WWE.com advertised a full slate of matches for SmackDown tonight. All bouts lead to WrestleMania, as Jinder Mahal fights his spurned Mania plus-one (Rusev), eight battle royal contestants square off, and AJ Styles teams with Shinsuke Nakamura to battle Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable. No cliffhangers to match Raw’s promise of the Undertaker finally answering John Cena’s challenge – but also nothing that will let down fans like Taker’s latest no-show. Hopefully, we’ll see AJ looking close to top-form tonight. The WrestleMania audience is the perfect crowd for his upcoming WWE championship match, and Nakamura needs this performance to validate the confidence that WWE powerbrokers have shown in him these past three months.
Intro: Daniel Bryan kicks us off. Shane McMahon makes his own entrance; apparently, the lethal mixture of contusions/diverticulitis/staph infection/hernia afflicting Shane-O-Mac can’t slow his roll into WrestleMania. Shane gives Bryan props for getting medically cleared. Bryan apologizes to Shane for not listening when McMahon warned him about Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens having ulterior motives. In response, McMahon tells Bryan that he’s going to work on being less hotheaded and stubborn. Bryan laughs at that comment, then we wait for an uncomfortable period for them to keep talking.
Bryan offers a hug. Shane tries to negotiate down to a handshake, but DB holds firm.
DEFINITELY NOT FIGHTING WORDS: “Does Nashville wanna see us hug it out?”
McMahon begs off, but the Nashville crowd chants, “Hug it out!” They get their wish. Bryan proclaims that their team being on the same page is bad news for Zayn and Owens.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya (non-title)
– This is a rematch from two weeks ago, when Natalya scored a win over the Queen. Lots of mat wrestling and counters to start. These two have a chemistry that has developed through years of working together. That’s a rare attribute in a women’s division filled with newcomers.
– The crowd pops for Charlotte after she completes a lengthy head-scissors sequence by flipping over Natalya, who vacates the ring. Much like the hot Raw crowd on Monday night, these fans are fully invested in tonight’s in-ring work (even when Flair counters into an abdominal stretch). Credit the performers for putting on a match that draws, and keeps, fan interest.
– Smart move having Asuka and Flair face off on opposing teams during tonight’s Mixed Match Challenge. They can gain experience working together in that match, which enables them to wrestle even though they’re assigned to different brands.
– Carmella’s music blares after a double clothesline, and it’s hard to get excited. She’s committed so many false starts in trying to cash in her Money in the Bank contract. But then you remember that taking the title off Charlotte may be a good idea before Sunday night…
– Carmella frantically waves her own official into the ring. The guy who’s already officiating this match doesn’t like it. Charlotte takes the prudent course of action by punting the briefcase out of the ring. I like that the MITB contract becomes invalid if that briefcase gets dropkicked out of the holder’s possession. Flair keeps jamming on this theme by booting Carmella from the ring.
– Natalya tries to take advantage of the distraction, but Charlotte kicks out of a pinning combination and hooks the Figure-Eight for the victory.
Result: Charlotte Flair beat Natalya via submission with the Figure-Eight.
Grade: B+
– As Flair celebrates, Asuka makes her full entrance. Hilarious moment when Byron Saxton announces that the next time these superstars will be in the same ring will be at WrestleMania, followed by Corey Graves yelling at him that they’ll be in the ring together in about two hours for the Mixed Match Challenge.
– Asuka really leans into some wacky pronunciations as she boasts that the Queen will bow down to the “Em-prreeeess!” Must be channeling Nakamura there. Flair snatches away her microphone to declare there she is ready for Asuka, and questions whether Asuka can say the same.
– Tom Phillips says this may be the biggest women’s singles match in WrestleMania history. He’s not wrong. Both women are pushed as the undisputed alphas of their brands, and something’s got to give.
– Styles speaks backstage about Nakamura’s mind-games. He denies that Shinsuke got in his head, stating that he’s always worn his emotions on his sleeve. Styles says this is a dream match, but the fight takes place in reality, and he will beat Nakamura to keep his WWE championship.
– We watch a video package highlighting the Bryan/McMahon vs. Zayn/Owens feud. Good idea to show that video given that the heels are barred from appearing tonight.
Rusev vs. Jinder Mahal
– The crowd chants for Rusev Day, just as they did last night at Raw when John Cena prompted the audience. WWE has been obstinate, however, about keeping Rusev heel, even with Aiden English present to croon insults at potential ne’er-do-well opponents.
– Rusev can’t apply the Accolade early, and Mahal takes over. We get a Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar promo video during this match. That’s some serious promotion for Mania.
– Mahal squirms out of a second Accolade attempt, then lands a thrust kick for a near-fall. When Rusev turns the tide, Sunil Singh provides interference. His sacrifice (eating a roundhouse kick) nearly allows his boss to steal the victory with a school-boy rollup.
– Rusev just belts Mahal a few times, then lands a Machka Kick for the win.
Result: Rusev pinned Jinder Mahal after a Machka Kick.
Grade: B-
– Rusev is soaking in the cheers when we hear frantic screams from the crowd. That likely means…RKO outta nowhere. In contrast, English interjects himself into the fray, then jumps off the second rope to absorb an RKO that Helen Keller could’ve seen coming. Bobby Roode abandons his guest commentary duties to enter the ring and calmly hand Orton his U.S. title belt. They stare each other down as the crowd chants for Rusev Day.
