The week ends here with Friday Night SmackDown. And as always, I’ll be here with you throughout the night to give you the live play-by-play of the show as it airs. So watch this space for the WWE SmackDown Recap!
Edge opens the show. Says what happened last week, the chaos, the mayhem and destruction, it didn’t need to happen. Or maybe it did. Maybe it was all inevitable, maybe he was being naïve thinking he could travel the road to WrestleMania without hitting any speedbumps, or hitting roadkill ’cause that’s Daniel Bryan. He would’ve thought if anyone would’ve understood where he was coming from, it’s Daniel. When he told him that Bryan was one of his inspirations to come back, he meant it.
He thought the idea of teaming with him at Fastlane was tantalizing but apparently it wasn’t enough for Bryan. Says he was so focused on Roman, he didn’t see Bryan coming. It’s on him, he of all people should know a manipulator. After what happened with Adam Pearce last week, he realized that he’d simply been outplayed. But after that, he finally liked what he saw.
He looked into the mirror and saw the Rated R Superstar.
Did he snap at Fastlane, did he snap after the triple threat was made? Damn right he did. He finally woke the Hell up. Edge says he is the man that Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan aspires to be. He is a WWE Hall of Fame Legend! He is the Ultimate Opportunist! And he is finally… once again, the Rated R Superstar! Says he felt so good, had them both for the Conchairto, he was this close. It will happen again and when it does, he won’t hesitate.
WWE SmackDown Recap goes on, Edge backstage says he won’t feel badly if Bryan gets beaten senseless tonight, nor if he has to miss WrestleMania.
Alpha Academy in the ring. Gable talks about unleashing Otis’ inner alpha. He says they’re peaking at just the right time and when they peak, they peak. Tonight they outshine their own partners, the tag champs. Next week they complete the journey and win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships and they do it for the academy!
Up next on the WWE SmackDown Recap…
Robert Roode, Dolph Ziggler & Alpha Academy vs. The Mysterios & Street Profits
Everyone else involved gets inset promos, which is nice though it kinda feels like it’s for padding purposes mostly. Dolph and Dominik start. Dominik with a boot up off a charge, flies off the second rope for the Tornado DDT! Roode breaks up the pin, Mysterio ranas him out of the ring, Profits send the Alpha Academy to the floor as well. Mysterio with a West Coast Pop and Dominik with a Flying Crossbody through Roode and Ziggler on the floor! And Ford with the big tope to Alpha! Commercial break, WWE SmackDown Recap will resume when the show does.
Dolph is working over somebody as we come back, I guess Rey, Dawkins tags in and plows through folks. Throws Ziggler, throws Gable. Roode pulls Dolph to safety in the corner, Dawkins clocks him with a punch, ref is distracted, Otis with a cheap shot on Dawkins. Ziggler with a grapevine as Otis tags in. Pulls Dawkins up, whip, axe handle. Cover for a 2. Otis power whips Dawkins to the buckles! Elbow drop. Roode tags in, suplex for a 2 count. Otis comes in to continue the heat segment, mid-ring collision.
Tags to Gable and Ford, the latter is a house of fire.
Ford with a series of dropkicks, takes Gable to the apron just to sling him on back, big suplex, flip to his feet, Standing Moonsault, Dolph breaks up the cover. Rey goes to take out Dolph but Roode takes him to the floor. Ford with an enziguri to Gable, goes up top. From The Heavens but Gable rolls out of the way, Chaos Theory as Otis tags in. Goes to the second rope as Gable holds Ford in place, FROG SPLASH CRUSHES FORD! That’s that!
Winners: Alpha Academy
Glad that splash is a finish for him now, it is absolutely devastating.
Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville backstage. I feel like there’s been no payoff or even anything effectively teased with Sonya being here yet.
Paul Heyman talks about how he made sure Jey was legally protected with a holds harmless agreement, the street fight with Jey Uso is going to shorten Daniel Bryan’s career and could effect the main event of WrestleMania. Sonya says he makes a good point.
Seth Rollins and Cesaro being interviewed in the ring by Corey Graves.
Cesaro says Seth has been talking about his shortcomings. Many of them are true but this time he can’t fail. He feels something different in the air, swing is in the air. Seth says he can’t be shaken. It’s WrestleMania, and when you talk about the legendary WrestleMania moments, you have to include the Heist Of The Century. Cesaro says he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t know he could beat Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. He even knows he can embarass him at Mania!
Seth says again that he is unshakeable. Cesaro says he sure isn’t unswingable. Suggests he might should go for 37 revolutions for WrestleMania 37. Seth yells at him and says there are levels to this game and Cesaro is down here, Seth is up here! That’s how it is. He will embarrass him so much at WrestleMania that he won’t even have his potential to fall back on. It will be all his fault because he provoked him and provoked him and provoked him.
Rollins says he doesn’t even want to let him get to Mania. Starts taking his jacket off. Cesaro says take a swing! Seth opts against it though and leaves the ring.
Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler
Inside cradle.
Winner: Natalya
Yep, it’s the flash pin!
Tamina and Nia enter the ring and we have a brawl. Riott Squad, Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose, and the team of Lana and Naomi rush out too. That is the entire women’s tag division on the main roster. Hart Attack from Tamina and Nattie on Lana and Naomi ends the brawl so they stand tall.
Sami Zayn comes out for the Red Carpet Premiere of his documentary, with guest Logan Paul as the WWE SmackDown Recap continues.
He says there is a conspiracy shadowing every facet of his career and tonight you will see it and it will shock you. He introduces Logan Paul with a lengthy list of jobs.
Logan thanks him for inviting him, says it’s exciting to be in a WWE ring for the first time. This could be one of the biggest conspiracies of the century, he’ll love to see the evidence. Sami says they are fast becoming friends, he wants to take the opportunity to invite him to once again be his guest at the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania. Logan says it’ll be a pleasure.
