referee looks on, horrified as Orton attempts to rip Cardona’s arm off his body. RKO by Orton. Orton pins Cardona.
Winner- Randy Orton
After the match, Rhodes’ bus arrives in the parking lot. Rhodes makes his way into the arena.
Grade: C+
Orton tries to maim Cardona here tonight. This was clearly designed to try to get the crowd to boo Orton. Fun fact, it’s not happening. The only way this nasty attempted murder by Orton would have gotten him booed is if Orton had killed someone the crowd adores. It would have had to be R-Truth, Danhausen… or Jim Ross. Beating up Jim Ross is always a good way to get some heat.
Something, Something, Cody Rhodes!
Cody Rhodes powerwalks to the ring. GM Aldis and other officials cut Rhdoes off. Rhodes pushes past the suits and hits the ring. Orton and Rhodes trade punches. Rhodes unloads on Orton and sends him into the ring post. Both men are eventually separated by security. Rhodes breaks free and gets on Orton. Rhodes is pulled by. Orton gets free and leaps on Rhodes. Security pulls Orton back.
Orton rolls out of the ring and beats up a bunch of the security guards. Rhodes knocks Orton onto the commentary desk and grounds and pounds him. Rhodes tries to pull Orton’s eye out of the socket. The fight ends up back in the ring. Once this finally calms down. Jelly Rolls Jiminy Crickets his way to the ring and checks on Rhodes. Orton does everyone a favor and drops Jelly with an RKO!
Grade: B
Solid brawl that went on way too long. Also, it was hard not to belly laugh at Orton randomly attacking the security guards, and THANK THE HEAVENS someone finally shut Jelly Roll up tonight.
WWE SmackDown Review:
Overall, tonight’s show was a chore to get through. A few of the matches weren’t exactly Flair vs. Steamboat, but yet again, the night was saved by another amazing Carmelo Hayes match. Hopefully, he will continue to be featured, but that remains to be seen. The strength of tonight’s show came in the promos and the hellacious brawl that ended the night. The road to WrestleMania has hit a bit og a pothole tonight, but let’s see how things shake out next week. Let us know what you think in the comments!
Rating C+
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