– Backstage sit-down interview with Nakamura to really hit the mind-games angle. Nakamura says he takes this game very seriously. He came to America for one reason: WrestleMania. He rebuts Styles’ statement that Nakamura is taking him lightly. Shinsuke does predict that AJ will make an emotional mistake that will cost him the championship. One more time: “knee to face.”
– The New Day chirp “Free!” backstage before hawking WWE Network subscriptions. You see, WrestleMania is free for first-time subscribers. These three guys almost got murdered in the ring last week. On Sunday, they’re facing the two lunatics who nearly killed them. But, tonight, they have time to be comedic pitchmen.
– Sadly, the Usos get dragged into this, too. They, at least, don’t sound so chipper about the task ahead. Finally, the Bludgeon Brothers sneak up, scare everyone off, and bludgeon some objects on the ground.
Breezango, Zack Ryder, and Tye Dillinger vs. Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, Mojo Rawley, and Epico Colon
– Only Baron Corbin gets a televised entrance for this eight-man tag-team match. Former Hype Bros Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder open this bout. Ryder floors Rawley with a middle-turnbuckle dropkick.
– Mojo’s past year of no progression makes it tough for WWE to tout the career-changing magic that comes from winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. As last year’s runner-up, Mahal would have been a far superior choice to use that victory as a springboard toward greater things.
– The heels all beat on Tye Dillinger. Tye catches a break when Rawley decides to roll around reenacting high school football drills before missing a turnbuckle charge.
– Fandango tags in to throw down on Primo Colon. No excess silliness like we saw from him last week. Fandango backdrops Corbin over the top rope (we’re reminded that such a move would mark an elimination on Sunday) as Ryder hits the Rough Ryder on Rawley. Primo and Ryder get dumped over the top rope to hammer home the battle royal rules. With most of the combatants dazed at ringside, Corbin shot-puts Breeze over the top rope onto the gaggle.
– Still the legal man, Fandango rolls up Corbin for an unsuccessful pin attempt. The Lone Wolf gets up, misses a big right hand, then catches Fandango with an End of Days.
Result: Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, Mojo Rawley, and Primo Colon beat Breezango, Zack Ryder, and Tye Dillinger when Corbin pinned Fandango following End of Days.
Grade: C+
– Backstage handheld video time. Benjamin and Gable vow to beat Styles and Nakamura tonight, and send them limping into WrestleMania. Ugh. Just when you think the word graphics have been sent packing…
– Phillips starts to comment on those remarks when Zayn and Owens materialize and stand on the announce desk. Owens bellows that, fired or not, it’s still the Sami and Kevin Show. Referencing the manner in which their opponents made amends earlier tonight, Zayn sardonically claims that they also have some people to whom they owe apologies. Bryan is not one of them, but they are sorry for his wife and daughter. Zayn tells Bryan that his little girl will not grow up with fond memories of her father’s heroic comeback.
FIGHTING WORDS: “And, Brie, I am sorry for the man that we are gonna send back home to you when we are done.” – Sami Zayn
– Zayn tells Brie Bella that all her love and support won’t be enough to put her husband back together. Sami tells Bryan that it is “our dream” to “obliterate” him. Owens affirms that sentiment, and tells their opponents that their triumph will mark their WrestleMania moment. Zayn mockingly chants “We deserve it” as he dances around flippantly. This is the nastiest I’ve seen him as a heel. Owens threatens to send Shane back to Titan Tower, where he can look at the disappointment in his father’s eyes and the scar he placed on his forehead.
– The heels’ microphones go dead. It’s been a while since that gambit was used (CM Punk?). Owens and Zayn flee through the stands.
– As they jog up the stairs, Bryan and McMahon resurface on the entrance ramp. Bryan orders them to stop. Then he asks the crowd to capture this footage on their phones, because it’s going to be the last time Zayn and Owens appear on SmackDown. McMahon sings and conducts the “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” refrain as the heels take their leave.
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable
– Nakamura and Gable have a similarly goofy type of charisma; they could work a fun program together. Gable and Benjamin look strong here, and did themselves a favor with their performances tonight and last week.
– Why did AJ stand on the apron waiting for Shinsuke to proactively touch his hand and tag him into the match? Just tag any part of his upper body and get into the ring.
– We really don’t need the WrestleMania promotional video for Asuka vs. Charlotte shown during this match. WWE had 110 minutes to spotlight that match; they should’ve focused attention on the WWE championship match combatants working a live bout.
– Nice work by Styles in refusing to tag Nakamura, then standing next to his partner/challenger before he hit the maneuver. Even better that he psyched out Nakamura after the match by launching himself off the top rope, then stopping just short of smashing Shinsuke with a Phenomenal Forearm. He mirrored Nakamura’s actions last week by smiling and patting him on the head after the tease. Those two springboard moves show that Styles (who’s been nursing a knee injury) will be healthy enough to steal the show at WrestleMania.
Result: AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura beat Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin when Styles pinned Gable following a Phenomenal Forearm.
Grade: B
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