WWE SmackDown aired live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. It was the final episode before WrestleMania this weekend. Tonight’s episode was advertised as “WrestleMania SmackDown” and featured the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and a Triple Threat match for the Intercontinental Championship.
SmackDown Results
- Madcap Moss won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
- Ricochet def. Angel & Humberto in a Triple Threat match to retain the IC Title
- Naomi & Sasha Banks def. Queen Zelina & Carmella in a non-title match
- Rick Boogs vs. Jimmy Uso ended in a no contest
- Austin Theory & The Usos def. Finn Balor, Rick Boogs, Shinsuke Nakamura
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Madcap Moss Won The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal kicked off the show. Reggie eliminated Tozawa early and taunted him. Damian Priest then sent Reggie out of the ring for the elimination. R-Truth took the opportunity to taunt Reggie & Tozawa and Damian threw him over the top rope as well.
Viking Raiders eliminated Jinder Mahal and Shelton Benjamin eliminated T-Bar. Happy Corbin showed up to cheer on Madcap Moss and it almost backfired as Tommaso Ciampa tried to send Moss over the top but he held on. Cedric Alexander, Shelton Benjamin, Mansoor, Apollo Crews, and the Viking Raiders were all quickly eliminated in the next sequence.
Everyone teamed up to get the big men out (Commander Azeez & Shanky). United States Champion Finn Balor eliminated Damian Priest to continue their rivalry. Finn Balor, Tommaso Ciampa, Robert Roode, and Dolph Ziggler were the final four superstars remaining in the Battle Royal.
Robert Roode battled with Madcap Moss and planted him with a Spinebuster. Ziggler and Roode got Balor to the apron but couldn’t eliminate him. Madcap Moss snuck up from behind and sent Roode & Ziggler over the top rope. Balor got back into the ring and traded shots. Madcap Moss got the upper hand and eliminated Balor to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
After the match, Madcap Moss said he did it all by himself and Andre was his hero. The crowd was booing Moss and he took the opportunity to mock the fans in Dallas before celebrating with the trophy.
Ricochet Retained The Intercontinental Title
Ricochet defended the Intercontinental Championship against Angel & Humberto (Los Lotharios) in a Triple Threat match. Los Lotharios treated the bout as a Handicap match early and beat the champion down. Ricochet tried to battle back but Angel & Humberto sent him to the outside. Los Lotharios shared a hug as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Angel and Humberto were still in control and taunting the crowd while keeping the champion on the mat. Ricochet hit Angel with a kick but turned around into an Enziguri for a two count. Humberto went for the cover but Ricochet kicked out at two. Angel wasn’t too pleased about that and went for another cover while Humberto was posing in the corner.
The tag team began arguing and Ricochet finally got in some offense before the numbers game caught up to him. Humberto tried to roll Angel up but he kicked out and they started arguing again. Ricochet capitalized with a Crossbody onto both superstars and then a big Dropkick to Angel.
Ricochet connected with a standing Moonsault on Humberto and went for the cover but Angel broke it up at the last moment. Ricochet climbed to the top rope but Angel tripped him up. Ricochet responded with a kick to the face and made his way back to the top turnbuckle but Humberto broke it up this time.
Humberto went for a Superplex but the champ held onto the ropes. Ricochet sent Humberto onto Angel with a Suplex and climbed to the top rope. Ricochet hit Angel with the 630 Senton and then quickly followed it up with the Recoil on Humberto for the pinfall victory. Ricochet is still the Intercontinental Champion.
Naomi & Sasha Banks Pinned The Champs
Sasha Banks & Naomi faced Women’s Tag Team Champions Queen Zelina & Carmella in a non-title match. Liv Morgan, Rhea Ripley, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler were ringside for the match. Carmella and Zelina will defend the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Morgan & Ripley, Baszler & Natalya, Banks & Naomi in a Fatal 4-Way match at WrestleMania.
The champs controlled the action early and isolated Sasha Banks in the corner of the ring. Sasha battled back with a knee to the face and crawled towards the corner. Zelina knocked Naomi off the ring apron to prevent the tag but Banks battled back. Naomi hopped back on the ring apron and tagged in.
