WWE‘s latest edition of SmackDown went down on (3/10/23) from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn returned the favor to Jimmy and Jey Uso following the latter’s attack on Sami this past Monday night on RAW!
Live Coverage
The show begins and see a video package of Jey Uso turning on Sami Zayn this past Monday night on RAW. We then see Jimmy and Jey Uso arrive to the arena and exit a truck. Paul Heyman is awaiting The Usos and gives Jey a big hug. Jey asks where The Tribal Chief is and Heyman tells Jey that Roman Reigns (and himself) are both proud of him. Heyman exits and Kayla Braxton comes in and asks Jey why he turned on Sami Zayn this past Monday night on RAW. Jey says he’ll say everything that he needs to say in the middle of the ring later tonight.
We then go to the arena where our commentary team of Michael Cole and Wade Barrett welcome us to tonight’s show and it’s time for our opening contest of the evening.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus vs. Xavier Woods vs. LA Knight vs. Karrion Kross — Number One Contenders Match, Intercontinental Championship
Woods attacks Knight right as the bell sounds. McIntyre and Sheamus dump everyone out of the ring and meet face-to-face in the middle of the ring. McIntyre tells Sheamus that it didn’t have to come to this and everyone else rushes the ring and returns the favor on McIntyre and Sheamus and the two former teammates are sent to the outside as we head to a commercial break. Back from the break and Kross and Woods are double teaming Woods in the corner. Woods fights back but the numbers are too much for the New Day member. McIntyre comes into the ring but Kross dumps the former WWE Champion right back to the outside. Sheamus rushes the ring and tosses Knight to the outside and fires him into the barricade. Kross comes over and takes out Sheamus and launches McIntyre into the ring post. Kross and Knight head back into the ring and continue their attack on Woods. A double slam plants Woods, McIntyre comes in and lights Knight up with some chops to the chest but Knight knees McIntyre below the belt and he and Kross plant him with a double suplex.
Sheamus goes up top and lays Knight out with a diving clothesline but Kross shoves Sheamus into the corner as he and Knight continue to dominate the balance of the matchup. Knight nails Sheamus with a swinging neck breaker and goes for the cover but Kross breaks it up. Knight laughs it off but cheap shots Kross as Woods rushes back in the ring to take control. Woods lays Kross out with a slam and plants Knight with a back body drop. Woods goes up top to a raucous of ‘New Day rocks!’ chants and comes crashing down on Knight with a diving elbow drop into a cover but Sheamus, McIntyre, and Kross all rush in to break it up as we head to a commercial break.
Back from the break and McIntyre lifts himself up from a tree of woe position and slams Kross, who’s holding onto Knight all down to the mat and everyone is down either inside of the ring or on the outside. McIntyre is the first to his feet and lays Kross out with a lariat, Sheamus comes in and tosses McIntyre to the outside before slamming Knight down to the mat. McIntyre and Sheamus come face-to-face in the ring and argue. Woods comes diving in off the top rope but Sheamus drills him with Brogue Kick in mid-air, Knight comes in and eats a Claymore Kick from McIntyre. Sheamus pins Woods, McIntyre pins Knight, they both get the three count and the referees talk it over while McIntyre and Sheamus argue in the ring but it looks like we have two winners.
Winner(s) – Drew McIntyre & Sheamus
After the match, Kayla Braxton catches up with Paul Heyman backstage. Heyman says Roman Reigns will have no trouble dispatching of Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39.
It’s then announced that the first member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be announced during tonight’s show and we head to a commercial break.
Back from the break and we see highlights of Drew McIntyre and Sheamus getting the simultaneous pinball victories earlier tonight. McIntyre and Sheamus are arguing backstage and Butch and Ridge Holland break them up before making Sheamus exit.
It’s then announced that Rey Mysterio will be inducted into this year’s WWE Hall of Fame. Rey’s music hits to a massive pop and out comes the first inductee into this year’s Hall of Fame class. Before Rey can say much, Dominik Mysterio, alongside Rhea Ripley, Finn Balor, and Damian Priest of The Judgment Day make their way down to the ring. Dominik says Rey doesn’t deserve this induction and Santos Escobar’s music hits and out comes Santos as well as Cruz del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, and Zelina Vega of Legado del Fantasma interrupt. Santos says he knows Legado and Judgement Day are supposed to fight tonight, so why waste anymore time and have that match, right here, right now? A referee rushes down to the ring and we’ll have the six-man tag team match after the break.
The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and Damian Priest) (with Rhea Ripley) def. Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Cruz del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde) (with Zelina Vega)
After the match, Dominik Mysterio gets back on the microphone and tells his father, Rey, that he should’ve been Eddie Guerrero’s son instead of his (Rey’s).
The Viking Raiders (with Valhalla) def. Braun Strowman & Ricochet
After the match, we see Intercontinental Champion Gunther backstage. Gunther approaches Adam Pearce and says what happened between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus to begin the night isn’t acceptable and Pearce needs to figure it out. Pearce says McIntyre and Sheamus will face off in a one-on-one match next week to determine Gunther’s opponent for an Intercontinental Title match at WrestleMania 39.
We then see SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair make her way down to the ring. Adam Pearce make this way onto the stage and says that Charlotte’s opponent tonight is Shotzi.
Charlotte Flair def. Shotzi
After the match, Rhea Ripley gets in the ring and confronts Charlotte. The SmackDown Women’s Champion tells her WrestleMania 39 opponent that she’s ran through everyone in her path…except for her, and that won’t change at WrestleMania as we head to a commercial break.
Back from the break and the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, Jimmy and Jey Uso make their way down to the ring as we see a video package of what went down between The Usos, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes from this past Monday night on RAW.
