WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. Seth Rollins returned to SmackDown tonight and there were two tag team qualifying matches for Elimination Chamber during the show.
SmackDown Results (2/12)
- King Corbin & Sami Zayn def. Rey Mysterio & Dominik to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match
- Big E def. Shinsuke Nakamura via DQ to retain the IC Title
- Bayley def. Liv Morgan
- Street Profits def. Otis & Chad Gable
- Daniel Bryan & Cesaro def. Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Reigns Will Defend The Title Against The Winner Of The Elimination Chamber Match
Universal Champion Roman Reigns came down to the ring with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman to begin this week’s show. Adam Pearce was already standing in the corner waiting for them. Roman told Pearce that he doesn’t have any authority over him and that he’s not waiting for him. Reigns brought up Edge and claimed that the Rated R Superstar was nervous last week because he knows what will happen to him at WrestleMania if he challenges him.
Reigns said that he will beat Edge so bad that he will have to be put on a Legends contract. Roman claimed that Edge won’t pick him because he is scared and vowed to hold onto the Universal Championship for as long as he wants it. Pearce said he has had this contract for a week but Heyman insisted he do it this way. Adam announced that the contract states that Reigns will defend the Universal Championship inside Elimination Chamber, just like McIntyre is putting the WWE Championship on the line in the chamber.
Paul said Roman’s contract doesn’t say he has to defend the title at the PPV but not inside the chamber. Heyman suggested that the superstar who wins the Elimination Chamber match will get a title shot on the same night. Paul noted that Pearce wasn’t happy about it and asked what the hell is he going to do about it. Heyman joked that last year’s WrestleMania was the lowest attended mania of all time because Reigns wasn’t there. Pearce said that there will be some qualifying matches tonight but Jey Uso and Kevin Owens do not need to qualify and are already in the Elimination Chamber match. Reigns got in Adam’s face and Paul slowly pulled him away.
King Corbin & Sami Zayn Qualified For The Elimination Chamber Match
Pearce and Sonya Deville then had a conversation backstage. Deville suggested a tag team qualifying match where the winners will qualify for the Elimination Chamber match. Sonya announced that Rey Mysterio & Dominik will face Sami Zayn & King Corbin next in a qualifying match. Before the match, Sami brought his documentary crew to the entrance ramp and claimed that management helped Big E steel his Intercontinental Championship. Zayn added that he shouldn’t have to earn his way into the Elimination Chamber and said he was grateful his documentary crew is keeping their eyes on the WWE official.
Rey knocked Zayn off the apron and then sent Corbin to the corner to start off the action. Mysterio connected with a Dropkick and went for 619 but Sami tripped him up. Dominik came out of nowhere and leveled Sami with a Suicide Dive. Rey then sent King Corbin flying out of the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Zayn and Dominik were battling in the ring. Dominik hit a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Splash in the corner. Dominik connected with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Sami was able to kick out at two. Dominik hit Sami with a Senton and knocked Corbin off the ring apron. Sami rolled up Dominik for a two count and followed it up with the Blue Thunder Bomb for another near fall.
Dominik planted Sami with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Corbin broke it up at two. Mysterio hit Corbin with a Senton and Rey and Dominik delivered a double 619. Back in the ring, Sami hit Dominik with an Exploder Suplex and then the Helluva Kick for the pinfall victory. King Corbin and Sami Zayn have qualified for the Elimination Chamber match.
Apollo Crews Attacked Big E
Intercontinental Champion Big E came to the ring and brought up retaining over Sami Zayn & Apollo Crews last week. Big E said that he vowed to be a fighting champion and was quickly interrupted by Apollo Crews. Apollo claimed that he can read Big E and knows he is out here to issue an Open Challenge for the Intercontinental Championship and accepted the challenge. Big E wanted to defend the title against anyone besides Apollo Crews because he already ad his chance. Big E told Crews to go back to catering and collect his little paycheck. Crews told Big E that he is not going to the back and will keep coming at Big E until he has the title.
Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hit and he accepted the Open Challenge and Apollo Crews was ringside for the match. Big E leveled Nakamura with a shoulder tackle and dragged him to the ring apron. Big E hit a Splash and went for the cover but Nakamura kicked out at two. Apollo Crews hopped on the ring apron and Big E chased him off. Shinsuke capitalized on the distraction with with a knee to the face.
Nakamura draped Big E across the top turnbuckle and hit a running knee to the midsection. Shinsuke leaped off the middle turnbuckle and hit a kick to Big E’s face for a two count. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Big E countered into a Uranage for a near fall. Big E was about to hit the Big Ending but Apollo Crews interfered and hit a Dropkick to end the match in a DQ.
Seth Rollins Returned
Seth Rollins made his return tonight and the locker room surrounded the ring during his entrance. Rollins was once again using the The Second Coming (Burn It Down) entrance music.
Rollins said it feels good to be back in the ThunderDome and back in the ring. Seth stated a lot has changed since he sacrificed himself at Survivor Series and he is the thing that has changed the most. Rollins noted that he has recently become a parent for the first time and is the proud father of a perfect baby girl.