Naomi slammed Zelina to the mat and went for the cover but Carmella broke it up. Naomi leveled the champs with a Dropkick and tagged in Sasha Banks. Sasha hit a Splash and Naomi followed it up with the split-legged Moonsault for the pinfall victory.
Charlotte & Ronda Rousey Spoke
Ronda Rousey was interviewed earlier in the day ahead of her match against SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania. Rousey admitted that Charlotte has made her angry but she’s going to relax until WrestleMania. Ronda added that her family will be in the front row at WrestleMania to watch Flair either tap out or get her arm ripped off.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair made her way to the entrance ramp and vowed to destroy Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania. The fans started the “what?” chant and Flair responded with a “woo!”. Charlotte claimed that she was cool because every woman wanted to be her and every man wanted her. The crowd booed and Flair ended the promo by calling Rousey a b*tch.
Vince McMahon Threatened To Fire Pat McAfee, Austin Theory Pins The US Champion
Rick Boogs battled Jimmy Uso this week on SmackDown. The Usos will defend the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Boogs and Shinuke Nakmura at WrestleMania. Jey Uso and Shinsuke Nakamura were ringside for tonight’s match.
Before the match, Pat McAfee chased Austin Theory backstage again and to Vince McMahon’s office. McAfee pounded on the door and began to walk away. McAfee turned around and booted the door and it popped open. An enraged Vince McMahon emerged and threatened McAfee that he’d cancel his WrestleMania match. Vince also threatened to fire him and McAfee walked away as Austin Theory hid behind Mr. McMahon.
Boogs dominated early and showed off his power by lifting Jimmy with ease. Boogs hit a massive Fallaway Slam and both superstars were down. Austin Theory jogged down the entrance ramp and Pat said he was going to try to ignore him. Theory grabbed a drink and threw it on McAfee. Michael Cole calmed McAfee down by saying “Pat!” over and over. Theory posed on the entrance ramp but United States Champion Finn Balor showed up and attacked him. Balor rolled Austin Theory into the ring and the referee called for the bell as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
Nakamura, Boogs, and Balor then faced Austin Theory & The Usos in a 6-man tag. Pat McAfee got very pumped as Boogs manhandled Austin Theory. Balor tagged in and The Usos sent him to the outside. Jey bounced Finn’s head off the announce table and rolled him back into the ring.
When SmackDown returned from a commercial, Balor connected with a Dropkick as Nakamura pleaded for a tag. Nakamura and Theory tagged in and Shinsuke caught him with a kick to the face. Shinsuke unloaded a series of kicks and followed it up with an Enziguri. Nakamura got Theory in the ropes and hit a sliding German Suplex. Balor tagged in and sent Theory to the outside.
The United States Champion flipped onto Theory and The Usos before bringing Theory back in the ring. Finn hit a Slingblade and climbed to the top rope. The Usos got up on the apron and Balor booted them away. This allowed enough time for Theory to recover and he tripped Balor up. Austin Theory then hit the reigning United States Champion with the ATL for the pinfall victory and taunted Pat McAfee to end the segment. McAfee and Austin Theory will battle at WrestleMania.
Drew McIntyre Got Angela Back
Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss made their way to the ring as SmackDown went to it’s final commercial break. Corbin hosted an episode of Happy Talk with Angela the sword as the guest. McIntyre’s sword was placed on a table as the crowd booed the hell out of Moss & Corbin.
Moss boasted about winning the Battle Royal and Corbin downplayed it by saying he’s been there and done that. Happy made a rough joke (“what does McIntyre’s sword and his mother have in common? He has lost them both”).Corbin claimed that Angela the sword needed a new happy name. Drew McIntyre finally interrupted and swatted Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner Madcap Moss away like he was nothing.
McIntyre grabbed a steel chair and hurled it at Corbin. The chair hit Corbin and he dropped the sword. Drew grabbed the sword and swung away but Happy Corbin retreated. McIntyre then threw out the furniture in the ring and broke the table with the sword to end the show.