Zayn says he’ll be happy that he gets to see what he does to that back-stabbing Kevin Owens. But that’s Mania. Tonight, we unveil the trailer to his documentary.
It is rated T for Truth.
He vaguely touches on all sorts of potential conspiracies. It does genuinely seem like a trailer in a way. The name of the documentary is Justice For Sami. Sami gives it a bravo and says what a gem! As Logan’s guest of honor, he throws it to him. He says it’s a lot to take in. It’s compelling. But when he was in the locker room, Kevin Owens approached him and said he’s known him for 15 years, there is no conspiracy, living in an alternate reality.
Sami asks what he’s doing? He’s HIS guest of honor, he’s here with him. Apologizes for snapping, but he needs everything to be perfect tonight. He already knows what Kevin Owens thinks, he doesn’t want him poisoning his mind. What he cares about is what does Logan Paul think? He says he can tell he put a lot of effort into it – Owens appears out of nowhere and stuns Sami! Paul is a bit speechless, Kevin shoves him aside as he leaves.
Edge approaches Pearce backstage as the WWE SmackDown Recap continues.
Accuses him of making the worst decision in the history of WWE last week, which he says is saying something. But the street fight tonight is a pretty good idea and he’ll be watching it on commentary.
Kevin Owens backstage says he could say he just liked stunning Sami and he does. But he wanted to send a message to Sami, to anyone in WWE. He could stun anyone at any time. Sami jumps him mid-sentence and stomps him to the ground, yells that he ruined everything.
Bianca Belair backstage. Says she was wondering when she’d finally see the real Sasha Banks. After slapping the soul out of her, the legit boss finally showed up. That’s who she wants to face because then there will be no excuse after she wins the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Carmella vs. Bianca Belair
Carmella attacks Bianca before the bell and throws her into the steps. Commercial break, WWE SmackDown Recap will resume when the show does. Belair taking Carmella into the corner to break a sleeper as we come back. Carmella climbs to the top rope for a headscissor choke. Bianca pulls her off the buckles for a bomb but Carmella counters with a rana to the corner! Bronco Buster for a 2 count.
Carmella fights back and takes her to the corner until Belair comes out with a big lariato! Dropkick, and just battering her. Grabs the hair, swings it, ‘Mella ducks and Bianca kicks her in the face, drops her with a right. Wants the Handspring Moonsault, Carmella dodges it, thrust kick for a nearfall! Carmella yells at her until Bianca just abruptly hoists her up for the KOD and that’s that.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Sasha Banks appears behind Bianca looking for a Backstabber perhaps but Bianca blocks it and rips away from her. Says not today. Sasha just backs off.
We see a recap of King Corbin attacking Drew McIntyre on Raw. He has a backstage promo, saying when Bobby Lashley made an offer for a championship match for anyone who takes out McIntyre, he looked at his timepiece and realized his time was now. He will take out that Scottish clown and then dethrone the Almighty and everyone will bow down to the king.
Apollo Crews with a promo says none of his ancestors have been disrespected like he was at Fastlane. He says this time, they’ll do it in a Nigerian Dogfight. No rules, no limitations, just the sound of being beaten like a drum. He says all of his family and the spirit of his ancestors will witness him finally becoming Intercontinental Champion!
Edge backstage confronted by Paul Heyman.
Paul says it should’ve been Edge and Roman one-on-one. Until Daniel Bryan wormed his way into things. Talks about how a triple threat mathematically makes everyone’s odds worse but Edge cuts him off, won’t be manipulated and just walks out to commentate the main event.
Speaking of which, up next on the WWE SmackDown Recap…
Street Fight: Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso
Jey with a whip, shoulder block. Knocks him down. Pulls him up and throws him to the outside. Jey goes out there with him, Bryan nails him with punches. Jey reverses a whip and takes Bryan into the barricade. Does it again and squares up with Edge. Jey takes up a chair and starts going into the ring, Bryan stops him with a Baseball Slide! Wants a Tope Suicida, Jey nails him with the chair to stop him cold!
Uce into the ring. Cracks him across the back. Wraps a chair around Daniel’s leg, goes up top for the Uso Splash but Bryan rolls out of the way at the last second! Takes the chair and cracks it across his back repeatedly as he rolls to the floor.
Roman’s music hits and out he comes.
Commercial break, WWE SmackDown Recap will be concluding soon. We come back to see Bryan going for his charging dropkicks, lands one, but Jey with a Superkick on the second attempt. Throws him facefirst into the corner wedged chair! Pummels him against the mat. Jey pulls out a toolbox, and from it, a steel chain. He smashes Bryan across the face with the chain! Chain-assisted Heymaker, up top, Uso Splash for a close nearfall! Jey bashes Bryan into the table, throws him into the steps!
Uce shoves Bryan face-first into the steps, pulls him atop them. Hooks him for a suplex, Bryan with body shots fights back, suplexes him to the floor! Bryan stares at Edge, smashes Uso across the back with a chair. Throws him onto the announce table and into the ring. Bryan with a Missile Dropkick off the top! Yes Kicks ensue! And he gets the headkick this time! Wraps the chain around his arm, nailing Jey with the chain, pummeling his arm! Yanks him into the Yes Lock! Uce taps.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Daniel immediately rushes out of the ring and nails Edge with a Buisaku Knee! Posts him repeatedly! Stares icily at Roman Reigns who is sitting on the stage. He marches up the ramp, Roman tosses his chair at him but Daniel dodges it, nails him with a Buisaku Knee as well! Pulling him into the Yes Lock! Refs have to pull him off.
Daniel Bryan into the ring and stands tall as the show goes off the air.