Rollins claimed that change has given him a new vision and he sees some of the most talented performers in the industry surrounding the ring. Seth wondered where he would fit in on SmackDown and referred to himself as a great leader that will take SmackDown to new heights. Rollins claimed that he can be everyone’s leader, father, and mentor. Several superstars started leaving as Rollins said “all you have to do is embrace the vision”.
Cesaro was the only superstar still there but wound up leaving Seth alone as well. Rollins went after Cesaro on the entrance ramp and hit him with a chop block to the knee. Rollins unloaded on Cesaro and shouted that he will never live up to his potential without him.
Bayley def. Liv Morgan
Bayley squared off against Liv Morgan tonight on SmackDown. Ruby Riott was ringside for the match. Liv hit a Dropkick but Bayley shrugged it off and sent her to the corner. Bayley went for a Clothesline but Liv ducked and sent Bayley into the ropes. Liv delivered another Dropkick off the middle turnbuckle and went for the cover but Bayley was able to kick out at two. Natalya and Tamina were shown watching the match backstage as Liv went for a Splash off the steel steps but wound up launching herself into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Bayley went for the cover but Liv kicked out at two. Bayley connected with a Shoulderbreaker for a two count and Liv battled back with a Codebreaker for a near fall. Billie Kay showed up and tried to apologize to Ruby Riott. Bayley capitalized on the distraction and raked Liv Morgan’s eyes. Bayley planted Liv Morgan with the Rose Plant for the pinfall victory.
Street Profits Picked Up A Win
Street Profits faced Chad Gable & Otis in a tag team match. Chad Gable and Angelo Dawkins started off the match and traded Arm Drags. Montez Ford tagged in and Gable greeted him with a slam for a two count. Gable hit another Arm Drag and then applied an Armbar in the middle of the ring. Montez escaped and tagged Angelo Dawkins back in. Dawkins applied a Headlock but Chad broke free.
Otis tagged in and leveled Dawkins with a shoulder tackle. Otis followed it up with the Catepillar Elbow Drop and Gable demanded to be tagged in. Otis went for a Clothesline but Ford sent him out of the ring. Montez tagged in as Dawkins hit the Anointment. Montez connected with the Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.
Banks & Belair Beat Down The Women’s Tag Team Champions
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks came to the ring and said everyone is talking about Bianca Belair and her decision. Banks claimed that Bianca was like a “big little sister” and that she wants to face her at WrestleMania. Bianca Belair interrupted and claimed that she liked Sasha Banks as well but she is not the boss of her. Belair added that it is her time and she is enjoying every second of it.
Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler joined the party and Jax wondered how Banks and Belair can fit in the same ring with their giant egos. Shayna and Nia boasted about winning the Women’s Tag Team Championships at Royal Rumble and wondered why nobody is talking about them. Sasha rolled footage of Nia and Shayna losing on RAW and then Belair rolled footage of the now infamous “my hole” comment from Nia Jax after missing a Leg Drop on the apron. Nia got pissed off and tried to attack Belair but she was ready. Sasha and Bianca then tripped up Nia and she fell ass-first onto the apron again. Sasha and Bianca then took out Baszler in the ring.
Cesaro & Daniel Bryan Qualified For The Elimination Chamber Match
Daniel Bryan & Cesaro battled SmackDown Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode in the main event. The winners of the match qualified for the Elimination Chamber match. Bryan and Cesaro dominated the action early and isolated Ziggler in the corner.
Ziggler battled back and tagged in Robert Roode. Cesaro hit Roode with an uppercut and tagged in Daniel Bryan. Bryan hit Roode with a knee to the face and some Yes Kicks. Bryan went for the Yes Lock but Roode was able to get to the bottom rope to prevent the hold.
Bryan sent Roode out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but accidentally hit Cesaro. Sami Zayn and King Corbin came down to the entrance ramp as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Ziggler had Bryan in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Ziggler brought Daniel to the corner and tagged in Roode.
Robert stomped Daniel Bryan to the canvas in the corner and then Ziggler caught him with a cheap shot as Roode distracted the official. Roode planted Bryan with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Bryan was able to kick out at the last moment. Cesaro finally was able to tag back in and whipped Ziggler into the turnbuckle.
Cesaro hit a massive uppercut and went for the cover but Ziggler kicked out at two. Ziggler hit Cesaro with a Fameasser for a two count. Cesaro hit a Backbreaker and then locked in the Sharpshooter on Ziggler in the middle of the ring. Dolph quickly tapped out and Cesaro & Bryan have qualified for the Elimination Chamber match.
After the match, Jey Uso attacked Cesaro from behind and him with a steel chair. King Corbin and Sami Zayn beat Daniel Bryan down before Kevin Owens rushed the ring. Owens hit Corbin, Bryan, Cesaro, and Jey Uso with a Stunner as Roman Reigns watched on. Owens shouted that he is coming for Roman Reigns and is not going away to close the show.
