WWE SmackDown aired live from the GIANT Center in Hershey, PA. Universal Champion Roman Reigns & WWE Champion Brock Lesnar had a contract signing for their winner take all match at WrestleMania 38. New Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn held a celebration for himself during tonight’s episode as well.
SmackDown Results
- New Day def. Los Lotharios
- Xia Li def. Natalya
- Sasha Banks def. Shotzi via submission
- Drew McIntyre def. Madcap Moss
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Ronda Rousey Will Face Sonya Deville Next Week
Michael Cole kicked off the show in the ring and introduced Ronda Rousey. Rousey high fived some fans before getting into the ring. Rousey spoke about breaking her hand during the WrestleMania 35 main event, rehabbing, getting pregnant, and everything she has been up to in the three years she has been absent from WWE.
Rousey noted that her mother set a badass example for her and she wants to do the same for her daughter. Cole asked about her accomplishments and winning the Royal Rumble but Rousey said she is focused on what is next, Charlotte Flair. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair interrupted and came to the entrance ramp.
Charlotte claimed that she was going to get Rousey in the Figure Eight at WrestleMania and that Ronda will tap out. Flair joked that at least Rousey will get to go home and work on baby #2 after she loses at WrestleMania. Sonya Deville showed up and attacked Ronda Rousey from behind as the champion laughed on the entrance ramp.
Flair joined in on the attack and bashed Ronda’s knee into the ring post several times. Rousey struggled to get up as Sonya Deville was taunting her. Rousey launched Deville across the ring and Sonya retreated. Rousey yelled at Sonya “is that all you got?!” to end the segment. Adam Pearce informed Sonya Deville that she will be facing Ronda Rousey next week and the match has already been approved by upper management.
Big E & Kofi Kingston Picked Up A Win
New Day faced Los Lotharios in the first match of the night. Kingston and Humberto Carrillo started off the action and locked up. Angel distracted Kofi and Humberto capitalized with a kick that sent Kingston to the outside. Angel and Humberto isolated Big E and beat him down.
When SmackDown returned, Los Lotharios had Kingston in the Tree of Woe and took turns stomping on him. Angel applied a Half Crab as Big E fired up the crowd on the apron. Big E eventually got the tag and planted Angel Garza with a Uranage. Kofi tagged in and New Day hit Midnight Hour but Humberto broke up the cover at two.
Humberto sent Big E to the outside but turned around into a Dropkick from Kofi that sent him out of the ring as well. Angel hit Kingston with a Suicide Dive as Big E planted Carrillo with a Belly to Belly outside the ring. Back in the ring, Angel leveled Kingston with a Superkick for a near fall. Kingston battled back with a a knee to the face and tagged in Big E. New Day hit the Midnight Hour again for the pinfall victory. \
Xia Li def. Natalya
Xia Li squared off against Natalya on this week’s edition of SmackDown. Shayna Baszler, Mansoor, Aliyah, and Drew Gulak were shown backstage as the announcers hyped up Xia’s in-ring debut. Natalya controlled the action early and sent Li to the corner.
Li connected with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Natalya kicked out at two. Natalya hit a Clothesline but Li kicked out at one. Natalya connected with a Suplex and unloaded some strikes until the referee warned her. Natalya applied the Abdominal Stretch with a big smile on her face as the crowd booed.
Xia battled back with some elbows to the midsection to escape the hold. Xia booted Natalya to the corner and delivered a running knee. She followed it up with a Suplex but Natalya kicked out at two. Xia connected with a spin kick to the head for the pinfall victory.
Johnny Knoxville Interrupted Sami Zayn
Intercontinental Champion Samy Zayn made his way to the ring for a championship celebration as SmackDown went to a commercial break. Sami was sporting a flashy gold jacket and had balloons tied to the ring post. Sami claimed the title is back where it belongs before complaining that the balloons were not the color he was hoping for.
The fans were chanting “what?” during Sami’s promo and he demanded some respect. Zayn joked that he shattered Nakamura’s knee cap and he can get a rematch when he recovers. Sami said he will defend the title against anyone brave enough to get into the ring with him and Johnny Knoxville interrupted.
Knoxville told Sami that he crashed the Jackass Forever premiere, so now he’s here to crash SmackDown. Johnny heard Sami’s challenge and accepted it. Sami was getting pissed and Knoxville suggested that he didn’t have any balls. Zayn and Knoxville met face to face before Zayn made it seem like he wasn’t going to fight.
Sami caught Knoxville with a cheap shot as Johnny was distracted with the fans. Zayn set up Johnny in the corner and hit him with the Helluva Kick. Knoxville was still held up by the ropes in the corner and Sami leveled him with another Helluva Kick. Sami raised the Intercontinental Championship as the crowd booed. Zayn complained backstage and it led to Adam Pearce announcing he will defend the title next week against Ricochet.
Sasha Banks Tapped Out Shotzi
Sasha Banks faced Shotzi Blackheart tonight in a quick match. Banks got in a Crossface but Shotzi escaped. Banks went for Three Amigos but Shotzi blocked the third Suplex and hit one of her own for a near fall. Sasha responded with a Meteora, Codebreaker and the Bank Statement for the submission victory. After the match, Naomi joined Sasha Banks in the ring and said that they are going after the women’s Tag Team Championships.
Drew McIntyre def. Madcap Moss
Drew McIntyre was set to face Happy Corbin tonight. Before the match, Corbin grabbed a microphone and wondered if McIntyre really wanted to have a WrestleMania caliber match in front of these fans in Hershey and get humiliated. Corbin complimented Madcap Moss on being tough and asked if he wanted to face McIntyre again. Moss agreed as SmackDown went to a break.
McIntyre battled Madcap Moss in a rematch from Elimination Chamber. McIntyre went for the Alabama Slam spot again early where Madcap landed on his head but Moss ran away. Corbin interfered and Moss capitalized with a rake to McIntyre’s eyes. Moss hit a DDT but McIntyre kicked out and quickly hit the Claymore for the pinfall victory.
Reigns & Lesnar Signed The Contract
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and Universal Champion Roman Reigns made their way to the ring. It was announced that The Usos will defend the titles against Viking Raiders next week. The match was originally supposed to take place at Elimination Chamber but The Usos attacked Viking Raiders during their entrance.
When SmackDown returned, cowboy Brock Lesnar made his way to the ring to a big pop from the crowd. The WWE Champion took off his cowboy hat and put it on the turnbuckle before entering the ring. Lesnar put the title down and shared a laugh with Roman Reigns. The crowd chanted “Suplex City!” as Lesnar introduced himself like Paul Heyman used to.
Brock said that these “skid mark” security guards won’t stop him from kicking Reigns & Heyman’s asses tonight. Lesnar claimed the only one stopping him from doing that is himself so he can do it at WrestleMania. Brock signed the contract and threw it at Roman Reigns before taking a seat. Heyman told Brock that he is going to lose the WWE Championship next Saturday in Madison Square Garden and isn’t going to make it to WrestleMania. Roman Reigns signed the contract before grabbing the microphone.
Reigns called Lesnar “farm boy” and vowed to smash Lesnar at WrestleMania. Roman told Brock that this is his show, his cameraman, and these are his people because they acknowledge him. Reigns got out of the ring and shouted that the commentary team belongs to him and he runs this show. Roman shouted that everyone works for him, including the security in the ring. The tried to attack Brock but he just beat them all down with ease. Lesnar hit a massive F5 on one of the guards and delivered some German Suplexes as Reigns watched on from the top of the entrance ramp.
